Most vapers these days count themselves a member of one of two strikingly different camps: mouth-to-lung (MTL) or direct-lung (DL) inhale technique. What's best for you? Let's explore.

First, MTL vaping is similar in style to what former tobacco users are accustomed to. In a two-stage process, a user will first pull a bit of vapor into the mouth, then slowly draw it into the lungs after stopping use of the vaporizer.

This style has its benefits. First, it's most similar to what cigarette smokers are used to, lending itself to easy adoption for those looking to quit. It also produces less vapor when exhaled, allowing for more discreet use and also lower e-liquid consumption – this can be attractive to economical vapers looking to lower their juice consumption.

With a DL style, users take one continuous breath while their vaporizer is activated, smoothly inhaling and exhaling rather than using the choppier MTL style.

Direct lung vaping is favored by those who prefer large cloud production, and smoother draws with less punch or 'throat hit' from lower nicotine levels. Many vapers who start out with MTL devices eventually gravitate toward DL-friendly equipment later on, as they lower the nicotine content of their liquids and overcome the harshness of draw that those accustomed to tobacco demand. The main drawback of the style is that in order to generate those large, fluffy clouds that come with the higher airflow of DL devices, considerably more e-liquid is vaporized.

Many of today's popular tanks, including Smok's TFV series, are available with a wide range of coil options that allow users to experiment with both open DL draws and tighter MTL configurations – starting out with a device like this is a good jumping-off point to experiment with both styles and see which is the best fit for you.