A vape coil is the heating element inside your pod or tank. It's a small piece of resistance wire or metal mesh wrapped in cotton. The cotton soaks up e-liquid, the battery heats the metal, and the liquid in the cotton turns into vapour. The number printed on a coil, such as 0.8 ohm or 1.2 ohm, is its resistance. Higher numbers usually mean a tighter, mouth-to-lung draw; lower numbers mean more vapour and a looser draw. Coils wear out and need replacing. Our pods and coils hub shows where coils fit in alongside pods and refills.
How a coil makes vapour
When you inhale on an auto-draw kit, or press the button on others, the battery sends current through the coil. The metal heats up. The cotton around it is wet with e-liquid, and that liquid vaporises. As you puff, more liquid wicks into the cotton from the pod.
That last step matters. If the cotton can't re-soak quickly enough, because the pod is low, the liquid is too thick or you're puffing too fast, the coil heats dry cotton. That's the harsh, burnt hit people talk about. Our burnt taste guide covers it in depth.
What the ohm number means
Ohms (written Ω) measure electrical resistance. For a given battery, a lower-resistance coil draws more power, gets hotter faster and vaporises more liquid. That's why resistance is closely tied to the style of vaping a coil is made for.
| Resistance | Typical use | Draw | Vapour | Usual e-liquid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Around 1.0 ohm and above | Mouth-to-lung (MTL) | Tight, like a cigarette | Small | Nic salts, 50/50 |
| Around 0.6 to 1.0 ohm | Looser MTL, sometimes called restricted DL | Medium | Moderate | Nic salts or freebase, depending on coil |
| Under 1.0 ohm (sub-ohm), often 0.5 ohm or lower | Direct-to-lung (DTL) | Loose and airy | Large | Low-strength freebase, high VG |
Those bands are approximate. Brands draw the lines in slightly different places, and the coil's own recommended power range matters as much as the ohm figure. A pod range such as Vaporesso's XROS sells pods at several resistances, including 0.8 and 1.2 ohm, so you can tighten or loosen the draw without changing kit.
MTL and DTL in one paragraph
Mouth-to-lung means you draw vapour into your mouth first, then inhale. Direct-to-lung means you breathe it straight into your lungs in one go, more like a deep breath. Most pod kits are MTL, which is why they pair with higher-strength nic salts. If you want the longer version, see MTL vs DTL.
Coil types
Standard wire coils. A round coil of wire wrapped in cotton. Common in older and budget pods.
Mesh coils. A strip or cylinder of metal mesh instead of wire. More surface area touches the cotton, so heat spreads more evenly. Many people find the flavour better, and mesh is now common in pod kits. Our mesh coil guide goes into the pros and cons.
Ceramic coils. Some pods use a ceramic wicking material rather than cotton. Experiences vary, and they're less common in UK pod kits than cotton-wicked mesh.
What coils are made of
Most coils use one of a few wires. You rarely need to think about this on a pod kit, but you'll see the names:
- Kanthal. An iron, chromium and aluminium alloy. Common, cheap, used in wattage mode.
- Nichrome. Nickel and chromium. Heats up quickly.
- Stainless steel. Works in wattage mode and, on kits that support it, temperature control.
- Nickel and titanium. Used for temperature control only, mostly on advanced kits.
On a standard pod kit, the manufacturer has matched the coil to the battery for you.
How long does a coil last?
There isn't a fixed number. Coil life depends on:
- How much you vape. More puffs, faster wear.
- The e-liquid. Very sweet flavours leave residue on the coil and tend to shorten its life.
- Power. Running above the recommended range wears coils out faster.
- Habits. Chain vaping and letting the pod run nearly dry both stress the cotton.
As a broad guide, many people get somewhere between a few days and a couple of weeks from a pod coil. Some get longer. The point is to change it when it tells you to, not on a schedule. Our guide to how long a vape pod lasts has more on stretching it.
Signs a coil needs changing
- Flavour that's gone flat over a day or two.
- Thinner vapour than usual.
- A stale, harsh or burnt taste with a full pod.
- Gurgling or spitting that doesn't clear. (This can also be flooding, which the vape leaking guide covers.)
If the kit isn't firing at all, the coil might be the cause, but so might the contacts or the battery. Run through vape not hitting before you assume.
Fitting and priming a new coil
Every new coil needs priming. Fill the pod, put the coil in place, and leave it upright for five to ten minutes so the cotton soaks right through. Some people also drip a drop or two of liquid onto the exposed cotton through the coil's wicking holes. Skip this and the first puff can scorch the cotton, which ruins the coil before you've used it. The full process is in how to refill a pod vape.
Matching coil and e-liquid
A coil works best with liquid made for it. High-resistance MTL coils have small wicking holes, which suit thinner 50/50 liquids. Thick, high-VG liquids made for sub-ohm coils can starve them. The VG/PG ratio guide explains why the blend matters, and the e-liquid hub covers strengths and nicotine types.
Questions people ask
What ohm coil is best for nic salts?
Higher-resistance coils, usually around 0.8 ohm and above, used at low power. They give a tighter mouth-to-lung draw and less vapour, which suits 10mg and 20mg nic salts.
How often should you change a vape coil?
When the flavour fades or starts to taste burnt. For many people that's somewhere between a few days and a couple of weeks, but it depends heavily on how much you vape, the power and the e-liquid.
Can I use any coil in my vape?
No. Coils are made for specific pods or tanks. Check that the coil lists your pod or tank as compatible.
Can you clean a burnt coil?
Not in any way that's worth it for a pod coil. Once the cotton has scorched, the taste stays. Replace it.
