The topic of single vs. dual coil technology in e-cigarettes doesn’t get discussed enough. People tend to get caught up with the many other features of an e-cig—like e-juice flavor, battery color, tank style, etc.—that it’s all too easy to skip over functionality.

While discussing coil configuration might not be as exciting as talking about the latest mods and advanced vaporizers, it is something every veteran vapor smoker should have at least a basic knowledge of.

Understanding the differences between single coil and dual coil e-cigs is important because heating coils have a surprising amount of sway when it comes to how your e-cigarette looks, feels and tastes. The coil is the heating element in your atomizer, cartomizer or clearomizer. Every e-cig has one—some have two! One side of the coil is connected to the positive terminal on your battery, and the other side is attached to the negative terminal, thus creating a charge that transfers energy to heat up e-juice to the point of vaporization.

Whew, okay so that’s the science behind coils. But what do two coils give you that having just one can’t?

A dual coil vape setup evenly splits up heat between two coils. Basically, this extra heating coil doubles the heat and vapor production of the e-cigarette. This greater heat produces stronger, warmer and more luscious vapor clouds in less time than single coil e-cigs.

However, there are also some considerations to keep in mind about dual coil technology. For instance, e-cigarettes that are setup with dual coils tend to burn through e-juice faster. Dual coils also usually drain battery power at a quicker rate, so you want to make sure you have a battery with a good amount of mAh.

Still having trouble deciding whether you should try single coil or dual coil? Check out our new article on single vs. dual coil technology in the VaporFi Learning Center and discover how e-cig coil configurations can be compared to cars.