Single Coil vs. Dual Coil Vape: Which One is Better?

When it comes to single coil vs. dual coil setups, the one that is right for you depends entirely on what you want from your vaping experience.

A single coil vape is better for stealth vaping, has better flavor, and uses less battery power. A dual coil build uses more battery life but produces larger clouds, harder throat hits, and has a lower heating time. 

The question of single coil vs. dual coil configurations is easy to argue on both sides. Pretty much any vaping enthusiast has their own opinion and facts to weigh in with, but it truly comes down to how you want to use your vaping device and preference. 

What is a Vape Coil?

A vape coil is the part of your mod that transfers heat to your juice and turns it into vapor. Your battery sends a current through a wire connected at the base of the coil, heating it. Each end of the wire connects to a terminal: one positively charged terminal and one negatively charged terminal. 

The heating coil in your vape determines a lot about your experience. Whether you use a single battery, open airflow, special kinds of e-juice, or a complicated battery mod, your coil controls your experience. Your battery only provides the power while your coils transfer it. 

Vape coils have many configurations, ranging from single coils to dual coils to even quad coils. The main reason for including more than one coil is to increase the surface area in contact with your vape juice, and more extensive surface area contact leads to greater vapor production and, in turn, bigger, thicker clouds. 

Both single and dual coil mod setups function on the same principle, and the only difference is that dual coil technology uses two heating elements and two terminal sets. The two coils heat up evenly, transfer heat more quickly, and have larger amounts of vapor produced. However, these pros come at the cost of requiring more power and faster juice consumption. 

Single Coil Vapes

Single coil configurations have only one coil, one terminal, and a single heating element inside them. With less surface area and only one heating element, they warm up slower, use less power, and go through e-liquid slower than dual coil vapes. 

Single Coil Pros

  • Tend to run at low wattage, meaning they use less power.
  • Singles run through e-liquid slower.
  • Simple design is easier to rebuild.
  • Less dense clouds are better for stealth vaping.
  • Easier on the throat, so they can be better for beginners.

Single Coil Cons

  • Require longer heating time.
  • Less dense clouds.
  • Singles have a weaker throat hit because of less heat.

Dual Coil Vapes

A dual coil configuration functions precisely like a single coil configuration. The primary difference is that multi-coil types have two heating coils inside instead of one, so this coil setup allows for more vapor, harder hits, and denser clouds. Heating two coils comes at the cost of using more battery power and emptying your tank of e-liquid quicker than if you used a single coil vaporizer. 

Dual Coil Pros

  • More vapor generated than single coil setups. 
  • Lower heating time.
  • Stronger hit.
  • Typically run at higher wattages for bigger clouds. 

Dual Coil Cons

  • Doubles use battery life and e-juice much faster than a single coil setup.
  • The more complicated design means they’re harder to rebuild.
  • Nearly impossible to stealth vape with dual coils.

Which One is Better: Single Coil Vs. Dual Coil

When it comes to single coil vs. dual coil vapes, which one is better depends on your preferences. In this section, we’ll try to break down some common types of vapers, tell you which coil is likely the better option for you, and why it’s the best choice for the experience you want. 

Smokers Switching to Vaping

Cigarettes typically have a harsher hit than vapes. For smokers switching over to vaping, a dual coil configuration with two coils inside of it is your best option. Dual vapes warm the e-liquid faster and produce higher amounts of vapor which helps give you the same harshness as a cigarette. 

New Vapers

A single coil configuration is better for new vapers since they are neither as harsh on the throat nor as complicated to clean. Also, devices with one coil are easier to rebuild since they’re half the work of a dual coil setup. They also produce less dense clouds and softer hits which is important since new users’ throats aren’t used to the feeling. 

Vapers Concerned About Battery Life

A single coil configuration uses much less battery life than a dual coil configuration. Your vaping mod only has to heat one vape coil instead of two, which requires less power. These setups are great for people that can’t readily charge their vaping devices throughout the day. 

Stealth Vapers

Do you often vape in public or want to avoid being caught vaping? Then you should try stealth vaping. 

Stealth vaping can be difficult if your device creates larger clouds. So, you should try single coil vapes because they produce smaller clouds than dual setups. Also, if you run at a low enough wattage, you get the hit you’re after without producing any visible cloud at all. 

Vapers Who Want Bigger Clouds or Hits

You need more heat and more contact with your e-juice to get bigger clouds, and that’s why there are dual and multi-coil setups. These coils allow your vape mod to produce larger clouds because they heat up faster and vaporize more e-juice at a faster rate than a single coil. 

Conclusion

When it comes down to the question of a single coil vs. dual coil vape, what you want from your vape matters more than the coil itself. For example, you will find that some e-juice performs better at higher temperatures, while others have better flavor at lower ones. Experiment for yourself and look through our recommendations before making up your mind about which one is better. 

An extra safety tip worth noting is that you should avoid metallic drip tips or mouthpieces if you use a dual configuration. These coils run hotter than their single cousins, and they can easily heat the mouthpiece to the point that you can burn your lips and mouth on it during a hit. 

Finally, remember that you must be of the legal smoking age to use vape products in your country.