What’s In a Vape? #1 Vape Parts Cheat Sheet
Even veterans can get their vape parts mixed up sometimes—which is why we’ve created this handy-dandy cheat sheet.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a vape by any other name would taste as sweet.”
Shakespeare (probably)
Ever heard someone use the term “atomiser” instead of “coil” and felt a little dumb? Fear not: you’re not alone. We’ve got you covered with our handy guide to vape parts.
Vape Parts Explained
Here, we’ll be breaking down the major components of every vape device on the market, from low-powered pod kits all the way up to sub-ohm vape mods. Now, if you’re ever troubleshooting your vape kit and need to know where the heck your wick is (and what it does, for that matter), you’ll know exactly where to look.
Our comprehensive guide to vape parts starts here!
Vape Battery
Your vape battery is generally located towards the bottom of your device, inside the body of the kit where the most weight can be found. Wherever your charging port is, the battery isn’t far away.
Vape batteries are responsible for conducting electricity through your device; this is where your coil gets its energy. Vape kits have either an internal battery, which is built into the device and cannot be removed by the user, or one or two external batteries, which are purchased separately and can be taken out of the device.
Your battery dictates a lot about your vaping experience, including how long you can vape (and how often you need to charge it), how much power is reaching your coil, and how heavy your device is, among other things.
Like some other vape parts, vape batteries will degrade with time. Those using vape kits with external batteries can simply purchase new batteries, while vapers using devices with internal or integrated batteries will need to replace their entire device when the battery reaches the end of its life cycle (which is typically between 6 months to a year).
We have an ultimate guide to vape batteries should you want to learn more.
Charging Port
This is the direct line to your vape battery, and is thus one of the most important vape parts in any device. The charging port is the part of the vape kit used to recharge your battery, typically located on the bottom or side of your device, sometimes under a protective cover.
Most vapes require either a Micro-USB or USB Type-C charger, indicated by the shape of the charging port. Devices with USB Type-C compatibility generally charge much faster than those with a Micro-USB port, which is certainly something to bear in mind when purchasing a new device.
Vape Tank or Pod
Nowadays, there are two types of “container” used to hold E-Liquids: vape tanks and vape pods. We break down the differences between these two vape parts in another article, Vape Pods vs Vape Tanks, if you’re curious to read more about them.
Vape tanks are the original type, generally consisting of a glass cylinder held in place by two pieces of metal screwed together with a coil inside. Tanks are more common among advanced vape kits and can be found sitting atop most vape mods. Most tanks are designed for either MTL or DTL vaping, with specific compatible coils (which we’ll get to later on).
Pods, on the other hand, are essentially the evolution of vape tanks, as they’re more beginner-friendly and reliable for the average vaper. Pods are made of a plastic material and contain either changeable coils (like vape tanks do), or built-in coils. Pods which utilise built-in (or, integrated) coils are designed to be discarded once the coil begins to taste burnt or loses its flavour.
You can tell whether your pod uses changeable coils or integrated coils by checking the product description.
Both tanks and pods serve the same purpose: they house the E-Liquid and the coil. Inside the tank or pod, there’s a vacuum, which is used to pull the E-Liquid into the coil to be vaporised.
Your tank or pod is where all the flavour and vapour in your device comes from.
Airflow Valve
When you fire your vape, where does the air come from? The airflow valve, of course!
Your airflow valve is located somewhere around the base, side, or top of your tank or pod, and it’s responsible for letting air into the coil when you inhale. Some airflow valves allow for adjustment (as is the case for most vape tanks), while others offer a “static” amount of airflow.
The amount of airflow you get dictates what style of vaping your device allows for. Small or static airflow valves are reserved for MTL, which requires a more restricted airflow, while adjustable airflow with larger holes is for DTL or sub-ohm vaping.
Every device has an airflow valve, from pod kits with their single pin-sized holes to more advanced sub-ohm kits with 360-degree airflow adjustment rings.
