"Fifty-One" e-cigarette will ensure you have no friends even after you quit smoking

We've seen e-cigarettes before, and no one was really surprised to hear that inhaling liquid nicotine might not be the safest way to kick the habit. Fifty-One, a new, more cigarette-looking e-cig, claims it's better than previous products because you change the mouthpiece with every use so you're not inhaling old leftover nicotine again and again... plus they've added a fake smoke effect when you exhale, which makes you look and feel cool. Sound safer? Nope, probably not. There are a host of other things just completely wrong with this product: it comes in five flavors (tobacco, menthol, chocolate, vanilla and coffee) and seems to be marketed to only the shadiest sectors of society -- gangsters, card sharks, thieves, private dicks, AKA our kind of people. The starter kit also apparently includes a membership card in addition to all the regular stuff -- batteries, USB charger, poker chips -- and it'll run you a not-so-affordable $149.95, but you can probably score that at tonight's shakedown, right?

[greatsunjester @ Nov 12th 2008 10:41AM]

Great -- cigarettes for droids. General Grievous would be so proud..... "Roger Roger "

[Kaiser-Machead @ Nov 12th 2008 10:46AM]

General Grievous was no droid. He was some sort of creature with a lot of prosthetic armor on.

[Flashpoint @ Nov 12th 2008 10:52AM]

General Grievous had organs covered by a bio- mechanical suit which kept him alive. That qualifies him as a "cyborg" just like Robocop and Darth Vader.

As for the product - I find it hilarious that a group of countries gets people addicted to a product and then transfers its stock interests from the first product to an equaly profitable product designed to break their addiction.

[Willis @ Nov 12th 2008 10:41AM]

These are some of the funniest looking things. They had a stand at our mall in Maryland. The kid that was advertising these things look like the biggest dork.

[gum @ Nov 12th 2008 2:11PM]

this one time I was selling e-cigs in a mall in Maryland :(

[Larry @ Nov 12th 2008 10:41AM]

This is really lame. It's like like wearing an Indiana Jones hat to make you feel more like the charactor. Get a life.

[RadicalxEdward @ Nov 12th 2008 10:43AM]

You gotta know your a geek when even your cigs are USB.

[Steve-o @ Nov 12th 2008 1:07PM]

*you're

[HOOPER @ Nov 12th 2008 4:34PM]

LOL STEVO

[HOOPER @ Nov 12th 2008 4:36PM]

LOL STEVO

[eddy @ Nov 12th 2008 10:47AM]

My question is this... Is there a residual smell on one's person after "smoking" one of these?

If not...OMG TEH FUTURE IS NOW!!!!!!!!1111

Seriously, I always wanted something like that when I used to smoke. Fortunately, I'm 4+ years clean, so I don't quite desire it as much anymore.

[Jeff @ Nov 12th 2008 11:10AM]

There is no visible smoke (generally), no odor and no particles which are exhaled into the environment. e-cigarettes generally consist of a battery, heat generator and a vaporizor for the nicoteen. They would not disturb others while you can still get your fix of cancer sticks.

Dealextreme has them available if you want to try one on the cheap. Heck they even have a video of someone smoking them. I'm no smoker but I find it interesting that these things exist.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11211

[StalematE @ Nov 12th 2008 10:49AM]

way to corner the market on cancer-ridden pimps.

[Kaiser-Machead @ Nov 12th 2008 10:50AM]

Part of the appeal of a cigarette is the ability to put it out on someone who looks at you cockeyed? I'd rather just go back in time and get a box of those candy cigs with the powdered sugar in them.

[Kaiser-Machead @ Nov 12th 2008 10:50AM]

scratch the *?*

[absinthe party @ Nov 12th 2008 11:03AM]

It's also pretty badass to have a cigarette in your mouth when you're riding horses, fighting sailors, and chopping wood.

But, as someone who just recently quit smoking cold-turkey, the best rememdy imho is to rearrange your furniture and change some pictures around, look at your walls around where the picture used to be, and then go "ew, *(&#^(#%*... gross." It's then best to imagine your lungs, and heart, etc. covered in the same gunk and take it from there.




Unless you smoke a pipe. In that case, keep doing it, because you're a badass.

