A vape mod is made up of the same basic parts every time: battery, mod, tank, e-liquid and coils. This overview deals with the coil, the wired piece inside the tank, and with how the different kinds change what you get from your vape hardware.
Coil basics
People say “vape coil” when they mean the atomizer head. Strictly, the coil is one component inside it: the head holds a coil of thin wire together with wicking material. When the wire reaches a set temperature it produces vapor, so both the type of coil and how well it is made shape the result.
Vape coils are wound from selected pure metals. Stainless steel, kanthal and nichrome are the usual three, and some coils use titanium or nickel.
Resistance: gauge, diameter and wraps
Coils are also sorted by resistance. Three things set it: the gauge of the wire, its diameter, and how many wraps the coil has. A higher gauge number means a thinner wire, and thinner wire has more resistance. A coil with more resistance needs less power to heat up.
Matching the wire to your vaping mode
Which material you need depends on the mode you run your mod in.
| Mode | Suitable wire |
|---|---|
| Power | Stainless steel, kanthal, nichrome |
| Temperature control | Nickel, titanium, stainless steel |
Power mode
This is the standard mode on a mod and the simplest to operate. If it is all you use, a wire that is only safe in power mode is fine, which means stainless steel, kanthal or nichrome.
Temperature control
Temperature control is the more advanced option and gives you more to adjust. Besides setting wattage, you set a ceiling on heat. Put the limit at 400F and the mod will not take the coil past it.
If your mod supports it, you also have to lock the coil’s resistance. The mode involves a few extra steps, and some vapers think the effort pays off.
Only nickel, titanium and stainless steel may be used here. Stainless steel appears on both lists, and that flexibility is why many people pick it: they can change modes and leave the same coil in.
Premade coils: round wire and exotic
Pre-built coils come in two broad forms. A plain round-wire coil is a single strand wound around a coiling rod.
Exotic coils combine several strands and come in various shapes and looks. Clapton, twisted and braided coils are examples. The extra surface area gives denser clouds carrying more flavor. It also means more heat, so e-juice and batteries run down faster.
How to decide
It comes down to what you like. A simpler coil is the economical choice if you want an atomizer that lasts a long while. An exotic coil is worth a look if a richer vape matters more to you. A little experimenting will show you which fits.