Best recommendation stay away from hybrid style connections until you know what you are doing and are experienced. Yes the Cricket is cheap but not a beginner mod.
Also Clones, yes they're cheap but very hit and miss. You can find a quality authentic for a decent price. For example I got a Sage tube for $40, Oros V2 for $45 and an Arthas for $30. All from Beyond Vape on sale and top quality.
With all that here's my lecture I always give to those just starting Mech's.
1. Ohm's law,
http://www.steam-engine.org/ makes it easy and there's even an app on it for Android
2. Batteries, fucking batteries, take good care of your batteries and know them!!!!!!!
a. Avoid shit batteries like eFest who rewrap rejects with grossly inflated amp ratings. Stick with authentic LG, Sony or Samsung from reputable (not eBay or Amazon) sources, great places that I get authentics from are -
http://liionwholesale.com/
https://www.imrbatteries.com/
b. Stick well within Continuous Discharge Rate (CDR) Not the "pulse"
c. Keep up to date with what Mooch tests and battery ratings, follow his posts on Facebook and his Blog and only use his recommend batteries.
d. In Mod's with multiple batteries, marry them.
e. Get some battery wraps, they're cheap and easy to re-wrap batteries. Any nicks,tears or what ever don't be stupid and just re-wrap.
3. Don't build stupid low a good builder can chuck and get awesome dense vape from a good build. It's simple, with 20 CDR Amp batteries -
a. Single battery mod's you're fine with .2 ohms on up
b. Dual Parallel you're fine with .15 on up. Parallel you take the full CDR of one battery then add 1/2 the CDR of the next battery
c. Series you double the voltage but you share the amps . So a series you build high with a lot of wire mass no lower that .4 ohms.
4. Make sure you don't have any shorts. For an extra caution any new build I will vape on a regulated mod for a few drips or with a tank about a 1/4 tank. This is to insure nothing wonky with my build like shorts.
5. Careful if it's not in your hand, if it doesn't have a lock on the button and you pit it in your pocket (which I really don't recommend) insure nothing else is in your pocket and it's loose. Don't want to put it in your front pocket and blow up ya know
6. Last but certainly NOT the least, keep it clean! Clean it when you first get it "before" you even use it and clean it on a regular basis.
a. Ultrasonics are a very good investment, got mine off Amazon for around $25.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk