Sub-Ohm Vaping Demystified: Ultimate Guide

Sub-Ohm Vaping Ultimate Guide: Table of

Contents
Click an item to navigate directly to that chapter.

1. Best E-Cigarettes for Sub-Ohm Vaping

1. Hotcig DR 200 TC Mod

2. Halo Reactor Mega

3. VaporFi Rocket 3

2. What Is Sub-Ohm Vaping?

3. Is Sub-Ohm Vaping Dangerous?

1. Higher Amounts of Flavoring Chemicals

2. Metal Particles and Chemical Reactions

3. Battery Safety Concerns

4. What Do I Need for Sub-Ohm Vaping?

1. Sub-Ohm Mod

1. Temperature Control?

2. Mechanical Mod?

2. Sub-Ohm Attachment

3. Batteries and Charger

4. Coil Building Supplies

5. Attachments for Sub-Ohm Vaping

1. Sub-Ohm Tank System

2. Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer

3. Rebuildable Tank Atomizer

6. Types of Wires for Sub-Ohm Vaping

1. Kanthal A1
 2. Clapton

3. Flat Kanthal

4. Twisted and Braided Kanthal

5. Nichrome

6. Pure Nickel (Ni200)

7. Titanium

8. Stainless Steel 316L

7. Types of Wicks for Sub-Ohm Vaping

1. Comparison Chart

2. Japanese Organic Cotton

3. Cotton Bacon

4. Rayon/Cellulose

5. Ekowool/Silica

6. Stainless Steel

7. Hemp

8. Bamboo

9. Ceramic

10. Wickless Coil

8. Building Your First Coil

The Short List: What Are the Best E-Cigarettes for Sub-Ohm
Vaping?
Are you just here to shorten the shopping process and find out about the best e-cigarettes for sub-ohm
vaping? Weve got you covered. Well start by listing the best sub-ohm e-cigarettes and briefly comparing
their features. By the time you finish reading this article, though, youll truly understand why these e-
cigarettes are the best of the best.

Hotcig DR 200 TC Mod

Click Here to Buy Now

Price: $93.66
Maximum Power: 200 Watts | Temperature Control: Yes, supports nickel, titanium, stainless steel and
custom coils | Battery life: 900 mAh | Minimum Sub-Ohm Resistance: None, but will reduce power to
avoid unsafe conditions

Includes: Hotcig DR 200 TC mod with DNA200 chipset

A DNA 200 device for under $100? Are you serious? The USA-made DNA 200 chipset is perhaps the most
feature-rich chipset for vaping available today. If youd like to have total control over absolutely every
aspect of your vaping experience, you can do it with the DNA 200 chipset and free eScribe software. If the
Hotcig DR 200 has any drawback, its the battery life. If you enjoy high-wattage vaping, the 900 mAh
battery wont last long. It is removable, though. The power and flexibility of the Hotcig DR 200 make it one
of the best e-cigarettes in the world for sub-ohm vaping.

The DNA 200 isnt just popular because of its power and flexibility. It is also an incredibly safe chipset. If
you make a colossal mistake attempting to run a temperature control coil in pure wattage mode, for
example the Hotcig DR 200 will display an error message and shut down or reduce power to the coil to
keep you safe. The safety features of this device arent just in the firmware, though. Theres also a physical
fuse on the board itself. If the battery suddenly overloads for any reason, the fuse will blow before the
battery has a chance to vent, catch fire or explode. Its the extra safety measures such as these that really set
DNA 200 devices apart from the crowd and youre not going to find one at a better price than the Hotcig
DR 200.

Halo Reactor Mega

Click Here to Buy Now

 Price: $71.25 with coupon code VAPE4LESS

Maximum Power: 80 watts | Temperature Control: Yes, supports nickel, titanium, stainless steel and
custom coils | Battery Life: 5,000 mAh | Minimum Sub-Ohm Resistance: 0.1 ohms for wattage mode,
0.05 ohms for temperature control mode

Includes: Halo Reactor Mega box mod, Reactor tank, two nickel temperature control atomizers, extra
mouthpiece, 30 ml e-liquid, USB charger, wall charger

Having a device with all of the bells and whistles available for sub-ohm vaping can be fun, but you dont
really need to spend upwards of $200 to have a really great e-cigarette. At the minimum, all that you really
need is a device with plenty of battery life, plenty of headroom for wattage and support for temperature
control coils. Not only does the Halo Reactor Mega have all of those features, but it comes with a terrific
sub-ohm tank and a free bottle of e-liquid from one of Americas oldest and most respected makers. The
Halo Reactor Mega is a great mod to choose if youre new to sub-ohm vaping but want to have the
flexibility to explore other tanks and atomizers in the future without buying a new device.

VaporFi Rocket 3

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Price: $79.19 with coupon

Maximum Power: 50 watts | Temperature control: Yes, supports nickel coils | Battery Life: 2,500 mAh |
Minimum Sub-Ohm Resistance: 0.5 ohms for wattage mode, 0.1 ohms for temperature control mode

Includes: VaporFi Rocket 3 tube mod, Rocket tank, two atomizer coils, USB charging cable

Do you want to get in on the sub-ohm vaping craze without carrying a heavy box mod and spending all day
fiddling with settings? The VaporFi Rocket 3 is the device for you. Although its intended for use with just
one tank, that one tank gives you quite a bit of flexibility because it supports both standard and nickel
temperature control coils.

The simplified control scheme uses one button to let you toggle between three settings. You can vape at 30,
40 or 50 watts with the standard coil. With the nickel coil, you can set a limit of 400, 500 or 600 degrees
Fahrenheit. The top fill design makes it very easy to refill the tank without a mess. The Rocket 3 is stylish,
light and has battery life to spare. If you want to try sub-ohm vaping in the easiest way possible, the VaporFi
Rocket 3 is the device you want.

What Is Sub-Ohm Vaping?

The resistance of a heating coil defined in ohms expresses the amount of current that the coil restricts.
If the voltage of the battery is the same, lowering the resistance of the coil increases the amount of wattage
generated, making the coil hotter and allowing it to generate more vapor. For comparisons sake, we
consider a coil with a resistance of about 2.5 ohms to be standard, while a coil with a resistance of 3.0
ohms and higher is high-resistance. A coil of about 1.5 ohms is low-resistance, and anything under 1.0
ohms is sub-ohm.

In simple terms, sub-ohm vaping allows an e-cigarette to generate a higher wattage without increasing the
voltage of the battery. Using Ohms Law as a guide, we find that pairing a 3.7 volt battery with a 2.5 ohm
coil results in 5.48 watts of power. Lower the resistance to 1.5 ohms, and the power increases to 9.13 watts.
The further you lower the resistance of the coil, though, the more dramatic things become. With a 0.5 ohm
coil and a 3.7 volt battery, an e-cigarette generates 27.38 watts of power roughly triple the vapor
production. So, if you have ever wished that your e-cigarette could generate more vapor than it does, sub-
ohm vaping is the fastest way to accomplish that.

Is Sub-Ohm Vaping Dangerous?

For an extremely detailed and informative overview on the safety of sub-ohm vaping, we recommend
reading this post on the e-cigarette forum. The consensus among experts seems to be that sub-ohm vaping is
not categorically dangerous, but it does pose certain risks that are less likely to be factors with standard e-
cigarettes.

Volcano Pele mechanical mod with Caldera rebuildable atomizer.

Higher Amounts of Flavoring Chemicals

People who switch to sub-ohm coils immediately begin to consume significantly more e-liquid with each
puff. Eventually, this often causes people to lower the nicotine strength of their e-liquid but consume
drastically more of it. This means that if the e-liquid you enjoy contains flavoring elements that are
dangerous when inhaled something that we dont know about most flavoring agents youll be inhaling
even more of those flavors.

