You've got everything ready for a well-deserved relaxation: a drink on the table, maybe a movie or book, and your vape in hand. You take a puff and then bang! A burnt taste hits you. Why does your vape taste burnt?
Your vape tastes burnt because there isn't enough e-liquid saturating the wick, so instead of a sweet flavor, you get the acrid smell of dry wick as it heats up.
As a vaper, odds are you're going to experience a burnt hit at some point. Good news is it's not the end of the world. In this blog, you're going to learn why your vape tastes burnt and how to fix it.
Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt?
To fully understand why your vape tastes burnt, you have to first grasp how these devices work.
In a typical e-cigarette, there's a battery, a coil, a wick, and an e-liquid (juice) in a tank or pod. The e-liquid is slowly released from the tank to saturate the wick. When you fire the vape, the battery heats up the coil, which in turn heats the soaked wick, producing the sweet vapor you’d expect.
When the wick isn't saturated enough with e-liquid, the vape will taste burnt because you're heating up—and burning—the dry cotton wick.
There are many reasons why this will happen. No, it's not only because you're running an empty tank.
Here are 6 reasons why your vape tastes burnt:
1. Not Priming the Coil
Before using a new coil, you need to let it soak in juice for 5-10 minutes. Otherwise, the dry cotton will burn the first time you fire it. Allowing enough time for the wick to saturate can help you get rid of the burnt taste in your vape. It's ok to be in a hurry to get back to vaping, but you want to enjoy the first draw, don't you?
2. Rapid Puffs
The liquid in the wick vaporizes each time you pull. When there's no time for it to get soaked before your next puff, you'll get a burnt hit. It's generally recommended to wait 15-30 seconds between puffs to allow e-liquid to saturate the wick and avoid burnt hits.
3. Low Juice Level
This one's a no-brainer. When your vape is low on e-liquid, there's nothing to soak the cotton wick, which creates the burnt hit when you draw your vape. If you're using a disposable vape, simply get a new one. If it’s a vape kit, go for a refill.
4. High Wattage
Another likely reason why your vape tastes burnt is you're using a wattage setting higher than the coil was designed for. This will cause the coil to overheat, and it'll end up vaporizing liquid too quickly, leading to dry hits.
This can also happen when you use a high-power vape battery. Check the manual for specifications.
5. Wrong e-Liquid
If your e-cig tastes burnt, it could be because you bought a thicker e-liquid than you were using before. For simplicity, there are two types of e-liquids: one with 50:50 PG and VG content, and the other with a higher VG content.
When the VG (vegetable glycerin) content is higher than PG (propylene glycol), the e-liquid will be thicker and thus will not easily get absorbed by the cotton wick. So you may get a burnt hit.
6. Defective or Worn-Out Coil
Ok, let's slow down. Burnt hits aren't always your fault. A bad coil (even when new) that doesn't wick juice properly can cause dry hits. Coils also degrade over time. A charred coil won't wick well and will leave a burnt flavor no matter what.
Why Does My Disposable Vape Taste Burnt?
The most common reason a disposable vape will taste burnt is it has run out of juice. So all you get when you hit is the acrid taste of a burnt, dry cotton wick. Another reason is chain vaping (puffing too rapidly).
If you’re using a modern disposable vape with an e-liquid monitor or indicator light, you can easily determine how much juice is left so you know if that's the cause of the burnt hits.
What if you're running a cheap or older device without any indicators? Don't worry. A burnt taste is one of the tell-tale signs you're fresh out of vape juice. Simply buy a replacement and get back to your vaping.
But what if you still have more than enough e-liquid left but your vape tastes burnt? You're even spacing out your puffs.
It just might be a manufacturing defect. Consider reaching out to your vendor.
Why Does My Vape Kit Taste Burnt?
A burnt taste in your vape kit means the wick in the coil is burning dry. This could result from not allowing the wick to soak enough e-liquid before use, low juice level, defective or old coil, higher wattage, or puffing too rapidly.
If you're using a vape kit—i.e., a reusable vape with refillable tanks—you can easily disassemble it to check what's wrong and fix it.
Fixing it could be as simple as changing the coil, turning down the wattage, using the recommended battery, or getting a refill.
Burnt Taste in Vapes: Special Situations Explained
1. Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt After Charging?
Your vape tasted fine just two hours ago, then you charged it, and now it somehow tastes burnt. What gives?
Either the voltage is too high or the battery is too powerful for the coil to handle.
· Power surge. If your wattage jumps due to a power surge while charging, it can overheat the coil and make your vape taste burnt. Check the new wattage.
· Battery performance. If you're using a battery higher than your coil's rating, a full charge can make the coil run hotter than it was before charging.
· Coil wear. It might just be a coincidence, but if your coil was already aging, the extra power from a full charge might have pushed it over the edge.
Double-check your wattage settings after every charge, especially if you’re using a mod with variable power. If the coil is already a week or two old, it might be time for a fresh one anyway.
2. Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt with a New Coil?
If your vape coil is brand new and the first hit tastes burnt, chances are you forgot to prime it before use. Otherwise, the new coil is defective.
Ensure you prime every new vape coil before use.
Priming is the process of letting your new coil soak up e-liquid before using it. To prime a vape coil, fill the tank and let the wick soak for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Impatient? Drop a few drops of e-liquid directly onto the exposed cotton in the coil.
Vape still tastes burnt after priming? You just might have a defective vape. At this point, it's best to reach out to your supplier.
Note: If you forget to prime your new vape coil, there's a good chance it will get toast after the first hit. And once the coil is burnt, there's no saving it. Bottom line? Always remember to prime.
Should I Stop Hitting My Vape If It Tastes Burnt?
If your e-cigarette tastes burnt, please stop using it.
Continuing to vape when it tastes burnt can worsen the problem and even expose you to harmful toxins from the burnt cotton wick. If your vape tastes burnt, stop hitting and try to determine the problem (empty tank? bad coil? high wattage?), and fix it before you continue.
Is It Bad to Smoke a Burnt Vape?
Vape tastes burnt because the wick, which is typically made of cotton, is burning. Inhaling burnt cotton is dangerous, as there are usually carbon emissions going into your lungs.
I've heard people complain of headaches, sore throats, and coughs after hitting a burnt vape for too long. You want to avoid that.
For your health's sake, don't be too impatient. Whenever your vape gives a burnt hit, there's something wrong that needs solving. So stop puffing and fix.
How to Get Rid of Burnt Taste in a Vape
To get rid of the burnt taste in a vape:
· Give 15-30 seconds between puffs to allow the coil to reabsorb juice.
· Use the recommended wattage and battery.
· Replace old coils every 1-2 weeks (if vape kit starts to taste burnt after prolonged use, this is usually the way to go).
To fix a disposable vape kit that tastes burnt, simply replace it if the issue is low e-liquid.
But if there's still enough juice, try puffing less rapidly so the wick will have enough time to reabsorb the e-liquid.
In essence, there's no real “fix” for a disposable vape, technically speaking. You can only get a new one or change your vaping style.
Final Words
Remember: if your vape tastes burnt, stop hitting it. Fix the issue first, then enjoy your vape as you were meant to.
If you’re constantly getting burnt hits even after replacing coils, priming properly, and toning down your puff intensity, your device might just be downright defective.
Got questions? At VapingLand, we're all ears. Shoot those questions let's see if we can't find a solution real quick.
