Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt? How to Fix It

A burnt taste from your vape is one of the most common problems vapers experience, and one of the most off-putting. If you have just switched from smoking, a harsh burnt hit can make you wonder whether vaping is working for you. The good news is that in almost every case, a burnt taste has a simple, fixable cause. Here is what is happening and how to sort it.

What Causes a Burnt Taste?

The burnt taste comes from the coil inside your device. Every vape coil contains a piece of cotton wicking material that absorbs your e-liquid. When the device fires, the coil heats the e-liquid in that cotton and produces vapour. When the cotton is not properly saturated with e-liquid, or when the coil is worn out, the cotton itself gets burnt instead. That is the harsh, unpleasant taste.

The Most Common Causes

1. You did not prime the coil before using it
   This is the most common cause of burnt taste, especially in new vapers. When you install a fresh coil, the cotton inside it is completely dry. If you fire the device immediately, the dry cotton burns. This is called a dry hit, and once you have burnt the cotton, the coil is permanently affected and will need replacing.
   
   The fix: always prime a new coil before use. Add 3 to 5 drops of e-liquid directly onto the exposed cotton ports on the side of the coil. Then fill your tank, reassemble, and wait at least 5 to 10 minutes before vaping. This gives the cotton time to fully absorb the liquid.

2. Your coil needs replacing

Coils do not last forever. The cotton and wire degrade over time from repeated heating and cooling. Most vapers need to change their coil every 1 to 2 weeks depending on how often they vape and what e-liquids they use. Sweet, high-VG e-liquids with heavy sweetener content wear out coils faster because the sweetener caramelises on the wire.
Signs your coil needs replacing: burnt taste that does not clear, reduced vapour production, a gurgling sound, visible dark residue on the coil if you remove it.

3. Chain vaping
Taking multiple puffs in quick succession without pausing does not give the cotton enough time to re-saturate between draws. The cotton dries out faster than the e-liquid can soak back in, and you burn the dry wick. The fix is simple: wait 20 to 30 seconds between puffs, especially when using a high-nicotine nic salt where you might not need to vape continuously.

4. Low e-liquid level in the tank

When your tank is running low, the cotton may not be fully covered by e-liquid. The areas of cotton above the liquid level dry out and burn when the coil fires. Keep your tank at least one quarter full. If you notice the flavour starting to change, check your liquid level before assuming the coil has gone.

5. Wattage set too high
If you are using a variable wattage device, setting the power too high for your coil will vaporise the liquid faster than the cotton can re-saturate. Every coil has a recommended wattage range printed on the side of the coil itself. Stay within that range. Start at the lower end of the recommended range with a new coil and increase gradually if you want more vapour.

6. Wrong e-liquid for your device
High-VG e-liquids (70 percent VG or above) are thicker and wick more slowly. In pod kits and MTL devices designed for 50/50 or nic salt e-liquids, a high-VG shortfill will not wick fast enough and you will get dry hits. Use nic salt or 50/50 e-liquids in pod kits and MTL devices. Save the high-VG shortfills for sub-ohm tanks designed to handle them.

What to Do Right Now If Your Vape Tastes Burnt

1. Stop vaping immediately. Continuing to fire on a dry or burnt coil makes it worse.
2. Check your e-liquid level. If it is low, fill the tank and wait 5 minutes before trying again.
3. If the liquid level is fine, the coil likely needs replacing. Remove the coil, check for dark residue or a burnt smell, and replace it with a new one.
   When installing the new coil, prime it properly before use. See our guide to priming a vape coil.
4. If the burnt taste continues after a new primed coil, check your wattage setting and e-liquid type.

How to Prevent Burnt Taste in Future

• Always prime new coils before first use
• Keep your tank at least one quarter full
• Wait 20 to 30 seconds between puffs
• Change your coil every 1 to 2 weeks
• Use the correct e-liquid type for your device
• Stay within the recommended wattage range for your coil

Burnt Taste in Pod Kits

If you use a pod kit rather than a tank device, the process is slightly different. Most pod kits use integrated coil pods where the coil and pod are one unit. When the pod starts tasting burnt, you replace the entire pod, not just the coil. The same principles apply: make sure the pod has e-liquid in it before firing, and if the taste is burnt, replace the pod.
Some pod kits like the Vaporesso XROS 6 use refillable pods with replaceable coils. Check whether your device has replaceable coils or requires a full pod replacement. 

When to Contact Our Team

If you have replaced the coil, primed correctly, checked the wattage, and are using the right e-liquid but still getting a burnt taste, contact our customer service team. It is possible the device itself has a fault. We have been helping vapers troubleshoot their kits since 2012 and we are happy to help.

Frequently Asked Questions