When purchasing a new vape kit, it’s important to take airflow into account. You should ask yourself about your vaping style, and whether you like to intake large amounts of air when you inhale. If so, you may want to look into buying a vape kit with adjustable airflow. If your puffs are generally smaller, like sips, and more concentrated in the mouth than in the lungs, you should be fine with a static airflow amount.
Coil
Just about every vape on the market (aside from a few innovative new models) uses a coil, otherwise known as an “atomiser.” This is arguably one of the most important vape parts of all.
Coils are the essential part of your device used to heat the E-Liquid and turn it into vapour. Coils are constructed with a metallic wiring or mesh material, which conducts electricity from the battery and turns it into heat. When in contact with the E-Liquid in your tank, this turns the juice into vapour. Ta-da!
There are too many types of coils to list here, but generally speaking, most coils are designed to be used with a specific type of E-Liquid. Coils have a specified resistance, measured in ohms (Ω), which then dictates what type of E-Liquid they can be used with.
It’s essential to use the correct type of E-Liquid for your specific coil to avoid burning, leaking, and spitting from your vape.
As a general rule of thumb, coils below 1.0Ω are for sub-ohm or DTL vaping, while coils above 1.0Ω are for MTL vaping—but again, this is just a general rule. The product description for each coil on VapeGreen’s website will explain which type of E-Liquid it’s paired best with.
Wicking Material
If you take a look at your coil, you’ll see holes along the outer circumference with white pieces of material peeking out. This is your wicking material, which lines the inside of the coil.
Your coil needs an absorbent material to sop up the juice in your tank and turn it into vapour—otherwise, you’d just be left with mouthfuls of hot vape juice. You can find coils with a variety of different wicking materials, but the most common ones are cotton and ceramic.
Your wicking material plays an integral part in the whole vaping experience. For instance, if you’ve ever burnt a coil by not priming it correctly, what you’ve actually done is dry-burnt the wicking material, which wasn’t saturated enough. Think of the wick like you would a sponge: if you’re guilty of burning a new coil, you’ve essentially tried to scrub a countertop with a bone-dry sponge.
When your coil starts to “go bad,” your wicking material will also work less efficiently. As the coil degrades, it’s able to conduct less power, and therefore vaporise less E-Liquid. This can lead to the wicking material being oversaturated (as opposed to undersaturated, as in the case with burning new coils), which can cause the non-vaporised E-Liquid to try to escape from whatever hole it can. This is often the cause of leaking and/or spitting.
Wicking material is one of the most integral vape parts, yet it gets very little attention. Your wicking material is just as important as any other component, so be careful not to overlook it. Otherwise, you might end up with a mouthful (or a handful) of searing hot E-Liquid. Yikes.
Mouthpiece
This is another of the many vape parts that aren’t discussed often enough, yet many vapers have a preference without even realising.
Your mouthpiece—sometimes referred to as a “drip tip,” particularly in the case of sub-ohm vape tanks—is exactly what it sounds like: the part of the vape that touches your lips when you inhale. This is where the vapour exits the device.
There are many different types of mouthpiece, from cigarette-like filter tips (for the Aspire Vilter Pod Kit) to wide duckbill-shaped mouthpieces to the classic 810 drip tip, which is a standard size of changeable mouthpiece found on many vape mods and sub-ohm tanks.
The width of your mouthpiece dictates your vaping style, just like your airflow valve does. Narrower mouthpieces (ones more akin to the size and shape of a cigarette) can be found on many pod kits and starter vape kits, and these are specifically for MTL vaping. Wider mouthpieces, because they’re conducive to letting in more air, are better for DTL or sub-ohm vaping.
Conclusion: Vape Parts 101
You should hopefully now have a better grasp on what’s going on inside your vape kit, including what all the vape parts are called and what function they serve on a wider scale.
But if you’re still finding yourself feeling lost, check out our other Guides & Tutorials, and if you still can’t find what you need, feel free to contact us with any questions.
Revised on 14th February 2022.