Which heating coil delivers the best flavor? Top picks for flavor and vapor production

 I tested three types of atomizers and tried three different data sets. I didn't expect that the single wire would deliver the best flavor and vapor production!<\/p>  

Introduction: Heating wires are one of the essential components that every vaper uses daily, and they have gradually evolved with the development of e-cigarettes. Larger vapor production and better flavor from fancy coils have received widespread acclaim from vapers.<\/p>  

However, "ordinary single wires" have always maintained a high popularity due to their easy sourcing, low cost, and simple manufacturing. So, is there really no room for improvement for "single wires"?<\/p>  

A few days ago at the IECIE exhibition, I tried a brand new single wire—"potato wire". Its principle is to change the original circular cross-section of the heating wire to a polygonal shape, significantly increasing the heating surface area. With the same data as conventional heating wires, it can produce larger vapor and richer flavor.<\/p>  

To enhance vapor production and flavor, the usual method is to increase the heating area. So besides the polygonal cross-section "potato wire", what other single wires have a larger surface area? The answer is—flat wire.<\/p>

Flat wire, also known as "Ribbon", looks like a metal sheet, and its surface area is several times that of ordinary round heating wires. With the same number of coils, it achieves a larger heating area.<\/p>

Moreover, flat wire has the characteristics of quick heating and cooling, producing large vapor without easily burning the cotton.<\/p>

Today, I will introduce the most unique "ordinary heating wire"—the "Ribbon" flat wire.<\/p>

The most common use of flat wire is in making fancy coils, and you can see it in tiger coils, flat claptons, and more.<\/p>

Since the cross-section of flat wire is rectangular, the model is marked with two data points, usually the first is the thickness and the second is the width. For example, 0.1*0.8 indicates that the flat wire has a thickness of 0.1mm and a width of 0.8mm.<\/p>

Here, everyone should note that if you use flat wire to make coils alone, you should choose a thickness of 0.2 or above, as 0.1 thickness is too thin and difficult to shape and adjust, making it more suitable for fancy coils.<\/p>

This time, I chose flat wire made of RHINO A1 material, with a specification of 0.2*0.8, 30Ft. The thickness is doubled compared to 0.1, and the 0.8mm width maximizes the heating area while not being too wide to fit some small atomizers.<\/p>

1. Flat wire single coil dripping (RDA)<\/p>

When making coils with flat wire, you can also use a coil winder, which is more convenient than doing it by hand.<\/p>

This time, I used Coil Master's latest coil winder, which has a new slot at the top that perfectly holds the flat wire. Of course, you can also pass it through the small hole at the top like ordinary heating wires. The 0.8mm width can easily pass through.<\/p>

Since the flat wire is quite thin, you need to pay attention to the angle and force of your right hand while winding to avoid tangling it into a "flat wire lollipop".<\/p>

Determine the number of coils based on the size of the atomizer; on the Wasp Nano RDA, you can achieve up to 10 coils.<\/p>

After winding, you can use pliers to tighten the coil, making it more compact. You can also use a blowtorch to heat the coil to shape it, making installation easier.<\/p>

When adjusting the coil made from flat wire, be careful not to use tweezers or pliers to press down hard on both ends like you would with ordinary coils, as it can easily spread the coil apart. Adjustments should be gentle. In fact, flat wire heats evenly once it is heated through, and adjustments mainly focus on the coil's position and height.<\/p>

Coil Master's "ceramic winding rod" is also a practical tool that can be used to adjust the coil while powered on, similar to ceramic tweezers.<\/p>

Since the coil is easier to shape when heated, "live adjustments" are more convenient and time-saving.<\/p>

In this example, I used the "live adjustment" method, heating the coil red and then moving the ceramic winding rod to easily adjust the coil to the right position.<\/p>

(The data in the image shows flat wire 0.2*0.8 | 3mm coil diameter | 10 coils with a resistance of around 0.88Ω, for reference only)<\/p>

2. Flat wire single coil tank (RTA)<\/p>

The winding and adjustment process is the same as before, so I won't elaborate further.<\/p>

This example uses the golden version of the Merlin RTA, with general data: flat wire 0.2*0.8 | 3mm coil diameter | 6 coils with a resistance of around 0.6Ω, for reference only.<\/p>

The coil is in a glowing state.<\/p>

When inserting cotton, be moderate; don't use too much to avoid distorting the coil, but don't use too little either, as excessive heating can cause leaking oil.<\/p>

Here is the vapor effect; using a single coil at 0.6Ω with 30W power performs excellently—quick response and high burst power, with single coil vapor production comparable to that of ordinary dual coils.<\/p>

3. Flat wire dual coil<\/p>

For the currently most common "dual coil" setup, I also conducted tests. This time, I used the Ijoy RDTA BOX mini, which is one of my favorite devices recently, commonly referred to as "Little Yellow".<\/p>

The coil used has general data: flat wire 0.2*0.8 | 3mm coil diameter | 6 coils dual coil, with a resistance of around 0.28Ω.<\/p>

At 3.6V and 50W, the burst performance is already very rapid.

After inserting cotton, the flat wire dual coil has a very high burst power, instantly vaporizing the residual e-liquid on the coil, and during continuous output, the vapor production is also quite impressive.

4. Flavor and other characteristics of flat wire<\/p>

Is the advantage of flat wire limited to large vapor and high burst power?

Through my actual testing, I found that besides vapor and burst, the biggest feature of flat wire is its excellent flavor.

Under the same data, it produces a richer flavor compared to ordinary heating wires, with clearer layers and more detailed nuances. Although it still has some gaps compared to fancy heating wires and coils, as a "single wire", it can achieve effects comparable to claptons, offering higher cost performance in terms of operation and price, which is unmatched by other single wires.

The high burst of flat wire is due to its thin thickness, which is very conducive to heat conduction. Similarly, flat wire also cools down very quickly. According to my daily usage habits, whether single or dual coil, after continuous use, the temperature of the atomizer and device is much lower than that of ordinary heating wires, even during long sessions, the exterior of the atomizer only feels warm, unlike ordinary coils or fancy coils that can get very hot.

Conclusion: Flat wire and ordinary heating wires share the same structure, both belong to "single wires", but due to the larger surface area, flat wire has a significantly higher heating area than ordinary wires, while its thickness is only a fraction of that of ordinary round heating wires. The heating and cooling speeds are very rapid, allowing for instant bursts and sustained output while avoiding excessive temperatures in vapor and devices, providing multiple "Buff" effects.

For mechanical mods, flat wire is essentially a type of "single wire". Its structure is much simpler than that of fancy heating wires, so under the same data and resistance, the performance improvement is more pronounced compared to ordinary coils. It not only solves the slow heating problem of complex fancy coils on mechanical mods but also increases vapor production and enhances flavor, making it simple and easy to use.

Generally speaking, ordinary heating wires produce large vapor, but the flavor tends to decrease because they rely on high temperatures to vaporize more e-liquid, which inevitably destroys some of the flavors in the e-liquid.

In contrast, flat wire relies on its larger surface area to increase the heating area, thereby vaporizing more e-liquid to enhance vapor production. Therefore, at the same vapor production level, flat wire operates at a lower temperature, preserving the components of the e-liquid more comprehensively. Thus, flat wire excels in both vapor production and flavor, truly earning the title of "King of Single Wires".

Friendly Reminder: Flat wire is relatively thin and has sharp edges, so be careful to protect your fingers during operation to avoid cuts from the heating wire.

If you are always dissatisfied with the vapor and flavor from ordinary heating wires, then give flat wire a try! Thank you for watching, and see you next time!