Therefore, with sub-ohm vaping, it is extremely important that you buy your e-liquids from vendors willing
to provide detailed lab analysis reports. VaporFi and Black Note are two of our recommended e-liquid
vendors; view their lab reports by clicking the links.
Metal Particles and Chemical Reactions

Some studies suggest that hazardous substances can be created during vaping, such as very fine particles of
metal or carcinogenic compounds generated either by high heat or a reaction between the e-liquid and the
metal of the heating coil. Because there are so many possible combinations of coil type, heating temperature,
wick material and e-liquid composition, it isnt yet known exactly which combinations might be more
dangerous than others. It is safe to say that if your preferred vaping setup results in the inhalation of any
dangerous compounds, youll inhale more of those compounds with sub-ohm vaping.

Battery Safety Concerns

There are quite a few types of batteries used in mods today, manufactured by a variety of companies
including Sony, Sanyo, Panasonic, Samsung and LG. Assuming that these batteries have no faults and and
arent counterfeit, virtually all of them should be entirely safe for use with standard-resistance atomizer
coils. However, problems can start to creep in when you use some cells for sub-ohm vaping. Some
configurations cause the amperage requirements placed upon the battery exceed its safe discharge rate. Some
batteries have safe discharge rates under 7 amps, while others are safe at 30 amps and higher. Supposing that
you run your sub-ohm coils at an average power level of 40 watts, lets examine what the amperage
requirements would be with sub-ohm coils at different resistance levels:

0.9 ohms: 6.67 amps

0.8 ohms: 7.07 amps

0.7 ohms: 7.56 amps

0.6 ohms: 8.16 amps

0.5 ohms: 8.94 amps

0.4 ohms: 10 amps

0.3 ohms: 11.55 amps

0.2 ohms: 14.14 amps

0.1 ohms: 20 amps

0.05 ohms: 28.28 amps

A resistance of just 0.8 ohms is sufficient to exceed the operating limits of a battery that only supports a 7
amp continuous load. A resistance of 0.1 ohms is unsafe with all but the best batteries. In addition, you can
see that the demands placed upon a battery begin to increase exponentially as the resistance of the coil
approaches zero. As such, when you enter into the world of sub-ohm vaping, it is extremely important that
you understand the capabilities and limitations of your devices battery.

To maximize the safety of your sub-ohm vaping setup, we recommend selecting a battery with the highest
possible safe discharge limit and using the highest possible coil resistance that still satisfies your needs for
vapor production. Use a mod with plenty of vents. If your device becomes anything more than slightly warm
during use, you are probably over-stressing the battery and need to change something about what youre
doing.

Sub-Ohm Battery Safety Warning:

40 amps? Are you sure?

Unless you buy a battery with the logo of one of the manufacturers listed above, youre most likely
buying a re-wrap. Setting up a factory to build battery cells is extremely expensive. It costs far less
to buy batteries from a third party manufacturer, cut the wrapper off put the battery into a new
wrapper with a fancy logo. Ideally, the companies that re-wrap batteries for sale perform their own
independent testing of the cells and possibly even add upgraded circuit boards with superior safety
features.

The reality, though, is that some re-wrapped cells dont live up to the specifications on the labels. It
seems that the government doesnt have regulations in place to prevent companies from selling
batteries with exaggerated specifications. The companies that exaggerate the specifications of their
batteries get away with it for the most part for two reasons. First, many of them are in China, where
serving a lawsuit from the United States is difficult. Second, e-cigarette explosions are rare even
with batteries that are counterfeit or have exaggerated specifications.

Why? Lets suppose that you have a battery with a label that says the battery supports a continuous
discharge of 30 amps. The cell inside the wrapper, though, only supports a 10 amp continuous
discharge. If you vape at 40 watts, youll need an atomizer resistance below 0.4 ohms to really have
any risk of a problem.

In addition to batteries with exaggerated specifications, counterfeit 18650 batteries are rampant
because of demand from the vaping industry. When you buy batteries for sub-ohm vaping, buy from a
vendor you trust.

What Do I Need for Sub-Ohm Vaping?

Sub-Ohm Mod

In vaping, the term mod refers to any e-cigarette that doesnt look like a real cigarette. In this article, we
use the terms mod and e-cigarette interchangeably because no cigarette-shaped e-cigarette or cigalike
will work for sub-ohm vaping. So, the first thing that you need for sub-ohm vaping is a mod that supports
sub-ohm coils. At minimum, we suggest buying an e-cigarette that supports 0.5 ohm coils although many
mods can go well lower than that. The mod should also have a variable-wattage function that allows you to
adjust the power the e-cigarette supplies to the atomizer coil.
Temperature Control Mods

Should you buy a temperature control mod? We do suggest buying a mod with temperature control
features if possible. Having a temperature control mod allows you to use virtually any tank or any coil
building material on the market.

The more important reason to own a temperature control mod, though, is that temperature control helps to
prevent burned cotton and dry hits. If your wick isnt drawing e-liquid to the coil efficiently or you
forget to fill your tank your coil could overheat very quickly and burn the wick. A temperature control
mod detects the overheating coil and immediately reduces power to avoid burning the wick.

Mechanical Mods

Should you buy a mechanical mod? A lot of e-cigarette users love mechanical mods. Theyre very small,
stylish, inexpensive and durable. Since a mechanical mod is essentially just a tube and a button, it can
theoretically last almost forever. A mechanical mod uses no electricity to power a microprocessor and other
components, so all of its power goes directly to the atomizer coil. If everything else is equal, a mechanical
mod may cause a coil to heat faster and generate more vapor.

So whats wrong with mechanical mods? The fact is that all of those microprocessors and fuses in a
regulated mod arent there for show they help to keep you safe. Our research suggests that among e-
cigarettes that have exploded during use, all of them were mechanical mods. We believe its better to spend
a little extra money on a mod that wont attempt to fire the atomizer under unsafe conditions. As a result, we
dont recommend buying a mechanical mod.

Sub-Ohm Attachment

The attachment is the part of your e-cigarette that generates vapor. It might be a rebuildable atomizer or a
tank system, for example. Some people refer to e-cigarette attachments as toppers. Well discuss all of
your options for e-cigarette attachments later. For now, know that in order for a sub-ohm attachment to work
for sub-ohm vaping, it must have a coil resistance of under 1.0 ohms.

Batteries and Charger

Click to view the Nitecore D4, our favorite battery charger.

You can buy a sub-ohm mod with a fixed battery or removable batteries. A fixed battery is very convenient,
since its included with the mod. Mods with fixed batteries are sometimes a little smaller and often cost
less than those with removable batteries. A fixed battery also makes USB charging a possibility, although
many removable battery mods have USB ports as well. On the other hand, most companies wont repair
a fixed battery mod that no longer holds a charge unless it fails during the warranty period.

If a mod has a removable battery, then replacing a battery that no longer holds a charge is as simple as
buying a new battery. Also, having a mod with a removable battery gives you the ability to select batteries
and a charger based on their specifications rather than settling for what the manufacturer gives you. You
might pay more, but you may also get better batteries and a more reliable charger.

Coil Building Supplies

Click to view the Coil Master DIY Kit, our favorite coil building tool kit.

