Are “Puff Counts” Accurate? Honest Guide to Disposable Vape Puff Counts in 2024

Are you really getting 600 puffs out of your Crystal Bar? Why do some disposable vapes advertise more puffs than others? In this article, we’ll be discussing how puff counts are actually measured and whether they’re truly accurate.

Did you know?

Disposable vape puff counts are estimates and are not guaranteed. The maximum number of puffs from any given disposable will vary from vaper to vaper due to individual vaping style, frequency, and the length of the puffs you take.

How are puff counts on disposable vapes calculated?

In truth, disposable vape brands use a machine to measure the puff counts in each of their disposable vape models.

Essentially, the machine takes a series of (very) short, MTL-style puffs from a given vape and counts the maximum number it can achieve before the device runs out. The manufacturer then takes that maximum number, rounds it up or down to an even hundred, and advertises it as the device’s puff count.

Is this false advertising?

In practice, we know that this isn’t how humans vape. Vapers tend to take puffs of varying lengths (usually larger than the machines take), and some vapers employ a restricted direct-to-lung inhale rather than a classic MTL intake. These factors mean that the number of puffs you’re getting out of your disposable vape likely isn’t as high as the manufacturer advertises.

This is why, on our website, we state that disposables can provide “approximately” or “up to” their advertised puff counts.

So, should consumers make disposable vape purchases based on advertised puff counts? It may be better to consider other factors when looking for a disposable vape.

Other Factors Impacting Puff Counts

Generally speaking, the number of puffs you can get out of any given disposable vape is dictated by two major factors:

E-Liquid capacity
Battery size
In the UK, the maximum amount of E-Liquid allowed by law in any disposable vape (or any bottle of nicotine-containing E-Liquid, for that matter) is 2ml. Most disposables contain 2ml of E-Liquid.

So, when we see disposable vapes advertising higher puff counts with the same E-Liquid capacity as every other model on the market, we need to ask: how? Will you really be getting more puffs if the device has the same amount of juice?

Battery sizes can also affect the longevity of disposable vapes, and sizes can range anywhere from between 400mAh to 600mAh. The battery size determines how long the vape will last before the battery itself dies.

Now, most disposable vape batteries die before the E-Liquid completely runs out, which is an intentional feature designed to ensure that you aren’t vaping an empty disposable—which would taste like burnt charcoal. Rather, most companies have found the sweet spot, where there’s just enough E-Liquid so the coil doesn’t taste burnt by the time the battery runs out. Still, battery sizes do affect maximum puff counts.

So, bearing all this in mind, when you’re shopping for disposable vapes and see advertised puff counts that seem too good to be true, compare it to a disposable vape that you’re familiar with, like the Elf Bar. Does the new disposable contain more or less E-Liquid? Is the battery any larger? Is there anything else about it (like airflow) that would suggest it can produce more puffs?

If the specifications don’t vary greatly, chances are, you’ll probably get the same number of puffs out of it as you would with any other disposable vape.

In the UK market, there really isn’t much room for variety on puff counts.

Consider Your Vaping Style

When it comes to puff counts, you have to take into account your vaping style and frequency, too.

So, if you’re an MYDE vape, you’ll use more E-Liquid and get fewer puffs—and in the same vein, if you take longer inhales, regardless of your vaping style, you’ll get fewer puffs. If you vape frequently, you’ll degrade the battery quicker and get fewer puffs as a result.

How long does a disposable vape actually last?

You should now understand that this number can vary hugely, from device to device and from vaper to vaper.

Still, we want to be honest with our customers. We’ve heard complaints about the puff counts on a number of devices not being what they say they are, and while we agree and understand, we cannot advertise less than what the manufacturer states.

For this reason, we suggest halving the maximum puff count to determine the true number of puffs you’ll get out of any given disposable vape. That means where a says it offers 600 puffs, you’ll realistically get closer to 300 puffs.