The topic of variable voltage (VV) and variable wattage (VW) tends to come up regularly on e-cig forum sites and in discussions between veteran e-smokers. In fact, when you start talking about ohms, volts, and AVPs, you know you’re officially turning into an “advanced vaper.” It’s just one of those subjects that separates the light, casual e-smoker from the e-cig connoisseur; the novice from the pro.

So exactly what are variable voltage and variable wattage vape pens, and is there a difference between the two?

Variable voltage/wattage electronic cigarettes essentially do exactly what their name suggests—they allow e-smokers to adjust the voltage or wattage of their vaping device. That way, they can achieve the vapor production and throat hit that they want.

The kinds of e-cigs that most people start out on (the cigarette look-a-likes) are typically good enough for the beginning e-smokers, especially ex-smokers who are trying to completely or partially transition to e-cigarettes and want something as close to their traditional cigs as possible.

However, as you become more and more familiar with your electronic cigarette, you’ll soon discover that certain e-juice flavors taste better on low voltage, or when your atomizer is burning on a low setting, whereas other flavors really stand out on high voltage, when your atomizer is burning hot.

Each e-cig flavor has its own “sweet spot,” and VV/VW devices let you control the power output from the battery to help you hit that perfect heat setting every time.

For instance, let’s say you decide to vape one of our most popular fruity flavors—Watermelon Zest Candy Crush. If your e-cig runs on a 3.7-volt battery and has an atomizer with a 2.5-ohm resistance (the normal setting for most standard e-cigs), the flavor might taste just fine since fruit flavors don’t require much heat to taste great.

But coffee, chocolate, and tobacco e-juice flavors are a different story. For these, 3.7 volts just may not cut it.

Therein lies the idea behind variable voltage/wattage e-cigs. They give you greater control over the temperature of operation and the rate at which your e-juice is heated, which—when done right—gives you a robust volume of tasty vapor every time.

Pretty cool, right?

Of course, actually putting it into practice can be a bit tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing. This is where the difference between variable voltage and variable wattage comes into play. Learn about these differences and more by checking out our article “All About Variable Voltage/Wattage” in the VaporFi learning center.