Do you want to buy a rebuildable atomizer and start building your own coils? Although the long-term cost of
building atomizers is very low, youll need some supplies to get started. At the minimum, youll need a
resistance tester, some wire and some wick material. We suggest getting a coil building kit, though, rather
than buying components individually. We like the Coil Master DIY Kit, which includes everything that you
need to build perfect coils from the get-go. The Coil Master DIY Kit includes:

Coil Master 521 Mini Tab, which gives you a build platform as well as a way to test resistance and
dry fire atomizers

Diagonal and needle-nose pliers

Folding scissors

Phillips and flat screwdrivers

Ceramic and elbow tweezers

Kanthal wire (30 ft)

Coiling jig for building perfectly symmetrical coils

Hex screwdriver with three sizes

Three sheets of Japanese organic cotton

Attachments for Sub-Ohm Vaping

In sub-ohm vaping or any other type of vaping, for that matter the attachment is the device that
actually produces the vapor. You attach it to your e-cigarette, and it holds and vaporizes your e-liquid. Sub-
ohm vaping attachments fall into three different categories: rebuildable atomizers, rebuildable tank
atomizers and sub-ohm tanks. Because people drip e-liquid into rebuildable atomizers before puffing, most
people in the vaping community call them rebuildable dripping atomizers or RDAs.

Well describe the benefits and drawbacks of these three sub-ohm vaping attachments in greater detail in the
three sections below. For now, though, here is a summary:

Rebuildable dripping atomizers (RDAs): Produce the most vapor possible and cost the least to
operate. However, they require constant attention.

Sub-ohm tanks: Produce less vapor than RDAs and cost more to operate. However,
they require little attention and are extremely convenient.

Rebuildable tank atomizers: Attempt to strike a balance between RDAs and tank systems.

Sub-Ohm Tank System

The Best Sub-Ohm Tanks:

Good for Beginners

o VaporFi Volt Hybrid Tank ($49.99)

Excellent sub-ohm tank with few quirks. Based on the popular Kanger Subtank Mini
and accepts Subtank Mini coils but has two VaporFi-exclusive improvements:
wider wick holes on the rebuildable deck and better insulators. You can buy the
SubTank Mini for less and have a very simlar experience, but you wont get VaporFis
customizations. Use it as a sub-ohm tank with drop-in coils, or install the rebuildable
deck and build your own coils.

o Horizon Arctic Tank ($19.95)

Excellent tank for beginners. Few quirks, nicely machined, coils available almost
everywhere. Doesnt require ultra high wattage to achieve very good vapor
production. Resists leaking. Note that you can receive this tank as part of a bundle
with a 2,300 mAh e-cigarette, two coil heads, two mouthpieces, a wall charger and a
USB charger by purchasing the Halo Tracer e-cigarette for $50.00. Use the coupon
code VAPE4LESS to save an additional 5 percent.

Good for Experts

o SMOK TFV8 Cloud Beast ($29.99)

Not for beginners. Has a wide assortment of drop-in coils available. One coil has 8 (!)
individual heating wires and works at up to 180 watts. Another coil includes a Clapton
wire twisted around 8 (!) core wires. Perhaps the most possible vapor production
currently available with a sub-ohm tank, but requires a device with a very reliable
battery. Has a rebuildable deck, so you can build your own coils. Replacement coils
are a bit expensive.

o Horizon Krixus Tank ($34.95)

 Not for beginners. Very unique design uses a sintered ceramic coil with an embedded
tungsten heating element. Usable in wattage mode or in temperature control mode on
a device with upgradeable firmware or the ability to adjust temperature coefficient
manually. Easy coil cleaning simply remove the cotton and dry fire the coil until
the ceramic glows. Replace the cotton and continue vaping. Horizon claims that one
coil lasts up to six months.

How Sub-Ohm Tanks Work

A sub-ohm tank gives you vastly improved vapor production

compared to the attachments that an e-cigarette for beginners typically uses without sacrificing
convenience. To fill it, you simply unscrew the top or bottom and add e-liquid directly to the tank.
Eventually, the tanks flavor quality will decrease. To fix that, unscrew the coil and screw in a new one. A
sub-ohm tank is the easiest possible way to get more vapor out of your e-cigarette as long as you have a
battery or device that supports sub-ohm vaping. If you already own the e-cigarette that you want to use and
arent sure if can handle a sub-ohm coil, ask the seller for help.

Many sub-ohm tanks have multiple coils available because no single configuration suits every e-cigarette
user. Coils may come in different resistance levels and with different types of heating coils or different coil
layouts. Some of the coil types that may be available for a sub-ohm tank include:
 Single-coil

Multiple coils, from dual-coil ranging up to octuplet coil

Twisted coil designs, such as Clapton coils

Alternative wick materials, such as ceramic fiber

Alternative coil materials, such as nickel, titanium or stainless steel

In general, unless youre certain that your e-cigarette supports temperature control mode, youll want to buy
Kanthal coils. If the coil material isnt stated on the package, you can assume its Kanthal. If you dont
know the maximum supported amperage of your device, try starting with a coil resistance of 0.5 ohms after
confirming that your device supports sub-ohm vaping. Virtually every device that supports sub-ohm coils at
all will have no trouble with a 0.5 ohm coil.

Pros of Sub-Ohm Tanks

Sub-ohm tanks are extremely convenient to use. Although an e-cigarette with a sub-ohm tank probably
shouldnt be the first e-cigarette that you buy, it could be. It takes minutes for anyone to learn how to fill a
tank and replace a machine-made coil. Since the manufacturers test the coils before they ship out, theres
virtually no chance of danger unless you use a sub-ohm tank with a device that doesnt support sub-ohm
vaping. If youre not currently using an e-cigarette with a sub-ohm attachment, upgrading to a sub-ohm tank
will vastly improve your vapor production with almost no fuss.

Cons of Sub-Ohm Tanks

If a sub-ohm tank is simple enough for a beginner to use, its not going to produce as much vapor as a
rebuildable atomizer. If your first e-cigarette is a 1 and a properly configured rebuildable atomizer is a 10, a
sub-ohm tank might be a 7. Its a great improvement, but it isnt the absolute best experience possible. Still
for a great many e-cigarette users, a sub-ohm tank is good enough because you get almost all of the vapor of
a rebuildable atomizer with almost none of the convenience issues and safety concerns.

The long-term cost of ownership is an additional downside of sub-ohm tanks. Although building a coil for a
rebuildable atomizer requires just a few cents of materials, a typical coil for a sub-ohm tank costs around
$2.00. If youre the type who burns your wicks easily, youll need to replace your coil every few days to
keep the flavor quality high. If you dont burn your wick, though, you can expect a sub-ohm tank coil to last
quite a while. Still, the cost of consumable materials is definitley higher with a sub-ohm tank system than
with a rebuildable atomizer.

How to Buy a Sub-Ohm Tank

Before you buy any sub-ohm tank, examine the quality of the threading. A sub-ohm tank has at least one
threaded joint to allow you to replace coils and refill the tank. Youll most likely open your tank several
times each day for refilling, so the threads need to be easy to turn and able to withstand repeated use.

The most common complaint about sub-ohm tanks is that they leak. Look for a tank that includes plenty of
o-rings to keep the e-liquid where its supposed to be. Today, you can find sub-ohm tanks with a lot of extra
gimmicks such as extra top-mounted airflow collars and ports for top filling. Every time you add an
additional hole to a tank, though, youre creating an additional avenue for potential leaking. If you dont
want e-liquid seeping from your tank and you want a tank with extra air or e-liquid holes make sure
that the manufacturer has addressed potential leaking.

Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer (RDA)

The Best RDAs:

VaporFi Venom ($44.99)

o Velocity build deck. Very deep drip well. Color-changing enclosure activates with heat.

Volcano Caldera ($59.99)

o Three-post RDA. Vortex design at the top reduces waste from condensation. Made in Hawaii.
 Volcano Cauldron ($19.99)

o Three-post RDA with interchangeable colored sleeves. Excellent budget RDA.

Wotofo Lush ($29.99)

o Angled airflow creates a cyclone for superior cooling. Silver plated center pin for better
conductivity.

Digiflavor Pharaoh ($39.95)

o Uses clamps instead of posts to make building easier. Drip tip minimizes coil spitting.

Mutation X V5 ($26.95)

o Extra airflow keeps vapor cool. Accommodates both single-coil and dual-coil designs.

