Flavor is one of the biggest features of vaping and one of the main things separating vaping vs. smoking. Cigarette smoke has an incredibly harsh flavor, but that should never be the case with vaping. You should never taste anything burnt, harsh or “off” – and that’s why you’ll probably feel an immediate sense of alarm when your vape doesn’t taste right.
If your vape tastes burnt, we’re here to tell you that it’s not a normal situation – and more importantly, you can definitely fix it. In this article, we’re going to help you understand why your vape tastes burnt, and we’re also going to walk you through the steps needed to resolve the problem depending on which type of vape you’re using.
Regardless of which type of device you’re using, a vape can taste burnt for two different reasons.
In order to fix your burnt vape – or to at least prevent it from tasting burnt in the future if fixing it isn’t possible – you need to know why the problem occurred in the first place. The easiest way to do that is by paying attention to the way your vape tastes. If it tastes smoky and caramelized, residue is the problem. If your vape tastes incredibly harsh and makes you cough, the coil is overheating.
Now that you understand what’s going on and what’s causing it, let’s talk about solutions.
If you have a disposable vape that tastes harsh and burnt every time you puff on it – and the issue started after you used the device for a few days – the most likely problem is that your vape is out of e-liquid. When a disposable vape is completely dry, the coil will begin to overheat when you puff on the device. That’s why it tastes harsh. Since disposable vapes aren’t refillable, you’ll need to replace your device at this point.
If you have a new disposable vape that tastes burnt, your device obviously isn’t empty yet. In this case, you’ll need to do a little more troubleshooting. Read on for more advice.
If the nicotine strength of your vape is too high for your needs, you’ll experience a harsh sensation when you vape and may interpret that as a burnt flavor. Consider trying a lower strength if one is available.
After you puff on your disposable vape, the fabric wick needs a few seconds to draw fresh e-liquid toward the coil. If your vape tastes burnt intermittently, you probably aren’t waiting long enough for that to happen and should space your puffs out a little more.
Many modern disposable vapes like the Innokin INNOBAR 20000 have adjustable power and airflow. Lowering the device’s power level will make the vapor cooler and less intense. Increasing the size of the airflow opening introduces more air into the system, which will also have a cooling effect.
Are you using a high-capacity disposable vape with a very sweet flavor profile? If so, the e-liquid in your vape probably contains sucralose – and that will cause residue to collect on the coil. The residue will eventually cause the vape to produce a smoky, caramelized flavor – and in a high-capacity vape, that could happen before the device is actually out of e-liquid. Since you can’t replace the coil in a disposable vape, you’ll need to put up with the smoky flavor until the device runs out of e-liquid. In the future, you could buy disposable vapes with lower puff counts or consider trying some different flavors that aren’t so sweet.
Disposable vapes are available in many different flavors, and some may be more to your liking than others. For example, you may interpret tobacco flavors as “harsh” or “burnt” and might find that sweeter flavors are more enjoyable for you. Consider trying a flavor with “Ice” in the name. Ice flavors contain menthol, which can help to alleviate any sensation of heat or harshness.
Different brands of disposable vapes use different e-liquid formulations, and it’s worthwhile to experiment with a variety of brands and devices until you find the one that’s right for you. Innokin INNOBAR vapes use a unique water-based e-liquid that contains 30 percent water. Users report that the water-based e-liquid gives our vapes a distinct smoothness that other vapes can’t match.
If your vape tastes smoky and caramelized every time you puff on it, the problem that you’re dealing with is most likely residue buildup on the coil. When the smoky flavor becomes intolerable, it’s time for you to replace the pod or coil.
Are you tired of replacing your pod or coil every few days because of e-liquid residue? There’s a simple solution for that: You can stop using heavily sweetened vape juice. If you switch to an e-liquid that’s not sweetened with sucralose, your coils or pods will last dramatically longer. Even using an e-liquid that’s a little less sweet can have a positive effect on coil life.
Do you love sweetened e-liquid so much that you don’t want to give it up? In this case, you have two options. You can simply deal with the fact that you’ll have to replace your coils or pods constantly, or you can switch to a smaller vaping device that uses less e-liquid. If you do this, you may also need to increase your nicotine strength in order to maintain the same level of satisfaction. The benefit of using less vape juice, though, is that it’ll take longer for residue to collect on the coil.
Now that we’ve tackled the problem of e-liquid residue with a refillable vape, it’s time to discuss the other type of burnt flavor – the harsh flavor that occurs when your coil overheats. If you’re dealing with that issue, the first thing that you should do is try lowering your device’s power if you have a vape with adjustable wattage or voltage. If your vape has adjustable airflow, you can also try opening the vent to allow more air to travel through your device.
If your vape begins to taste burnt unexpectedly while you’re using it, check the coil or pod to confirm that it isn’t empty. Remember that the level of e-liquid should always be higher than the wick openings visible on the sides of the coil. If the e-liquid is below the openings, the coil may dry out and overheat.
Some of the tips that we gave above for troubleshooting a disposable vape that tastes burnt also apply to refillable vapes, and this is one of them. Each time you puff on your device, you need to wait several seconds for the wick to refresh itself with more e-liquid. If you “chain vape” without pausing between puffs, you may experience a burnt flavor intermittently when your device’s coil dries out.
If you’re wondering why your vape tastes burnt with a new coil, this tip will apply to you. When you change your coil, you should always prime it by putting a little e-liquid on each of the coil’s wick openings. This helps to ensure that when you begin vaping, the coil’s wick will be completely saturated with e-liquid. If you’re using a pod system with a non-replaceable coil, always wait at least five minutes before vaping after you fill a new pod for the first time.
As we mentioned above, the flavor of your e-liquid can have a major effect on the level of smoothness that you experience when you vape. Some people find savory flavors like tobacco extremely satisfying, but others may find them harsh. If none of the other tips in this article seem to apply to you, consider experimenting with some different e-liquid flavors.
This is another tip that applies equally to both disposable and refillable vapes. If you experience an overwhelming throat hit when you puff on your vape, there’s a good chance that the nicotine strength you’re using is too high for your needs. Try a lower strength.
At Innokin, we’ve dedicated ourselves to modernizing the vaping industry and creating experiences that are more satisfying and more user-friendly. One of the most important new technologies that we’ve contributed to vaping is the new Coil+ vaping mode, which automatically pulses your coil at a low wattage between puffs to refresh it with e-liquid. Coil+ extends the life of your coil and helps to keep the wick saturated, preventing a burnt taste. The Innokin Coolfire Z60 and Innokin Kroma 217 both include this feature.