What Resistance Vape Coils Do You Need? Ohms Explained
Getting your head around vape coil ohm ratings is quite daunting as a new vaper. Even more experienced vapers sometimes struggle, and often just use what they know works without really understanding why.
In this guide, we will try to simplify things and introduce you to different ohm coils, in relation to their place in your vaping journey.
By the end of this guide, you should have a better understanding of what ohms are, how different ohm coils support different e-liquids and styles of vaping, and be able to make an informed purchase going forward.
What Are Ohms?
Ohms, symbolised by the Greek letter Omega (see image), are the units measuring electrical resistance.
Higher ohm values have more resistance, whereas lower ohm values have less resistance.
The ohm rating of a vape coil determines how much power is needed to heat up the coil wire and vaporise the e-liquid soaked into the coil wick.
Contrary to logic, the higher the ohm or resistance rating of a vape coil, the less power is required to heat it effectively.
Why Do Vape Coils Have Different Ohm Ratings?
The main reason vape coils are often available in different ohm ratings is to support different vaping styles and e-liquid choices.
There are vape coils designed to support the three most common types of vaping style: MTL (mouth to lung), DTL (direct to lung) and RDTL (restricted direct to lung). These styles also typically accompany a specific e-liquid choice, for example: MTL vaping is preferred for 50/50 freebase e-liquid, DTL for High-VG e-liquid, and RDTL for nic salts.
For these styles and e-liquids to be supported properly, specialised vape coils with specific ohm ratings were created that enhance the best aspects of each approach to vaping.
Choosing the correct ohm rating and coil type for your vaping journey is important if it is to be a satisfying experience.
Vape Coil Ohm Resistance Guide: Find The Best Coil For You
Below, we will explore the best vape coil ohm ratings for different preferences to help you understand which options are best for you.
If you are very new to vaping and are unsure which products and techniques you prefer, check out the links further on in this article to see our buying guides and other blogs designed to educate new vapers.
The Best Coil Ohms For 50/50 Freebase E-Liquid
The best ohm range for vaping with 50/50 freebase e-liquid is 1.0 to 1.8ohms.
Why?
These high-resistance coils require less power to heat up, which aligns them well with the smaller entry-level vape kits preferred by new vapers and those who prefer freebase e-liquid.
They also have a lower peak operational temperature, which makes for a smoother, cooler vaping experience with more subtle vapour production. This is useful in managing the more intense throat hits offered by freebase nicotine strengths.
Other Things To Consider:
Other than aiming for the ohm range given above, vape coils for 50/50 freebase e-liquids should have smaller wicking ports designed for thinner e-liquids.
Many modern examples state that hey support MTL or 50/50 vaping on their packaging, so look out for these features to ensure you are buying the right coils.
The Best Coil Ohms For 80/20 High-VG E-Liquid
The best ohm range for vaping with 80/20 High-VG e-liquid is 0.12 to 0.6ohms.
Why?
These low-resistance "sub-ohm" coils require a lot more power to heat up than high-resistance variants. This aligns them with the larger, higher-powered vape kits typical of High-VG vaping.
They reach a much higher peak operational temperature, which is necessary to properly vaporise the higher VG content of HVG e-liquid. This produces massive clouds of vapour, and also maximises flavour, two things favoured by high-VG e-liquid fans.
Other Things To Consider:
Other than aiming for the ohm range given above, vape coils for high-VG e-liquids should have notably larger wicking ports designed for thicker e-liquids.
Many modern examples state that hey support DTL or Sub-Ohm vaping on their packaging, so look out for these features to ensure you are buying the right coils.
Do not get confused with RDTL/RDL coils, which have sub-ohm resistance ratings, but are designed for 50/50 e-liquids not High-VG.
The Best Coil Ohms For 50/50 Nic Salt E-Liquid
The best ohm range for vaping with 50/50 nic salt e-liquid is 0.4 to 0.8ohms.
Why?
These specialised coils blend sub-ohm coil performance with a 50/50 coil design.
This means they have a slightly higher operating temperature than standard 50/50 coils rated at 1.0ohm and above, which really boosts the double-concentrated flavours of modern nic salt e-liquid.
They require a higher average power output than higher-resistance coils designed for freebase e-liquid, but not as much as true High-VG sub-ohm coils.
Other Things To Consider:
Despite having sub-ohm ohm resistance ratings, these coils have smaller wicking ports for thinner 50/50 style vape juice. This is important in differentiating them from sub-ohm-rated coils designed for thicker HVG e-liquid.
Many modern examples state that they support RDTL or RDL vaping on their packaging, so look out for these features to ensure you are buying the right coils.
Take care not to confuse them with true sub-ohm DTL coils. they have similar ohm ratings but are designed for thicker e-liquid, so they will not work as well as proper RDTL coils when using nic salts.
The Best Coil Ohms For MTL Vaping
The best ohm range for MTL vaping is 1.0 to 1.8ohms.
Why?
MTL means mouth-to-lung and is the preferred way to inhale freebase and nic salt vape juices paired with an appropriate device. This is where you inhale, hold the vapour in your mouth before drawing it into the lung and exhaling – similar to smoking a cigarette.
High resistance coils are best for this style of vaping because they have a more restricted airflow, and produce subtle amounts of vapour. This makes the MTL action smoother and easier to manage without coughing.
Other Things To Consider:
MTL vaping and freebase 50/50 e-liquid go hand-in-hand. This means choosing coils with the ohm range given for either of these preferences will serve you well.
The Best Coil Ohms For DTL Vaping
The best ohm range for DTL vaping is 0.12 to 0.6ohms.
Why?
DTL stands for direct-to-lung and is more typical of HVG vapers, so less preferable when using 50/50 e-liquids. This is simply the act of drawing the vapour directly into the lung and exhaling in one motion.
Low-resistance sub-ohm coils are best for this style of vaping because they have much wider airflow channels and produce larger amounts of vapour. This makes them ideal for smoothly inhaling larger amounts of warmer vapour without coughing.
Other Things To Consider:
DTL vaping and high-VG (HVG) e-liquid go hand-in-hand. This means choosing coils with the ohm range given for either of these preferences will serve you well - just ensure they are true sub-ohm DTL coils, not RDTL coils, as the latter are not designed for thicker HVG e-liquids.
The Best Coil Ohms For RDTL Vaping
The best ohm range for RDTL vaping is 0.4 to 0.8ohms.
Why?
RDTL stands for restricted-direct-to-lung. This is where you inhale as if it were a DTL vape in one smooth motion, but the coil design creates less of an impact to reduce irritation at higher strengths like an MTL vape- think of it as a middle ground between the two styles.
Low-resistance sub-ohm coils designed for 50/50 vaping are the only option if you want a true RDTL experience. They operate similarly to MTL coils, but have slightly more open airflow which allows for the smooth DTL-style in-and-out vaping technique.
Other Things To Consider:
RDTL coils will technically work with any 50/50 e-liquid, but are best paired with nic salts. This is because their slightly higher operating temperature and more open airflow boost the double-concentrated flavours used in this nic salt e-liquid recipes.
This style of vape coil is also the best choice if you are looking for an experience that replicates disposable vapes.
Check Out These Blogs If You Need More Guidance
If you are very new to vaping and want to understand more about what sort of vaper you are or would like to be, the articles below can help guide you to the best products, which can then help you be more confident in knowing what ohm coils you need.