Wismec Neutron ($27.95)

o Interchangeable posts allow for many different coil layouts. Stylish design.

528 Custom Goon ($55.95)

o Uses clamps instead of posts to make building easier. Very deep drip well minimizes leaking.

An RDA is the attachment that you want to use for sub-ohm vaping if
superior vapor production is the primary thing that you want from your vaping experience. When you open
an RDA, youll see some posts with holes and screws and not much else. Itll be up to you to provide the
wire, wrap a working coil, add a wick to the coil and attach it to the posts. In other words, an RDA gives you
electrical connectivity to your e-cigarette. Youll need to do the rest including making sure that your coils
are actually safe to use.

Building an atomizer coil for the first time is a bit of an intimidating experience. At the end of this article,
youll find text instructions and a link to a photo series thatll make things simpler for you. RDAs really
arent for beginners, though. If youre new to e-cigarettes and someone at a vape shop attempts to sell you
an RDA especially one that comes with a mechanical mod you should run far, far away.

How Rebuildable Atomizers Work

 A rebuildable atomizer has a positive post and a negative post and
sometimes more than one of each. Most current RDAs are designed to accept two coils. So, to set up an
RDA, youll take two resistance wires and twist them around a drill bit or coil jig to make two coils. Youll
attach the leads of those coils to the posts of the RDA and insert a wick into each coil. Youll check the
resistance of your atomizer to confirm that your e-cigarette supports it, and then youll trim the coil leads,
close the RBA and attach it to your e-cigarette.

Youll add e-liquid to the RDA by dripping e-liquid into the mouthpiece from a bottle or dropper. An RDA
usually has a well below each atomizer coil, allowing the RDA to hold enough e-liquid for a few puffs at a
time. The wicks draw e-liquid from the wells to the coils.

Eventually, your RDA will no longer give you quite the same experience that it did when your first built the
coil. You may need to remove the wicks, dry burn the coils to clear out the gunk and thread new wicks
through or you may need to build entirely new coils.

Pros of Rebuildable Atomizers

A rebuildable atomizer gives you the most vapor per puff currently possible with
an e-cigarette. Thats because an RDA has a very large deck, which enables you to build large coils and a
coil with more surface area can produce more vapor. Also, once youve purchased the RDA and a few
required accessories, the cost of ownership is extremely low. People who use sub-ohm tanks often spend
around $2.00 to replace each atomizer coil. With an RDA, the cost of a complete coil rebuild is just a few
cents all that you really need are a few inches of wire and some cotton.
Cons of Rebuildable Atomizers

Building new coils for an RDA is a lot of work. Even if you get to the point where you can wrap two coils,
add wicks and test resistance in 20 minutes, thats still about 19 more minutes than youd need to change a
coil in a sub-ohm tank. Also, with an RDA there is some potential for danger especially if youre using a
mechanical mod, which doesnt have the ability to tell you when youve done something incorrectly. If you
make a mistake building a coil, you could end up with a short or a coil thats too low-resistance for your
e-cigarette to handle. In either case, an RDA can potentially become dangerous.

How to Buy a Rebuildable Atomizer

When shopping for an RDA, the first thing youll want to consider is the quality of the workmanship. The
parts should fit together smoothly. The screws that attach the coils to the posts should feel solid. Remember,
if you build a new coil every day or two, the screws and posts are going to take a lot of abuse. Make sure
they can stand up to it.

Youll also want to examine the build deck. RDA coils are very small, so youll need to have sufficient
room to manipulate the coils and get them in position. The RDA should also give the coils plenty of
clearance so theres little risk of them touching other metal objects within the RDA and causing shorts.

Most RDAs have either two or three posts. Youll need to choose the RDA with an appropriate layout for the
coils that you want to build. If you arent sure, our writers like the Velocity style of build deck. A Velocity
build deck has two posts with two holes each. When you wrap a coil with both leads facing the same
direction, youll find the one lead is higher than the other when you hold the coil horizontally. This works
well with the Velocity deck. One lead goes in the higher hole, and the other lead goes in the lower hole. On
the other side of the build deck, youll do the opposite. With the Velocity deck, you dont have to play
around with the leads to make the two coils in the RDA symmetrical and you want the two coils to be
symmetrical so they fire simultaneously.

Rebuildable Tank Atomizer (RTA)

The Best RTAs

Sigelei Moonshot ($41.95)

o Two-post build deck, 2 ml e-liquid capacity. Unscrew the top cap to fill. Made from stainless
steel and food safe plastic. Works at up to 200 watts.

iJOY Tornado Nano ($30.90)

o Velocity build deck, 4 ml e-liquid capacity. Has pre-built coils available in packs of five or
you can build your own. Pre-built coils are much larger and generate far more vapor than
 typical sub-ohm tank coils. Theyre easy to dry burn and re-wick. Unscrew the top cap to fill.
Finicky threading but excellent vapor production.

Wismec Theorem ($26.95)

o Three-post build deck with T center post. Juice well below the build deck rather than
above. Although having the build deck above the juice well improves airflow and vapor
production, it can be difficult to get the wick exactly right.

How Rebuildable Tank Atomizers Work

A rebuildable tank atomizer gives you the rebuildable deck that youd expect to find on an RDA and the e-
liquid storage of a tank. In theory, an RTA gives you the best of both worlds. Not only can you build the
cloud chasing coil of your dreams, but with the tank you can actually go a while without refilling instead of
dripping every two or three puffs.

An RTA can have two basic designs. Depending upon the design, the build deck will either be above or
below the tank portion of the RTA. If the build deck is below the tank, then the RTA will look much like a
sub-ohm tank from the side only with a much larger atomizer. Itll work much the same, too the
atomizer will be enclosed with a chimney leading up toward the mouthpiece. E-liquid enters the atomizer
through holes, and a wick closes the holes partially so the e-liquid cant flood the atomizer.

If the build deck is above the tank, theres no need to enclose the atomizer. In this configuration, the build
deck will have at least one hole leading from the deck to the tank below. Youll run a wick from the atomizer
coil to the bottom of the tank, and the wick will draw e-liquid to the coil via capillary action. Having the
build deck above the tank means that the coil will receive more air when you puff. It also means that you can
access the coil for adjustments without emptying the e-liquid in the tank. However, it also means that e-
liquid will have to fight gravity to get to the coil. Youll need to wick the coil carefully to avoid dry hits.
 Pros of Rebuildable Tank Atomizers

Rebuildable atomizers are fun, but one can easily lose patience with the ritual of dripping, puffing and
hoping that you dont get a dry hit or flood the atomizer. With an RTA, you get the ability to vape for a while
between refills and you can clearly see how much e-liquid you have left. Though the build deck of an
RTA typically isnt as large as an RDA build deck, its often pretty close. If you configure an RTA correctly,
you can expect much better vapor production than youd get from a sub-ohm tank and much more vaping
time between refills than youd get from an RDA.

Cons of Rebuildable Tank Atomizers

RTAs can be very, very finicky. Do you own a sub-ohm tank? Do occasional leaks frustrate you? Well, the
problem is far worse with an RTA. Imagine the tedium of building an atomizer coil and trying to get the
wick just right. Now, suppose you build an RTA coil and find that you made a mistake when wicking the
coil. Theres a portion of the coil that doesnt touch the wick, so the coil has a hot spot. Youre burning your
throat with every puff. The coil is unusable until you fix the problem. What will you do? Will you try to pour
the tanks contents into a bottle? Will you turn the tank upside down to access the coil and risk spilling e-
liquid everywhere?

