How Vapelion Ranks and Recommends Vapes
The criteria behind every comparison, score, and "best for" badge on this site.
Last reviewed: 10 April 2026
Our Principles
Independence
Rankings are not for sale. Our affiliate relationships are disclosed and never affect the order of products.
Transparency
Every score corresponds to a defined input. If we can't explain why a product was chosen, we don't list it.
Compliance-First
We only list products that meet UK law (TRPR). We do not list single-use (disposable) vapes.
Total Cost of Ownership
Most vape comparison sites quote the sticker price of the device. That number is a small part of what you actually spend.
The Vapelion Formulas
Monthly Cost Estimate
coils × unit_cost + liquid_ml × cost_per_ml6-Month Total Estimate
device_cost + (monthly_cost × 6)Our Published Assumptions (The Baseline)
To ensure fair comparison, we apply these values consistently to all products in our scoring engine:
| Factor | Value | Our definition |
|---|---|---|
| E-liquid (ml/day) | 6ml | Moderate daily consumption (~3 refills) |
| Monthly Liquid | 180ml | Monthly baseline for scoring and comparison |
| Average Liquid Cost | £0.50/ml | UK street average for branded 10ml bottles (£5.00) |
| Coil Lifespan | 7 Days | Worst-case interval before flavor loss |
| Coils Per Month | 4 | Rounded baseline for monthly maintenance |
Cigarette Equivalence
We calculate equivalence at £14.00 for a pack of 20. This is based on current ONS UK data and updated quarterly. This is a cost comparison ONLY and is not medical advice. Vapelion is not a smoking cessation service.