Vaping as we know it started in 2003, when Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik patented a battery-powered device that turned a nicotine liquid into an inhalable vapor. It went on sale in China in 2004 and reached Europe and the US within a few years. The idea is older, though: the first known patent for an electric vaporizer was granted to Joseph Robinson in 1930, and Herbert A. Gilbert patented a "smokeless non-tobacco cigarette" in 1965. Neither of those early designs became a commercial product.
This guide walks through when vaping started, who invented the first vape, how devices changed from cig-a-likes to box mods and pods, and how US rules caught up.
Vaping History at a Glance
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1930 | Joseph Robinson is granted a US patent for an "electric vaporizer" (filed 1927) |
| 1965 | Herbert A. Gilbert is granted a US patent for a "smokeless non-tobacco cigarette" (filed 1963) |
| 2003 | Hon Lik patents the first modern e-cigarette in China |
| 2004 | Hon Lik's device goes on sale in China under the Ruyan name |
| Mid-to-late 2000s | E-cigarettes reach Europe and the US |
| 2010 | A US appeals court rules in Sottera v. FDA that e-cigarettes can be regulated as tobacco products |
| Early 2010s | Vape pens, refillable tanks and box mods replace cig-a-likes for many users |
| 2015 | Pod vapes go mainstream with the launch of JUUL |
| 2016 | The US Department of Transportation bans vaping on commercial flights; the FDA's rule bringing e-cigarettes under its tobacco authority takes effect on August 8 |
| 2019 | Federal "Tobacco 21" law raises the minimum age to buy any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, to 21 |
Who Invented Vaping?
Early Patents: Robinson and Gilbert
The first known patent for an electric vaporizer belongs to Joseph Robinson, who filed it in 1927 and was granted it in 1930. Over three decades later, Herbert A. Gilbert, an American inventor, filed for a "smokeless non-tobacco cigarette" in 1963. His patent, granted in 1965, described a battery-powered heating element that warmed flavored, moistened air in place of burning tobacco. Gilbert couldn't interest manufacturers, and the design never reached stores.
Hon Lik and the First Modern Vape
The device most people mean when they ask who invented vaping came from Hon Lik, a pharmacist and smoker in Beijing. In 2003 he patented an e-cigarette that used a battery and a heating element to turn a liquid containing nicotine and propylene glycol into vapor. The company he worked for, Golden Dragon Holdings, renamed itself Ruyan, meaning "like smoke," and began selling the device in China in 2004.
Ruyan's early devices looked like cigarettes and were sold to adult smokers, but the basic layout of battery, heating element and liquid reservoir is still how every vape works today. For how the hardware changed after that, see our overview of the evolution of vaping devices.
When Did Vaping Become Popular?
E-cigarettes spread to Europe and the US in the second half of the 2000s and grew quickly through the early 2010s. Small brands popped up everywhere, and a hobbyist community formed online around modifying devices, building coils and sharing flavor recipes. That community gave rise to much of today's vaping culture.
The industry also grew more organized. In the US, e-liquid makers formed the American E-liquid Manufacturing Standards Association (AEMSA) to set voluntary quality standards for vape juice.
From Cig-a-Likes to Box Mods
The first e-cigarettes were "cig-a-likes": small, cigarette-shaped devices with a weak battery and a prefilled cartridge. Users wanted more vapor, more flavor and a battery that lasted the day, so manufacturers built larger pen-style devices with refillable tanks.
Next came the mod. Enthusiasts first modified flashlights and other cases to hold bigger batteries, and manufacturers soon made purpose-built box mods with adjustable power. Box mods let vapers choose their own tanks and coils, and some vapers began building their own coils. Box mods are still popular with vapers who want the most control over their setup, and the latest models add features such as temperature control, screens and water resistance.
The Arrival of Pod Mods
In 2015, Pax Labs launched JUUL, a slim device that used small prefilled pods with nicotine salt e-liquid. It made vaping much simpler: no tanks, no settings, no coil changes. Pod vapes quickly took a large share of the US market.
Other manufacturers responded with their own JUUL alternatives, many of them refillable. Refillable pods let vapers use their own e-liquid instead of a limited range of prefilled flavors, and they let manufacturers add features like adjustable airflow and power. Today the category ranges from small draw-activated pods to larger pod mods with replaceable coils, and some kits are designed specifically as vape kits for heavy smokers who want longer battery life and bigger pods.
How US Vaping Rules Developed
Regulation followed the market. In 2009, the FDA tried to block e-cigarette imports as unapproved drug-delivery devices. Importers including Smoking Everywhere and Sottera (NJOY) sued, and in 2010 a federal appeals court ruled that e-cigarettes not marketed for therapeutic purposes can be regulated as tobacco products, not as drugs or medical devices.
The FDA's "deeming" rule took effect on August 8, 2016, bringing e-cigarettes and e-liquids under its tobacco authority. The same year, the US Department of Transportation explicitly banned vaping on commercial flights. On December 20, 2019, the federal Tobacco 21 law made it illegal for retailers to sell any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, to anyone under 21.
VAPORESSO Devices Through the Years
VAPORESSO has made vaping devices across most of these eras, from tanks and box mods to refillable pods. A few that many vapers will remember:
- Renova ZERO: a compact refillable pod device from the early pod era.
- GEN series: box mods built for vapers who wanted adjustable power and a separate tank.
- XROS: the original refillable pod in what became the XROS line, which continues today with models such as the XROS 6.
You can see VAPORESSO's current range on our all products page.
FAQ
When Was the First Vape Made?
The first modern vape was made by Hon Lik, who patented it in 2003 and put it on sale in China in 2004. Earlier designs were patented in 1930 and 1965 but never made it to market.
Who Invented Vaping?
Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist, is credited with inventing the modern e-cigarette. Herbert A. Gilbert patented an earlier smokeless, non-tobacco cigarette in 1965.
When Did Vaping Start in the US?
E-cigarettes started appearing in the US in the second half of the 2000s and spread quickly in the early 2010s.
When Did Vaping Become Popular?
Vaping grew steadily through the early 2010s with vape pens and box mods, then jumped in popularity after pod vapes took off from 2015.
When Did the Vaping Age Become 21?
On December 20, 2019, when the federal Tobacco 21 law took effect for all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
