Changing the Coil: When, How Often and How Long It Lasts

The coil (also called the atomiser head) is the heart of every refillable vape. It heats the liquid, and at some point it is spent. Change it in time and you save yourself a burnt taste and spare the device. Here you will read how to spot a tired coil, how to swap it and how to make it last longer.

How to tell the coil is done

A worn atomiser head usually gives you warning. Watch for these signs:

• Burnt, scratchy flavour on the draw, even when the pod is full. The most classic signal.
• Less vapour than usual, the draw feels thin.
• Gurgling or spitting, often together with liquid in your mouth.
• Dark cotton in the coil window, if your model has one.

By the time you get a burnt taste, it is over. Carrying on vaping achieves nothing and only tastes worse. If it burns again quickly after every new coil, our guide Vape tastes burnt is worth a look, where we get to the bottom of the causes.

How often do you have to change the coil?

There is no fixed number, it depends on the liquid, your draw and the power. As a rule of thumb:

Sweet flavours (dessert, caramel, lots of sweetener) clog the coil faster than clear fruit or menthol liquids. On pod systems with a built-in coil you simply change the whole pod, that is by design and saves you the fiddling.

Step by step: changing the coil

1. Empty the tank or pod. If possible, pour out the remaining liquid so nothing spills while you unscrew.
2. Remove the old coil by unscrewing or pulling it out. On tank atomisers the head unscrews from below, on push-fit coils simply pull it straight out. Never use force, or you damage the thread.
3. Fit the new coil. Mind the correct type, each device only takes certain heads (the ohm value and form factor must match). Screw it in hand-tight, do not over-tighten.
4. Prime the coil (see the next section), the step most people forget.
5. Fill the tank and wait. Let it rest for five to ten minutes so the cotton soaks through.
6. Take the first puffs gently. Two or three light puffs without firing (just draw, do not fire), then carry on normally.

Need a replacement? You will find coils and accessories in the Accessories category, and matching pods at Pods and refill tanks.

Priming and breaking in: how the coil lasts longer

The most common reason for a coil burning out early is dry vaping at the start. You avoid this with two moves:

• Priming: before first use, put a few drops of liquid directly onto the cotton and into the coil's liquid ports. That way nothing is dry when the wire heats up for the first time.
• Rest time: after filling, wait 5 to 10 minutes. The cotton must be completely soaked before your first puff.
• Gentle break-in: keep the first puffs short and at low power. Never long, hard puffs straight away.

More tips for longevity: do not vape the tank dry (refill in time), with adjustable power run it a touch lower, and use very sweet liquids selectively. How to fill pods cleanly and without air bubbles is in the guide Filling a pod correctly.

Troubleshooting

New coil tastes burnt straight away? Priming forgotten or waited too briefly. Take the coil out, wet it, refit it and let it rest longer.

It gurgles and liquid comes up? The coil may not be seated properly or is flooded. Tap the pod briefly on a cloth, dab the contacts dry, then try again.

Little vapour despite a new coil? Check that the correct ohm value is fitted for your pod system and that the battery is charged.

In short

• Burnt flavour, little vapour or gurgling means: change the coil.
• Life depending on use approx. 5 days to 3 weeks, sweet flavours shorten it.
• When swapping, always prime and let it rest for 5 to 10 min.
• Take the first puffs gently, and the atomiser head lasts noticeably longer.

Nicotine (in many products up to 20 mg/ml) is highly addictive. For adults aged 18 and over only. Not medical advice.