You probably heard about it by now. A Florida man was puffing away on an electronic cigarette when a bad battery caused it to explode in his mouth. The explosion was pretty bad, actually leaving burn marks on carpet and furniture around the scene. Fortunately, the man is okay and recovering from his injuries, but this is really giving a bad reputation to the e-cigarette industry. However, there are precautions any e-cigarette enthusiast can take to make sure that he or she does not fall victim to faulty products.

Electronic cigarettes are an exploding industry, pardon the pun. People are embracing this new way to enjoy smoking by the thousands, and naturally, businesses hawking these products are turning up everywhere on the Internet and in shopping malls. However, it is important for every consumer to consider the infamous story of the "exploding e-cigarette" when thinking about making a purchase. While this is one isolated event, the bottom line is that the incident happened because the e-cigarette was not the quality product it should have been. A faulty battery cause this man serious harm. With so many companies showing up on the scene to sell electronic cigarettes, every potential purchaser must think about who they are doing business with.

Only purchase e-cigarettes from reputable dealers. That means ones with a history and good customer reviews for their products. While price is always important to any consumer, it should not be the deciding factor in a situation like this. Make sure you are purchasing electronic cigarettes and accessories from a company that knows what they are doing. Don't hesitate to scour the Internet looking for reviews and checking into the background of your potential distributor. The wonderful thing about the Internet is it gives a platform for customers to let others know about their experiences with a particular product. Use this to your advantage and find out what your potential e-cigarette company has been up to. It is a good idea to shop with companies that have been around for a while. New upstarts might eventually be reputable, but they have to pay their dues like everyone else. Deal with retailers that have real phone numbers, websites, and a true physical address that you can find easily. Transparency usually is a good indicator of superior product. The companies that sell inferior products often try to make it difficult for customers to get in touch with them. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call them up to see what their supposed customer service is really all about.

Finding a good deal on e-cigarettes doesn't just mean finding the best price. It means finding the best product, and part of being the best means being the safest as well.