An RDA (rebuildable dripping atomiser) has no tank – you drip e-liquid directly onto the coil and wick every few puffs. An RTA has a built-in tank that feeds liquid to the wick automatically, so you get the customisation of a rebuildable with the convenience of a refillable tank. RDAs tend to offer more intense flavour, but RTAs win on practicality for everyday use. For a full breakdown, read our guide to RDA, RTA and RDTA explained.

Honest answer: not as a first device, but don’t be put off. If you’ve been vaping for a while on a standard tank, a single coil RTA with a simple build deck is a realistic step up. The learning curve is short – most vapers get a decent build sorted within a couple of attempts. Start with a forgiving deck design, use organic cotton, and follow a straightforward guide. Our beginners guide to vape coils is a good place to start.

A cotton wick typically lasts four to seven days depending on how much you vape and what e-liquid you’re using. High-sweetener liquids gunk up cotton faster and shorten that window. The coil wire itself lasts considerably longer – you’ll usually replace the cotton several times before you need to recoil. Getting a week out of a build that costs a few pence is one of the main reasons vapers make the switch.

Kanthal A1 is the most common starting point – it’s easy to work with, stable in wattage mode and widely available. SS316L (stainless steel) works in both wattage and temperature control mode, which gives you an extra layer of protection against dry hits. Nichrome heats up faster than Kanthal and suits vapers who want a quicker ramp. Browse our full range of coil wire to find the right option for your build.

Organic cotton is the standard for a reason – it’s clean tasting, absorbs well and is cheap enough to replace regularly without thinking twice about it. Avoid anything that hasn’t been treated specifically for vaping use. We stock a range of vape cotton formats including strips and pre-cut squares depending on your preference.

Yes. MTL RTAs are a proper category in their own right, built with narrow bore drip tips, restricted airflow and deck designs suited to higher resistance coils – typically 0.8 ohms and above. If you’re moving up from a pod kit or a standard MTL tank, a dedicated MTL RTA gives you the same draw style with the cost benefits of rebuilding. See our best MTL vape tanks guide for more detail.

The most common cause is incorrect wick placement in the juice channels. If the cotton tails are too thin, liquid bypasses the wick and leaks through the airflow. Too thick, and the juice channels get blocked, which causes gurgling rather than a clean leak. Getting the density right is the part that takes a couple of attempts. For more troubleshooting help, read our guide on how to fix a leaking vape tank.

A single replacement coil head typically costs between £3 and £5, and heavy vapers might go through one every three to five days. A spool of Kanthal wire runs to a few pounds and covers well over a hundred builds. A bag of organic cotton costs similar and lasts just as long. Weekly, you’re looking at pennies per build versus several pounds in coil heads. Over a month, that saving is significant, and it compounds quickly if you vape regularly.

An RDTA (rebuildable dripping tank atomiser) positions the build deck above the tank and uses wicks that hang down into the e-liquid below. RTAs have the tank surrounding the deck with liquid fed from the sides or base. RDTAs tend to suit vapers who want something between the intensity of an RDA and the convenience of an RTA. Our RDA, RTA and RDTA explained guide covers all three formats in full.

A single coil RTA has one coil on the build deck. Easier to build, lower power draw and generally simpler to wick correctly. A dual coil RTA runs two coils simultaneously, which increases vapour production and can improve flavour but also draws more power and requires more precise wicking. Single coil setups are the better starting point for most builders. Dual coil RTAs are worth exploring once you’re confident in your technique.

Dry hits on an RTA almost always come down to wicking. Too little cotton in the juice channels and the wick dries out between puffs, especially at higher wattages. Make sure your cotton tails sit comfortably in the juice channels without bunching – they should touch the base of the channel without being packed so tight that liquid can’t flow. Priming the wick with a few drops of e-liquid before your first fire also helps. More detail in our guide on how to avoid dry hits.

Any regulated mod with adjustable wattage will handle a standard RTA build. For sub-ohm dual coil builds, you’ll want a mod rated to at least 80W with a battery setup that can handle the current safely. For MTL RTAs running higher resistance coils, even a basic single-battery mod is usually enough. If you’re building at very low resistances, it’s worth understanding Ohm’s Law and checking your mod’s amp limit before firing. Our sub-ohm vaping guide covers the basics of matching your build to your hardware.