[Hold McGroin @ Nov 12th 2008 11:47AM]

Cold turkey is the only way. Stop smoking aids have a failure rate over 90%, kind of like 12-step programs. Except cigarette companies make stop smoking aids by mandate of the gov't, so they could care less that they fail.

If you want to stop a habit, stop the behavior, don't slightly change it and hope for the best. And definitely don't just change the form of the the drug you're addicted to and think that's going to work. The second you don't have this stupid thing with you, you'll just bum a real cig off someone else.

You started smoking by choking down that horrible smoke and, over time, you got used to it and now you're hooked. I don't know why you think quitting is going to be painless since starting wasn't exactly a treat either. But, for those of you too weak to just quit, this will waste some money until you go back to smoking again.

[Reader @ Nov 12th 2008 12:03PM]

"Stop smoking aids have a failure rate over 90%"

Statistics are all relative... It means nothing to throw out "smoking aids have a failure rate [of] over 90%" without a similar statistic about quitting cold turkey. Of course that statistic would be hard to come by, since you'd have to define 'quitting' and 'cold turkey'. A lot of smokers I know have 'quit' (1 week to one month, one or two up to 6-10 months) and have gone back to smoking. This is usually when they turn to smoking aids to stop.

[absinthe party @ Nov 12th 2008 12:04PM]

Yeah... I tried patches the first time, but my dreams were insane. Every night that I fell asleep, my dream picked up from where it left off the night before and continued in this long, drawn-out saga of ridiculousness. I eventually started just putting on new patches before bed to increase the intensity of said dreams, until one night I did the "wait, this isn't f*cking healthy whatsoever."

[Reader @ Nov 12th 2008 5:01PM]

Yeah I have a friend that told me of that experience with the dreams. I agree that cold turkey is by far the best way, but that's something you can only accomplish if you really want it. It's much easier to procrastinate than go through a month of hell trying to quit.

[Number_41 @ Nov 12th 2008 11:12AM]

Saw this over at tysons mall couple of months ago.... you know those vendors that are in the middle of the pathway? Yea, well, the product isnt that great....
but then again, people have bought worst things.
N41

[THJ @ Nov 12th 2008 11:48AM]

Tyson's corner in Northern VA? Might have to stop by and check these out. Being able to smoke on x-country flights would be awesome.

[nerdtalker @ Nov 12th 2008 12:12PM]

@Number_41,

If you're going to insist on signing your posts (which is ridiculous to begin with), shouldn't it strictly speaking be #41?

I'll never understand why this whole let's-sign-our-posts-like-we-do-letters is such a phenomenon on engadget and engadget alone.

[MrSayao @ Nov 12th 2008 11:29AM]

What they didn't tell you is that the refills aka "new mouthpieces" are a bajillion dollars while the starter pack is relatively cheap... you know, a la cheap printer and "arm-and-a-leg" ink refills...

[Unique Gift Ideas @ Nov 12th 2008 12:34PM]

Not that I would ever buy this moronic product, but that info is good to know. I knew this product was too good to be true...

[Dean @ Nov 12th 2008 5:04PM]

Well, if you would check the site you'll see that 5 cartridges are $15 and each cartridge is equivalent to a pack of cigarette... I don't know about you, but I pay $6 for a pack... that can save me money. http://smoke51.com/catalog/fifty-one/electronic-cigarette-cartridges-5pk-qty-discounts-available/prod_5.html

[glompix @ Nov 12th 2008 11:57AM]

I'll think I'll stick with snus as my cigarette replacement.

[Atro @ Nov 13th 2008 2:21AM]

I just took up Snus as well....works great, tastes great, and I do not smell like and ashtray.

[jbcaro @ Nov 12th 2008 12:17PM]

I guess this is a 'tastes-like-crap-gadget'.

[Tom @ Nov 12th 2008 5:22PM]

I do agree with you ..

[Phylo @ Nov 12th 2008 12:22PM]

Personaly the e-cigarette has been a blessing. I smoked for 20 years and couldnt seem to kick the habit no matter how hard I tried. I bought an e-cigarette at the beginning of this year and now I dont smell like an ash tray, Im healthier and I dont smoke nearly as much as I used to. I went from a pack and a half a day to maybe a pack a month. I would say thats a pretty big improvement. I know of several other people that have been in the same situation who have completely quit tobacco cigarettes. I was so impressed with e-cigarettes that I started my own company selling them.

