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A coil, also sometimes called an atomiser head, is a piece of wire that is twisted around wicking material. When you vape, the absorbent wick is saturated with e-liquid. The power from the battery heats the coils and that turns the e-liquid into vapour for you to inhale. 

The majority of coils are made of kanthal or nichrome, although stainless steel, nickel, and titanium coils also exist. 

We have a range of replacement coils by our favourite vaping brands such as Aspire, Innokin, Smok, GeekVape, and Voopoo. Some are also available on subscription to take all the hassle out of replacing your coils. 

Types of Coil

High resistance coils

High resistance coils are coils that have a resistance of above 1 ohm. These are also referred to as plus-ohm coils. Because of their higher resistance, these can be used in low-powered e-cigarettes such as vape pens and are often used in MTL (mouth to lung) vaping. These atomiser heads have smaller wicking holes, use less e-liquid, and produce smaller amounts of vapour. 

Low resistance or sub-ohm coils

Coils with a resistance of less than 1 ohm are referred to as sub-ohm or low resistance coils. These are used with higher powered vapes and are usually for DTL (direct to lung) vaping. These have large wicking holes and have larger cloud production. This means that your e-cigarette will get through e-liquid at a faster rate. 

Rebuildable coils

Rebuildable coils are vape coils that you build yourself on the deck of an RBA (rebuildable atomiser). They allow you to pick your own metal and wicking material to create your ideal vaping experience with intense flavours and huge clouds of vapour. Many vapers will make their rebuildable atomiser heads out of stainless steel, a versatile and durable material, or titanium, which is malleable and therefore can be shaped easily. 

However, rebuildable coils also require a lot of expertise and a firm understanding of ohm's law, so they're not ideal for all vapers. If you want to learn more, check out our comprehensive guide on Ohm’s Law and coil building. 

Mesh coils

Mesh coils are a relatively new addition to the vaping scene. Instead of consisting of a wire that is wrapped around the wick, mesh coils are a thin sheet of metal with holes punched in it which is arranged as a cylinder around the wick. This means that mesh coils have a larger surface area and heat the wick more evenly, reducing the risk of dry hits or burnt coils. They are often used in sub-ohm vapes. 

Ceramic coils

Ceramic coils are another variety of vape coils. While these vape coils are still made of a metal such as kanthal or nichrome, they are encased in a cylinder of ceramic or a ceramic coating on the coil wire. The ceramic material sometimes replaces the wick because it can absorb vape juice. It also reduces oxidisation of the metal, increasing coil lifespans. However, some other ceramic coils still use an ordinary wick made of cotton. 

Many vapers enjoy using ceramic vape coils because of the pure and clean flavour that they provide. 

Single, dual, or quad coils

Some e-cigs (usually rebuildable dripping atomisers or RDAs) use more than one coil to vapourise the e-liquid. The benefits of vaping with more coils are that they heat more quickly and create warmer vapour in greater volumes than single coil vapes. On the other hand, using more coils means that you will drain your battery life and e-liquid supply faster. 

Coil FAQs

Which e-liquids should I use with my coils? 

The ideal type of e-liquid depends on the resistance of your vape coils. 

For MTL plus-ohm coils, we recommend using a 50/50 or high PG e-liquid which will provide great flavour and be easily vapourised by a low power vape. One benefit of high PG e-juice is that because it is thin and easily vapourised it will not shorten the lifespan of your coils as much as high VG e-liquid. 

Sub-ohm vape coils require a high VG e-liquid with 60% VG or more. This is important to note because sub-ohm coils vapourise more e-liquid and you'll need to reduce the nicotine content in the vape juice to avoid consuming too much and feeling unwell. 

How do I know how much power to use with my coils? 

Many coils will tell you their ideal power range on their body or packaging. It's important to keep within this wattage range because too much power can burn the coils while too little can mean that the e-liquid is not properly vapourised. 

We often recommend that when you get a new coil, set your vape to just below the recommended power output to extend the coil life. 

How often do I need to change my vape coils?

This depends on how frequently you vape, although many vapers find that changing replacement coils every week or two weeks works for them. If you're a very casual vaper who only vapes occasionally or in social settings, you might find that you don't need to install replacement coils more frequently than once every three or four weeks. 

How do I know when it's time for a replacement coil?  

You'll know it's time for a replacement coil when your vapour starts tasting burnt or weaker than usual. If you notice that the cotton wick has changed colour, this can also be a sign that it's time to install a replacement coil. However, monitoring the taste of your e-liquid is the best way to know when it’s time to replace the coil. 

What is coil priming and do I need to do it?

Priming your vape coil refers to dripping e-liquid onto the wick and allowing it time to soak in before you start vaping with a new coil. It's a good thing to do because it prolongs the life of your replacement coils and improves the flavour of your vape. 

To prime your coils, first drip a lot of e-liquid onto the coil until the cotton is fully saturated. Assemble the device and leave it for a few minutes to soak. Then, take a few puffs on your vape without turning it on, or set it to a low power setting if your device has adjustable power. These are called 'primer puffs'. Then, you're ready to start vaping as normal. 

Should I clean my replacement coils? 

For rebuildable vapes, some vapers like to clean their coils to slightly extend their lifespans. While this is technically true, it's often not worth the hassle. For in-built coils, please be sure to replace coils instead of cleaning them. 

Cleaning your coils before disposing of them or recycling them, however, is a good idea because e-liquid can leave residue on them, especially if it has a high VG percentage.