• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Vapebeat

  • Our E-Juice Store
  • Best Vape Products
  • User Guides
  • Reviews
  • Vape Culture
  • News
  • About Us
  • Nav Meta Menu

    Meta

  • E-Juice Store
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Sub-Ohm Vaping

Vaping 101: A Simple Guide 100% Designed For New Vapers – Covering Tanks, Rebuildable Tanks, Mods & E Juice!

By Nick Jennings | March 20 2019

Vaping 101 – A Quick Primer on Everything You Need To Know If You’re New To Vaping – From Types of Tanks and Mods to Batteries and E Juice…


Table of Contents:

1) Types of Vape Tank

2) Rebuildable Tanks

3) Vape Mods & Box Mods

4) Squonk Mods Explained

5) Best E Juice Guide

6) Dry Herb Vaporizers

OK, you’re here because you want a quick primer on vaping – a Vaping 101 if you will!

That’s cool. You’re in the right place. This post is designed to get you up to speed on all the buzzwords and jargon used in the industry.

By the end of it, you’ll know all the different styles of tanks, the different types of devices and mods, as well as the best E Juice to get for your needs.

I’ve also included tables that highlight the best vape products for each major category.

I’m going to keep things nice and simple too.

And that means you should be able to read this post by the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee.

Cool?

Right, let’s do this!

Vape Tanks (All Major Types Explained)

vaping 101

Vape tanks are important, as they’re basically the business end of a vape kit, the part that delivers the E Juice and Nicotine.

There are several types of vape tank around right now:

  • Sub Ohm Tanks – These tanks run stock pre-made coils. They’re simple and they kick out a ton of clouds and flavor. This is why they’re so popular with vapers.
  • RTA Tanks – These are rebuildable, meaning you install your own coil. Not ideal for newbies, but they are great for flavor and clouds.
  • RDA Tanks – Like an RTA, an RDA is rebuildable. However, you DO NOT have any juice storage – this is why they’re often called drippers (you gotta drip or squonk juice on the coil to use them).
  • MTL Tanks – These can be rebuildable or non-rebuildable, and they’re designed to more closely resemble the draw of a cigarette, which means they’re tighter than standard sub ohm tanks.

Still with me?

If you’re brand-spanking new to vaping, you’ll want something simple.

You might also want something that draws like a cigarette too. And for this, you’ll want an MTL vape tank and a vape mod.

My recommendation for this kind of setup?

Simple: Innokin’s Kroma-A Kit + Zenith Tank.

It’s bloody fantastic and is the perfect vape for a first timer.

vaping 101

The EPIC Innokin Kroma-A Kit + Zenith Tank – The Perfect Vape For Anyone That is 100% New And Wants A Cigarette-Like Draw From Their Vape Tank

Want a straight-up sub ohm tank that chucks out plenty of clouds and flavor instead? Use the table below.

PicturesNameLatest PricesRatingReviewWhy You'd Buy This Tank

best vape tanks

Falcon KING 

(The #1 For Flavor)

100%

READ REVIEW

  • Best In Class Flavor 
  • Insanely Good Mesh Coils
  • Premium Design & Finish 
  • 100% Leak-Proof 
  • Excellent Value For Money

top vape tank

OFRF nexMESH Vape Tank

(INSANELY Good Mesh Coils)

100%

READ REVIEW

  • Amazing Design
  • Brilliant “Conical” Mesh Coils
  • Epic Flavor – Best I’ve Had In Ages
  • Premium Build Quality
  • 100% Leak-Proof & Shock-Proof

best mesh tank

Sense SCREEN

(Best Triple/Quad Mesh Coils)

100%

READ REVIEW

  • You Want Triple & Quad Mesh Coils 
  • Better Flavor Than Falcon Tank 
  • No Leaks 
  • Amazing Design 
  • Otherworldly Flavor
  • Coils Last Weeks At A Time

Falcon Tank

(RDA-Grade Flavor)

98%

READ REVIEW

  • RDA-Like Flavor & Mega Clouds
  • Coil Heads Are BRILLIANT
  • Solid, Well-Executed Design
  • Excellent Value For Money

long lasting vape coils

GeekVape ALPHA Tank

(Amazing Coils & Top Notch Flavor)

