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Questions to Consider: A Guide to Choosing an E-Cig Tank

The tank may be the single most influential component for determining how your vape will hit. Let’s explore a short guide to how to pick the best vape tank for you and the questions you should consider.

Voopoo PnP X / Smok TFV8 / Freemax Fireluke 3 / Uwell Crown V

@ Digital Imports

Intro

Thoughtfully choosing a tank or pod is the key to finding the most satisfying puff. These parts will influence important factors such as airflow resistance, coil heat, vapor production, flavour production, and how to properly maintain the vape. All of these factors will play a role in how you will experience each puff. In this article we will be breaking down the things you should consider when picking a tank.

Important Questions to Ask Yourself

Let’s explore a few important questions that will help you find out your vaping preferences and narrow down the options when searching for the perfect tank.

What Kind of E-Juice Will You Be Using?

E-Juice will come in different Vegetable Glycerine (VG) and Propylene Glycol (PG) Ratios. The more VG, the thicker the juice. The most common ratios you will see is 60/40 (typically prevalent among freebase nicotine juices) and 50/50 (typically prevalent in Nic-Salt juices)

Higher wattage tanks are NOT recommended for use with Nic-Salt juices due to the amount of vapour that is produced and how harsh the throat hit will be. Nic Salt tanks will typically run best at a maximum of 25 watts. It is dependent on what you are comfortable with but anything more than 25w can be excessive and lead to throat irritation and potentially nausea. Nic salt is also thinner (less viscous) than freebase nicotine. Most Nic Salt tanks will feature smaller wicking channels to avoid oversaturation and leaking issues.

Freebase will offer opposite features such as higher wattage coils and larger wicking channels to accommodate the thicker juice. This will help prevent burnt cotton and dry hits.

What kind of Airflow Resistance Do You Prefer?

There are two categories of draw resistance: Mouth-to-Lung (MTL) and Direct-to- Lung (DTL). MTL is designed to mimic the feel of a cigarette draw; the vapour gets drawn into your mouth first, then a second inhale is used to bring it into your lungs. DTL is more open, similar to taking a deep breath in and letting the vapour go from the tank directly into your lungs. Here are some examples of both types of tanks.

Fireluke 3 & Nautilus 3 

@ Digital Imports

Many different tanks commonly offer some form of airflow adjustment. This can be in the form of an airflow control ring or a sliding mechanism that will limit the amount of air that gets pulled into the coil. Another factor that will influence this aspect is the size of the drip tip used. The thinner the drip tip, the tighter the draw.

Please note that DTL tanks will typically vape at higher wattages and produce more vapour than MTL tanks due to the higher amount of air that will pass through and cool the coil.

Where Should the Air Intake Be Placed?

There are two types of tanks when it comes to air intake: Top and bottom airflow. Each of these types provide its own set of pros and cons. We’ve broken down the benefits and hindrances below.

Top Airflow

These tanks feature airflow intake at the top of the tank. This provides a variety of pros and cons including:

Pros:

• Leak Resistance: Oversaturation and excess liquid will no longer leak out of the airflow port;

• Durability: Because the airflow ports are at the top, they are less likely to collect dust and debris that can cause clogging and disrupt the airflow;

• Smoother draw: Top airflow creates a longer path for the air to travel through the tank, leading to a cooler puff;

Cons:

• More prone to spitback: When oversaturation and leaking occurs, the juice has to go somewhere which can result in the juice being sprayed into your mouth;

• Bigger form factor: The double walled chimney will cause the tank to either be slightly bigger, or reduce the amount of juice the tank will hold;

• Slightly reduced flavour: The longer path for the air to travel can lead to a more muted flavour due to their being slightly more air than vapour.

