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A vape coil is one of, if not the most important part of every vape kit. Also commonly referred to as an atomiser, a coil head or an atomiser head, a coil is that small piece of metal that sits inside your vape tank or pod.
Whether it’s built-in or removal, its function stays the same — conducting electricity from the vape battery to heat your vape juice up and create vapour.
Vape coils can be made of many different alloys (metals) and are measured by electrical resistance in a unit we call “ohms” (Ω).
If you’re struggling to wrap your head around this, don’t worry; our comprehensive guide to vape coils will explain everything you need to know to enjoy an optimal vaping experience.
Key Takeaways
- Coils are a key component of any vape kit, as they’re responsible for heating up your e-liquid and producing vapour.
- The resistance of your coil determines how much power it needs and the level of vapour production it’s capable of. Sub ohm coils (below 1.0 ohms) create large and thick clouds, while higher resistance coils produce a more discreet amount.
- Different coil resistances work best with different types of vape juice. Low resistance coils are suited to high-VG e-liquids, while higher resistance coils are compatible with high-PG and 50/50 blends.
- Coils will last between one to two weeks, depending on how often you vape and the type of e-liquid you use.
- Once you notice a burnt taste, diminished flavour or a lack of vapour production, it’s time to replace your old coil with a fresh one.
![Best Beginners Guide To Coils For [y]](https://shopvapesuk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1.0-Ohms-300x300.png "Best Beginners Guide To Coils For [y] 1")
What Is A Vape Coil?
Coils are available in a wide variety of types, materials, and resistances, each designed for a specific purpose.
A coil is a metallic heating element within your vape pod or tank that conducts battery power to generate heat, which in turn evaporates the liquid surrounding it.
It’s a crucial component of your vaping device that requires regular replacement.
For vape kits and tanks that use replaceable coils, you’ll want to remove the old coil and install a new one.
In the case of pods containing built-in coils, you’ll need to dispose of the entire pod and replace it when the coil begins to wear out.
When you notice a burnt taste or lack of vapour production, it’s time to install a new coil.
How Do Vape Coils Work?
Simply put, coils produce vapour. As mentioned, they work by conducting battery power through their wire, which then allows for vapour production.
Within the metal casing of your vape coil, sits absorbent wicking material (typically made of cotton). This is used to absorb e-liquid into your tank or pod and create clouds of vapour.
If you take a closer look at your vape coil, you’ll find tiny holes lining it’s circumference that contain pieces of cotton, which are called wicking holes.
Vape coils are constructed with heat-resistant metals. That said, your coil’s wicking material will degrade eventually, since it’s absorbing vape juice constantly.
Think of it as like a sponge, once all the e-liquid residue and gunk builds up, you’ll want to replace it with a new coil.
How Do Vape Coils Differ?
Vape coils come in a multitude of different resistances, alloys, wicking materials, wire types and more.
The type of coil you go for will determine the type of vape juice you can use, which wattage range you’ll be vaping at and what vaping styles you’ll need to employ — so it’s important to pay attention to the type of vape coil you purchase.
Coil Resistance
Without delving too deeply into the science behind Ohm’s Law, coil resistance is simply the amount of electricity that can be conducted from your battery.
As we touched on, this is measured in ohms.
To try and simplify a pretty complex topic, the main thing to get your head around is; the higher the power output of your vape device, the lower resistance of the coil you’ll need to use. You’ll want to keep in mind that:
MTL (Mouth To Lung) Coils
As their name suggests, MTL coils are high-resistance options that are ideal for MTL vaping. This stands for mouth-to-lung, which is a vaping style that mimics the inhalation technique of smoking a cigarette.
This will feel more familiar if you’ve recently switched from cigarettes to vapes, or you’re considering it.
High resistance coils produce less vapour and work best when paired with high PG (propylene glycol) and 50/50 e-liquid, such as nic salts.
They offer a more discreet vape, thanks to their more subtle level of vapour production, and let you enjoy higher nicotine strengths without a harsh and unpleasant throat hit.
You can find MTL coils or pods/tanks that contain them included in most vape starter kits, pod vapes and vape pens.
Sub Ohm/DTL (Direct To Lung) Coils
Sub ohm coils are specifically designed for DTL vaping, which is the process of drawing vapour directly into the lungs. They have lower resistances, allowing them to handle more power.
Low ohm coils are intended for use with e-liquids that have higher vegetable glycerin (VG) content, such as most shortfills and 100% VG E-liquids.
Low resistance coils are made to be used in sub-ohm tanks, mod kits, and high-powered sub-ohm vape kits paired with high-VG liquids to produce large vapour clouds. DTL vaping is ideal for more experienced vapers who are after deeper flavour and increased vapour production. As a result, sub ohm coils tend to use more battery life due to their higher power demands.
