7 Essential Vaping Terms Every Vape Beginner Should Know

Vaping can be a complex world to navigate, especially for vape beginners. Understanding the functions of vaping and the associated terminology is crucial for a great vaping experience. From selecting the right e-juice to choosing the perfect coil for your device, having the right knowledge can make all the difference. Here’s a vape beginner’s guide to some of the most important vaping terms to help you get started.

Adapters and All Day Vape (ADV)

An adapter is a device that allows parts not initially designed for your vape to be connected. For example, it can be used with a different battery model than the one your device originally came with. ‘All Day Vape’ or ADV refers to an e-liquid that a consumer enjoys vaping all day for an extended period.

Advanced Personal Vaporizer (APV)

An APV, or advanced personal vaporizer, often includes a separate tank, battery, and atomizer. It provides more control over your vaping experience, allowing you to customize your setup to suit your preferences.

Atomizers and Automatic Vapes

The atomizer is one of the most important parts of a vape. It’s responsible for turning e-liquid into vapor. An automatic vape activates on inhalation rather than pressing a button, making it a convenient choice for many vapers.

Auto Shut Off and Atomizer Wick

A safety feature in many vapes is the auto shut off function, which automatically turns off the device if it detects overheating. The atomizer wick is a small mesh that helps the e-liquid flow to the atomizer.

Airflow and Batteries

Airflow refers to the amount of air given to your atomizer’s coils, which can affect how your draw feels when inhaling from the device. More airflow results in more vapor. The battery powers the atomizer that converts the e-liquid into vapor. Batteries can be one-time use or rechargeable.

Base Liquid and Battery Cut Off

The base liquid is the mixture to which other ingredients are added to create a complete e-liquid. It typically comprises VG (vegetable glycerine) and PG (propylene glycol). Automatic batteries generally have a cutoff to prevent them from burning out, which may kick in at around 6 to 12 seconds.

Blanks and Box Mods

Blanks are dry cartridges that contain only filler that a user can fill with e-liquid. A box mod is a type of APV that is square-shaped and offers more power than tube mods.

Cartridges and Cartomizers

The cartridge is the part of the vape that contains the e-liquid. A cartomizer is a device that combines an atomizer and a cartridge.

Clouds and Cloud Chasers

Clouds describe the vapor produced by a vape. Cloud chasers are vapers who attempt to create the largest vapor cloud possible.

Coils and Cig-a-Likes

The coil, found in the atomizer, heats the e-liquid. A cig-a-like is a vape that resembles a traditional cigarette in appearance.

Charging and Deep Lung Vaping

The charger is the device used to charge a vape. Deep lung vaping is a method where the user inhales the vapor straight into their lungs after taking a long draw.

Dripping and Drip Tips for Vape Beginners

Dripping is a technique for adding e-liquid to the atomizer, where a few drops are dripped directly onto the coil by the vape beginners. Many people say it produces better vapor and has a nicer taste. A drip tip is a tip that replaces standard tips and allows for direct dripping onto the atomizer.

Draw and Dry Burn

The term ‘draw’ is used in standard cigarettes to refer to the equivalent of the vaping term ‘drag.’ The process of sucking air through a vape is known as the draw. Dry burn occurs when there is no e-liquid in the cartridge, and you draw on your vape.

Direct-to-Lung and Dry Hits

Direct-to-lung is a more airy style of inhaling that creates more vapor than usual. A dry hit occurs if your atomizer isn’t correctly wicked, resulting in a nasty, burned, and dry flavor.

E-Cig, E-Juice, and E-Liquid

E-cig is an abbreviation for electronic cigarette. E-juice and e-liquid are other names for the liquid that is evaporated when using an electronic cigarette.

E-Smoking and Electronic Cigarette

E-smoking is a broad term for the use of electronic cigarettes. An electronic cigarette is the main device used to heat e-liquid and produce a vapor that the vape beginners can inhale.

Filler and Flavorings

The filler is the absorbent material found within a cartridge. It is used to assist in delivering e-liquid to the atomizer without flooding it. Flavorings are added to e-liquids to give them a distinct flavor, with many liquids trying to generate flavors similar to well-known foods or drinks.