Voopoo PNP X 510 Tank @ Digital Imports

Bottom Airflow

These tanks have the airflow placed at the bottom and are the more common of the two tanks. The pros and cons to this form factor include:

Pros:

• Less spitback: When oversaturation occurs, juice will leak out of the airflow rather than being inhaled into your mouth;

• Better flavour: The air hitting the coil and vapour directly leads to the flavour being more prominent in these tanks;

• Less time between inhaling and receiving the hit: This is due to the air needing to travel a shorter distance compared to top airflow tanks.

Cons:

• More prone to leaking: The airflow at the bottom means that any juice seeping through the coil will pool at the bottom and come out of the airflow;

• Condensation buildup: It is common for small amounts of vapour to condense back into the base of the tank, not a big issue but will require cleaning every now and then;

• More sensitive to placement: Not keeping your tank upright can influence the pressure inside the tank and lead to too much pooling on one side and contribute to leaking.

Freemax Mesh Pro 2 @ Digital Imports

How Hard of a Throat-Hit/How Much Vapor Do You Want?

The higher the wattage you use, the more vapour is produced and the harsher the throat hit will be. Each tank will offer coils that are designed for specific wattage ranges. It is always recommended to stay within the recommended wattage range that is stated on the coil. 

What Type of Coil Do You Wish To Use?

The types of coils are determined by the shape and the material used to create the coil. Material will influence how fast your coil will heat up, impacting how quickly vapour will be produced. The shape of the coil will affect vapour production, heat, and flavour. 

Typically, mesh coils are the most popular due to a wide surface area and even heating leading to more durable and flavourful coils.

Another factor to consider when determining the coils you wish to use include how they are to be installed/replaced.

Older style coils will use a screw-threading mechanism to secure the coil to the bottom of the base. This helps prevent leaking but can be tedious and sometimes messy to install.

In newer tanks we are seeing a pull-and-plug style of coil that allows you to pull out the old coil and pop in a new one. This is more convenient and can be less messy but after a while as seals wear out, leaking can occur.

How Much Juice Do You Want Your Tank To Hold?

This is more of a personal preference and maintenance factor than a performance factor. The bigger the tank, the less you will need to spend time refilling. Although, it is important to keep in mind that the longer the juice sits in the tank, the more potential for oversaturation, spitting, and leaking.

Bonus Tip: Coil Reliability

Certain brands have better quality assurance when it comes to their coils. The reliability of the coils will impact how often you will need to change the coil due to less chances of a manufacturer defect to occur. Poorly designed coils will lead to leaking, burning, and longevity issues that no one wants to deal with. From our experience, some of the more reliable brands on the market include: Uwell, Voopoo, Vaporesso, and Aspire.

Key Takeaways/Final Thoughts

Here are the typical questions to consider when finding the best vape tank to give you that perfect puff:

• What kind of juice will you be using?: This will determine the types of coils that will work best for you as Nic-Salt and Freebase coil needs will differ;

• Where should your airflow be placed?: This affects a variety of maintenance and performance factors. Top airflow will reduce leaking but increase spit back. Alternatively, Bottom airflow will reduce spitback but increase the chance of leaking.

• What kind of airflow do you prefer?: The two types of airflow are Mouth-to-Lung and Direct-to- Lung. DTL is a more wide and airy draw, where MTL is tighter and more similar to a cigarette.

• How much vapour do you wish to produce?: This will impact how harsh the throat-hit will be and how prominent the flavour is. This will be determined by the type of coils that are compatible with the tank;

• What type of coil do you wish to use?: Mesh coils tend to provide better flavour and last longer than spiral coils. The number of coil chambers in the coil will also impact how long the coils will last.

• How much juice do you wish to hold?: Many tanks offer high capacity options for tanks. This can increase the size but reduce the amount of times you will need to refill.

• Bonus tip: Choose reliable coils: Every brand takes different care when producing their coils. Well-established brands typically last longer than newer brands on the market.

Ready to pick a tank? Take a look at our selection of tanks at Digital Imports today!

Need replacement coils? Find coils for the most popular vape tanks here!