Vape Glossary

This glossary explains the main technical and usage terms you’ll see across VapePicks’s reviews, guides, and testing pages. It is written for adult nicotine users who want to understand how vape devices work and how we describe them.

Nothing on this page is medical advice. Nicotine is addictive and not recommended for people who do not already use nicotine, for minors, or for individuals who are pregnant or have certain health conditions. Always follow local laws and official health guidance where you live.

1. Inhalation Styles

MTL (Mouth-to-Lung)

What it is:
An inhalation style where you first pull vapor into your mouth, then draw it down into your lungs (similar to how many people smoke traditional cigarettes).

In our reviews:

  • Often associated with tighter, cigarette-like draw

  • Works best with higher nicotine strengths and lower wattage

  • You will see this used when we describe pod systems and lower-power devices

DTL (Direct-to-Lung)

What it is:
An inhalation style where you draw vapor straight from the device into your lungs in one continuous pull (closer to breathing in through a wide straw).

In our reviews:

  • Usually involves looser airflow and higher vapor volume

  • Common with higher-wattage devices, larger coils, and lower nicotine strengths

  • Often linked with “cloudier” setups that Marcus focuses on in heavy-use testing

RDL (Restricted Direct Lung)

What it is:
A middle ground between MTL and DTL. The airflow is more open than typical MTL but more restricted than full DTL.

In our reviews:

  • Shows up when a device can serve both MTL and DTL users with adjustable airflow

  • Important for versatility scores and comfort for mixed-style users

2. Core Hardware Terms

Coil

What it is:
The heating element inside the vape device or pod. It usually consists of a metal wire or mesh wrapped or paired with wicking material (often cotton). The coil heats the e-liquid and turns it into vapor.

Key points we look at:

  • Material: Kanthal, stainless steel, mesh designs, etc.

  • Lifespan: How long before flavor drops or a burnt taste appears

  • Consistency: Whether the coil performs evenly from puff to puff

Resistance (Ohms, Ω)

What it is:
A measure of how much the coil resists the flow of electrical current. Lower resistance typically allows more power to run through the coil, which can create more vapor.

Common ranges:

  • Sub-ohm: Below 1.0 Ω, often used for DTL and higher wattages

  • Above-ohm: 1.0 Ω and higher, often for MTL and lower power

In our reviews:
Resistance interacts with wattage, airflow, and e-liquid type. It affects vapor production, warmth, and sometimes flavor clarity.

Battery Capacity (mAh)

What it is:
Battery capacity is usually listed in milliampere-hours (mAh). It describes how much electrical charge the battery can store.

Simple reading:

  • Higher mAh → potential for longer time between charges (under similar usage conditions)

  • Real-world life depends on wattage, coil resistance, and how often you vape

In our reviews:
We combine the stated mAh with day-to-day testing. Jamal’s everyday carry tests and Marcus’s heavy-use tests both feed into our Battery Life scores.

Wattage (W)

What it is:
The power output sent to the coil. Higher wattage typically means warmer vapor and more vapor volume, but also faster e-liquid and battery use.

In our reviews:
We note:

  • Recommended wattage range from the manufacturer

  • How the device behaves at the low, middle, and high ends of that range

  • Whether flavor or coil life drops sharply at higher wattage

Voltage (V)

What it is:
Electrical potential supplied by the battery or device. Some devices let you adjust voltage directly, others manage it automatically while you set wattage or don’t adjust anything at all.

In our reviews:
Voltage is usually in the background. We mainly focus on wattage and real-world performance unless the device is “voltage only.”

3. E-Liquid Ingredients and Strength

Nicotine mg/ml

What it is:
A measurement of nicotine concentration in e-liquid. “mg/ml” means milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid.

Example:

  • 6 mg/ml = 6 milligrams of nicotine in each milliliter of e-liquid

  • 20 mg/ml = higher concentration, usually stronger nicotine impact

In our reviews:

  • We note which strengths we used while testing

  • We describe perceived nicotine impact and throat sensation as subjective experience

  • We remind readers that nicotine is addictive and that any change in strength should be considered carefully

Freebase Nicotine

What it is:
A form of nicotine commonly used in earlier e-liquids. It tends to feel harsher at higher strengths but can work smoothly at lower concentrations.

In our reviews:
We mention it when comparing older-style liquids and some DTL-focused juices to nicotine salt liquids.

Nicotine Salts (Nic Salt)

What it is:
A form of nicotine modified with an acid to reduce harshness and make higher concentrations more comfortable for many users.

In our reviews:

  • Often used in closed pods and high-strength e-liquids

  • Important when describing throat hit and how strong a pod feels at a given mg/ml level

  • We do not treat smoother feel as lower risk; it is still nicotine and still addictive

VG (Vegetable Glycerin)

What it is:
A thick, slightly sweet liquid used as a base in e-liquid. It helps create dense vapor.

Typical traits:

  • More VG → thicker clouds, smoother inhale for many users

  • Very high VG → may be too thick for some small pod coils

PG (Propylene Glycol)

What it is:
A thinner liquid used as the other main base. It carries flavor well and often contributes to throat sensation.

Typical traits:

  • More PG → stronger flavor and more noticeable throat hit for many users

  • Some users report sensitivity or irritation with higher PG levels

VG/PG Ratio

What it is:
The percentage split between VG and PG in an e-liquid, often written as “70/30” or “50/50.”

General patterns:

  • 50/50: Balanced, common for many MTL and pod setups

  • 70/30 VG/PG: Thicker, often used for DTL and larger clouds

In our reviews:
We specify the ratio we used so you can compare your own liquids with our test conditions.