How to Buy a Rebuildable Tank Atomizer

The top complaint about rebuildable tank atomizers is that they leak. They leak because you have to wick
them just so, or they dont work properly. They leak because you risk dumping the contents of the tank to
make a coil adjustment. They also leak because of finicky threading. So, the first thing that you should look
at when buying an RTA is the quality of the machining. A typical RTA has as many as three threaded joints
one at the bottom, one to connect the rebuildable deck to the chimney and one to remove the mouthpiece
for filling the tank from the top. You could easily open the bottom of a poorly machined RTA and dump its
contents when what you actually meant to do was remove the top cap for refilling.

The next most common complaint about RTA is that they fail to wick properly, leading to dry hits. Youll
need to have some patience when building RTA coils. Most of the build decks have wick holes. Youll need
to use enough cotton to cover the wick holes and prevent e-liquid from flowing in, flooding the atomizer and
eventually leaking on your hand. However, you shouldnt use so much cotton that e-liquid cant flow
quickly to the coils. Every RTA will be a new learning experience for you. Buy one that looks like it wont
cause you to lose patience.

Types of Wires for Sub-Ohm Vaping

The wire is one of the most crucial components of a good sub-ohm vaping setup. The wire largely
determines the vapor production of the coil. In part, it also determines the flavor of the vapor. Some types of
wires support temperature control vaping with the correct type of mod, while standard Kanthal does not.

The five most popular wires for sub-ohm vaping are Kanthal, nichrome, nickel, titanium and stainless
steel. Thats only the beginning, though. Will you choose a round wire or a flat one? Will you use a single
wire or multiple wires braided or twisted together?

If your mod supports every type of coil, your best bet is probably to try them all and see what you think.
Almost everyone starts with Kanthal, though. Kanthal is easy to work with, and its relatively high
resistance means that you wont be likely to build a coil thatll over-stress your mod and battery. To learn
more, read our list of the different types of RBA wires for sub-ohm vaping below.

Kanthal A-1

Buy it from:
 VaporFi ($7.99/100 ft)

DirectVapor ($14.99/30 ft)

Volcano ($6.99/30 ft)

Lightning Vapes ($2.55/30 ft and up)

Vapor Hub ($4.95/10 ft)

Central Vapors ($6.99/30 ft)

Amazon ($5.99 and up)

Kanthal A-1 is an alloy of iron, chromium and aluminum. It is the most

popular resistance wire worldwide for e-cigarettes. It is common as well in household appliances such as
toasters. Kanthal wire has a very high melting point, resists oxidation and lasts a very long time before
failing. If youve ever had an e-cigarette atomizer stop working properly, it is most likely because the wick
was ruined not because the coil stopped firing. If Kanthal has any downside as a resistance wire for sub-
ohm vaping, it is that Kanthal has a slight delay before heating up compared to other types of RBA wires.
Because of Kanthals many strengths, though, we recommend using it for your first coil build.

Pros of Kanthal coils: Kanthal wire is extremely durable. You can often dry burn and re-wick a plain
Kanthal coil many times before youll need to replace the wire. Plain Kanthal coils are also the easiest to
make. Once you gain experience, you can build a plain Kanthal RBA coil from scratch in only a couple of
minutes. Because plain Kanthal coils dont have tiny nooks where unvaporized e-liquid can hide, they dont
develop gunk as quickly as some other coils.

Cons of Kanthal coils: A single strand of Kanthal wire doesnt have a lot of surface area. As a result, plain
Kanthal often doesnt generate as much vapor per puff as twisted or braided Kanthal wire.

Clapton Wire

Buy it from:

VaporFi ($7.99/10 pre-made coils)

DirectVapor ($8.95/15 ft)

Central Vapors ($6.99/10 pre-cut wires)

Lightning Vapes (10.99/25 ft and up)

 Amazon ($7.99 and up, standard Clapton)

Amazon ($7.89 and up, fused Clapton)

Named for the famous musician, Clapton wire is very much

like a guitar string in that it consists of a smaller diameter wire tightly wrapped around a larger diameter
wire. The wrapped wire has the same resistance as a single wire with the same gauge and length, but it has
far greater surface area. Although its possible to make Clapton wire using different types of wire for the
core and outer wraps, most Clapton configurations use Kanthal wire alone.

Fused Clapton wire is similar to standard Clapton wire. However, it has two core wires rather than one,
giving the final Clapton wire a slightly flat appearance. Some people feel that fused Clapton wire reduces
spitting and improves flavor further compared to standard Clapton wire.

Pros of Clapton coils: More surface area almost always equates to more vapor and superior flavor. In fact,
many people believe that Clapton wire produces the best possible flavor currently available in vaping.

Cons of Clapton coils: Because Clapton wire is much thicker than plain Kanthal wire, it can be a little
difficult to work with. Second, some people experience spitting hot e-liquid on the tongue when
using Clapton wire. Spitting occurs because the core becomes hot before the outer layer does. E-liquid
trapped between the inner and outer layers can sometimes vaporize violently, sending droplets outward. The
layered design Clapton wire can also contribute to the fast buildup of coil gunk. Lastly, the high mass of a
Clapton wire means that youll need a powerful mod to heat it quickly and evenly.

Flat Kanthal

Buy it from:

Lightning Vapes ($4.99/25 ft)

Origin Vape ($2.99/5 ft)

Amazon ($4.75 and up)

If you like Kanthal wire and want to play with a coil build that
gives you increased surface area but Clapton coils arent doing it for you give flat Kanthal wire a try
instead. As you might suspect from the name, flat Kanthal wire has an appearance similar to that of ribbon.
Pros of flat Kanthal coils: When you wrap a coil with flat Kanthal wire, more of the coils surface area will
draw e-liquid from the wick and youll get more vapor. In addition, many people find it easy to wrap
coils with flat Kanthal wire because the ribbon shape makes turning the wire around a drill bit or coil jig
easier.

Cons of flat Kanthal coils: Flat Kanthal wire is weak. The thin ribbon twists and crimps easily, creating
weak spots that can shorten the life of a coil. An additional downside of flat Kanthal wire is that many RBA
posts arent designed for it. It can be difficult to attach a flat wire to a post designed for a round wire, and
you could create a short if you attach it incorrectly.

Twisted and Braided Kanthal

Buy it from:

DirectVapor ($14.99/30 ft, twisted)

Origin Vape ($3.99/5 pre-built hive coils)

Origin Vape ($3.99/5 pre-built tiger coils)

Origin Vape ($3.99/5 pre-built quad twisted coils)

Origin Vape ($5.99/5 pre-built helix Clapton coils)

Twisted Messes ($14.99/2 pre-built staple coils and up)

Olympia Vapor Works ($10.00/10 pre-built stainless steel vertebraid coils)

Tradition Vapes ($16.99/2 pre-built alien coils)

You can find just about as many methods for twisting Kanthal and
other wires as there are vape enthusiasts on YouTube. Some of the unique twists that weve discovered
include hive coils, vertebraid coils, staple coils, caterpillar track coils, alien coils, kumihimo coils, Area 51
coils, zipper coils, helix coils, tiger coils, and many more.

Pros of twisted and braided Kanthal coils: As with Clapton coils, the point of braiding or twisting a coil is
to create additional surface area for vaporizing while simultaneously creating channels for e-liquid that
enhance the effectiveness of the wick. Its all about enhancing flavor and vapor production but elaborate
RBA coils have also become something of an art form. People love to share their designs and compete with
one another.
Cons of twisted and braided Kanthal coils: Twisted and braided Kanthal coils are typically very low-
resistance and have a great deal of surface area. As a result, they require mods capable of handling high
amperage loads safely. In addition, twisted and braided coils may pop and spray hot e-liquid on the tongue in
certain circumstances. Because twisted and braided coils have many nooks and crannies, they may
develop gunk more quickly than single-strand Kanthal coils.