Flooding and French Hits

Flooding occurs when too much liquid reaches the atomizer. A French hit is a vaping technique where the vapor escapes the mouth and is inhaled through the nose, also referred to as a ‘mouth to lung hit.’

High Resistance (HR) and Hybrid Mods

A high OHM reading atomizer used for high voltage vaping is called high resistance (HR). A hybrid mod combines the atomizer and battery holder into a single device for a more streamlined appearance.

Juice and Kick

Juice is an abbreviation for e-liquid. Kick is a word occasionally used to describe the throat hit felt during vaping.

Leaking and Li-on Batteries

When too much liquid is added to the cartridge, it can leak, causing damage to the battery. Li-on is an abbreviation for lithium-ion batteries.

Low Resistance (LR) and LED

For low voltage vaping, an atomizer with a low Ohm is used, creating more vapor but consuming more battery power. LED stands for light emitting diode, the light that illuminates at the end of a vape to simulate a traditional cigarette.

Liquid and MAH

E-liquid is referred to as liquid. MAH is an abbreviation of milliampere-hour, an acronym for the ability of a battery to store energy.

Manual Vapes and Mechanical Mods

Manual vapes are activated by pressing a button. Mechanical mods, or ‘mech mods,’ have no electrical components.

MG and Mesh

MG is a milligram strength per millilitre abbreviation, determining the nicotine strength of the e-liquid. Mesh is the atomizer bridge’s cover, often made of stainless steel.

Mouth-to-Lung Inhale and Nicotine

A method of inhaling similar to smoking cigarettes, but with less vapor created, is called mouth-to-lung inhale. Nicotine is found in natural tobacco and is added to e-liquids to replicate the nicotine hit of traditional cigarettes.

Nic and Nic Juice

Nic is a slang vaping term for nicotine. Nic juice is a slang word for nicotine-containing e-liquid.

Ohm and Pass-Through Devices

Electrical resistance is measured in ohms. A pass-through device can be plugged into a USB port and bypasses the battery, allowing the vape beginners to vape without worrying about running out of battery life.

Pen Style Vapes and PG

Pen style vapes have the shape of a pen and are small and thin. PG, or polyethylene glycol, is a popular ingredient in many e-liquids and is one of the two primary base ingredients of e-liquids.

Resistance and Rebuildables

Resistance is the electrical resistance provided by an atomizer. Rebuildables are tanks or atomizers that allow you to change coils and wicks.

RDA (Rebuildable Dripping Atomiser) and RTA (Rebuildable Tank Atomiser)

An RDA has no tank to contain liquid, so users must drip straight onto the wicks or cotton. An RTA holds liquids in a chamber and feeds them to the coils, with users setting up coils and wicks themselves rather than purchasing pre-made coils.

Silica and Starter Kits

Silica is the most commonly used material for wicks. Many vape companies offer a starter kit that includes everything you need to get started vaping.

Steeping and Sub-ohming

The process of maturing an e-liquid by exposing it to air and enabling the ingredients to settle is called steeping. Sub-ohming is a method used by expert vapers to create massive vapor clouds.

Salt Nicotine and Tank

Salt nicotine is usually used in pod devices and allows for larger nicotine levels while maintaining a smooth hit. A tank is a glass or plastic chamber that holds the e-liquid.

Throat Hit, TPD, and Vapers

The sensation on the back of the throat as vapor reaches it is called throat hit. Many vapers enjoy recreating the throat hit that traditional cigarettes provide. TPD stands for the Tobacco Products Directive. Individuals who use electronic cigarettes are referred to as ‘vapers.’

Vape/Vaping, Vape Juice, and Vapor

Vape/vaping is the practice of using an electronic cigarette. Vape juice is a term used to describe e-liquid. Vapor is a cloud created by an electronic cigarette.

Vegetable Glycerol (VG) and Variable Voltage (VV)

Vegetable Glycerol (VG): One of the two basic base ingredients used in the production of e-Liquids.

Variable Voltage (VV): Allows the user to adjust the voltage on their device.

Variable Wattage (VW): Allows the user to change the wattage of their device.

Wadding: Another term for the filler that goes inside the cartridges that hold the juice.

Wick: The wick, which is made of silica, aids in the passage of liquid to the atomizer.

Watts: The amount of heat provided to your vaporizer is measured in watts.

Zero-Nic: An e-Liquid with no nicotine.