Eight Ways to Avoid Spit-Back When Vaping

Even the most advanced vaping system, used by the most experienced vaper, is prone to giving some kind of problem from time to time – whether that be a dry hit, a leaking tank, or spit-back.  Speaking of “spit-back”, it’s actually very annoying, because it causes hot droplets to make their way into your mouth while you’re inhaling.  Not to mention, spit-back is indicative of a bigger issue, so it’s more of a symptom than the disease, so to speak.

Luckily, it’s easier than ever to prevent spit-back, as modern hardware has all kinds of protections against both common annoyances and serious malfunctions, compared to the vaping setups of 10 years ago.  Still, spit-back can occur for all kinds of reasons, so let’s go over the best ways to prevent it from happening in the first place.

What is Spit-Back and How Does it Happen?

Spit-back refers to hot droplets of e-liquid “spitting” into your mouth through the mouthpiece whenever you fire your device and go in to take a puff of vapor.  It’s the result of e-liquid boiling, which isn’t supposed to happen – basically, vape juice should never reach a boiling point, so if spit-back is occurring, that means that something is going wrong with the entire vaporization process within your vaping system.  It’s not dangerous, but it can be annoying, and it can hurt slightly too, as boiling droplets are touching your tongue.

How to Avoid Spit-Back: 8 Simple Tips

Now, let’s talk about how to avoid spit-back, as we’re going to cover 8 tips that will help.  This will also show you the main causes of spit-back, as each remedy relates to a common culprit behind the issue.

Tip #1: Don’t Let Your Wick Get Too Saturated

We understand the importance of priming your coil to ensure that it doesn’t burn out when you vape, or even cause dry hits.  Priming your coil requires that you let the wick inside the coil get saturated with vape juice, so that when the coil heats up upon firing your device, the heat of the coil can get transferred to the e-liquid inside the wick to vaporize it. 

That’s important as it keeps your coil healthy and ensures satisfying pulls of vapor.  But, oversaturating can be an issue that leads to spit-back.  Basically, when priming your coil, don’t add so much e-liquid to the wick that it pools around the coil.  Adding a drop or two at a time is the best way to prevent oversaturation.

Tip #2: Use the Appropriately High Wattage for Your Coil

If your wattage is too low for the coil that you’re using, the e-liquid can flood the coil and fail to vaporize, instead boiling in response to heat exposure.  And, this will almost certainly lead to spit-back.  Make sure your wattage is at the appropriate level for the coil to avoid this issue altogether.  Every pack of coils comes with a suggested wattage range based on the resistance level of the coil, so just make sure to use that as a reference, and you’ll be good to go.  Keep in mind that every coil resistance level is compatible with a different wattage range, so just because the last coil was ideal for, say, 50-70W, doesn’t mean that another coil with a different resistance level is.

Tip #3: Use the Right Coils, in General

Not all coils are created equally.  Avoid cheap coils made by unreputable brands, which may simply not have the ideal construction to vaporize your e-juice properly, making spit-back all but inevitable.  On top of that, it’s good to know that twisted and Clapton coils are more prone to spit-back than other type of coils, especially if you’re not using them with the appropriate wattage or temperature.  Multi-strand coils are more prone to causing e-juice to pool around the coil, rather than vaporize, causing it to boil and spit back into your mouth – especially if the output level of your device is too low.

Tip #4: Don’t Draw Too Hard

Sometimes, it’s the way that you’re inhaling that’s causing spit-back.  Inhaling too deeply can cause e-liquid in the tank to flood the coil, as you’re forcing it out with the strength of your breath.  So, inhale more moderately, or lower the airflow if airflow adjustment is available on your tank, so that pulling more deeply won’t have nearly as much of an effect on the e-liquid inside your coil.

Tip #5: Use a Better Drip Tip

One of many reasons why spit-back is not as much of a common issue as it used to be is, believe it or not, because drip tips have gotten more advanced.  That’s right – that small tube at the top of your tank’s mouthpiece has evolved just as much as every other piece of vaping hardware.  A longer drip tip with a slight curve really reduces the likelihood of dealing with spit-back, as those droplets have a harder time getting up and into your mouth when you draw.  A rotatable drip tip is another solution that can minimize the likelihood of spit-back.

Tip #6: Keep the Chimney Clean

Another common cause for spit-back is that the actual chimney of your tank is flooded, and not the coil.  E-liquid can and often does make its way into the mouthpiece chimney, collecting there until you’re ready to take a pull of vapor in.  The result is hot e-liquid that’s accumulated in there, spitting back into your mouth.  Fortunately, this is a super easy fix – just keep that chimney clean as often as possible, either with a cotton swab or with running water.

Tip #7: Recognize When it’s Time to Switch Your Coil

Often, spit-back is a sign that your coil is simply on its way out – it needs to be replaced then.  If this happens, you will also likely notice poor flavor, and poor vapor output.  As the wire coil begins to degrade over time, it won’t be able to heat that e-liquid like it used to, and instead, the e-liquid will simply boil, and spit-back will become an issue as the coil floods with e-juice that isn’t vaporizing properly.

Tip #8: Go with Higher VG

Yes, you can opt for a higher-VG e-juice, if that’s what you prefer.  The thinner the consistency of your e-liquid, the more easily it will boil when heat is applied to it from the coil.  Vape juices all have a unique ratio of VG (vegetable glycerin) to PG (propylene glycol), with the former being a more viscous substance that’s ideal for getting those fluffy vape clouds.  PG can give you a stronger throat hit when it’s the dominant of the two in any given e-juice formula, but just know that spit-back will be a more common issue if you choose a high-PG e-liquid.

Say Goodbye to Spit-Back Once and for All!

At the end of the day, spit-back is a sign that something needs to be adjusted with your vaping setup.  It can be a matter of switching out your coil, trying a new e-liquid formula, or simply taking in puffs that aren’t as deep.  Either way, no one should have to deal with spit-back on a regular basis, so consider all of the above strategies to hopefully guarantee that it never happens again.