Nichrome

Buy it from:

VaporFi ($7.99/10 pre-wrapped nichrome alien coils)

Volcano ($6.99/30 ft)

Lightning Vapes ($12.00/25 ft, round)

Lightning Vapes ($6.00/25 ft, flat)

DirectVapor ($14.99/30 ft)

Amazon ($5.59 and up)

Nichrome wire is an alloy of nickel and chromium. Although it is less

popular overall than Kanthal wire for atomizer coil builds, it has its own strengths and weakness that make it
worth your consideration. When buying nichrome wire for your RBA, consider selecting an alloy containing
80 percent nickel. Some e-cigarette owners have reported that a lower nickel content can impart a metallic
taste to e-cigarette vapor.

Pros of nichrome coils: If the wire length and gauge are equal, a nichrome coil build will have a lower
resistance than a Kanthal coil. If you have limited building space in your tank or atomizer and a mod that
can support the lower resistance, switching from Kanthal to nichrome will likely improve the vapor
production of your vaping setup. If you have plenty of building space, you may be better off trying Clapton
wire or braided/twisted Kanthal instead although some people manipulate nichrome by braiding or
twisting it as well.

Cons of nichrome coils: Nichrome doesnt tolerate extended use quite as well as Kanthal. As a result, its
possible that nichrome coils wont quite last as long. Also, because nichrome wires heat up much more
quickly than Kanthal wires, you may burn your wicks more easily when using nichrome. Lastly, nichrome
doesnt hold its shape as easily as Kanthal does when you wrap it. You may find nichrome a bit more
difficult to work with.
Pure Nickel (Ni200)

Buy it from:

VaporFi ($7.99/100 ft)

Volcano ($10.99/30 ft)

DirectVapor ($14.99/30 ft)

Lightning Vapes ($6.99/25 ft)

Lightning Vapes ($7.49/25 ft, pre-tempered)

Amazon ($6.39 and up)

Pure nickel wire has almost no resistance about 0.6 ohms per foot
of wire. As a result, it cant be used safely as the only wire in a standard RBA coil build. However, it can be
used to insulate the leads of a Kanthal or Nichrome coil. The idea is that, if you attach a nickel wire to a
standard coil, the mod will deliver most of its electricity to the coil itself rather than the leads. Thus, the
coil should heat faster. More commonly, Ni200 is used to build coils for mods that support temperature
control operation. Temperature control operation adds an extra measure of safety to sub-ohm vaping by
reducing the likelihood of singed wicks and dry hits. Most temperature control devices support both Ni200
and titanium coils.

Pros of Ni200 coils: Every mod that supports temperature control operation has a mode for nickel coils.
Nickel has a high temperature coefficient of resistance. So, a mod can determine the current temperature of a
nickel coil accurately if it knows the difference between the current resistance of the coil and the starting
resistance. If accurate temperature detection is your priority, nickel is the metal that you want to choose.

Cons of Ni200 coils: Compared to Kanthal and titanium, some people think that nickel changes the flavor of
the vapor that an atomizer produces in a distinct way. Others disagree; taste is a subjective thing. Nickel
coils may be a bit more difficult to wrap than Kanthal or titanium coils because the metal is so soft. Until
youve tempered it by heating it, nickel also tends to spring back when you wrap it. When wrapping a nickel
coil, youll need to exercise extra care to make sure the coil wraps dont touch. Otherwise, youll end up
with hot spots that shorten the life of the coil. Because the wraps in a nickel coil shouldnt touch, building a
nickel coil on a small atomizer deck can be difficult.

Titanium

Buy it from:
 VaporFi ($14.99/100 ft)

DirectVapor ($14.99/30 ft)

Amazon ($5.50 and up)

Lightning Vapes ($10.00/100 ft)

Although the earliest temperature control mods supported nickel coils

only, most now have support for titanium coils as well. Titanium has a higher resistance than nickel, so
youll need more wraps to complete a titanium coil with the same resistance as a nickel coil. The benefit is
that titanium allows you to create a coil with more surface area than a nickel coil if you have sufficient
space for a given resistance. Also, titanium doesnt resist coiling in the way that annealed nickel does
prior to tempering.

Pros of titanium coils: In addition to being a good metal for building an RBA on a large atomizer deck,
titanium is less likely than nickel to have hot spots when the turns of the coil touch one another. Titanium is
also stronger than nickel and easier to wrap coils with. Some people prefer the taste of titanium, but others
say the same about nickel so it mainly comes down to personal preference.

Cons of titanium coils: Opinions vary as to how safe titanium is for vaping. Under normal conditions,
titanium remains very inert. However, at around 600 degrees Celsius, titanium dioxide can form. Inhalation
of titanium dioxide is known to cause cancer in rats. At just over 600 degrees, titanium can burn. For
maximum safety, dont dry burn titanium coils. If you see a white powdery substance on a titanium coil,
discard the coil.

Stainless Steel 316L

Buy it from:

Amazon ($7.99)

Lightning Vapes ($3.79/25 feet)

Lightning Vapes ($6.99/5 pre-made notch coils)

 Surgical grade stainless steel is fast becoming one of the most popular coil building
materials for sub-ohm vaping today. The arguments in favor of using stainless steel for sub-ohm coils are
many. Stainless steel has very low resistance, so it heats up very quickly. If youre using a modern
temperature control mod, you can use a stainless steel coil in wattage mode or in temperature control mode.
Stainless steel is very malleable, so its easy to build coils out of stainless steel wire. People believe that
stainless steel produces very pure flavor.

Pros of stainless steel coils: Almost everything. Like Kanthal, stainless steel is thought to have very few
drawbacks. It heats fast, delivers pure flavor and works on almost any modern device. You can stamp it into
interesting shapes, which has given rise to very popular notch coils like the one pictured here. Whats not
to like?

Cons of stainless steel coils: Stainless steel has an even lower temperature coefficient than titanium. Even if
you have a temperature control mod thats supposed to support stainless steel, there is some question as to
how accurately the low-end temperature control mods can detect the temperature of a stainless steel coil.
Some say its more like temperature guessing. Were quite confident in the temperature detection accuracy
of the devices that we recommend in this article, though. An important detail to remember about stainless
steel coils is that although they do work in wattage mode, the resistance of stainless steel is very low
compared to Kanthal. Make sure that your device can handle the load.

Types of Wicks for Sub-Ohm Vaping

In any sub-ohm vaping setup, the wick is just as crucial to the overall experience as the coil. Just like the
coil material, the wick can slightly alter the flavor of an e-liquid. Whats more important, though, is the
wicks ability to quickly bring e-liquid from the atomizers well or tank to the coil. If the coil doesnt remain
saturated with e-liquid long enough for you to complete a long puff, youll taste foul flavors and feel a harsh
burning sensation in the back of the throat.

Theres more to sub-ohm vaping than simply selecting a wick that delivers e-liquid to the coil reliably,
though. Do you want a wick that resists burning? How about a wick that doesnt become dry even during
chain vaping? Are you looking for a competition wick thatll help you get the biggest clouds possible, or do
you want a wick that delivers accurate flavor? Read our comparison of vaping wicks to learn more.

Vaping Wicks: Comparison Chart

Cotton Rayon Silica Stainless Steel Hemp Ceramic Wickless
Easy to use? Yes Yes No No No No No
Durable? No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Best flavor? Yes No No Yes No Yes Yes
Dry burn? No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Fast wicking? Yes Yes No Yes No No N/A
Possible danger? ? ? ? Yes ? ? Yes

Vaping Wicks: Details

Japanese Organic Cotton (Koh Gen Doh)

Buy it from:

VaporFi ($2.99/5 sheets)

DirectVapor ($3.49/5 sheets)

Lightning Vapes ($7.99/3 ft, USA-grown)

Amazon ($12.10/80 sheets)

Central Vapors ($5.49/10 sheets)

Volcano ($3.99/10 pads)

Japanese organic cotton is the most popular wick material for rebuildable
atomizers because of its extremely low cost you can wick upwards of 80 coils for under $4.00 and
purity of flavor. Most people agree that an organic cotton wick results in the most accurate flavor
reproduction possible. Cotton also has the ability to hold a great deal of e-liquid without leaking or dripping.
If youre building your first coil and arent sure which wick material to use, you should use Japanese organic
cotton. Using it is as simple as tearing a strip from the square, rolling the end between your fingers and
threading it through the coil.

