Glossary of Vaping Terms

We understand the terms used in the vaping industry can often be confusing. Our handy glossary below is here help you understand the jargon and terminology terms used. If you find we have missed anything then let us know, our aim as your trusted vaping partner is to be as open and accessible as possible.

Adjustable Airflow – Dial or moveable opening that adjusts the airflow into a tank. By adjusting the airflow, vapers can modify the draw resistance, size of the clouds they produce, or the intensity of the e-liquid flavour.

ADV – ‘All Day Vape’ An e-liquid which hits the spot, often down to personal preference. Ideal for everyday vaping.

Amps (Ampere) – a measure of electrical current. The battery capacity on electronic cigarette is normally measured in milli amp hours (mAh)

Atomiser – The heating element in an electronic cigarette that turns the e-liquid into vapour.

Atomiser Head – Unit that houses the heating coils and wicking material.

Battery – The element which supplies power to the vaping device. It can be either a modular battery which can be removed, recharged or replaced, or a built-in battery, which cannot be separated from the device.

Bottom Coil Clearomiser (BCC) – The heating coil is located at the bottom of the clearomiser. This means that the e- liquid can get to the coil faster, helping to avoid ‘dry vape’.

Bottom Dual Coil Clearomiser (BDC) – Term used for clearomisers with two coils. Despite the fact that it uses up batteries quicker than single coil clearomisers, it increases the vapour production and can provide a stronger throat hit and larger clouds.

Bottom Vertical Coil Clearomiser (BVC) – A bottom coil clearomiser with a single coil sitting vertically over the airflow. It reduces resistance and improves vapour production.

Burning Coil– Occurs when the e-liquid inside the tank fails to properly saturate the wicking material leading to it becoming increasingly burnt. Once burnt, the coil needs replacing.

Cartomiser – Preferred by many beginner vapers, cartomisers combine the automiser with a disposable cartridge – a simplified vaping system often designed to look like a traditional cigarette.

Carts – Abbreviation of cartomiser.

Ceramic coil – A type of coil that has a longer life span than other coils due to it reducing the risk of burning the coil.

Cigalike – An electronic cigarette that resembles a traditional tobacco cigarette in appearance.

Clapton – A type of coil configuration which consists of a core wire tightly wrapped by a thin gauge wire.

Clearomiser – A transparent & usually disposable cartridge, which allows users to see how much e-liquid they have left.

Cloud Chaser – A sub-OHM vaper using HVG liquids with a powerful device to create massive clouds.

Coil – Located in the atomiser head, a coil is the element of an e-cigarette that turns the e-liquid into vapour when an electrical current passes through it, generating heat. They are often interchangeable and will need to be replaced over time. They come with varying levels of resistance measured in OHMs. The lower the OHM rating, the more power can pass through it, increasing the vapour produced.

Connection pin – Is usually the positive feed from the battery that connects to the atomizer/tank and gives it power

Custom Mod – A mod that has been home-built or professionally produced to a custom brief, not intended for mass-manufacturing.

Diacetyl – TPD regulations ban its use in the manufacturing of UK e-liquids. A potentially harmful flavouring ingredient which should be avoided.

Direct to lung (DTL) – Vapour is inhaled to the lung without being held in the mouth first. Certain device types are more suited to this approach such as those designed for sub-OHM vaping.

Disposable Vape / E-Cigarette –An e-cig designed to be used once and then thrown away once it runs out of e-liquid

DNA Chipset – A collection of microscopic DNA spots attached to a solid surface. Often only available in advanced devices, It provides the user customisation over the control and delivery of power to e-cigarettes for an optimised vaping experience.

DNA Mod – A mod that uses a DNA chipset.

Drip Tip – Term used for an e-cigarette mouthpiece.

Dripping – Suitable for devices with rebuildable coils, dripping is the act of dripping e-liquid directly onto the exposed cotton of the coil rather than filling a tank and waiting for it to wick in.

Dry Burn/ Hit – Occurs when the wicking material is dry, the coil has insufficient e-liquid or when the coil burns out. When power is applied in these scenarios, dry burn will likely occur creating a very unpleasant vape.

E-cig / E-cigarette – Abbreviations for electronic cigarette.

E-liquid – Term used for the liquid solution used within e-cigs. Usually containing flavouring, nicotine, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerol in varying amounts.

ENDs – Electronic Nicotine Devices is another term for e-cigarette – mostly used in scientific papers or organisations.

Filling/ Filler – Refers to the material used to pack a cartomiser, often cotton type fibre.

Fins – Raised metal ridges designed to dissipate heat.