Different Coil Wire Types
The wiring in vape coils is what connects the positive and negative parts of the battery in your vape device, and there are two main types; mesh and wire.
Mesh Coils
Vape coils with a mesh design are constructed from a netted material that offers a larger surface area for conducting electricity.
This allows them to generate more heat and produce more vapor quicker than traditional wire coils.
The only drawback is that they typically use more e-liquid and battery power with each puff.
Mesh coils heat up more of your vape juice at a faster rate, boosting both both flavour and vapour production. This has made them a popular option, especially in Mouth-to-Lung vapers, who usually use devices with a lower battery capacity.
Wire Coils
Wire coils consist of a spiral-shaped wire designed to conduct electricity. Once the most common type of vape coils, they’re particularly favoured by sub-ohm vapers.
While they’ve been widely used since the early days of vaping, their popularity is gradually declining as mesh coils become more popular.
Wire coils can be found in various configurations, including single, dual, and even quad coils, all featuring the same spiral-shaped wire within.
Coil Wicking Materials
The wicking material in your coil simply refers to what it uses to absorb e-liquid. The two main types you’ll find available are cotton and ceramic.
There are other less common variations out there, like Rayon and Silica, but these are generally favoured by hobbyists who build their own coils.
Cotton
Cotton is the most common type of wicking material used in vape coils. This is because it strikes the perfect balance between absorption, longevity and flavour.
Most vape kits on the market these days include coils that use cotton wicking material.
Ceramic
Ceramic coils are longer-lasting than cotton coils and are also more absorbent, thanks to their porous material.
Unlike other coils, ceramic coils do not use a traditional wick; instead, the wire is coated with a layer of ceramic. While ceramic coils use up more e-liquid, they boast a more consistent flavour and are more durable than cotton coils.
Coil Materials
There are lots of different coil materials available, but you’ll find that the majority of vape coils are made of stainless steel.
The other less common coil materials you can get are Titanium, Kanthal, Nickel and Nichocrome.
What your coil is made of dictates its conductive properties, how much vapour it can create, how much heat it can produce, and whether you can configure your desired temperature to vape at (if you’re using a vape mod or advanced sub ohm kit) .
For example, stainless steel is the only metal that’s versatile enough to be used with both variable wattage and temperature control mode.
Kanthal coils, on the other hand are only compatible with variable wattage mode, while Nickel coils are specially designed for temperature control.
What Type Of E-Liquid Should I Pair With My Coil?
Every vape coil is specifically designed for use with certain types of e-liquid. Different VG:PG ratios mean that some liquids have a thicker consistency than others, meaning they’ll need more power to vaporise.
If you use an MTL coil, then you’ll need to pair it with an e-liquid that contains 50% PG or more, whether that’s a nic salt or 50/50 freebase e-liquid.
This is because MTL coils need thinner e-liquids to work correctly, and using a liquid that’s too thick can lead to dry burns.
We don’t recommend using a shortfill or high-VG blend with high resistance coils made for MTL vaping, as you’ll most likely experience a nasty burnt taste and an all-round unpleasant vaping experience.
If you prefer to use a sub ohm coil designed for DTL vaping, then you’ll want to use an e-liquid with 70% VG or more, such as 100% VG E-Liquid and most shortfills.
It’s worth noting, however, that not all sub ohm coils are suited to PG-free e-liquid.
Need any further advice on what e-liquid to pair your coil with? Check out our Ultimate Beginners Guide To E-Liquid.
Priming Your Coil
The first thing you’ll need to do before vaping is to prime your coil. You only need to do this once for each new coil.
To prime your coil, start by locating the wicking holes around its circumference. Apply a drop of e-liquid to each hole, allowing the wick to absorb it.
Typically, a single coil only needs a few drops of juice.
Next, add a drop of e-liquid down the centre of the coil to saturate the cotton inside. This step is optional, as not all replacement coils have an exposed centre.
After priming, install your vape coil and fill your tank or pod with e-liquid. Let the new coil sit in the e-liquid for about 5 minutes to ensure the wick is fully saturated.
When you’ve done this, you won’t need to prime again until it’s time to replace the coil.
How Long Will My Coil Last?
In most cases, replaceable coils should last around a week or two, while pods with built-in coils inside will last roughly one week.
That said, the lifespan of your coil will depend more on other factors, such as how often you vape, how you inhale, and what type of e-liquid you use.
