Should you buy new coils that are already made or make your own from wire and wick? Every vaper has to deal with the replacement vs. disposable cartridges conundrum at some time.
Over the past, we've delivered millions of coils. In this article, we'll examine the benefits and drawbacks of pre-made coils, as well as how they compare to DIY options. We'll explain why replaceable coils are so popular among vapers, as well as offer you an honest assessment of their drawbacks.
We can't say if pre-made coils are "better" than DIY coils — it's a personal choice — but we can say that replacements coils outsell DIY coils by a frequency of twenty to one. We looked at our own coil sales for the entire year of 2020 before producing this post. Over the course of a year, 95% of coil sales were rebuildable or pre-made coils. The remaining 5% was made up of homemade coils.
DIY coils are often more difficult to install than replacement coils. Replacement coils are factory-made to exacting standards, ensuring a consistent vaping experience. Pre-made coils, on the other hand, are more expensive than rebuildable coils, and there is an exchange in terms of personal control.
Continue reading to learn about the greatest — and worst — characteristics of replacement coils so you can make an informed selection.
Replacement coils are your only option if you're worried about sticky e-liquid spilling into your pockets or splashing all over your table. Because you don't have to create anything, there's no chance of a half-built deck rolling over with replacement coils. Your box mod's whole coil component has been precision-engineered to prevent e-liquid leakage through a poorly stuffed draining hole or a loose connection.
Replacement coils are much easier to change than original coils. When one coil wears out, simply remove it, clip in a new one, and you're ready to go. The convenience of pre-built coils lasts throughout your vaping session. You can rest and know that your vape will be constantly tasty since the coil has been factory-built and tested to fit a certain Ohm rating – you won't have to constantly fiddling with your settings.
It takes time to create a faster DIY coil. You must design, calculate, cut, coil, test, fine-tune, re-test, and fill each coil yourself with rebuildable. It can eat up a significant portion of your day. On the weekend, you could like tinkering with your coil, but when time is limited, it's a different story. Replacement coils allow you to just take a brief puff on a clean coil before returning to your job – ideal for the office.
Your wick, coil alloy, and resistance have all been conceived, produced, and tested by specialists when you use replacement coils. The distance between the coil and the vape juice tank has been meticulously calculated to provide you with the ideal vape. Even the most skilled DIY deck builders will struggle to achieve this level of accuracy and uniformity.
You need a vaping setup that seems as easy as possible if you've recently stopped smoking. Pre-built coils simplify the vaping experience for newcomers by reducing the number of parts to consider. They also safeguard the general effectiveness of the vaping experience. For those who are still discovering how to vape, there is no better alternative.
It's safer to be in a group! The vast majority of vapers, in fact, use pre-made coils (95 percent by our last count). You don't have to 'open the bonnet' of your vape device to obtain a truly excellent, dependable, and pleasant customized vaping experience... And the statistics show that most of us don't want to.
You can't disassemble a replacement coil and figure out what's wrong with your vaporizer on your own. For a tiny group of smokers, this is a minor annoyance. Because replacement coils are factory-made and precision-engineered, the odds of a poor connection or a hotspot on the coil are extremely low – far lower than with a DIY version.
There's no way it around: replacement coils are more costly than DIY coils. You'll save more money per coil if you manufacture your own coils out of spun-down wire and cotton, but you'll have to devote a lot more time to the procedure.
It makes no difference whether it's coils, cakes, or garments. When you purchase an off-the-shelf product, you relinquish some control to the producer. You must believe that the factory can perform better than you can at your kitchen table. Vape coils are no different. You can't specify the exact amount of wick to pack your coil with replacement coils, and you can't choose an odd or unpopular electrical resistance grade. This is a minor annoyance nowadays, as most coil manufacturers sell replacement coils in a variety of Ohm ratings.
When you utilize replacement coils, you produce additional trash. Pre-built coils are generally encased in blister packaging and cannot be recycled after use; instead, you must discard the entire wasted coil. DIY coils are typically thrown away as well, but at least they have less packing and casing.
You may pick from an almost infinite variety of wire types and metals when making your own DIY coil. There are some pretty fascinating wires to deal with, ranging from juggernaut to Clapton to strange wire. To discover more, check out our Vape Coil Buyer's Dictionary. Although there is a lot of variety in the replacement coil sector, it still pales in comparison to the DIY market.
You'll need two core wires to construct Clapton coils: one smaller gauge wire weighing 32-34g and one larger gauge wire weighing 24g. In a drill, wrap the larger wire and coil the narrower gauge wire over it. The rationale for wrapping the narrower gauge wire over the thicker gauge wire is that the thinner gauge wire has a higher resistance than the thicker gauge wire. The thinner wire serves as a heating element and does not carry electricity as well as the thicker wire.
