The question everyone wants to know before they make their first purchase of an e-cigarette concerns the actual taste of the product. This question comes in many forms: Are they as smooth as real cigarettes? Do they have the same kick? Can they have extra flavors to them? Do they taste like real cigarettes? All of these questions rightfully should be answered by the manufacturers of e-cigarettes, but let’s be honest — selling products is their goal. When an e-cigarette company tells you that their e-cigarettes taste real, it’s a little difficult to take that statement at face value.

The unfortunate answer is that e-cigarettes don’t taste like the real thing. They don’t have that tar-backed, putrid taste that needs to be covered up by an assortment of different flavors.

In our opinion, they taste better than real cigarettes. Here’s a few reasons as to why. But first, the question that probably brought you here in the first place:

1. E-cigarettes lack that disgusting aftertaste and smell.

The worst part of smoking real cigarettes is the aftereffects. They smell horrible and they have a taste that — let’s be completely honest — isn’t all that great when you take away the additives and flavors. Worst of all, real cigarettes are the leading cause for lung and mouth cancers, which are things that kill millions each year. While there’s currently no evidence saying that e-cigarettes are completely safe, it’s certainly possible given the lack of known toxins such as tar and carbon monoxide.

That’s the first and strongest reason as to why e-cigarettes taste better in our opinion.

2. E-cigarettes let you taste things again.

Real cigarettes don’t just taste awful, they also ruin your sense of taste. You’re probably already aware of the carcinogens and other ingredients in cigarettes, but our honest opinion is that there’s probably more ingredients inside of them than what the cigarette companies want to tell us about. How else could it ruin your sense of taste?

It’s common for people who switch from real cigarettes to e-cigarettes to notice that, after a few weeks of e-smoking, their sense of taste has come back. Some who have even run out of e-liquid and bought real smokes for the first time in a while remark that cigarettes really do taste awful. For them, the taste of a cigarette has become associated with their e-cigarette rather than the real thing.

3. E-cigarettes come in a world of flavors.

The last — but certainly not the least — persuasive reason as to why e-cigarettes taste better is actually pretty simple: they offer you an entire world of flavors. You’ve probably run into situations where you’ve had traditional cigarettes and thought, “I really wish this came with vanilla.” E-cigarettes allow you to do just that. You can e-smoke while getting the flavor that you crave and the nicotine that your body desires.

We’ve even found that some e-cigarettes taste like premium cigars without the noxious smokey taste.

E-cigarettes taste better and are a superior alternative to smoking.

While e-cigarettes don’t taste exactly the same as real cigarettes, they lack so much of the negative baggage associated with real cigarettes. When you add in the facts that they allow you to really taste what you’re smoking and that they come in a variety of flavors, that makes them an even more persuasive thing to invest in.

All it takes is acquiring a taste for e-cigarettes. Our personal recommendation is to give them few a tries before you say that they aren’t for you. If you’re truly interested in switching to e-cigarettes, use them and avoid real cigarettes completely for at least two weeks. We sincerely believe that you won’t want to switch back.