Why Does my Vape Taste Burnt?

A burnt-tasting vape is one of the most frustrating problems vapers encounter. Instead of enjoying smooth, flavorful vapor, you get a harsh, dry, and unpleasant taste that ruins the experience. If this happens frequently, it is a sign that something is wrong with your device, coil, or e-liquid.

Burnt hits occur when the wick inside your vape coil dries out or overheats, causing the cotton or other wicking material to scorch instead of properly vaporizing the e-liquid. This can be caused by various factors, including high wattage, improper coil priming, low e-liquid levels, or chain vaping.

This guide will break down:

• Why your vape tastes burnt
• Common mistakes that cause burnt hits
• How to fix a burnt vape taste
• Preventative measures to avoid burnt coils in the future

Let’s dive into the reasons behind burnt hits and the best ways to prevent them.

Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt? Common Causes

A burnt vape taste can result from multiple issues, but most are preventable with proper device care and vaping techniques.

1. Dry or Burnt Coils

Coils contain a wick (typically cotton) that soaks up e-liquid before being heated. If the wick is dry when you fire the device, it burns instead of vaporizing the liquid, producing a harsh, burnt taste.

Common Causes of Dry Coils:

• Vaping with an empty or low e-liquid tank
• Using high-VG e-liquids in a coil not designed for them
• Taking too many puffs in a row (chain vaping), which does not allow the wick to re-saturate

How to Fix It:

• Allow time for the wick to re-saturate between puffs.
• Always keep your tank or pod at least halfway full.
• Use coils designed for your e-liquid’s VG/PG ratio.

2. Not Priming a New Coil Properly

A new coil needs time to fully absorb e-liquid before vaping. If you install a new coil and start vaping immediately, the wick may not be fully saturated, leading to a burnt taste.

How to Properly Prime a Coil:

• Take a few dry pulls (inhale without firing the vape) to help the wick absorb more liquid.
• Apply a few drops of e-liquid directly onto the exposed cotton of the coil.
• Insert the coil into the tank and fill it with e-liquid.
• Let the coil soak for 5-10 minutes before use.

3. Vaping at Too High Wattage

Setting your vape device to a higher wattage than the coil can handle can cause excessive heat, burning the wick and creating a burnt taste.

How to Fix It:

• If your vape has a temperature control mode, use it to regulate heat output.
• Check the recommended wattage range on your coil and stay within limits.
• Start at a lower wattage and gradually increase until you find a comfortable setting.

4. Chain Vaping (Taking Hits Too Quickly)

Chain vaping—taking multiple hits in quick succession—does not allow the coil to re-saturate, leading to dry and burnt hits.

How to Fix It:

• If you find yourself chain vaping often, consider using a higher nicotine strength to reduce the frequency of puffs.
• Take slower, more spaced-out puffs.

5. Using the Wrong E-Liquid for Your Coil

Not all e-liquids work with every coil. If your e-liquid is too thick (high VG) for your coil, it may struggle to wick properly, leading to dry hits.

How to Fix It:

• If using high-VG e-liquid, choose mesh coils or sub-ohm tanks designed for better wicking.
• Check your coil’s compatibility with VG/PG ratios.

6. Not Maintaining the Coil

Maintaining your equipment is a good practice, mainly if you use a vaporizer. Cleaning the coil extends its useful life. Avoiding burnt hits from your vaporizer will also save money on having to replace them. Your coils can be cleaned using cotton buds dipped in alcohol, rubbed clean, and then washed with hot, clear water. The hot water will eliminate any remaining residue and alcohol.

The vaping experience is further impacted by cold weather because the viscosity of e-juice varies depending on the temperature at which it is kept. The warm temperature will thin out e-juices, while cold weather will cause them to thicken, rendering the coil susceptible to clogging. Additionally, PG-heavy mixes behave more like VG-dominating mixes in cold weather, which is terrible for e-juice.

Hotspots are a common reason for burnt hits when vaping, and when too much heat passes through them, they produce a red glow. In addition, vaping on a hot-spotted coil has a heated, revolting draw with a terrible metallic taste.

7. The coil has too much cotton on it

The mouthpiece is used for inhaling the vaporized e-liquid that has been heated by the coil and created by the wick. Vaping suffers significantly when the wick is too small and could even leak. The area that needs saturation to function perfectly is increased when too much cotton is used, and the wick burns out. The amount of time required between vapes to allow the e-juice to completely absorb into the wick will also rise due to this increase.

How to Fix a Burnt-Tasting Vape

If your vape already tastes burnt, here are some steps to fix it:

If Your Coil Is New But Tastes Burnt:

• Remove the coil and prime it properly.
• Reduce the wattage to a lower setting.
• Let the coil soak in e-liquid for a few minutes before trying again.

If Your Coil Has Been Used for a While:

• If the burnt taste remains, replace the coil.
• Try cleaning the coil by soaking it in warm water or unflavored e-liquid.

Are my new coils burnt?

Every day, countless coils are produced, and not all are of the same Quality. Even if appropriately primed, if your new coil has a burnt taste, you need to replace it because you received a bad one. Some coils may be defective right out of the box owing to a manufacturing error or a loose connection. Additionally, bad coils occasionally arrive in bunches, suggesting that the remaining coils in the box may also be problematic. Even though this won’t happen frequently, it’s better to be ready. Thus you should always buy more than one box of the coil.

How to detect that your coil is burnt

It’s takes practice learning how to tell when your coil is burnt. Burnt hits are one of the leading causes of throat burn. If you notice any throat burn, your coil is burned and has to be replaced.

Although a burnt coil frequently loses its original flavor, the flavor is a better indicator of burntness. After a few puffs, the flavor that should initially be experienced during the hit is affected by the taste of a burnt coil, which is frequently unpleasant in the throat. In addition, a decrease in vapor output, or a sharp decrease in the vapor generated during vaping, indicates that a coil is burnt.

FAQ’s

Key Takeaways

There are a variety of causes for burnt-tasting vapor. For a better vaping experience, learning how to prevent coil burning is critical. As the market expands, so will public understanding, knowledge, and instruction on vaping. It’s crucial to stay current on technological developments.

If you still have burnt, dry, or harsh tastes, a combination of several of the reasons we mentioned in this article might be the cause. So, start with the most common reasons and go from there.

Subscribe to our email newsletter to learn about vaping safety, new devices, and natural tobacco e-Liquids.

Vaping Do’s And Don’t’s

Read More »

Tips For First Time Vapers

Read More »

Black Note Meets TPD Compliance: 15 EU Countries Notified

Read More »