Factors Affecting Coil Life
A lot of people incorrectly assume that using high-VG e-liquids is the quickest way of killing your coil. This isn’t really the case and there are way more factors at play here. These include:
Sweet E-Liquids
Have you got a bit of a sweet tooth? If you do, then you might unfortunately be killing your coils faster.
The primary culprit for shortening coil life is the sweeteners in e-liquids. When your coil heats up, these sweeteners caramelise around it, leading to a sticky build-up that hampers the coil’s performance. Eventually, this results in that unpleasant burnt taste.
Think of it like trying to fry sugar in a pan — it doesn’t cook, it just burns. The same thing happens to your coil when you vape super sweet e-liquids all the time.
If you notice you’re replacing coils more frequently than expected, consider trying a less sweet e-liquid. Alternatively, you might want to switch to a different wicking material, like ceramic, if your pod or tank allows for it.
Otherwise, you may just have to accept that more frequent coil changes are necessary.
Chain Vaping
Chain vaping — continuously vaping without giving your device time to cool down — is another way of shortening your coil’s lifespan.
When you let your coil to cool between puffs, the wick isn’t given enough time to completely re-saturate. This might lead to the wick to drying out, causing a “dry hit” when you fire your device.
If you feel your pod or tank overheating during a vaping session, it’s a good idea to put the vape down for a few minutes, keeping the device upright.
This brief break allows the wick to absorb more e-liquid, ensuring you can continue vaping smoothly afterward.
Power Output
If you’re using vape device that features a variable wattage, then it’s important that you’re setting it to the right output.
Every vape coil comes with a recommended wattage range, which can be found in the product description, on the packaging, or directly on the coil itself.
Even coils with different resistances within the same range will have varying suggested wattage outputs.
Vaping a coil at too high a wattage can lead to burning and other unwanted effects. If your vape device doesn’t allow for variable wattage, this won’t be an issue.
However, if your kit does have adjustable output settings, it’s important to stick to the recommended wattage range.
Vaping The Wrong Type Of E-Liquid
As mentioned, vaping an e-liquid with the wrong VG:PG ratio for your coil will shorten its lifespan.
This is especially true for trying to pair low resistance coils with high-PG e-liquids like nicotine salts. To avoid this, ensure that you’re double-checking the product description to be certain you’ve picked the right liquid.
When Is It Time To Replace My Coil?
You’ll know it’s time to replace your coil when your vape begins to taste burnt, the flavour diminishes, or the vapor production decreases.
If you experience a burnt taste, or your e-liquid starts tasting off or muted, it’s a clear sign that it’s time to swap out the old coil for a fresh one.
Vape Coil FAQs
Why do vape coils have different resistances?
Coils come in different resistances to accommodate different styles of vaping and types of e-liquid. Low resistance coils are designed for sub ohm vaping and work best with e-liquids that contain 70% VG or more. A higher resistance coil, on the other hand, is made for MTL vaping and should be paired with 50/50 or high-PG e-liquid.
How long does a vape coil last?
The lifespan of your coil depends on a few factors, but most vape coils will last you 1-2 weeks. When you notice a burnt taste, diminished flavour or lack of vapour production, it’s time to replace your old coil with a new one.
How do I prime my coil?
To prime your vape coil, apply a drop of e-liquid to each wicking hole. Then, you can add another drop down the centre of the coil (if it has an exposed centre. Once that’s done, fill your pod or tank up, and let your new coil sit for five minutes.
Why does my vape taste burnt with a fresh coil?
If you experience a burnt taste with a new coil in your vape, it’s probably because you haven’t primed it properly, causing the wick to burn.
Starting out at a wattage that’s too high can also cause the coil to burn out quickly. You might also be vaping continuously without allowing breaks.
Where should I store my spare coils?
Store spare coils in a cool, dry environment to preserve their quality. Avoid exposing them to extreme temperatures or humidity, as this can damage the coil or affect the wicking material. Keeping the coils in their original packaging or a clean, airtight container will help shield them from dust and debris.
Where can I buy coils?
Here at ShopvapesUK, we stock a vast selection of vape coils from the biggest brands like Aspire vape coils, Geek Vape coils, Smok vape coils and many more!
Summary
Choosing replacement coils can be rather challenging, given the various factors to consider, such as your inhale style, coil resistance, type of alloy used, and the e-liquids you intend to use.
We hope that our beginner’s guide to vape coils has helped you clarify your options.
If you’re new to vaping and are still unsure about what you should start with, we suggest you check out our Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Vaping, which offers plenty of helpful information.
Should you continue to have trouble deciding which vape coils to purchase, don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer support team via live chat, phone, or email. Our knowledgeable team of vapers is ready to assist you in finding exactly what you need for a seamless and enjoyable vaping experience.