If you want to learn more about e-cigarettes check out the e-cigarette forum at:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com

Phil
http://www.e-smokeytreats.com

[greg @ Nov 12th 2008 12:53PM]

I would buy this if it had a caffeine add-on.

[Abbuie Wen @ Nov 23rd 2008 3:55AM]

Electronic Cigarette is totally new and fashion health care product which helps smokers and non-smokers far from smoking harm. It also contributes much to enviroments.

It looks, feels and tastes like a real cigarette, but no fire, no burning, no tar and no real smoke. No carcinogenic substances.

Our company reated a complete new healthy smoking product-once time e-cigarette (xp-new1)
with the High-Tech means,which is the most advanced among our competitors is lauching recently. our battery is much more durable with more than 400 mouthfuls. The quality of our e-cigar is superior compared with most of the other cigarette!

We have the certificate of CE and RoHS.

For more pictures and information, please contact me.
e-mail: [e-mail]
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[Martin @ Nov 12th 2008 1:27PM]

It should be called filthy-one :-)

[Somniphile @ Nov 12th 2008 5:52PM]

I think this may well be the greatest invention ever! I always wanted to be a smoker but could never hack the whole "smoke" pat of it. I can now be as cool as James Dean or Frank...My life is fulfilled! I can now die...as soon as it comes in the mail.

[Scfyi @ Nov 12th 2008 2:06PM]

Smoked for 20 years, tried everything, still couldn't stop. Picked up an e-cigarette starter kit last month for $50 , I have not picked up a real cigarette since. The thing works, simple as that.

[sheik124 @ Nov 12th 2008 4:23PM]

Why is Phil's message lowest ranked, and why the hell is Engadget spewing MISINFORMATION about this thing as if Microsoft made it? I too am a member at http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com, and I'm happy to say I haven't had an "analog" cigarette in about a month.

E-Cigs emit propylene glycol vapor (that's vaporized Astroglide, assholes), nicotine, and flavor. They're safer since you don't inhale any CO, tar, or other harmful shit that comes from slurping on a smoldering wad of tobacco and paper. And mine is black with a blue LED, 1337 pts +++

[Applehat @ Nov 12th 2008 4:32PM]

This post makes me kind of mad.

Has anyone at engadget ever done any research?

Its crazy to me how they keep posting about the niche, no one's ever heard of brands in the e-cig market.

These devices are extremely cool - And 5 of my friends have stoped smoking traditional cigs because of them.

And they are completely safe. They where banned in WHO-town because they handn't been researched there, not because they where deadly.

Personaly, id rather inhale Nicotein and Flavor mixed with a little fog juice then carbon monoxide, tar, ect.

If anyone is seriously interested in these devices, id suggest checking out the company Janty at http://jantyusa.com

They offer over a huge selection of flavors, and there devices are great.

[Applehat @ Nov 12th 2008 4:42PM]

I mentioned janty.

I might would try a cheeper device first, to see if you really like it.

[sheik124 @ Nov 12th 2008 4:45PM]

Not a big fan of Janty's units because they're like the Apple of E-Cigs, without the [only] benefit of OS X; they're just flashy and expensive. Buy a generic 11cm unit (usually referred to as DSE901 / DSE901b, don't ask me why) for a reputable vendor, there are many, and just replace the atomizer every month or two when it goes bad.

I'd rather pay $50 upfront and $10 for a busted atomizer than drop $100 on a unit like Janty's and deal with a stupid guarantee and shipping things back and forth. I need my nicotine fix, and when an atomizer goes bad, I want to have a spare and be able to get it CHEAP.

