You’ve purchased your first ever vape device, found an e-liquid that tastes delicious, when suddenly you get a horrible burnt taste from your vape. Whether you’re a new vaper or not, this issue is something every vaper will come across at some point, and it’s important to know exactly why this is happening and what to do about it. This can occur with any device, from disposable vapes to the high-powered sub-ohm kits, and when it does happen it can be very unpleasant. We’re going to look at a few reasons for this burning taste and decipher what you can do about it.
What’s the difference between a burnt hit and a dry hit?
It’s important to understand the difference between a dry hit and a burnt hit, as both can be unpleasant and may indicate that your device needs to be cleaned or replaced. A dry hit occurs when there is not enough liquid in the chamber of your vape, causing the heating element to come into direct contact with the wick. This can result in a harsh, burnt-tasting vape that can be irritating to the throat.
A burnt hit, on the other hand, occurs when the liquid in the chamber has been overheated, resulting in a bitter-tasting vapour. In both cases, it’s important to clean your device and make sure that it is filled with fresh liquid before continuing to use it.
Reason for a burnt taste
Vaping at a high wattage
Keep an eye on your wattage as you vape to avoid burnt hits. Vape coils have different resistances and this means that they are designed to be heated at different wattages. When vaping at too high of a temperature for your replacement coil, the e-liquid is vaporised too quickly and the wick is unable to re-saturate in time. This leads to burnt hits. There is, however, an easy way to prevent this from happening. On the side of every coil there is the recommended wattage range for the specific vape coil. Stay vaping within that range and you will be fine.
You’re too low on e-liquid
Trying to vape with little minimal e-liquid in your pod or tank will result in a nasty, burnt tasting coil. Thankfully, this option has an easy fix – simply fill it up with more vape juice! This burnt taste occurs in this instance because the wick is not saturated so when going to inhale, the replacement coil instead overheats as it is not able to evaporate any e-liquid. This overheating is what causes burnt hits which can be very unpleasant and irritate your throat. Many vapers enjoy a throat hit with freebase e-liquids, but this isn’t the nice kind!
It is also important not to overfill your tank with e-juice either. On every tank or pod there is a fill line and this is important to stick to as to not flood the coil assembly with e-liquid. If you notice a gurgling sound when vaping, this usually means you have overfilled.
You’re vaping the wrong type of e-liquid for your coils
An extremely common mistake that is made by many vapers is using the wrong type of e-liquid with their coils. Whether it’s underestimating the precision that goes into the making of coils and e-liquids or just a lack of understanding, this can have an enormous impact on your vaping experience.
All e-liquids are made up of a ratio of PG and VG, and this ratio will dictate the type of coil it is best to be used for. In the case of vape juices with a 50/50 ratio such as nicotine salts, these are made to be vaped at low temperatures with smaller coil heads. The juices are much thinner, and as such do not require high-powered devices in order to vaporise them. If you were to use these in a sub-ohm vape device, it would vaporise them at too high of a temperature and you would get a very unpleasant throat hit and a burnt taste to match.
Similarly, e-liquids with a high VG content require a more powerful device to vaporise them as they have a thicker, more gloopy consistency. Using this type of vape juice with smaller coils will clog them up and cause the wick to burn as the e-liquid will be too thick to properly saturate the wick.
Chain vaping
Chain vaping is one of the most common reasons for a burnt taste when vaping. It can be easy to chain vape without realising, especially if you’re using an e-juice that you’re really enjoying. So, if you’re sitting there vaping only to be met with a sudden burnt flavour, make sure to take a short break and fill up the tank with more e-liquid.
How do I avoid a burnt taste from my vape?
Prime your vape coil
Priming new coils is an essential step for all vapers and can be one of the most effective ways of avoiding a burnt taste as you vape. It is often overlooked, with many thinking it’s not that necessary… until their coils suddenly return nothing but a nasty taste.
Priming simply involves saturating the wick appropriately so that it is ready to be used. To prime a new coil, simply drip one or two drops of your e-liquid onto the wick and let it soak for 5-10 minutes before using your vape.
How to get rid of a burnt taste
Cleaning your vape coils can help to eliminate any burnt tastes. If the coil isn’t visibly damaged, it’s worth giving it a deep clean before giving up on your current one and turning to a new coil. Check out our beginner’s guide to vape coils to learn how to effectively clean your replacement coils.
However, if you clean your vape coil, have primed it and it still tastes burnt, then it might be time to accept defeat and call in another replacement coil.
Summary
In conclusion, if you think your vape coil may be burnt, it’s important to first understand the causes. Oftentimes, a burnt taste is caused by dry hitting, which occurs when the wick isn’t saturated with e-liquid. This can happen for a number of reasons, but usually, it’s because you didn’t prime your coils properly or you’re vaping at too high of a wattage. To avoid dry hits and a resultant burnt taste, make sure to saturate your wicks before vaping and start low on the wattage until you find your sweet spot.
If you have any further questions about avoiding a burnt taste with your vape coil, don’t hesitate to contact us – we’re always happy to help!