The cosmetics company Koh Gen Do makes the majority of the organic cotton used for sub-ohm vaping.
When you buy organic Japanese cotton for your RBA, youre actually buying repackaged Koh Gen Do
sheets intended for toning the skin or removing makeup. If you want to go straight to the source, buy from
Amazon and save a bunch of money. Look out for fakes, though.

Pros of cotton wicks: Cotton is versatile and reliable. It works very well with any e-liquid. Most people
agree that, out of all the wick materials, cotton is the one that has the least impact on an e-liquids flavor.
Although theres little scientific basis for this statement, most people seem to agree that cotton is an
extremely safe wick material as long as you dont allow it to burn.

Cons of cotton wicks: Unfortunately, cotton burns very easily. If a cotton wick is dry, itll burn almost
immediately at any normal vaping temperature. Youll inhale the byproduct of the burning wick, and itll
never taste right again. Thankfully, replacing it is as simple as pulling the wick out of the coil and dry firing
the coil to burn away any residue.
Cotton Bacon

Buy it from:

Lightning Vapes ($5.99)

DirectVapor ($4.95)

Amazon ($4.99)

Cotton Bacon is a trademarked term for a specific brand of cotton

wick. Cotton Bacon is grown in the United States and claimed to be 100 percent cotton and free of pesticides
and impurities. The cotton chosen for Cotton Bacon has very long fibers, which the developer claims
improves wicking action. Cotton Bacon is made from medical grade cotton.

Pros of Cotton Bacon: Cotton Bacons maker claims that their product may be safer to use than Japanese
organic cotton since Japanese cotton is designed for the cosmetics industry and may contain trace lotions or
organic pesticides. Their claim is difficult to verify or refute. However, true medical grade cotton should be
very, very clean. Some people claim that Japanese cotton tastes off until it breaks in, and that Cotton
Bacon has no such drawback.

The long fibers of Cotton Bacon are an additional benefit. If a wick does a good job of bringing e-liquid
from the well of an atomizer to the coil, you should end up with less residue and gunk, and your coils should
last longer. In theory, longer fibers will also allow you to take longer and more frequent puffs without dry
hits.

Cons of Cotton Bacon: Same as Japanese cotton. Some people claim that Cotton Bacon doesnt burn as
easily as standard Japanese cotton, but that may be because the long fibers enhance wicking action, leading
to less dryness in the coil. Some people prefer the flavor of Japanese cotton wicks, but taste is subjective.

Rayon/Cellulose

Buy it from:

Amazon ($12.54/40 ft)

Origin Vape ($.99/3 ft)

 Rayon is a fiber made from chemically treated wood pulp. To make
rayon, wood pulp is treated with a solvent until it dissolves. The resulting compound is then spun into fibers.
When people mention using rayon wicks for sub-ohm vaping, theyre mainly talking about a beauty product
called Cellucotton. Since Cellucotton comes out of the box already shaped ideally for wicking, its very
convenient to cut a length from the strand and thread it through a coil. When buying the Cellucotton brand,
though, note that a cotton version is also available. The cotton version is most likely bleached and not
organic so check the box before buying.

Pros of rayon wicks: Some believe that the capillary action of rayon is far superior to that of cotton. While
cotton wicks work primarily by absorption, people claim that rayon does a far better job of moving e-liquid
rapidly from point to point. A few people actually feel that rayon wicks e-liquid too quickly, which isnt a
claim made often about any wick for sub-ohm vaping.

Cons of rayon wicks: Opinions vary as to how safe rayon wicks are for sub-ohm vaping. On one hand,
vaping with rayon is basically like vaping with wood, since thats what rayon comes from. On the other
hand, cellulose doesnt become rayon without a lot of chemical assistance. Some say that rayon imparts an
off taste when used for vaping. Others say that only happens when you use too much material to make
your wick. Also, rayon burns at around 420 degrees Celsius. Its less likely to burn than cotton, but can still
potentially ignite when dry.

Ekowool and Silica

Buy it from:

Lightning Vapes ($3.00 and up)

Amazon ($5.99 and up)

Silica and Ekowool a trademarked product made from silica

are popular wicks for sub-ohm vaping because of their ability to resist heat. While cotton will ignite at
around 400 C, silica is heat-resistant up to about 1,000 C. Some people even clean their silica wicks by dry
firing them to burn away the residual gunk left by sweeteners and NET e-liquids. Since most atomizer coils
never reach 1,000 C, the wick doesnt burn even when dry.

Pros of silica wicks: Silica doesnt burn at any vaping temperature even if you dry fire it. If you find
yourself constantly replacing your cotton wicks because they get gunky and burned, silica may be exactly
what youre looking for. Things arent tasting right because of coil gunk? No problem just burn the gunk
off. No need to remove the wick. Some people believe that silica wicks e-liquid more effectively than
cotton, but others disagree. The effectiveness may depend upon wick positioning.

Cons of silica wicks: Silica wick has two drawbacks. First, silica is a major component of fiberglass, and as
you are likely aware, silica particles are not safe to inhale. However, theres no proof that people who use
silica wicks are actually inhaling any of the silica. Also, it isnt certain that any wick type is more inherently
safe than the others. Secondly, many people find that silica imparts an off taste to e-liquids. Some
simply find the flavor muted, while others have gone so far as to say that silica imparts an old socks
flavor. You may be able to minimize any off flavors by torching silica wick before using it.

Many people suggest torching the ends of a silica wick as well, because silica wick frays easily. Lastly, silica
wick is a little difficult to work with. You cant just roll it between your fingers and push it through a coil as
you can with cotton. Instead, youll need to wrap the coil around the wick. Some people find that difficult to
get used to.

Stainless Steel

Buy it from:

Lightning Vapes ($6.39/cable)

Lightning Vapes ($7.00/mesh)

While silica wicks may be long-lasting, they still cant compare to the
durability of stainless steel wicks. Stainless steel wont burn or melt at any temperature that your atomizer
coil can realistically reach when sub-ohm vaping. In fact, stainless steel has a melting point more than 30
percent higher than the temperature at which silica burns. If the wick starts to gunk up, its no problem
torch it until all of the residue burns off.

Pros of stainless steel wicks: Stainless steel wicks are very effective so effective that they have
absolutely no problem working against gravity. Some people say that stainless steel produces some of the
purest flavor youll ever get when vaping. Others believe that it imparts a metal taste, though, so your
mileage may vary. The main benefit of stainless steel is that, although the wick takes a vary long time to set
up, it also lasts a very long time. You can dry burn it whenever you like, torch away the residue it doesnt
matter. Youll probably be able to use the same wick for months.
Cons of stainless steel wicks: Stainless steel wicks are mostly popular for use in Genesis-style rebuildable
tank atomizers such as the one pictured to the right. The mesh makes contact with the coil and dips into the
tank below, drawing e-liquid up via capillary action. Stainless steel wicks are far less common in the
rebuildable atomizers that most people use today, though. Stainless steel wicks are exceptionally difficult to
work with. Because steel is conductive, a mistake can result in a short circuit. To build a stainless steel wick,
youll either need to torch the mesh to build up a layer of oxidation or insulate it with silica or another
material. Also, because stainless steel mesh isnt fluffy, youll need to build the wick differently than you
would with cotton or another material. If the wick doesnt touch every part of the coil, youll end up with hot
spots.

