Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt?

20th Sep 2023

V2 UK guide explaining why a vape tastes burnt, with common causes including an empty pod, unprimed or worn coil, incorrect wattage, thick e-liquid and vaping while charging.

By Joe Delaney; Senior Vape Product Specialist, V2 Cigs UK

Originally Published: 20th September 2023

Last updated: 19th August 2026

Vaping products are for adult smokers and existing vapers only. Vaping is not risk-free. Not suitable for non-smokers or anyone under 18.

Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt?

A burnt taste almost always comes down to one of a handful of things: an empty pod or cartridge, an unprimed coil, an old or dirty coil, e-liquid that's too thick for the wattage you're using, or a wattage setting that's mismatched to the coil, whether that's too high or too low.

We tested the too-high scenario deliberately, so you can see exactly what that looks like before it happens to you.

Pods Out of E-Liquid? That's the Most Common Cause

If a prefilled or refillable pod that's tasted fine for days suddenly turns harsh and burnt, it's almost always down to e-liquid running low. Most pods are opaque, so there's no way to see the level directly. Flavour and vapour production drop off sharply in the last few puffs before the wick runs dry, and once it does, every puff after that tastes burnt. There's no fix here beyond replacing the device.

New Vape Tastes Burnt on Some Puffs but Not Others?

This usually means you're vaping faster than the wick can keep up. Each puff draws e-liquid out of a cotton wick wrapped around the coil, and the wick needs a couple of seconds between puffs to reabsorb more juice. Chain-puffing outpaces that, and you get a dry, burnt hit even though there's plenty of e-liquid left in the tank. Slow down and leave a short gap between puffs.

Cigalike or Pod System Burning Through Cartridges Fast?

With a pod system, it's usually obvious when a pod is running low because the pod itself is transparent. Cigalike cartridges are opaque, so the first sign is the same as with a pod device: flavour and vapour drop, then the burnt taste sets in once the wick runs dry. If you're using a cigalike starter kit and going through cartridges faster than expected, that's normal use, not a fault, and swapping in a fresh prefilled cartridge sorts it immediately.

Burnt Taste Straight After Charging?

This one catches people out because it looks like a coil problem when it isn't. Vaping a big puff or pod device while it's still on charge, or firing it up in the few minutes right after a full charge, can send more power into the coil than it's built to handle. Take the pod out while it's charging if your device allows it, and give it ten minutes or so after a full charge before your next vape. If you've been doing this without realising, it's worth ruling out before you assume the coil itself is at fault.

Fitted a New Coil and It Still Tastes Burnt? You Probably Didn't Prime It

This is the one we see most often with new coils, and it's avoidable. A dry coil will burn on the first fire, even a brand-new one straight out of the packet. Before you vape on a new coil, prime it properly: a few drops of e-liquid directly onto the exposed wick through the coil's side and top openings, then fill the tank as normal and leave it to sit for five minutes or so before you fire it. If you skip that step and get a harsh dry hit straight away, the cotton wick can scorch permanently, and no amount of soaking afterwards will fix it. At that point the coil needs replacing, not resoaking.

We Deliberately Pushed a Coil Too Hard, So You Don't Have To

Wattage that's too high for the coil you're using is one of the fastest ways to get a burnt hit, and it's also one of the easiest mistakes to make without realising it. We tested this ourselves on a Vaporesso XROS 6 Pod Vape Kit with a 0.4ohm pod fitted, running Elux Legend Nic Salt in Lemon and Lime at 10mg, a lower-strength salt that suits the pod's warmer, airier restricted direct-to-lung draw. That pod lets you manually adjust the power output between 5W and 30W in 0.5W increments, and Vaporesso officially recommends around 25W for it, so we deliberately pushed it to the top of that range instead.

