Whether you consider it a healthier alternative to smoking, would like to use it to quit smoking or find it a fun way to pass some time, vaping has become very popular.
While the market has lots of options when it comes to vaping products, it is up to the user to create great experiences. Here are some useful tips to help improve your vaping experience, especially if you are new to it.
Learn How Vaping Devices Work
When you are new to vaping you might find the equipment, vape liquids and jargon confusing. It is always a good idea to take the time to understand how vaping devices work if you would like to have a great experience. Understanding how the device works will make it easier to maintain it, clean it and ensure you always have a great experience when you use it. It will also help you identify any potential issues with your device so it is easier to diagnose and troubleshoot so you can continue enjoying your vape.
Invest in High-quality Vape Liquids
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A lot of your experience will depend on the vape liquid you purchase. Even when you have a high-end vape, you are unlikely to enjoy the experience if the vape liquid does not match up.
Investing in high-quality vape liquids ensures you end up with products that have a great flavour. High-quality liquids retain their taste and sweet aroma even after they have been vaporised, compared to low-quality vape liquids that change their taste once they are vaporised.
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Investing in high-quality vape liquids also ensures you get the exact amount of nicotine you were promised. Low-quality liquids might have lower-than-advertised nicotine levels leading to a frustrating experience, or they may have too much nicotine leading to nausea and headaches.
Some cheaper and low-quality vape liquids contain additives that might be harmful and this is the exact thing you probably wanted to avoid when you switched to vaping.
Clean the Tank and Coil
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It is quite common to switch flavours when vaping. This may be because you are bored with the flavour you have been using or would like to try something new. Whatever the case, it is important to clean the coil and the tank when switching flavours. This is because mixing different flavours will lead to an unpleasant or strong mix of flavours that will ruin your experience. That said, you can also check whether the old and new flavours are compatible because some flavours can mix to produce wonderful, flavourful concoctions.
Apart from avoiding mixing of flavours, cleaning your tank and coil is a part of the regular maintenance of your e-cigarette.
Be Considerate of Others
While you might enjoy vaping, the people around you or in the same environment as you might not. It is therefore important to be considerate of others if you would like to have a good experience. Not doing so could result in being kicked out of an establishment, not being invited over ever again or at least getting some dirty looks from those around you.
If you can, try to move away from others when vaping or do it in a private space. This is especially true for sub ohm vaping that produces a lot of vapour that fills a room rather quickly. To help you have the best vaping experience, this guide will help you know when and where it is appropriate to vape, how to be considerate towards others as well as how to maintain vaping etiquette. The linked guide was put together by AquaVape, one of the UK’s largest vape liquid and vaping accessories retailers. AquaVape is dedicated to selling the best vape liquids and hardware to ensure you have a great vaping experience. They have a wide selection of e-liquids and vaping hardware to choose from, perfect for whether you are a beginner or a vaping veteran.
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Experiment with Flavours
The flavour in your vape liquid can change the experience you have. With hundreds of flavours now available in the market, there is no reason why you cannot take some liberty to experiment and try some new ones. Shake things up and improve your vaping experience at the same time with new flavours!
Manage Your Vape Liquid
Before you start vaping, it is always a good idea to shake the e-cigarette. This ensures that all ingredients are mixed up nicely and can make a huge difference in the vaping experience. Also, ensure that the vape bottle is never left open for extended periods. Doing so leaves it exposed to the oxygen in the air and that can lead to changes in both the taste and aroma profiles.
You should also ensure that your e-liquid is never stored anywhere near direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can break down the vape liquid, making it taste worse and reducing its efficacy. If you purchase vape liquid in a box or carton, ensure that you return it to the box and that any unopened bottles remain in the carton until they are ready to be used.
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Do Not Use Vapes with Plastic Tanks
When you are new to vaping, you might want to save some money by purchasing cheaper e-cigarettes. These e-cigarettes often come with plastic tanks and choosing these electronic cigarettes is a bad idea. This is because the plastic tank might not be able to resist damage done by vape liquids that contain any acids. This is especially true if you prefer vape liquids with a citrus or menthol flavour. The acid in these flavours can interact with the colouring used in the plastic, thereby degrading the taste of the e-cigarette.