[Tom @ Sep 10th 2009 6:41PM]

Guys,

Seriously, there is only one single way to quit smoking - read the book "Easyway" written by Allen Carr .. check him out on wikipedia .. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Carr ..

peace,
Tom

[Nicole @ Nov 12th 2008 5:22PM]

There seems to be some confusion here as to what the Smoke Fifty-One™ product is, so here I am to clarify.
This is a vapor style electronic cigarette that contains Nicotine and Water only. None of the added chemicals that are found in normal cigarettes are present here. Therefore the following traits of a regular cigarette like Smell, Smoke, Second hand Smoke, Ash, Butts, Harmful Chemicals and yellow teeth are not included in the Smoke Fifty-One™ starter kit. I must add that also no "POKER CHIPS" will come in your starter kit.
This is SMOKING OF THE FUTURE in the healthiest way possible

For those of you who are interested in this innovative product I invite you to log on and shop! Heres a coupon for 33% off your order. DSC-141

[dablackanarch @ Nov 12th 2008 5:33PM]

I can't believe that some people can be so stupid. I don't e-smoke because I want to quit and I'm fuggin tired of assholes telling me that I need to quit. E-smoking is waaaaay safer (Nicotine and propylene glycol sure beats the 4000+chemicals in regular cigarettes) and is, for me, cheaper. Also, it's not designed to help you quit, although many have quit smoking using e-cigs. It's designed to be a safer alternative for both smokers and non-smokers.

No second...damn that...no first hand smoke, no burning, little to no smell at all and clean. What problem do you anti-smoking morons have with that? I like how the whole anti-smoking thing was about health and now it's about power.

I can tell that most of the posters here are Amerikans. The fact is, the rest of the civilized world focuses on treatment of addicts who'd like to quit, and harm reduction devices and techniques (clean needles, measured doses) for those who still want to use. I can understand if smoking is not for you. Hell, it's not good for us smokers either. However, I think that we have bent over backwards to accommodate the non-smokers. We go outside in bad weather, hide and scurry like rats. Meanwhile, they can sit in the warm bar, drink like fish and jump in their cars to go run someone over. My e-smoke may hurt me. I accept that. However, it can't hurt you so if you don't like it, STFU.

[Somniphile @ Nov 12th 2008 5:58PM]

Smoking is cool! I don't smoke but all you anti-smoking/fascists/communists/whatever extreme political persuasion you lean towards (I'm prone to think you are the latter) need to STFU and find a hobby. Maybe Russian Roulette! "Give me liberty or give me death!" - Patrick Henry

[Marty @ Nov 12th 2008 9:24PM]

What a stupid fucking article. Who gives a rats ass about fake smokes.

Isn't there some new iPhone POS shite article to write?

[Leaford @ Nov 13th 2008 3:04PM]

I love e-cigarettes, and hope I never have to go back to analog cigs. No more coughing, wheezing, smell, breath, ash, butts, burns, argl! And I never had to go through withdrawl, or give up my soothng habits, and all the parts I used to enjoy about smoking. In fact, with the variety of flavors available, I enjoy e-smoking a lot more than I even did real cigs.

There are a lot of models and styles, and I've done several reviews of some of them. Check them out on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/dhenschel05

[Goat @ Nov 13th 2008 10:36AM]

Agree that e-cigarettes should not be dismissed so readily. They can be messy, its a pain in the ass to keep the batteries charged, some varieties of cartridges and liquids can taste foul. Still, I havent had a cigarette in a month. My lung capacity is way up as are my energy levels. My sense of smell and taste have returned and me, my home and my car no longer stink. Smoking e-cigarettes is about one tenth as expensive as normal cigarettes.

I had tried and failed with patches, gum, lozenges etc. Greatest gadget of recent times IMO. Really dissapointed with engadets reporting and the comments.

[chris @ Nov 13th 2008 1:50PM]

Nicole, DSC-141 doesn't work it says it is expired. What is the new code and I think you will have more interested people here, that can actually get that exclusive discount.

[JoeVolcano @ Nov 17th 2008 6:34PM]

Sounds great, if you do an internet search on these things, they range from $25-150 with an average of $50. They don't smell like cigs because your not burning anything (leaf, paper, etc). It heats vegetable glycerin, a sweet watery oily substance used in toothpastes and a general food sweetener, until it steams and that's your transport of flavor & nicotine. Vegetable Glycerin is high in carbohydrates though so if your on a low carb Atkins type diet you'll need to watch out. =)

[dh @ Dec 4th 2008 10:18AM]

It's too bad engadget doesn't do thorough research before spewing misinformation. Particularly when it comes to a product that can save lives. As a former smoker, I would have loved having the Smoke-Freedom.com product available. I know that smoke-freedom.com e-cigarettes are discounted on their website and through AboveBoredToysandGifts dot com if you use discount code DSC-141.