Welcome to Go Smoke Free's guide to vaping terms and slang! If you're new to vaping or just want to catch up on all the lingo, you’ve come to the right place. As one of the UK's top vape specialists, we understand that the world of vaping can seem a bit confusing with all its buzzwords and slang. But don't worry; we’re here to help make everything clear and straightforward.

Whether you’re just starting your vaping journey with a disposable vape or vape pen or you’re diving into the exciting realms of custom mods, knowing the correct terms can make everything smoother and more enjoyable. Our glossary covers everything from the nuts and bolts of vape devices, like mods and coils, to the varieties of e-liquids, such as VG/PG ratios and nicotine levels.

Understanding the terminology can help you pick the right products, enjoy safer vaping, and maximise your experience. Our goal is to take the mystery out of vaping terms and put you in the know so you can enjoy every puff with confidence.

A

ADV (All Day Vape): An e-liquid preferred so much that it's vaped consistently throughout the day.

Advanced Personal Vapourizer (APV): A customisable vaping device with features beyond basic e-cigarettes.

Airflow Control: Adjustable setting on devices to modify air intake.

ASH: Action on Smoking and Health; organization usually opposing e-cigarettes.

Atomizer/Atomiser: Component that turns e-liquid into vapour; increasingly called a coil.

Automatic Switch: Activated when a user inhales, eliminating the need for a manual button. Also known as inhale activated.

B

Battery: The power source for the vaping device can be replaceable or integrated.

BCC (Bottom Coil Clearomiser): Clearomiser with the coil located at its bottom.

BDC (Bottom Dual Coil Clearomiser): Clearomiser featuring two coils for increased vapour and throat hit.

Big Puff Vape: A large disposable vape device with substantial e-liquid capacity.

Blend, Ratio, or PG/VG: Proportion of Propylene Glycol to Vegetable Glycerin in e-liquid.

Box Mod: Box-shaped vaping device that may house a replaceable battery.

Bridge: Part sometimes covering the atomiser in older coil designs.

Buck: Power converter that steps down voltage while stepping up current.

Build: Homemade coils for rebuildable atomisers like RBAs, RDAs, and RTAs.


C


Car Adapter: USB adapter for charging vape devices in vehicles.

Cartomiser: Combines a cartridge and atomiser in one unit.

Ceramic Coil: A type of coil built using ceramic as the wicking material rather than cotton.

Cigalike: E-cigs designed to resemble traditional cigarettes.

Clapton: A coil with a thin wire wrapped around a thicker one for more surface area.

Clearomiser: Cartridge and atomiser with clear walls for visibility of e-liquid.

Closed Pod System: A pod system that uses pre-filled pods.

Cloud Chasing: Vaping style focused on producing large clouds.

Coil: The heating element that turns e-liquid into vapour.

Custom Mod: User-customised vaping device not available commercially.


D


Diacetyl: Harmful compound sometimes found in e-liquid; avoidable with reputable suppliers.

DNA Chipset: Brand of chipset providing control and power regulation in devices.

Deck: Attachment point on a mod for tanks or atomizers.

Disposable Vape: A type of vape device designed for single-use

DIY: Do It Yourself, often referring to homemade e-liquids or custom devices.

Draw: Inhalation of vapour from an e-cigarette.

Draw-Activated: Devices that activate and produce vapour automatically when the user inhales.

Drip Tip /Mouthpiece: Mouthpiece of the atomiser or tank that you put into your mouth to inhale from your device.

Dripping: Where e-liquid is dripped directly onto the coil, usually using a custom built mod.

Dry Hit: A puff from an e-cigarette when there is no juice being heated into vapour, resulting in an unpleasant burnt taste and harsh throat hit.

DTL (Direct to Lung): A vaping technique where you inhale the vapour directly into your lungs.

E

E-Cigarette: An electronic cigarette device, often referred to as a vape.

E-Liquid/E-Juice/Vape Juice: Liquid containing PG, VG, nicotine, and flavours vaporised by e-cigs.


F

Flavour Chaser: User prioritising flavour above vapour volume.

Flavour Ghosting: Residual taste from an e-liquid after switching.

Flooding: Excess liquid in an atomiser leading to gurgling and reduced vapour.


G

Genesis Atomiser: An RBA with a tank below the coil deck, often using a stainless steel mesh wick.


H

Han Li (Hon Lik): Inventor of the modern e-cigarette.

Herbert Gilbert: Early designer and patent holder of an e-cigarette prototype.

High Resistance: Refers to vape coils with a resistance above 1.0ohm.

Hookah Pen: E-cig resembling a hookah, popular for flavour variety.

Hybrid e liquid: e liquid that is a mixture of freebase nicotine and nicotine salt.  


I

IBVTA: Independent British Vaping Trade Association.

Inhale: The action of breathing in vapour from the mouthpiece of a vape device.


J

Joules: Measurement of energy, important in vaping for device power ratings.