Hemp

Buy it from:

Origin Vape ($4.99)

Amazon ($10.99)

Hemp is an alternative vaping wick that has a very niche audience.

Hemp fibers are very long and quite durable. They also arent quite as prone to burning as cotton so they
often last longer. On the other hand, hemp isnt quite as soft, fluffy and easy to work with as cotton and
you cant use just any hemp wick. You cant use anything coated in wax, and you need to look for hemp
fiber thats de-gummed and and stripped of as many contaminants as possible. Also, most people agree that a
hemp wick alters the flavor of an e-liquid.

Pros of hemp wicks: Like cotton, a hemp wick is a natural fiber in its natural state. That appeals to people
who want a more durable wick that doesnt undergo chemical processing. Hemp wicks may last longer than
cotton wicks in some atomizers. Because hemp fibers are very long, hemp is a very effective material for
wicks.

Cons of hemp wicks: Many people agree that hemp wicks tend a distinct woody flavor to vapor. A few
have resorted to boiling their hemp wicks in an effort to make the flavor more neutral. Some people have
also reported that the uniformity of the hemp fibers is sometimes lacking. With poorer quality hemp wicks,
you may have to deal with small woody bits that have the potential to ignite.

Bamboo

In vaping, the term bamboo wick is a bit of a misnomer. After all, when you buy a bamboo wick, youre
not buying a wick made from actual bamboo fibers. Youre buying a wick made from cellulose thats
chemically stripped from bamboo. In other words, youre buying rayon made from bamboo. Its a
sustainable product, though. Bamboo wicks arent particularly popular for vaping, and you do need to
scrutinize the source. Many companies make bamboo threads and yarns for the textile industry. You cant
buy just anything off the shelf, because some bamboo fibers may contain dyes. We dont currently know of a
recommended source for bamboo vaping wicks.

Pros of bamboo wicks: Same as rayon wicks.

Cons of bamboo wicks: Same as rayon wicks.

Ceramic

Buy from:

RBASupplies

Ceramic wicks are made from ceramic fibers that are braided
together. After braiding the fibers, the maker treats them in a kiln to bind them together permanently.
Ceramic vaping wicks are popular enough that some companies actually use them instead of cotton wicks
when making coils for sub-ohm vaping tanks. Some people consider ceramic the flavor chasers wick
you may sacrifice some vapor production, but youll get a very pure flavor.

You can also find tanks with coils and/or wicks made from sintered ceramic. Thats not the same thing as a
ceramic fiber wick. Rather, sintered ceramic is ceramic powder thats mixed with water to make a slurry,
poured into a mold and heated until solid. Although the ceramic is solid, though, it remains porous; e-liquid
can still seep through. DirectVapor carries a good selection of ceramic vaping tanks and coils.

Pros of ceramic wicks: Ceramic wicks have almost all of the qualities that you would want for sub-ohm
vaping. They deliver very pure flavor. Because theyre ceramic, they resist heat. Ceramic wicks also last
much longer than most other wick types.

Cons of ceramic wicks: There are some concerns about the possible dangers of vaping with ceramic wicks.
Some people wonder about the similarity between ceramic and fiberglass. There are some questions about
whether it might be possible to inhale small ceramic fibers when vaping. Some ceramic fibers are very
brittle and crumble easily between two fingers. There is really no evidence, though, about the safety or
lack thereof of any wick type. One thing that many people do agree upon, though, is that ceramic wicks
may need a bit more time to saturate than other wick types. Although ceramic wicks produce very pure
flavor, they dont have the greatest vapor production and require a bit of time to re-sautrate between puffs.

Wickless Coil
 Did you know that you can actually build an atomizer coil with no
wick at all? When building, youll need to exercise special care to make sure that your coil doesnt touch
other metal objects. To use a wickless coil, youll drip e-liquid directly on the coil and puff. Youll have to
exercise care in taking shorter puffs, and youll have to add more e-liquid between each puff. Its hard to
imagine a purer flavor, though.

Pros of wickless coils: Wickless coils are perfect for creating new e-liquids or testing multiple flavors in
quick succession. Theres little carryover from one flavor to the next and if there is, you can just dry burn
the coil.

Cons of wickless coils: Wickless coils will glow and release horrible flavors into your mouth the instant
theyre dry and without a wick, there wont be a warning. They may work well for testing flavors. For
everyday vaping, though, wickless coils have no use unless youre willing to take short puffs and drip
constantly.

Sub-Ohm Vaping With an RBA: Building Your First Coil

If youd prefer to watch someone build an atomizer coil, click here to watch an excellent picture
series describing the process. You can then return here for a few extra pointers that will help guide you
through any potential pitfalls.

Sub-ohm vaping coil in various stages of completion, courtesy of Volcano. Click to view the full image
series.

Important Tips
 When buying resistance wire for sub-ohm vaping, note that a larger number indicates a thinner wire
and therefore a higher resistance. This is because thicker wires have more volume, allowing more
current to flow.

A coil jig includes several posts that allow you to adjust the diameter of your coil turns. If the
number of turns per coil is the same, a larger post will result in a higher-resistance coil because
youre using more total wire. If you use a smaller post and increase the number of turns, you can
increase the amount of coil that touches the wick while increasing the resistance less.

We strongly recommend using ceramic tweezers when adjusting your coils. The ceramic will protect
your hands and wont conduct electricity.

Always check the resistance of a new atomizer build before using it.

Always know the capabilities of your mod and battery before using a rebuildable atomizer.

1. Begin by screwing the RBA base into your build platform. Cut about eight inches of wire from the
spool and divide the wire into two halves. Cut a length of cotton from a pad. Assemble the coil jig
according to the included instructions. Loosen the three atomizer posts with a screwdriver.

2. Thread a length of wire through the eye of the coiler, wrapping it tightly around the post to begin the
first turn. Leave the end of the wire facing up.

3. Place the other half of the coiler over the post so that the wire rests under the small head of the coiler.

4. Using the head to guide the wire around the post, turn the coiler several times to make a coil with
about 6-8 wraps.

5. Remove the finished coil from the coiler and repeat the process with the second wire. In the future,
you can adjust the resistance and surface area of your coils by changing the size of the coil jig post or
adjusting the number of turns. Remember, though, that an atomizer build should use two identical
coils. Otherwise, they wont heat evenly.

6. Thread the ends of the coils through the holes of the RBA. The coils should be installed on opposite
sides of the RBA, with one end of each coil sharing the middle post if youre using a three-post
RBA.

7. Adjust the coils before tightening the three RBA posts. Use this time to make sure that excess wire is
eliminated and that the coils are as identical in length as possible. The coils should not touch any
metal part of the RBA except the posts. Trim the excess leads with scissors or wire cutters.

8. Use the build platform to check the resistance of the atomizer. If youve met your target resistance
and the tester doesnt show a short, you are ready to continue.

9. Remove the atomizer from the build platform and connect it to your mod. Fire the mod until the
atomizer coils glow. Dry firing the atomizer causes it to form a protective layer of oxidation. This
process also helps you make sure that the coils dont have hot spots and that both sides fire
simultaneously. If one coil takes longer to glow, the lengths of the wires are uneven. Correct this
problem by trimming a small amount of wire from the coil that heats up more slowly. Remember, the
coils are hot.

10. Adjust the coils with the ceramic tweezers, pushing gently to compress the coils together.
11. Take a small amount of cotton and roll one side between your finger and thumb. Thread the cotton
through an atomizer coil, fray both ends and use the tweezers to stuff the excess cotton under the
coil. As you use the atomizer, the cotton will draw e-liquid from the bottom of the atomizer also
known as the well to the coil. Repeat this process with the second coil. Your first RBA build is
complete.

12. Saturate the coils and wicks with plenty of e-liquid before using the atomizer.