What is a liquid-heated vape? Vape is the common name from electronic cigarette manufacturer, which are no longer shaped like cigarettes as in the past, but are more stylish in design. They produce smoke just like cigarettes, so they look like real cigarettes, but this is because a small amount of liquid is heated to produce vapor, which looks like cigarette smoke. Therefore, there are no worries about secondhand smoke or fire, which are concerns with cigarettes.