K

Kanthal Wire: Resistance wire commonly used in coil construction.


L

LED: Light Emitting Diode in e-cigs indicating operation or battery status.

Leaking: Unintended fluid escape from a cartridge or tank.

Lithium Ion Batteries: Powerful batteries widely used in vaping devices.

LR: Low Resistance, which offers higher vapour production.


M

mAh: Milliamp hour, indicative of battery capacity.

Mech Mod (Mechanical Mod): Device lacking regulation circuits; used for high-power vaping.

Mesh Coil: Designed to increase the surface area of the metal that comes into contact with your wicking material

MTL (Mouth to Lung): A vaping style where you draw vapour into your mouth before inhaling it into your lungs, similar to how you would smoke a traditional cigarette.


N


Nic: Abbreviation for nicotine.

Nic Base: Nicotine concentrate for DIY e-liquid mixing.

Nicotine Salts (Nic Salts): Nicotine in salt form allowing higher concentrations.

Nic Shot/Nicotine Shot: Unflavoured liquid containing nicotine, intended to be added to a shortfill bottle.

Nicotine Strength: The concentration of nicotine in disposable or pod vapes.

Nichrome/Nickel Wire: Nickel Chrome or nichrome wire can be used to measure the temperature of the coil in temperature control mods.

O

Ohm: Measures electrical resistance of coils; vital for voltage and power calculations.

Organic Cotton: Organic cotton, especially Japanese, is favoured by many vapers for use in e-cig wicks.

Open Pod System: A pod system that uses refillable pods.

O-Ring: Used in vape tanks to prevent e-liquid or vape juice leaking.


P

Passthrough: Allows device use while charging.

Pen-Style Vape: Device resembling a pen, convenient and portable.

PG (Propylene Glycol): Base liquid in e-juice contributing to throat hit and flavour.

Pod Vape: Portable vaping device that uses pre-filled or refillable pods instead of tanks.

Pre-filled Pod: A pod that comes with e-liquid already inside.

Priming: Saturating a new coil with e-liquid to prevent dry hits.

Puff Count: How many draws you can inhale on a device before the vape juice and/or battery runs out.


Q

Quitting Aid: Nicotine alternatives aiding cessation of traditional smoking.


R


RBA: Rebuildable Atomiser, for crafting own coils.

RDA: Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer, for direct dripping on coils.

RDTL (Restricted Direct to Lung): A hybrid vaping style that combines elements of both MTL and DTL techniques.

Regulated Mod: A device with safety features to prevent the mod from overheating.

Refillable Pod: A pod that can be filled multiple times with e-liquid of choice.

RTA (Rebuildable Tank Atomizer): A coil/atomiser that can be rebuilt and used within a standard tank.


S

Shortfill: Larger e-liquid bottles with space for nicotine shot addition.

Snus: a moist form of smokeless tobacco which you place under your top lip.

Squonking: Using a squonk bottle for direct e-liquid feeding to the atomiser.

Starter Kit: A basic package with all the essentials to start vaping.

Stealth Vaping: Discreet vaping to minimise visible vapour.

Steeping: An oxidation process that occurs between the flavouring, nicotine, and base (PG/VG) giving your juice time to become more flavourful.


T

Tank: Reservoir storing e-liquid and housing coils.

TC (Temperature Control): Ability to set the temperature you want your atomiser to run at rather than the voltage or wattage.

TPD: Tobacco Product Directive created by the European Union to regulate e-cigarettes and tobacco products.

THR (Tobacco Harm Reduction): Strategies reducing harms of traditional cigarette smoking.

Throat Hit: Sensation felt in the throat when inhaling vapour.


U

Unregulated Mod: No built-in safety controls; requires advanced user knowledge.


V

Vape/Vaping: The act or process of inhaling vapour from an e-cigarette.

Vaper: A person who uses e-cigarettes..

Vapour Production: Amount of vapour produced by a device.

Vaping Style: Preferred method of vaping, such as MTL or DTL.

Vaper’s Tongue: The dulling of taste, mainly due to intense vaping or smoking the same e-liquid for an extended period of time.

Vent Holes: Designed as a safety feature in batteries, these allow gases to be expelled from the battery.

VG (Vegetable Glycerin): Base liquid in e-juice associated with cloud production.

VV: An abbreviation for the variable voltage, which refers to the ability to control the voltage of an e-cig.

VW: An abbreviation for variable wattage, which refers to the ability to control the wattage of an e-cig.


W

Watt: Power measurement for vaping devices.

Wick: Absorbent material (usually organic cotton) used to draw the e-liquid into the heating element.

Wrap: Term for building coils, adding protective layers, or covering mods.

X

X-Blend: Custom blend of e-liquid bases and flavours.


Z

Zero Nic: E-liquids or cartridges containing no nicotine.

Zinc Alloy: Durable material used in vaping device construction.