10 days with Juul

Introduction

The name is on everyone’s lips at the moment … you were eagerly waiting for it? So were we! And it has finally arrived. We have had the pleasure to test the JUUL as a Swiss premiere and share today with you our experience and impressions.

Pax Lab created the JUUL in 2015. The company then became independent and is today located in San Francisco, California. The goal clearly expressed by the brand is to eliminate traditional cigarettes and improve the lives of billions of adult smokers across the world.

JUUL was criticized for potentially targeting teenagers and non-smokers. Their response was crystal clear: they aim to protect teenagers, and have increased the control over the distribution of their products. Especially regarding certain of their flavors that could be attractive to that population group. They also refuse to sell flavors that remind of sweets or other childish scents. And are extremely cautious in terms of communication and presence in the media and on the web.

Presentation and packaging

We were given a starter kit, and discover a very sobre packaging, looking a bit like a pack of traditional cigarettes – espcially given the warning notice that the product contains nicotine, a highly addictive compound.
Inside, we find the JUUL itself, a charger, and 4 cartridges containing nicotine, a highly addictive compound

Let’s talk about this pod and … test it !

The first thing of obvious notice is its look: it is discreet, sober, and miniature (9.0x1.5cm).

We cannot resist starting with a cartridge prefilled with a tobacco flavor. After a second of contemplation, we can immediately inhale, as the JUUL has no on/off switch. You just need to bring it to your mouth and inhale. It automatically recognizes the action and activates itself. A color LED indicates the level of battery charge. The charger is very crafty: a mini USB switch with a magnetic support on which you simply lay the pod. Very practical and effective, as the battery charge time is only of 45-60 minutes..

The flavor rendering is acceptable. We can feel the tobacco taste, and decide to try another flavor – mango. Which reminds us of the “be fruit” flavor of a refreshing drink.. The throat hit is enjoyable. We can feel that the nicotine content, which is ideal to replace a traditional cigarette. It holds well in the hand, and it can be held with two fingers – like a traditional cigarette if you want, which is rather reassuring.

The quantity of vapor exhaled is not very imposing. This allows for discreet vaping for those who would dislike the attention brought to them by a cloud of vapor! The cartridges are pre-filled, which implies that the choice of flavors is limited to those that the brand proposes. These exist to fulfill all kinds of taste (tobacco, fruity, savory). They are replaced very easily by simply pulling off the old one and inserting the new one. No precaution needed, no risk of leakages, which allows to switch flavors at a whim during the course of the day. And when a cartridge is empty, just throw it away!

The level of nicotine content cannot be adapted either. It is of 20 mg/ml (i.e. approx. 14 mg per cartridge). It is important to note that it is not traditional nicotine but nicotine salts, that are found in the leaves of tobacco plants. This type of e-liquid is the hype at the moment, especially with smokers trying to quit. Nicotine salts allow the use of high levels of nicotine without giving a too strong throat hit. This increases the chances of tobacco withdrawal.

JUUL promises approximately 200 inhalations – an average of the 0.7ml capacity and the autonomy of the battery.

Positive points:

• Size and weight
• Discretion
• Automatic activation
• SEase of charging and cartridge changing

Negative points:

• Autonomy
• Flavor rendering

Our opinion

The JUUL keeps its promise – it manages to prevent smokers from ranting for a cigarette! For seasoned vapers, the number of flavors is too limited, and the vapor cloud produced is small. But for them, it can be a discreet add-on pod. In any case, we agree that it is a very good substitute for traditional cigarettes.
Its size, ergonomic sense and vapor production make the ideal pod for discreet vaping. We really appreciated the ease of cartridge changes, which allows for different flavors during the same day. The autonomy is confirmed to be around 200 inhalations, and the battery holds long enough to empty a cartridge of e-liquid.

Dear Reader, thank you for your attention. We appreciate your interest in reading this article and your loyalty to our brand.

The Sweetch Team