The result was immediate. The e-liquid on the wick couldn't vaporise fast enough to keep pace with the heat, so instead of turning to smooth vapour it started to scorch against the coil itself, and the burnt taste hit within a couple of puffs. Every pod has a manufacturer-recommended wattage, usually printed on the pod or listed on the packaging, and the 0.4ohm pod we tested is built to run comfortably at around 25W. Push it up towards the very top of the device's range and you'll burn it every time, regardless of how well it was primed or how fresh the e-liquid is. It's the same root cause behind a device that runs hot in your hand, so if that sounds familiar too, it's worth checking your wattage either way.

Go too far the other way and you'll get a burnt taste for a different reason: wattage set too low doesn't generate enough heat to vaporise the e-liquid properly, so the coil ends up simmering the wick rather than cleanly turning it to vapour. It's a less common cause than running too hot, but it catches people out on devices with a wide adjustable range, especially after switching from a higher-power setup.

Once you know the cause, the fix is simple: match your wattage to the number printed on the coil, and if you're not sure, start low and work up gradually rather than guessing on the high side.

Old Coil? Gradual Burnt Taste Over Days Usually Means It's Worn Out

Coils have a working life, typically somewhere between a few days and a few weeks depending on how much you vape and what you're vaping. Residue from the e-liquid builds up on the coil over time, and once that layer gets thick enough, flavour quality drops and the burnt taste creeps in gradually rather than appearing all at once. Sweeter e-liquids tend to residue up coils faster than plain ones, so if you're getting through coils quicker than you'd like, that's often why. Cleaning your tank regularly slows this buildup down and buys the coil a bit more life, though it won't rescue one that's already scorched. Keeping a couple of spares in stock means you're never caught out mid-vape.

Is the E-Liquid Itself the Problem?

Occasionally the cause isn't the hardware at all. Cheaper or lower-quality e-liquid can contain impurities that scorch at normal vaping temperatures, producing a burnt edge even on a properly primed, well-matched coil. High-VG e-liquid is also thicker and slower to soak into a wick than a 50/50 PG/VG or high-PG mix, which makes it more prone to dry hits if you're vaping in quick succession. Old e-liquid can behave the same way, so if a bottle's been open a while, it's worth checking whether vape juice actually expires before you rule it out. If you've ruled out priming, wattage and coil age and you're still getting an off taste, switching to a different e-liquid is worth trying before you assume the device itself is faulty.

If you've worked through everything above and it's still not right, it's occasionally a faulty coil or tank rather than anything you're doing wrong. Get in touch with our team and we'll sort it if you're still within warranty, rather than you writing off a device that shouldn't be giving you trouble.

If none of this matches what you're seeing, our full troubleshooting guide covers the rest of the common vaping problems we hear about most.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a burnt coil be fixed, or does it need replacing?

Once cotton has scorched, it's permanent. Soaking a burnt coil won't remove the taste. The only fix is a fresh coil, properly primed before you vape on it.

How long should I wait after filling a new coil before vaping?

Around five minutes is usually enough for the wick to fully absorb the e-liquid, though up to thirty minutes is fine if you can spare the time. Firing too soon is the single most common cause of a burnt new coil.

Does a higher wattage always mean better flavour?

No. Every coil has a wattage range it's designed for, printed on the coil itself. Going above that range doesn't intensify flavour, it burns the wick and ruins it.

Why does my vape only taste burnt with certain e-liquids?

Sweeter and higher-VG e-liquids residue up coils faster and are more prone to dry hits, so they're more likely to produce a burnt taste on a coil that's otherwise fine with thinner liquids.

Last updated: 19th August 2026

About the Author

Joe Delaney looks after the day to day running of V2 Cigs UK and writes its blogs.

When the blog recommends a device, he has used it - and for a leak test that means actually filling kits and trying to make them fail, pocket-carrying them and leaving them upside down overnight, rather than repeating manufacturer claims.

Health, safety and regulatory points are checked against named UK authorities such as the NHS and MHRA, and a product is only ever called "less harmful than smoking" where a UK authority says so. More about how he works, and the family story behind V2, is on Joe's author profile.