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Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt & How Do I Fix It?

Posted by Free Smoke Admin on Sep 28th 2021

Tell us if this scenario sounds familiar – you go to take a drag off your  vape, but instead of the smooth, flavorful hit you're used to, a disgusting charred flavor hits the back of your throat. It's something that has happened to every vaper. Occasionally, you'll get a burnt taste in your vape that throws off your whole rhythm. We know it's disgusting – sometimes it might even ruin your day. But don't let your vape's burnt taste steer you away from vaping. Once you know what's causing your vape to taste burnt, you'll know exactly what you need to do to bring back that delicious flavor you know and love. In fact, you can even take steps to avoid it altogether. At Free Smoke Vape & Smoke Shop, we want all of our customers to have the best experience with vaping they can – especially if you're using your vape to quit the habit of smoking tobacco. For answers to the burning question, "Why does my vape taste burnt?" and the steps you can take to avoid the situation from happening, keep on reading.

burnt vape taste

The Most Common Reason Your Vape Tastes Burnt

If your vape tastes burnt, our first word of advice is not to worry. A burnt taste in your vape doesn't mean you're running a faulty rig, and you do not have to go out and buy a whole new system. As we mentioned, this happens to everyone at one point or another and is quite easy to fix.

Within the inner workings of your vape, a burnt taste starts to appear when the wick in your atomizer coil has dried up and burned when heated. Your wick is the part of your rig that soaks up your vape juice from the tank. From there, it holds onto the juice until it turns to vapor when the coil heats up. If the wick is not fully saturated in your vape juice, the material can char and leave you with a pretty foul taste in your mouth. This isn't technically a burnt hit but rather a dry hit. Your vape tastes burnt when the coil is the part of your rig that burns – trust us; it tastes much worse than it is.

How Long Should Your Coil Last?

When you start getting that burnt taste in your vape, it's time to swap it out for a new coil. All coils fail eventually. It's just something that happens. But different types of vapers can go through them at different speeds – keeping track of how often you're swapping out your burnt coils is an excellent way to avoid coil burning early and keep your vape tasting fresh. Some heavy users might end up having to change their coils every week, while other less frequent users might only need to swap them once a month. It also can vary from device to device, but commonly, a vaporizer coil will be in perfect working order for at least two to three weeks.

Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt with a New Coil?

Once you experience a burning coil, there isn't much more you can do to remove the taste except change it out. However, sometimes even new coils can immediately taste burnt. This usually stems from improper use of the coils, and still can be easily avoided if you know what to look for. These common coil killers are the number one reason you may be asking yourself, "Why does my new coil taste burnt?"

Chain Vaping

If you've just swapped out your coils and are still getting a burnt taste in your vape, a likely culprit is chain vaping. Much like chain smoking, chain vaping is when you hit your vape constantly without barely a break between hits. Among new vapers, this is the most common cause of coil burning. Most vapers will chain vape at some point, especially on a particularly stressful day – but inexperienced users who switch from tobacco might be a bit too excited with the ignition button. Chain vaping can cause burning coils because the wick doesn't have enough time to soak up vape juice between puffs. This can cause your wick to dry out and damage your coils quickly. If you notice your vape tastes burnt more often than not, try to ease up between hits. Even just giving your vape 15-20 seconds between hits could be enough.

Improper Coil Priming

If you don't have a problem with chain vaping yet are still experiencing a burnt taste with your new coils, improper coil priming might be your culprit. Some vapers might be quick to blame the burnt taste in their vape on a faulty coil, but if you don't saturate your wick with vape juice before installing the coil, it can cause it to burn straight away. Learning how to prime your coils is simple to do and only takes a few minutes. Whenever you get a new coil, drip two to three drops of your vape juice into the coil holes until it begins to pool. Just leave it to sit for a couple of minutes before throwing it in the tank and your coil priming is complete.

why does my vape taste burnt

How to Extend the Life of Your Coils

When your vape tastes burnt, coil burning is almost always the cause. While switching out coils is easy, some may prefer to extend their coil's life for as long as possible. To get the most out of your coil, try to avoid:

  • High Power Vaping: Vaping with extremely high wattage (especially one that your coil is not rated for) will cause your vape to taste burnt. If you like higher intensities, switch to a stronger vape juice instead.
  • Low Vape Juice: Letting your tank get as low as possible before refilling it is a quick and easy way to dry out your wick. Always ensure your juice is covering up the input holes.
  • High-VG & Sugary Vape Juice: Juice with a high VG and sugar content tend to gunk up coils much faster than other types. Choosing a PG-based vape juice or a juice with a VG level of below 70% can help keep your coils in tip-top shape.

If Your Vape Tastes Burnt, Buy New Supplies at Free Smoke

Now that you know the leading causes of that burnt taste in vapes, you're better equipped to deal with it (or even avoid it altogether). Coils are the main culprits, so always be sure to buy a high-quality product you can trust from the get-go. Combined with our tips, you should never have to worry about a burnt taste in your vape again. At Free Smoke Vape & Smoke Shop, we have all the vaping equipment you need to make sure you're getting an enjoyable experience every time. Take a look at our online store today, and find the best equipment for your best vaping experience.


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