Vaping should have been a literal life-saver. For years, startups and pharmaceutical giants alike had worked to come up with cures for nicotine addiction, only to provide mediocre solutions that work slightly or temporarily. Adam Bowen and James Monsees, on the other hand, wanted to do something different with their startup, Plume, which would eventually become Juul. Rather than trying to remove the urge, Juul sought to divert it to a lower nicotine product that could help you eventually have no nicotine dependency and be far better for your lungs in the meantime.

Juul became a victim of its own success, both directly and indirectly. Their own blame comes from introducing fruitier, more youth-focused flavors that may have been made with the intention of being fun but ultimately just ended up becoming popular with minors, many of whom wouldn’t have smoked cigarettes before. The nicotine off-ramp became a gateway, and Juul profited greatly. They also suffered, though, from being the biggest name in a growing market and got held responsible for its worse actors, pursued by the press and state for harming children despite no cases of spiked Juul products.

The long effect of this, however, is that a majority of my friends vape, and most of them hadn’t smoked before; it’s understandable. Given the density of nerve endings in your mouth, any use of it is highly satisfying and relaxing — be that snacking or smoking — and these sweet, fun flavors are all the more tempting. Given the pleasure is in the vapor and flavors and not actually the nicotine, though, there’s an opening for those looking to vape and not get a nicotine addiction; that’s where Ripple’s plant-pods come in.

From the packaging alone — in rainbow gradients with flavors titled “POWER,” “RELAX,” “DREAM,” “BOOST,” “FOCUS,” and “HAPPY” — it’s not surprising that these have been a trending item on TikTok, even ignoring the paid placements. But that doesn’t mean they’re bad.

On the contrary, they look and function just like vapes. The flavors are clean and refreshing to use, and each stick lasts a decently long time of an estimated 1,000 “puffs.” There’s no nicotine kick, but the blend of flavorings and air vapor passing into the lungs creates a pleasant, similar feeling, and nobody will know you’re not vaping. And once you’re finished with them, Ripple provides free returns for recycling.

My only issue with them is that the flavors are targeted towards their demographic — young women — and if you’re looking for something slightly more simple, mature, and mellow, they don’t currently fulfill that need well.

I bought the puffs “multi-formula pack.”

“POWER” is a “peppermint aroma” with “ginseng + ginkgo biloba,” and though you can taste a hint of those latter flavors, it’s primarily sweet peppermint, slightly reminiscent of toothpaste. It’s pleasant, and it lingers well, but for my taste, it needs more of those complex flavors. Dial down the sweetness and peppermint dominance, and make it a more subtle, refreshing style.

“RELAX” isn’t as sweet, but despite being described as “jasmine aroma” with “chamomile + lemon balm,” it still has this dominant, simple flavor that feels uninteresting. “DREAM” is the final mellow flavor and the worst. In part, that could just be my not particularly liking lavender, but there’s little interesting here, and it feels like puffing a Parma Violet.

The sweeter, energizing flavors start with “BOOST” — “pomegranate aroma” with “green tea + maca”—and though it’s sweet, it’s a good take on it. It’s a refreshing, cheerful flavor, and you can tell that they thrive when they don’t even have to bother with a “mature” approach. In this spirit, the mango-flavored “FOCUS” is even better, as it has a great, not overly artificial flavor that feels light, fun, and clear. I’m not as convinced by the passionfruit-infused “HAPPY” — the inherent bitterness in passionfruit doesn’t necessarily suit aeration — but if you’re particularly partial to the flavor, I wouldn’t stay away from it.

Altogether, these are very pleasant, and if you—or a loved one—like vapes for the sweet flavors and not necessarily as a way to get off tobacco, then I certainly think it’s worth a shot. It is worth keeping some skepticism about their product descriptions, though. The “HAPPY” flavor is not “mood-boosting” any more than “FOCUS” will “improve your energy and state of mind.” “RELAX” isn’t “mind-mellowing,” and nor is “BOOST” a “mighty mood enhancer.” They’re just a vape alternative. But they’re quite pleasant.