What is Sub Ohm Vaping? A 2025 Ultimate Guide
Let’s talk sub ohm vaping: huge plumes, intense flavour, big batteries, and customisable kits. Our guide to sub-ohm vaping details everything you need to know to get started!
Have you ever seen a vaper wielding one of those boxy behemoths and chucking huge clouds? That’s a sub-ohm kit.
Sub ohm vaping, which requires a DTL (Direct-to-Lung) vaping style, is usually reserved for advanced vapers using high-powered sub-ohm vape kits with low nicotine strength E-Liquids.
Let’s break down this unique style of vaping, discuss its pros and cons, and help you get started on your sub-ohm vaping journey.
![What is Sub Ohm Vaping? A [y] Ultimate Guide 2 What is Sub-Ohm Vaping?](https://vapegreen.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/pretty-young-hipster-woman-vape-ecig-vaping-devic-2022-01-12-07-28-22-utc-1024x683.jpg)
What is Sub Ohm Vaping?
Sub-ohm vaping refers to a style of vaping which uses a coil with a resistance below 1Ω (ohm)—hence sub-ohm. Sub-ohm vaping requires a specific type of high-powered vape kit to produce big clouds of vapour.
Sub-ohming is often the final frontier for experienced vapers who’ve tried MTL vaping and are ready to move on to a more complex device.
Using a sub-ohm vape kit requires you to employ a Direct-to-Lung vaping style, also known as DTL, DL, or Direct-Lung vaping. You can read more about the different vaping styles in our detailed guide: What is MTL and DTL Vaping?
How do you Sub-Ohm Vape?
You’ll need to employ a DTL or Direct-to-Lung vaping style if you want to use a sub-ohm vape. With DTL, you inhale the vapour directly into your lungs, much like how you would smoke a water pipe (or simply breathe). Instead of short, sharp inhales, sub-ohm vapers take long, slow puffs.
This is unlike MTL vaping, which requires you to inhale the vapour into your mouth first before inhaling into the lungs (like how you would smoke a cigarette).
Pros & Cons of Sub Ohm Vaping
Sub-ohming isn’t for everyone—especially new vapers who require high-PG vape juice with a high nicotine strength. Let’s break down all of the pros and cons so you can see if sub-ohm vaping is for you.
Benefits of Sub Ohm Vaping
Large Clouds of Vapour
Sub-ohm devices produce massive amounts of vapour, which is the main draw for most sub-ohm vapers. If you’ve ever seen a cloud chasing or vape trick competition (yes, they’re real), or vapers exhaling huge clouds of vapour, they’re vaping sub-ohm.
Intense Flavour
Sub-ohm tanks and kits consume more E-Liquid per puff than a standard vape, which means better flavour and vapour production overall. You can expect a deeper flavour experience and a warmer vapour with a sub-ohm device.
More Customisation
Sub-ohm vapes offer more features than your standard kit, with options like adjustable airflow and wattage so you can tailor your vape. Sub-ohm tanks and pods are often compatible with a range of coils—compared to standard vapes, which may only offer one or two options. Some sub-ohm vapers even use rebuildable tank atomizers and build their own coils.
Smooth Vapour
Due to the low nicotine strength and the higher ratio of vegetable glycerine (VG) in sub-ohm vape juice, you can expect an ultra-smooth vape with an excellent lung hit.
Bulk E-Liquids
Because they come nicotine-free, E-Liquids for sub-ohm vaping are available in large bottles ranging from 50ml up to 200ml (unlike nic salts, which are limited to 10ml bottles). You can get your favourite E-Liquid flavours in bulk when you vape sub-ohm.
Drawbacks of Sub-Ohm Vaping
Low Nicotine Strengths
Sub ohm vaping consumes a lot of E-Liquid to produce those huge clouds, so your E-Liquid needs to be low nicotine. You shouldn’t be using a nicotine strength above 6mg, though most use 3mg (or 0mg). This is because there’s a risk of consuming too much nicotine and having an unpleasant vaping experience.
Battery Life
Because sub-ohm vapes consume more power and have a higher power output, they also use more battery. This means that your vaping device will need to have a much larger battery. Most sub-ohm kits compensate for this by having larger capacities.
E-Liquid Consumption
Sub-ohm coils consume a lot of E-Liquid per puff, which means you’ll go through your juice faster. It’s also the reason why a DL vape produces such big clouds. And while the liquids for a sub-ohm device are available in much larger quantities, you’ll still need to take your E-Liquid consumption into account.
Cost
Sub-ohm equipment is often pricier up front. Compared to MTL devices, which can retail for as low as £9.99, sub-ohm kits are often more expensive as they offer a wider range of features and are usually built to last (particularly those using external batteries). Still, sub-ohm E-Liquids work out cheaper in the long run since you can buy them in bulk.
Not for Beginners
Compared to regular vaping, sub-ohm vaping is nothing like smoking a cigarette because the airflow is much wider and requires you to inhale differently. New vapers may find this style of vaping unsatisfying, because they likely won’t get the right throat hit, nicotine delivery, or flavour experience they need from sub-ohming.
Is Sub-Ohm Vaping Safe?