To avoid any flavour changes as well as interactions between the tank and your vape liquids, go for e-cigarettes with a glass tank. These vapes might be more expensive but they are better suited if you love strong, pure flavours.
Learn How to Take Care of the Battery
There are few things more frustrating when trying to vape than finding out that your battery has died. Your vape’s battery can die due to normal discharging or it can die due to not being taken care of properly. The first step in taking care of your e-cig battery is to ensure that it is always charged before use, especially when the e-cig is new and you have just assembled it. After the initial charge, it is always a good idea to let the battery drain fully before the second charge.
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Also, try not to overcharge the battery. Just like any other battery, the battery in your e-cigarette will be damaged by overcharging which will reduce its life and force you to find a replacement way before the battery’s end-of-life date.
Change Coils Regularly
Coils are the elements that heat the vape liquid to turn it into the vapour that you inhale. A coil with a film on it can lead to less efficient operation. Because the coil cannot be washed and reused, since it will burn out if you do this, replace the coil when you notice a change in flavour instead.
Vaping can be a great experience but it can be ruined by a few things. These can include not taking care of your e-cigarette, choosing the wrong flavour as well as not having vaping etiquette. Improving on the areas discussed above should make your vaping experience a lot better.
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The nominees for the Critics’ Choice award at the 2026 BRITs in Manchester have been revealed
Danny Jones
With the upcoming BRITs ceremony coming to Manchester, we’re more all over the nominations than ever, especially now that the Critics’ Choice nominees for 2026 have been confirmed.
2023 was the annual Chanel ‘Metiers D’Art’ show, 2024 was the MTV EMAs, and next summer will see the BRITs; gosh, Manchester really is in vogue, isn’t it?
Commenting on the nomination, he told the BRITs: “Ya beauty! Tapadh leibh [‘thank you’ in Gaelic] for recognising my work for this award, you legends! Even though I’m Scottish and Irish before I’m British, I appreciate the BRITs critics for this recognition.
“I really care about and believe in this music, and it makes my world brighter every time it reaches someone else. Hopefully, this nomination means some more beautiful people might find something in this wee album. ‘Mon the gays!”
Rose Gray
Next up in the nods is London’s Rose Gray – a solo star who has developed a cult following thanks to songs like ‘ATTENTION!’, ‘Wet & Wild’, ‘Angel of Satisfaction’ and more.
Also the long-time partner and childhood sweetheart of Babygirl, Iron Claw and The King’s Man actor, Harris Dickinson, Gray has been riding a particular wave of popularity over the past year or so, especially after the release of her A Little Louder, Please (Deluxe) double album this past October.
She said in a statement: “I’m so excited for this nomination! This moment feels like a special reminder of how far this journey has carried me and what a crazy year it’s been. One year ago, I was manifesting so hard for my album to travel, to find its people, to really get its light. And it did. Releasing this record has genuinely changed my life…”
Lastly, in at number three is the 20-year-old singer-songwriter, Sienna Spiro, whose soulful voice sounds like one with much more life experience and years of emotion under its belt; it’s no wonder that she’s resonated with multiple generations, let alone been recognised by the panel.
With big theatrical ballads like ‘Die On This Hill’, ‘You Stole The Show’, as well as heavily-streamed songs like ‘MAYBE.’, ‘BACK TO BLONDE’ and more in her impressive and fast-growing discography, we know she’ll go far even if she doesn’t win – you can bank on that.
She added: “So beyond honoured and grateful to be nominated for this year’s Critics’ Choice BRIT Award! To think I started releasing music last year, I would never have expected this at all. Thank you so much!”
