Adult tobacco-accessory equipment guide
Everything You Need to Know About blu E-Cigarettes (Owner’s Reference)
This is the reference page for blu e-cigarettes — the practical A-Z: a full brand timeline, how each blu device actually works and charges, region-by-region availability, troubleshooting for devices still in use, safe disposal, and where former blu users land. If you want the higher-level story (what blu is, the FDA situation, and how it compares to JUUL and Vuse), start with our companion piece: Know About blu E-Cigarettes: The Plain-English Guide. This page is the hands-on manual; that one is the map. 👉
The complete blu timeline
| Year | Event | Why it mattered |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | blu eCigs launches in the U.S. | One of the first mass-market e-cig brands |
| 2012 | Lorillard acquires blu (~$135M) | First Big Tobacco purchase of a vape brand |
| 2014 | blu peaks near half the U.S. cigalike market | The brand’s high-water mark |
| 2015 | Imperial Brands (Fontem) takes ownership | Regulatory divestiture in the Reynolds-Lorillard deal |
| 2018 | myblu pod system launches | blu’s answer to the JUUL era |
| 2020 | Federal flavor policy + Tobacco 21 | Flavored pods exit; nationwide 21+ minimum |
| 2023 | FDA issues MDOs for six myblu products | Appealed; orders paused in court |
| 2024–2026 | U.S. shelf presence keeps shrinking; focus shifts to U.K./EU | Why you struggle to find blu in America today |
Every blu device, hands-on
blu disposables
Draw-activated, no buttons, no charging port. When vapor thins, the device is done. Typical rating was in the low hundreds of puffs — real-world counts run lower with long draws. Nothing is serviceable inside; when output fades, recycle it (see disposal below).
blu PLUS+ (cartridge system)
A slim lithium battery with a threaded end; flavor cartridges screw on. The battery charged via USB in roughly 2–3 hours and lasted most of a day of moderate use. Cartridges were rated around the equivalent of a pack-plus of puffs. The LED tip doubled as a battery gauge — flashing meant charge now.
myblu (pod system)
The modern one: a rectangular body with click-in liquidpods. Standout spec was charge speed — about 20 minutes to full via micro-USB, the fastest in its class at launch. Pods came in regular freebase strengths and “Intense” nicotine-salt versions. A full pod ran a moderate user most of a day.
Charging and battery care
- Use the original or a quality USB charger. Cigalike threads (PLUS+) used proprietary screw-on USB chargers; generic “808” chargers vary in current and have cooked batteries.
- Never charge unattended overnight — standard lithium safety, doubly so for aging devices.
- ⚠️ Old stock warning: any blu battery that has sat unused for years may have degraded cells. If a battery gets hot, hisses, or swells, stop immediately and take it to battery recycling. Do not “test” vintage stock found online — this is the single most important safety note on this page.
- Storage: half-charged, cool, dry, never in a car in summer.
Availability by region (2026)
| Region | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Limited / shrinking | myblu MDOs in litigation; remaining stock varies by state and chain |
| United Kingdom | Active | blu bar disposables and pod products under U.K. regulation (TPD limits: 2% nicotine, 2 ml) |
| EU markets | Varies by country | TPD framework; lineup differs from U.S. entirely |
| Online (U.S.) | Restricted | State shipping bans apply; Amazon and eBay prohibit all nicotine vapes |
Practical takeaway: if a U.S. website claims wide blu availability with fruit flavors, you are looking at an unauthorized import or a scam. U.K. readers: your local blu products are a different, TPD-regulated lineup — U.S. articles (including ours) do not describe them.
Troubleshooting a blu device
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No vapor, LED off | Dead battery | Charge 20 min (myblu) / 2–3 h (PLUS+); replace if it will not hold charge |
| No vapor, LED on | Poor pod/cartridge contact | Reseat; wipe contacts with a dry cotton swab |
| Weak, thin vapor | Low liquid or tired battery | Fresh pod first; battery second |
| Burnt taste | Empty pod / dry wick | Replace the pod immediately — do not keep drawing |
| Gurgling / leaking | Liquid in the airway | Remove pod, tap out moisture on a tissue, clean the bay |
| Device hot to touch | Battery fault | ⚠️ Stop using it; recycle at a battery drop-off |
Safe disposal and recycling
Every blu device contains a lithium battery; pods and cartridges contain nicotine residue. That means:
- Never household trash, never recycling bins. Lithium cells cause genuine fires in waste trucks and sorting facilities.
- Use battery/e-waste drop-offs — most hardware chains and municipal sites take small electronics.
- Empty pods: wrap and dispose as hazardous-adjacent waste per local guidance; nicotine residue is toxic to kids and pets.
- Old unused liquid: many pharmacies with drug take-back programs accept nicotine liquids — call ahead.
Life after blu: where users land
Covered in depth in the companion guide, but the short version: adult users move to FDA-authorized systems (JUUL — authorized July 2025, Vuse, NJOY), quit nicotine with OTC replacement therapy (the only route health authorities endorse — free help at 1-800-QUIT-NOW), or leave vapor entirely. Some join the roll-your-own world this site covers — a cost decision, never a health one.
👍 While you are here: the equipment we specialize in
Amazon bans nicotine vapes, so no article can honestly link you to blu products there. What Amazon does carry is the rolling equipment this site reviews.
- ✅ Electric injectors, tubes, and maintenance gear with live pricing
- ✅ Category guides with no fake ratings — see our best-machines guide
- ✅ Or take the 60-second match quiz
As an Amazon Associate, ElectricCigaretteMachines.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Common mistakes (and fixes)
- ❌ Buying “new old stock” blu online. ✅ Years-old liquid and batteries are a waste of money and a safety risk. Walk away.
- ❌ Using U.K. blu specs to shop in the U.S. ✅ Different regulated lineups; cross-region info does not transfer.
- ❌ Chasing a burnt pod with harder draws. ✅ A dry wick only gets worse — replace the pod.
- ❌ Binning devices with household trash. ✅ Battery drop-off, every time.
- ❌ Treating this page as a reason to start vaping. ✅ It is not. Non-users have exactly one correct nicotine decision: none.
FAQ
Can I still buy blu in the U.S.?
Sporadically, depending on state and chain, while litigation over the 2023 denial orders continues. Availability keeps declining; verify current FDA status before relying on it.
How long does a myblu take to charge?
About 20 minutes to full on its micro-USB charger — the spec that defined the device.
Do blu PLUS+ cartridges fit myblu?
No. Screw-thread cartridges and click-in liquidpods are entirely different systems under one brand name.
Why does my old blu taste burnt?
The pod or cartridge is empty or its wick has dried. Replace it; drawing harder scorches the wick further.
Is there any safe way to use vintage blu stock?
No. Degraded e-liquid and aged lithium cells make old stock a double hazard. Recycle it.
Where is the full blu vs JUUL vs Vuse comparison?
In the companion article: Know About blu E-Cigarettes — including the comparison table and switching guidance.
Owner’s checklist ✅
- ☐ Identify your generation: disposable, PLUS+, or myblu.
- ☐ Charge only with appropriate chargers, never unattended.
- ☐ Replace pods at the first burnt note.
- ☐ Clean pod-bay contacts monthly with a dry swab.
- ☐ Retire hot, swollen, or ancient batteries to e-waste immediately.
- ☐ Check current FDA status before buying more stock.
- ☐ Considering the exit? 1-800-QUIT-NOW is free, and NRT is proven.