Once upon a time, sub ohm vaping was only for experienced vapers who understood the electricals inside an e-cig. Nowadays, thanks to the advent of regulated mods and chipsets, sub-ohm vaping is safer than ever and you can have a great sub-ohm experience without being a certified electrical engineer.
We do not recommend using mechanical (“mech”) mods, hybrid mech mods, or unregulated mods unless you have a working knowledge of Ohm’s Law. They have no built-in protections or safety features, and their power output isn’t capped.
While you don’t need a degree in physics if you use a regulated device; what’s important is that you make sure you handle your batteries safely and keep your nicotine strength low.
Battery Safety
Many sub-ohm kits nowadays use external vape batteries that you’ll need to purchase separately. You can check out our vape battery guide for more helpful info on the different types and sizes available before making a purchase.
Like all batteries, vape batteries tend to degrade with time. Most external batteries need to be replaced after 2 years, though if you don’t take care of them, they may degrade in as little as 6 months. There are a few practices that can prolong their lifespan:
- Only charge batteries until they’re full, as overcharging can damage them
- Charge your external batteries in a battery charging bay rather than through your e-cig device
- Never charge your batteries through a games console or a laptop
As far as safety precautions are concerned, these are the most critical points:
- Always use vape battery chargers that are rated for lithium-ion cells
- Never leave your batteries charging unattended or overnight
- Never use a battery with a damaged, broken, or torn PVC wrap (you can purchase new battery wraps if yours become damaged)
- Don’t keep your batteries loose in a pocket or handbag—use the cases provided
- Never exceed the amp limit on your batteries
Caring for your vape batteries will ensure a seamless vaping experience.
Nicotine Levels
Because you’re producing huge clouds and inhaling the vapour directly into your lungs, you’ll need to make sure that you’re not overdoing it with nicotine.
We don’t recommend exceeding 6mg in your liquid when you’re sub ohm vaping, though most vapers settle for 3mg (or they simply vape nicotine-free). On top of the chance of getting “nic sick,” you also run the risk of a really unpleasant hit from higher nicotine levels.
Coil Resistance & Ohm’s Law
Ohm’s law states that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points. This may seem like a bunch of physics nonsense, but essentially, the lower the resistance of your coil, the more charge can pass through your device.
Ohms are units of electrical resistance, and in vaping, all coils are measured in ohms. As a general rule of thumb, the lower your coil resistance, the higher your power output. In addition, the lower you go with resistance, the warmer and larger your clouds will be.
A sub-ohm tank or pod requires a low-resistance sub-ohm coil to function properly. One important thing to note about low-resistance coils is that they require a specific ratio of propylene glycol to vegetable glycerine when it comes to E-Liquids, as lower resistances require thicker juices to keep them from burning prematurely.
Best E-Liquids for Sub Ohm Vaping
Sub-ohm vaping will require you to use vape juices which are low in propylene glycol (PG) and high in vegetable glycerine (VG). This is known as a VG/PG ratio. All E-Liquids have a base mixture of VG and PG, and the ratio of each determines which devices they can be used in.
We cover this extensively in our handy guide to VG/PG Ratios, but as a quick overview, VG is quite thick compared to PG. While PG is lauded for its throat hit and flavour carrying properties, VG is known for its incredible cloud production.
Because of the low resistance of sub-ohm coils, they require a thicker E-Liquid to keep from burning and leaking.
Shortfill E-Liquids
Shortfills are a type of nicotine-free E-Liquid which comes in large bottles—usually 50ml or 100ml. They’re “short filled” (hence the name) in larger bottles with space for you to add your own nicotine shots if you want to. Shortfill E-Liquids usually have a higher ratio of VG to PG, making them ideal for use in most sub-ohm devices.
You can vape them without nicotine, but if you prefer, you can add a nic shot (or two, depending on the bottle size) to achieve up to a 3mg nicotine strength. If you’re looking to vape the maximum 6mg, you’ll need to pour some of the flavoured liquid out to achieve this.
You can read more about shortfills and nic shots—including how to mix them and which strengths to get—in our comprehensive shortfill E-Liquids guide.
Nicotine Shots
Nicotine shots come in 10ml bottles and are available in various strengths, from 9mg up to 20mg. You can find freebase nicotine shots and nic salt shots, which are each formulated with a different type of nicotine depending on what you’re trying to achieve. You can even find 100% VG nic shots if you want to vape PG-free.
100% VG E-Liquids
For vapers with an allergy or intolerance to PG and for those who want the biggest clouds possible, there are 100% VG E-Liquids available. These juices are less flavourful compared to shortfills, since they lack the flavour carrying properties of PG, but many vapers prefer the natural taste.
It’s important to note that not every sub-ohm kit can handle 100% VG. You’ll need to ensure your coils are suited to this type of liquid. Check out our guide to the best vape kits for 100% VG E-Liquids for more information.
Summary
Experienced vapers can have a great sub-ohm vaping experience with a sub-ohm tank, mod, or pod device. Sub ohm vaping delivers excellent vapour production and deep, delicious flavour alongside a smooth lung hit.
If you have any questions about sub-ohm or need help finding the right vape kits, feel free to contact us at any time. You can also visit our vape store. Our team of expert vapers is on standby to answer any questions you may have.
Happy vaping, and may the clouds be with you!