Why is my vape spitting?

What is actually happening

When you fire your vape, the coil heats e-liquid on the wick into vapour. If the coil is flooded with too much liquid, or if the wattage is too low to vapourise efficiently, some of that liquid bypasses the heating process. Instead of becoming vapour it stays as a hot droplet and gets carried up the chimney by airflow. That droplet lands in your mouth.

Spitting is uncomfortable and a bit alarming when it happens, but it is not dangerous in itself. The droplets are warm e-liquid, not hot enough to burn. The fix is almost always quick and mechanical.

The five main causes

The quick fix for most spitting

Before changing anything, try this in order. Most spitting is solved by the first or second step.

1. Remove the tank from the battery

   Unscrew the tank and hold it mouthpiece-down over a tissue or kitchen roll.

2. Flick to expel excess liquid

   Three or four firm downward flicks. You will see liquid splash onto the tissue. Stop when nothing more comes out.

3. Take dry pulls without firing

   With the tank still detached from the battery, take 4 to 6 gentle pulls through the mouthpiece. This draws air through the coil and clears excess liquid.

4. Reattach and test

   Screw the tank back on. Take a gentle 2-second pull while firing at your normal wattage. Most spitting should stop here.

5. If still spitting, check wattage

   Look at the coil's wattage rating (printed on the coil or on the box). Increase your device wattage to the middle of that range. A 15-20W coil should run at around 17W.

6. If still spitting, consider e-liquid

   Check the VG/PG ratio of your e-liquid. Sub-ohm coils generally want 70VG/30PG or higher. MTL coils generally want 50VG/50PG or lower.

The right wattage for the right coil

Running at the wrong wattage is one of the most common reasons for spitting. Coils have a recommended range printed on them and on the box. Stick within it.

• Below the recommended range: Coil under-fires. Cannot vapourise quickly. Spitting, gurgling, weak flavour.
• Within the lower half of the range: Cooler vapour, longer coil life, smoother draw. Best for most users.
• Within the upper half of the range: Warmer vapour, more intense flavour, shorter coil life. Better for cloud chasing.
• Above the recommended range: Coil burns out fast. Burnt taste, possible dry hits. Not recommended.

Practical example: a 0.6 ohm coil rated 15-25W will work best at around 18-22W. Below 15W you will get spitting. Above 25W you will burn the coil.

How draw technique affects spitting

The way you inhale matters more than most people realise. The same kit can spit with one user and run perfectly with another.

Spit guards and chimney design

Some tanks and drip tips include spit guards or honeycomb mesh inserts that catch droplets before they reach your mouth. If your device spits often even after the fixes above, a spit-guard drip tip is a £3-5 upgrade that solves it permanently.

• 510 drip tips: Universal-fit accessory for most sub-ohm tanks. Mesh-style models catch most droplets.
• Wide-bore tips: Better for cloud chasing but spit more. Narrow-bore tips reduce spitting.
• Built-in spit guards: Some tanks (typically newer designs) have an integrated guard above the coil. Look for this in product descriptions.

The bottom line