While vaping may seem like a very 21st Century invention, the history of vape technology goes back nearly a hundred years before the first modern vapes that we know today were first invented. Even since the dawn of the modern era of vapes, there have been multiple game-changing inventions, discoveries, and market shifts that have shaped the vape industry for the past two decades.
Early 20th Century Vaping Devices: 1927 - 1999
The earliest recorded attempt at developing a vape device was in 1927 when Joseph Robinson applied for a patent for his electric vaporizer device. The patent, numbered US1775947A, was granted to Robinson 3 years later on September 16, 1930, but the device was never developed.
After another 35 years, Herbert Gilbert filed for a patent for his Smokeless Non-Tobacco Cigarette. The patent was approved as US3200819A on August 17th, 1965. While several successful prototypes were created, the device was never commercialized due to a lack of interest by manufacturers.
In 1979, a computer scientist, Phil Ray, and a physician, Norman Jacobson, conducted the first formal research on nicotine delivery and developed a device based on nicotine evaporation that was commercialized but never truly successful at providing an alternative to cigarettes.
There was a flurry of innovation at the end of the 20th century and through the early 2000’s of devices that mainly used evaporation and physical propulsion. However, a small number of devices from the time worked in a similar way to modern vape devices. These generally fit into the category of cigalike electronic cigarettes or cigalike vapes as they mimic the look and feel of a real cigarette in an attempt to be the first true alternatives to smoking.
Hon Lik and The Dawn of Modern Vaping: 2003
Inspired by the loss of his own father to lung cancer as a result of cigarette smoking, Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik created the first modern vape device in 2003. Lik’s design was developed by the company he was working under, Golden Dragon Holdings, and marketed as the Ruyan. Lik’s device hit markets in China and Canada in 2004 with expansion into the United States and across Europe by 2006 sparking a surge in competition and innovation.
Over the next decade, innovations in vape technology would see the rise and fall of the first generation of e-cigarettes give way to battery-powered atomizers and a split to provide for seemingly incompatible consumer desires for convenience with 510 threaded cartridges and small lithium-ion battery-powered types of vape pens, and for more powerful and customisable devices.
Vape mods brought in the next wave of innovation with the continual addition of features that gave the user temperature control, variable wattage to fit individual vaping styles, and adjustable power output. The vape pens featured in this stage of development used refillable vape tanks and focused on vaping experience as well as vapour production. These devices would eventually lead to the larger vape box mods and the more sophisticated vape pens working with refillable pod mod systems.
Nicotine Salts Change the Game: 2015
In 2015, Pax Labs introduced Juul, the first closed pod system using nicotine salts instead of freebase nicotine e-liquid, changing the face of the vape industry. To learn about what nicotine salts are and how they impact the vape experience check out An Introduction to Vape Juices: Nic Salts vs Freebase.
The invention of closed-pod systems of vaping using nic salts sent the industry into another flurry of innovation. Pre-filled pods offer a simple and convenient system that makes it easy to switch from traditional cigarette smoking to vaping. Most pod systems are draw-activated and use a rechargeable battery device that connects magnetically to the pods so using them is as simple as charging your device and popping in a pod.
The Rise of Disposables: 2019
Pod systems weren’t the only vaping products that benefited from the advancements in nicotine salt technology. Disposable vape pen manufacturers took note of the success of pod systems and began expanding the features and offerings, building a wide variety of disposable vapes.
In 2020, disposables started to overtake pods in popularity and the number of disposable vapes in Canada and in markets around the world grew rapidly. Disposables offer not only the ultimate in convenience with a built-in battery that doesn’t even need to be charged, brand new vertical coils for an unparalleled vaping experience. With all that they offer, it’s easy to see why disposable vape pens took off the way they did, but the disposable game is still new and there are more than a few changes yet to come.
Innovations in disposable vapes have been striving towards a better vape experience, as has the vape industry as a whole, but also towards larger and larger capacities of e-liquid to give users the high-quality experience of a disposable for as long as possible. In some cases, this means compromising on battery life to ensure the maximum amount of space for vape juice. Many of these larger disposables have begun using rechargeable batteries to achieve total puff counts in excess of 5,000 puffs.
Get the Latest and Greatest Vape Pods and Disposables from STLTH
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The quality and care that goes into every STLTH pod is now going into every STLTH disposable device as well. Get the most intense and true-to-life flavours with STLTH 3K and 5K disposables. The STLTH 3K offers the ultimate in convenience with a truly disposable experience and non-rechargeable battery, while the 5K delivers a long-lasting vape experience with the added benefit of a rechargeable internal battery to get you every last drop from your vape.