New to nicotine pouches, got questions? I got you. Here’s some handy tips and tricks about using nicotine pouches that’ll save you a lot of headaches
Nicotine pouches are a great tool for quitting smoking (or vaping). They’ll nip your cravings in the bud, get the physical habit of vaping / smoking out of your muscle memory, and – if you find the right brand – they taste great too.
If you’re new to nic pouches, there are of course some caveats to keep in mind.
The most common being:
- Buying them in stores (7/11s, convenience stores, etc) is silly; they’re massively overpriced in these types of places.
- Don’t go too low on the nicotine; I’m a pretty heavy vaper (10mg usually) so I tend to use 12MG nic pouches – 3MG pouches do nothing for me.
- Flavors don’t really work in nicotine pouches; if it says cola or berries, nine times outta ten it tastes like mouldy water – stick to mint-based flavors. Mountain wintergreen is my current go-to; it’s exceptional.
OK, now that’s outta the way let’s go through some basic nic pouch tricks and tips for pouch noobs.
Top Tips For New Nicotine Pouch Users
1. Don’t Get Obsessed With Finding Flavors
I’ve yet to find a flavor, outside of the mint-based ones, that doesn’t taste like utter garbage.
I even did a massive study on this, surveying thousands of ZYN users to find out what was the most popular flavor (that’s where the graph above comes from).
Since the beginning of 2024 when we first started covering and reviewing pouches, I’ve tested maybe 40 different brands and as many flavors.
The only flavors that are palatable are the mint-based ones: spearmint, mint, fresh mint, wintergreen – basically, you’ll want to keep it minty.
2. Find Your Brand, Stick With Them
There’s plenty of popular nic pouch brands operating now. I’ve tried most of them – from ZYN to VELO to smaller, boutique brands like Lucy.
My go-to, the one I use personally all the time is ALP pouches.
ALP is a US-based company ran by a lovely group of guys and gals. They make excellent nic pouches and their Mountain Wintergreen is the nicest tasting nicotine pouch I’ve ever sampled. It is my daily-driver and has been for 12+ months.
3. Don’t Leave A Pouch In For Longer Than An Hour
Most pouches are good for 45 mins tops. At the hour mark, there’s nothing left and the pouch will start to breakdown, leaving gunk on your gums.
My advice? Leave it in for 30 to 40 minutes. Tops. Then get rid of it.
4. Ditch The Plastic, Get A Proper Tin For Your Pouches
All nicotine pouches come in plastic tins. Plastic isn’t great for the environment; it pollutes the seas and contaminates our bodies. I hate plastic, so I do everything I can to avoid over using it.
ALP – my favourite pouch brand – sells metal tins that last forever.
They’re beautifully designed and finished and they can hold up to 50 pouches at a push. I bought one of these a few months ago and haven’t looked back.
Avoid Habit Forming Behaviour, Test Your Mettle
Nicotine pouches can be a really handy tool if you’re trying to quit smoking or get off the vape.
But if you’re not careful, you’ll just end up swapping one habit for another—and that kind of defeats the point, right?
Here’s the deal: it’s super easy to fall into routines with these things.
Pop a pouch first thing in the morning, one after lunch, another during your coffee break… and before you know it, you’re using them on autopilot.
So how do you avoid that?
Break the Pattern Before It Starts
If you’re reaching for a pouch the moment your eyes open, stop doing that. Seriously. Try this instead:
- Wait at least an hour after waking up before you use your first pouch.
- Distract yourself with something else: coffee, shower, walk the dog, scroll mindlessly through your phone—anything but a pouch.
- Set usage rules. For example: “I’ll only use one after meals,” or “I’ll limit it to 3 per day.”
Think of nicotine pouches like training wheels—not a forever fix. They’re there to help you balance while you transition off nicotine entirely (if that’s your end goal).
Real-Life Example:
Let’s say you’re used to vaping every hour at your desk. If you try to replace each vape session with a pouch, you’re just repeating the same loop.
Instead, keep a pouch handy but only use it if the craving gets really intense.
Even better? Pair it with something else that breaks the craving—chew gum, drink water, stand up and stretch. Small changes like that can really disrupt the routine.
Make Your Tin Last Longer
Nicotine pouches ain’t cheap either. So if you’re burning through a can every couple of days, you’re not doing your wallet any favors.
Try this:
- Track how many you’re using each day.
- Set a daily limit and stick to it. Like, 3-5 pouches max.
- Treat pouches as a last resort, not a go-to.
You’ll save money, reduce your intake, and make it less likely you’ll form a new habit around them.
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