You’ve just finished work, and you’ve come home after a long day of stress and errands. Finally, it’s time to hit the vape. You close your eyes, take a deep inhale, and then – bam – your throat is smacked with the worst flavor you’ve ever tasted! It’s something like ash and burned paper. What could be responsible for this unpleasant experience? We’ve listed the top four reasons why your vape tastes burnt to help you solve this foul-tasting problem:
- The wattage is too high. Operating a vape requires a bit of research. Without the right set up, even the highest-quality devices can produce a burnt hit. If the temperature of your vape is turned up too highly, your coils will burn within a few hits, even if they’ve been primed. How do you know which wattage is right for your vape? Check the instructions on the coil packaging; it should specify a recommended wattage for that specific coil.
- The coil isn’t primed. Neglecting this step will surely produce an unpleasant taste. The coil and cotton need to be saturated before you vape, or you’ll be puffing on dry cotton. It can even create air pockets to become stuck within the compartment. To prime your coils, unscrew the top of the vape so you can see the wick. Place a few drops of e-juice on each wick and the top of the coil head. Then, reassemble it and take a few dry hits – this allows the e-juice to be drawn inside the coils.
- The cotton around the coil has burned. When you neglect to change your coils, the cotton that’s wrapped around them becomes dry, and it burns as you inhale – this is responsible for that nasty taste. The owner of a vape shop from Winnipeg says, “Remember to clean your coils regularly, depending on how frequently you vape. If you vape once in a while, you may need to change your coils once a month; heavier users may need to change theirs once a week.” Re-saturate your wick by shaking up your vape after priming the coils, which will also pop any air bubbles.
- You have been chain vaping. It might look sick to take hit after hit and fill your room with billowy white clouds. But it will also make your tank too hot, overheating the e-juice and burning through it so fast that the coils can’t saturate. At the bottom of the e-juice tank is a wick, and if this becomes exposed, you’ll be inhaling burnt cotton. Chain vaping can burn through a brand-new coil in a matter of minutes. Here’s the good news: there’s a way to fix your problem without purchasing a new coil. You can try to give it a good clean to remove the burnt material. Remove the coil from your vape and run it under the tap. The pressure of the water will remove some of the charred cotton. Next, submerge it in a bowl that contains either lemon juice, vinegar, or vodka. These cleaning agents will loosen anything that’s burnt off the coil. Leave it to sit overnight, then run it under the tap again for several minutes – make sure to rinse it thoroughly. Then, let it sit until it has completely dried. When it’s ready, remember to prime it again before you take a hit from your vape.
Hopefully, you’ve found the solution to the nasty taste in your vape. There’s nothing worse than a burnt hit, which sears your throat and makes you wince. In some cases, the unpleasant flavor can even make you vomit. The next time you vape, keep in mind these steps which will keep your hit clean and flavorful.
Norm Bour started VapeMentors in 2013 and since then has consulted in every sector of the Vape and CBD space worldwide. He is a recognized author, speaker, and trainer.