Edge Hybrid: What’s filtered vape really like?

When Edge first announced its new filtered vape system, I will be honest, my first reaction was: “eh?”

The beauty of vape is that there is no tar, no dirty smoke that would get caught in a cigarette-style filter. So, what’s the point?

A hands-on experience with the new device answers a lot of these qualms as it delivers, yes, a true hybrid experience between vaping and smoking. Much of this comes thanks to the filter tips – the starter kit comes with nine filters – which immediately gives the vaper a flashback to their previous life as a smoker. In addition, the filter and the device combine to give a resistance to each puff as the user is forced to draw the vapour cigarette-style into their lungs. There is even a clickable crushball to bring a menthol zing to the experience.

All this means Edge Hybrid will provide a compelling option for those smokers who want something as close as possible to their current cigarette to move on to; a product that they can take out on a work break and give them much the same experience as their favourite tobacco brand.

Yet, this strength is also a weakness. For those already vaping, the filters add an additional fiddly element to the experience and the cigarette-style pull means the Hybrid doesn’t do “vape” as strongly as those products – including Edge’s own Go capsule device – which are built purely for vaping.

This, however, is slightly besides the point. The company talks about Edge Hybrid as being a tool in smokers’ “transitional journey” away from tobacco and is squarely aimed at the 60 percent of smokers who want to give up. For them, this new device sits besides IQOS as offering a truly cigarette-like experience.

If they’ve already quit, though, Edge Hybrid is a safer way for consumers to remind themselves that they don’t want to go back to the ciggies.