Why does my vape taste burnt/flavourless?

A burnt or flavourless coil usually means that the coil is now finished, and it’s time for a new one. Follow our ‘Changing a coil’ guide for more information on how to do this. If you’ve been using the same coil for a long period of time, this is the most likely solution. 

Liquid 

The first thing to check is that you have enough liquid in your device. If there isn’t enough liquid for the cotton to absorb, you’ll start to burn the cotton. Some devices have a minimum fill line, either on the device itself or on the coil. 

Another cause could be the PG/VG ratio of your liquid. If you’re using a 70VG / 30PG liquid in a smaller, higher resistance coil, this will cause the coil to burn out very quickly. For these devices, we recommend using a 50/50 mixture. 

Priming your coil

The next thing to check is that you are properly priming a new coil before using it. Priming your coil ensures that the cotton is wicked with liquid before it’s fired for the first time. If it is not properly primed and you use the device, this will burn the cotton pretty much immediately, resulting in a burnt taste. 

Before installing your new coil, add a few drops of your liquid to the cotton in the center. You don’t need to use much, just enough to soak the cotton (not so much that it leaks out of the bottom). This is called priming, and helps to prevent dry hits or burns when you first use the coil. 

The final step is to reassemble your tank/pod. For pods, simply push the newly primed coil into the pod. You’ll feel when it’s correctly fitted as it will be fitted straight, and should feel snug. For tanks, screw your new coil into the base clockwise, fit the glass back on if you have removed it, and screw the top section of the tank into the top of the coil. From here, simply fill your device with the liquid of your choice, and leave it to sit for 10-15 minutes. This gives the juice as much chance as possible to soak the cotton before use, and again prevents those nasty dry hits. 

Chain vaping

Another common cause for your vape burning is simply chain vaping. Your coil needs enough time in between vapes to absorb more liquid from your tank. If not enough time is left in between use, your coil will dry out, and firing the vape will cause the cotton to burn. You can catch this fairly quickly, as soon as you notice a slight burning taste in your vape, let it sit for a few minutes to allow the cotton to absorb more liquid. 

Check the wattage

If you are using a device that has variable wattage (where you can change the amount of watts), it’s helpful to check you’re using the correct wattage for what your coil is rated for. For example, if your coil is rated for 40w and you have your device turned up to 80w, this is sending too much power to the coil, and therefore will burn it quickly. 

Similarly, underpowering a coil can also have negative effects. By underpowering too much, the coil can’t heat the liquid enough to vapourise it. This results in the liquid essentially just clogging your coil, it can cause leaking, burning and will affect its lifespan.

Vapers Tounge 

Vapers tongue, also referred to as vapers fatigue, is quite a common term you will come across. If you have been using the same flavour for an extended period of time, you effectively get used to it, and start to notice less flavour or even none at all. 

There are many home remedies that websites will recommend to combat this, but it should normally pass within a couple of weeks naturally. We normally would recommend changing your flavour temporarily and going back to it after a few weeks.

Many other things can cause a loss of flavour, even including illness and dehydration. The best thing to do if you’ve had the same flavour for a while, is try something different and go back to your favourite at a later date.