Having looked again at the list of people who’ve been both shortlisted and those who have gone on to win it, trust us, you’ll want to be paying attention to this one…
For context:
Past BRITs Critics’ Choice / Rising Star winners and nominees
2008 – Adele (Duffy, Foals)
2009 – Florence + The Machine (Little Boots, White Lies)
2010 – Ellie Goulding (Delphic, Marina and the Diamonds)
2011 – Jessie J (James Blake, The Vaccines)
2012 – Emeli Sandé (Michael Kiwanuka, Maverick Sabre)
So yeah, it’s fair to say that anyone even in the running for this accolade tends to go on to do even more bigger and better things than they already have.
Tickets to be at the 2026 BRIT Awards at Co-op Live in person for whoever picks up the Critics’ Choice gong, as well as all the other categories, are live now.
Featured Images — Audio North/Press shots (supplied)
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The best restaurant in the UK has been named, and it’s just an hour from Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The top 100 restaurants in the UK have just been named, and the North West has come out fighting, taking three of the top 10 spots including the number one position.
Harden’s Top 100 Best UK Restaurants 2026 has named Moor Hall, a three-Michelin star restaurant less than an hour from Manchester, as the best place to eat in the entire UK.
And hot on its heels is another big name from the North West, fellow three-Michelin star restaurant L’Enclume, up in village of Cartmel, which placed second.
Also in the top 10 is a Manchester newcomer, Skof, which launched in the city centre last year with chef Tom Barnes at the helm.
Skof has skipped ahead of Mana, which until recently was the only restaurant in Greater Manchester to hold a Michelin Star, and which placed 11th.
The Harden’s Best UK Restaurants 2026 list has found that the North West has the most entries of any region outside London, with 12 restaurants in the top 100.
Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall in West Lancashire has rocketed into the top spot from last year’s ranking at number 74, with diners praising it as being ‘superb from beginning to end’.
On our recent visit, we declared Moor Hall ‘hospitality on an unparalleled level’.
Moor Hall has been named the best restaurant in the UK. Credit: The Manc Group
Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden’s, comments: “Moor Hall has been a recurring name in the Harden’s Top 100 UK Restaurant’s list for many years now, as has runner-up L’Enclume which was in the top spot a couple of years ago.
“In a Top 100 where restaurants are very much at the mercy of diner reports from the first six months of the year, the consistent performance from these two venues is a testament to the high quality of the food, service and location.
“It’s wonderful to see Mark and his talented team reach this year’s pole position and, whilst diners who took part in our national survey did often flag the higher price point, it appears to be a venue regarded as well worth it, albeit for a rare treat.”
Chef-patron of Moor Hall, Mark Birchall adds: “I’m honoured that Moor Hall has been awarded the No. 1 spot in this year’s Harden’s Top 100 UK Restaurants list. This has already been a landmark year for us, and I’m delighted to see the team’s dedication recognised once again.
“Our success is driven by the talent, consistency and commitment of everyone who contributes to the experience at Moor Hall. It’s a wonderful acknowledgement of their hard work and passion, and we’re proud to share this achievement with everyone who dines with us.”
Tom Barnes and the Skof team outside the restaurant. Credit: Cristian Barnett.
Reflecting on this year’s findings, Peter Harden added: “It’s understandable that over the last 12 months the hospitality industry has been toiling away under a cloud of gloomsterism. Hit by food inflation, rising wages, relentless rent increases and soaring utilities – some long-term operators say that 2025 is the toughest year they can recall.
“However, what our survey results and data-crunching from across the sector shows is the remarkable resilience at work from those in the trade – particularly in the North West. Our number of entries remains very steady, and strong newcomers are emerging in each area of a quality that is probably better than ever.
“What is challenging for suppliers can be good for consumers. Customer expectations are so high now, restaurants have to work ever-harder to cut through and we’re seeing a number of new openings from across the UK going straight into the Top 100 – or, in Skof’s case, the Top 10!
“This really is testament to the rigorous standards, hard work and innovation being put in by front and back of house teams who are impressively determined to find a way in difficult circumstances and continue to raise the bar to bring diners high quality experiences.”
The Manc -
13th July 2021 
