The Different Types of Vape Coils and Other Vaping Components

If you’re an adult nicotine consumer new to the vaping world, you might be confused by some jargon you encounter. Like, what’s a vape coil, and what are the differences between them? Or what are atomisers and clearomisers, and do you need to know how they work to vape?

This guide to vape coils and other components clarifies things, helping you understand how these vape parts work before you pick up a new device.

What is a vape coil?

The coil is part of a vape device responsible for heating e-liquid and transforming it into vapour. It’s connected to the device circuit and gets energy from the battery to heat up. In some open-system vapes, the coil resistance can be adjusted to tailor how the device works; a lower resistance coil produces larger vapour clouds.

What are vape coils made of?

Vape coils are available in different materials for different device types and consumers. Some vapers prefer to tinker with their devices to create a specific size or thickness of vapour.

Kanthal

The most common coil wire type, Kanthal, is a trade name. It’s an alloy made from a combination of three metals, available in different sizes to suit most open-system vapes.

Nichrome

Nichrome is made from a combination of two metals. It’s similar to Kanthal, but the wire is thinner and heats up faster. This coil type doesn’t need special settings, so it suits most open-system devices.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is another common vape coil material that suits many devices.

Titanium

Titanium coils are thin and can only be used with vape devices with temperature control. These coils don’t work in devices that don’t let you change the temperature.

Nickel

Like titanium, nickel vape coils can only be used in temperature-control devices. Nickel is thin and very easy to shape, so building uniform coils with this material can be difficult.

Different types of vape coils

As well as being made from various materials, different coils can have differently shaped wire wraps. Want to find out more? Keep reading to learn about the different types of vape coils.

Vertical coil

The most common types of vape coils are vertical: a single wire wrapped into a coil shape with wicking material around the outside, letting air move through the middle of the wire.

Dual coil

Dual coils are the same as vertical coils but have two wire wraps instead of one. These are usually side by side and provide more surface area to heat more e-liquid and produce more vapour.

Triple coil

Triple vape coils are the same as single and dual but with three wire wraps, providing even more surface area for more vapour with each puff.

Multiple coil

More than three wire wraps, and you’re looking at a multiple coil. This type has a large surface area for high-power devices and consumers wanting large vapour clouds.

Twisted coil

A twisted-coil type is when multiple strands of wire wrap around each other before twisting into a coil shape. This increases the surface area, heating more e-liquid with each puff for more vapour on every inhale.

Mesh coil

Mesh coils use wire mesh instead of a wire wrap. Mesh has a large surface area with small gaps, providing maximum vapour.

Net coil

Net coils are like mesh coils but have slightly larger holes. They have a large heating surface area and create thick vapour.

How to replace and clean a vape coil

If you have an open-system device that requires cleaning, disassemble it to clean the coil. Vuse devices are closed-system, so you won’t need to worry about this cleaning process and can focus on straightforward vaping.

1. Remove the coil from your vape device.
2. Rinse under warm water.
3. Submerge the coil under boiling water and let it soak for 30 minutes.
4. Reassemble the device.

Learn more in our guide to vape maintenance. 

When to change a vape coil

If you have a vape device that requires coil changing, there are a few tell-tale signs that it’s time to switch the part.

• Your vape tastes burnt, or the flavour has changed.
• Your device is producing less vapour than usual.
• Your e-liquid is changing colour.
• Your device is spitting, leaking or gurgling.

How to prime a vape coil

When you change your vape coil, you’ll need to prime the new part for it to work properly. Priming a vape coil involves soaking the wick in e-liquid, and it’s easy enough to do.

1. Insert your new coil.
2. Fill your tank with e-liquid.
3. Let it stand for a few minutes (this lets the wick soak up e-liquid).

Atomisers, cartomisers and clearomisers

Have you encountered atomisers, cartomisers or clearomisers and are unsure what these words mean? Let us break it down for you.

Cartomisers, clearomisers and atomisers attach to your device battery to heat the e-liquid into vapour.

What are vape atomisers?

Atomisers are popular with more experienced vapers, especially those who prefer to drip e-liquid directly onto the coil inside the device. Atomisers don’t hold as much e-liquid as their alternatives, but that does mean you can switch flavours more frequently without waste.

What are vape cartomisers?

Cartomisers look like atomisers, but they are often a little longer. They can hold more e-liquid, which means vapers who choose a cartomiser won’t need to top up as often. They can also be easier to fill than atomisers.

What are vape clearomisers?

Most vape clearomisers are designed with a clear tank (that’s where they get their name) so users can see how much e-liquid is inside. Clearomisers hold more e-liquid than atomisers and cartomisers, which means less frequent refills.

Vaping with Vuse

Ready to explore Vuse vapes? Our closed-system devices don’t call for coil cleaning or changes, so you won’t need to worry about the steps in this guide. But it’s helpful to understand the world of vapes and how they work before picking up a new device.

Explore our rechargeable Vuse Pro devices and disposable Vuse GO vapes, or pick up e-liquids in assorted flavours and nicotine strengths online.

* These products are not risk-free and contain nicotine, an addictive substance.