A summary of the benefits and drawbacks of pre-made coils replacement coils are usually a better option for most vapers than rebuildable coils... However, there is no alternative for hands-on experience. The easiest method to figure out if you're a pre-built or DIY vaper is to try both and discover which one suit you best. Take a peek at our replacement coils and rebuildable coils categories if you wish to explore them around!
Keep yourself safe and have fun vaping!
Pre-made coils (also called replacement coils or stock coils) are factory-manufactured coil units with integrated cotton wicking, designed to screw directly into tanks or pods. They come ready to use, requiring only priming before vaping, offering convenience compared to building custom coils on rebuildable atomizers.
Pre-made coil advantages: convenience (ready to use immediately), consistency (quality-controlled manufacturing), no technical skill required, perfect for beginners, time-saving (no building needed), safety (no risk of incorrect builds), widely available, tested performance, warranty coverage, and ideal for those who want simple, reliable vaping without complications.
Pre-made coil disadvantages: ongoing cost (£3-5 per pack), limited customization options, shorter lifespan than rebuildables (1-2 weeks), environmental waste from disposable units, quality inconsistency between batches, lack of control over resistance/wicking, higher long-term cost, and dependency on manufacturer availability.
Pre-made coils typically last 1-3 weeks depending on e-liquid sweetness, vaping frequency, wattage settings, and e-liquid VG/PG ratio. Unsweetened liquids extend life to 3-4 weeks, while heavily sweetened dessert flavours may burn out in 3-5 days. Quality varies between manufacturers.
Yes, long-term costs are higher: pre-made coils cost £3-5 per pack (5 coils) lasting 5-15 weeks total. Rebuildable supplies (wire, cotton) cost £10-20 but last months with unlimited rebuilds. However, pre-made coils eliminate equipment costs (£50-100 for rebuildable tools and devices) and learning curve.
Yes, pre-made coils are perfect for beginners: simply unscrew old coil, screw in new one, prime with e-liquid (wait 5-10 minutes), and start vaping. No technical knowledge, special tools, or understanding of Ohm's law required—just straightforward replacement making vaping accessible to everyone.
Yes, modern pre-made coils with mesh technology deliver excellent flavour comparable to rebuildables. Quality brands like Vaporesso (COREX), SMOK, Aspire, and Uwell offer advanced coil designs with optimized wicking and heating providing rich, accurate flavour without building expertise required.
Pre-made coils create more waste than rebuildables: metal and cotton units discarded every 1-2 weeks versus reusable rebuildable decks with only cotton replacement. However, impact is minimal compared to disposable vapes, and recycling programs exist. Rebuildables are most eco-friendly for those willing to learn.
Customization is limited: you can choose different resistance options (0.15Ω-1.8Ω range), adjust wattage within coil's range, and control airflow, but can't modify coil structure, wire type, or wicking method. Rebuildables offer unlimited customization—pre-made coils prioritize convenience over customization.
Yes, pre-made coils are very safe: manufactured with quality control, tested resistance ratings, proper insulation, safety features, and designed for specific tanks eliminating risks of incorrect builds. They're safer than rebuildables for those unfamiliar with battery safety, Ohm's law, or proper coil building techniques.
Coil availability issues occur with discontinued tanks or niche brands. Solutions: buy coils in bulk when available, choose devices with popular, widely-stocked coil types (Vaporesso, SMOK, Aspire), check cross-compatibility with other tanks, or switch to devices with better coil availability long-term.
No, coils are brand and model-specific: Vaporesso Xros pods only fit Xros devices, SMOK coils vary by tank series, Aspire has different coil families. Always check compatibility before purchasing. Some brands offer cross-compatibility (Aspire Nautilus coils fit multiple tanks), but most are device-specific.
Extend coil life by: using less sweet e-liquids, avoiding chain vaping (15-30 seconds between puffs), keeping tank topped above minimum line, using appropriate wattage (middle of recommended range), priming properly before first use, avoiding high VG in MTL devices, and cleaning tanks regularly.
Choose pre-made coils if: you want convenience, are new to vaping, have limited time, prefer simplicity, use devices casually, or don't want technical learning. Choose rebuildables if: you want long-term savings, enjoy customization, have technical interest, vape heavily, or want ultimate control over experience—both are valid choices.
Buy authentic pre-made coils at WizVape, offering replacement coils for all major brands including Vaporesso, SMOK, Aspire, OXVA, Uwell, and more with genuine products, competitive prices, bulk-buy discounts, comprehensive compatibility information, and fast UK delivery for reliable vaping supplies.