4. Device Modes and Controls

Temperature Control (TC)

What it is:
A feature that lets the device monitor and limit the coil temperature rather than only controlling power (watts). It usually works with specific coil materials (like stainless steel or nickel) and aims to avoid dry hits.

What we check:

  • How stable the temperature feels during long draws

  • Whether TC reduces burnt or dry puffs when liquid runs low

  • How easy it is for an average adult user to set up (menus, presets, coil detection)

Variable Wattage (VW)

What it is:
The most common mode in modern devices. You pick a wattage, and the device adjusts voltage automatically to match.

In our reviews:
We note how accurate the power feels, how smooth ramp-up is, and whether the device behaves predictably across the stated wattage range.

Bypass Mode

What it is:
A mode where the device behaves somewhat like a mechanical mod: it draws power directly based on battery charge and coil resistance, with minimal regulation.

In our reviews:
If a device offers bypass mode, we treat it as an advanced feature. We comment on how consistent the vape feels as battery voltage falls, and we remind users that this mode is not aimed at beginners.

Airflow Control

What it is:
A mechanism (slider, ring, rotating pod, etc.) that adjusts how much air passes through the device during a puff.

In our reviews:
We connect airflow options to MTL/RDL/DTL performance. Jamal often comments on how easy it is to adjust on the move, while Marcus looks at how wide-open airflow behaves under high power.

5. Safety and Protection Features

Short-Circuit Protection

What it is:
An electronic safety function that detects a fault (like a direct connection between positive and negative points) and stops the device from firing.

Overheat / Over-Temperature Protection

What it is:
A feature that monitors device temperature and limits or cuts power if it rises too high.

Overcharge / Over-Discharge Protection

What it is:
Measures that help protect the battery from being charged too far or drained too deeply, both of which can harm the battery and, in some cases, create safety risks.

In our reviews:
Chris pays close attention to how the device behaves when held down for long draws, used repeatedly, or charged frequently. We describe observed behavior and list protection features as part of reliability and safety context, not as guarantees.

6. Form Factors and Components

Pod / Pod System

What it is:
A compact device that uses small, often replaceable or refillable cartridges (pods) containing the coil and e-liquid.

Pros often noted in reviews:

  • Simple to use

  • Portable

  • Lower maintenance than many tank-and-mod setups

Tank

What it is:
A refillable container that holds e-liquid and houses the coil, usually attached to a separate battery “mod.”

In our reviews:
Tanks appear more often in coverage of higher-output or more customizable setups. We look at refill design, leak resistance, and how easy it is to change coils.

Mod

What it is:
The main body of a device that contains the battery and control electronics. You attach a tank or pod on top.

In our reviews:
We assess build quality, weight, button and screen layout, and how clear the settings are.

Disposable Vape

What it is:
A single-use device prefilled with e-liquid and a built-in battery. Once the liquid or battery is exhausted, you discard the whole device.

In our reviews:
We focus on real-world lifespan, consistency over the life of the device, and overall portability and convenience. We also note concerns about waste and local rules where relevant.

7. Charging and Connectors

mAh (Battery Capacity, repeated term)

See “Battery Capacity” above. It appears frequently in product specs.

USB-C / Micro-USB

What it is:
The charging port type on the device. USB-C is now more common and tends to be more robust and reversible.

In our reviews:
Jamal pays attention to port placement (bottom vs side), whether the device can stand upright while charging, and the approximate time from low to full charge.

Pass-Through Charging

What it is:
A feature that lets you use the device while it is plugged in and charging, if the manufacturer allows it.

In our reviews:
We note whether the manual permits this and whether it affects heat and comfort during use. Even when pass-through is possible, we treat it cautiously in heavy-use scenarios.

8. Performance and Sensation Terms

Throat Hit

What it is:
The feeling in the throat when inhaling vapor. It can feel smooth, sharp, strong, or light, depending on nicotine strength, PG/VG ratio, flavorings, and power level.

In our reviews:

  • Described as subjective experience only

  • Never used as a proxy for safety

  • Sometimes linked to nicotine salts vs freebase behavior

Vapor Production

What it is:
How much visible vapor a device produces per puff. Influenced by wattage, coil design, airflow, and e-liquid composition.

In our reviews:
Marcus often comments on vapor density and warmth during high-output sessions. We score devices on realistic usage, not staged “cloud chasing” tricks.

Flavor Accuracy

What it is:
How closely the taste of the vapor matches the flavor printed on the packaging and how clearly different notes come through.

In our reviews:

  • We account for differences in taste between testers

  • We focus on clarity, balance, and whether the flavor remains stable over time

  • We do not treat “tastier” as “safer” or “healthier”

9. Regulatory and Health-Context Terms (High-Level)

Nicotine Warning Statements

What it is:
Messages on packaging and marketing materials that state the product contains nicotine and that nicotine is addictive.

In our reviews:
We check for the presence and clarity of these warnings and often mention them in sections related to packaging and labeling.

Age Restriction

What it is:
Legal rules that restrict the sale of nicotine products to people above a set minimum age (for example, 21 in the United States in most cases).

In our reviews:
We remind readers that our content is for adults only and that local age laws must be followed.

Risk Information from Health Authorities

What it is:
Statements and reports from organizations such as the FDA, CDC, WHO, and national health agencies about the potential risks of e-cigarettes and nicotine.

In our reviews and guides:

  • We use these documents to frame general risk discussions

  • We do not interpret them as personal medical guidance

  • Dr. Adrian Walker checks our wording when we summarize or reference these positions

This glossary will continue to evolve as devices and regulations change. When you see these terms in a VapePicks review or core page, they follow the definitions laid out here, and they remain grounded in adult, real-world use rather than promotion or medical promises.