Flooding – Occurs when e-liquid floods the coil, causing leakage and other performance issues. This can occur if the wrong e-liquid type is paired with an inappropriate coil such as 50/50 with a sub-OHM. Equally if a filled tank is left for extended periods without use, they can over-wick causing flooding.

Hon Lik– Inventor of the modern e-cigarette.

Japanese Cotton – wicking material with good e-liquid retention – since it uses no chemicals or bleaches in its production, it is a highly sought-after wicking material.

Kanthal – A wire alloy used to make heating coils – it contains iron, chrome and aluminium.

LED – The type of light most commonly used in e-cigarettes. Depending on your device they can mean different things – some light up when you inhale, others may change colour depending on battery life etc… check you device’s manual to learn what the LEDs represent.

mAh – milliamp-hours or mAh is a unit for measuring electrical power, used to describe the total amount of energy a battery can store at one time. Generally, the larger the mAh rating, the longer the battery can last and the more power it can produce.

Mech Mod / Mechanical Mod – A mechanical mod is an e-cig in its most basic form and while some are mass-manufactured, many are home-made (which we would never recommend using for safety reasons). They typically consist of a battery tube, which you place an externally charged battery into, a switch which completes a circuit when pressed, providing power to an often-custom-built coil.

MHRA – The Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. This is the UK governing body responsible for ensuring TPD regulations are adhered to by the British vaping industry. All e-liquids like ours must be submitted to, reviewed and approved by this agency prior to being released for sale. You can find all our current products registered in their database as proof of their total compliance and safety.

Micro USB – A Micro USB port is used for charging the battery.

ML – Millilitre is a measuring unit for liquid. With electronic cigarettes it is also used to indicate the capacity of the tank e.g. – 2ml capacity.

MG – Milligram is the unit of measurement used in vaping to describe the nicotine strength of a product, usually per ml. For example - 18mg/ml.

Mod – Term used to describe box style e-cigarettes, often used for sub-OHM vaping.

Mouth to lung – The vapour is taken into the mouth, before being inhaled into the lungs. This is more typical of 50/50 style, higher strength e-liquid users.

Mouthpiece – The part of the e-cigarette that goes between the lips.

Ohm (Ω) – The unit used to measure the electrical resistance of an electrical device – in vaping this most often refers to the resistance of your coil and dictates what type of e-liquid you should use as well as the appropriate wattage settings for your device.

Passthrough – Term referring to the ability to charge a device and vape with it at the same time.

Pen-Style – an electronic cigarette known for its resemblance to a pen, with a cylindrical shape.

PG (Propylene Glycol) – A pharmaceutical grade diluent used in most e-liquids. Higher PG content will typically have a stronger throat hit than HVGs and produce smaller clouds.

Priming – Pre-Soaking the new coil with e-liquid to reduce the chances of dry burn.

RDA – Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer.

Resistance – The resistance of the coil in the atomiser, measured in OHMs.

RTA – Rebuildable Tank Atomizer.

Ruyyan Cigarette – The first modern e-cigarette, created by inventor Hon Lik.

Second Generation E-Cigarette – Term used by scientists for modern e-cigarettes.

Juice/E-Juice – Another term used for e-liquid.

Stealth vaping – The technique vapers use to minimise the amount of vapour exhaled.

Sub Ohm – Vaping with a coil with a resistance set below one OHM.

Tank – Term used for the top of an electronic cigarette – it houses the atomiser and e-liquid.

TC – Temperature control

Throat Hit – The feeling when the nicotine hits the back of the throat. Higher nicotine strengths will deliver stronger throat hits. Some seek a strong throat hit as it is more reminiscent of a traditional cigarette.

Titanium coils – An alternative to nickel coils – they offer a higher resistance.

Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) – A directive of the EU (European Union) which places limits on the sale and merchandising of electronic cigarettes and tobacco products. These regulations protect consumers from disreputable manufacturers of e-liquid that might otherwise use harmful ingredients. All our products are fully TPD compliant and are subject to rigorous batch-testing to ensure your total safety.

Vape – To inhale and exhale the vapour produced by an e-cigarette.

Vaper – A person who vapes.

Vaper’s Tongue – Refers to temporarily losing the ability to taste certain flavours if vaped regularly for an extended period without change. Switching to flavourless e-liquid or a different flavour for a while will often remedy this.

VG (Vegetable Glycerol) – Pharmaceutical grade ingredient used as a diluent in e-liquid. VG is thick and produces more vapour than PG, allowing more flavour to be delivered to the user with each puff.

Watt – A unit measuring power, in this case delivered by an e-cig when fired.

Wick – A small piece of cotton or other material found packed around the atomiser coil which absorbs the e-liquid, allowing for vapour production when the coil is heated.