98%

READ REVIEW

  • Excellent Coils (They Last AGES) 
  • Brilliant, Precise Flavor 
  • Zero Leaks 
  • Easy To Set Up 
  • Wicks Quickly 
  • Solid, Reliable Performance

best vape tank

FreeMax Mesh Pro

(INSANE Mesh Coil Performance)

90%

READ REVIEW

  • Excellent Design & Looks
  • Great Flavor + Long Lasting Coils
  • Triple Mesh Coil is INSANELY Good
  • Great Price (Only $27.95)

best vape tank

UWELL Valyrian

(A True Classic)

98%

READ REVIEW

  • AMAZING Flavor
  • Great Build Quality
  • Decent Locking Mechanism On Top Cap For E Juice Port
  • Reliable, Consistent Coils – Some of The Best I’ve Ever Used!

>>>Back To The Top


Rebuildable Vape Tanks Explained (RTAs, RDAs & RDTAs)

PROFILE RDA

In the rebuildable vape tank niche, you have three major players:

  1. RDAs – Great For Squonking n’ Dripping; Have No Juice Capacity
  2. RTAs – Like A Sub Ohm Tank, You Have Juice Capacity (2ML to 5ML)
  3. RDTAs – An RDA Just With Juice Capacity (Usually 2ML)

RDAs are best for flavor and performance. I use RDAs most of the time and I squonk with them, as I hate dripping.

IMAGENAMEBEST DEALRATING

best squonk rda single coil

RECURVE RDA

(The King. My #1 FAVE) 

100%

best single coil atty

Wotofo Elder Dragon RDA 

(Insane Value For Money)

100%

best single coil RDA

PROFILE RDA

(Best For Mesh & Flavor)

100%

best squonk rda

Vapefly PIXIE RDA

(Tiny Flavor Banger!)

95%

best RDAs

Pulse 24 RDA

(Will Run Dual-Coils)

98%

RTAs are great because they store E Juice inside them just like a standard vape tank, but they can be fiddly, so make sure you get one that is easy to wick and doesn’t leak (see table for examples).

NamePicturesRatingBest Place To Buy?Why You'd Buy This RTA?

PHAROAH MINI

(Best All-Round RTA)

best RTA

100%

  • Outstanding Flavor 
  • 5ML Juice Capacity 
  • It Never Leaks 
  • Powerful, Dual-Coil Design 
  • Great For Clouds
  • Insanely Cheap

OBS ENGINE II 

(Best Dual Coil Option)

top dual coil rta

100%

  • Solid Design + Beautiful Deck
  • Vapor Production is NUTS
  • Great Flavor (Especially At Medium Power)
  • 100% Leak Proof

Vandy Vape Kylin Mini 

(INSANE Flavor)

best RTAs

91%

  • Brilliant Design
  • Big Deck; Easy To Build On 
  • Smooth Air Flow 
  • Brilliant Flavor + Cloud Production 
  • A Classic Mid-Ranger, Ideal For Newbies

Kayfun V5

(Best For MTL)

best RTA tanks

100%

  • 100% Leak-Proof 
  • Best In Class MTL Vape 
  • Best In Class Flavor 
  • Runs At Low Wattage (Less Than 20W) 
  • Great For Single Coil Mods 
  • Awesome For Battery Life; 3-4 Days on Dual-18650 Mod

Augvape Intake 24mm RTA

(100% LEAK-PROOF)

best RTA tanks

94%

  • 100% LEAK-Proof
  • Once Wicked, Works Like A Sub-Ohm Tank 
  • Awesome Deck 
  • Super-Easy To Build & Set Up
  • Great AFC

Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA

(Best For Flavor & Clouds)

best smoktech mod

97%

  • Single Coil RTA – Great For Battery Life 
  • Excellent Design (Both Tank & Deck) 
  • Simple To Use & Setup
  • Great, Thick Flavor 
  • Doesn't Leak

GeekVape Creed 25mm RTA

(Best For Big Juice Capacity)

best RTA tanks

93%

  • Massive Juice Capacity
  • Hardly Ever Leaks (Very Forgiving RTA) 
  • Excellent Flavor Production
  • Huge Clouds 
  • Simple Install & Wicking 
  • Well Priced

RDTAs are kind of useless in today’s market; squonking has replaced the need for storage on RDAs, as you can simply squeeze a bottle inside your mod and squonk juice up to the atomizer.

If you want to go the rebuildable route, you’re 100% best off going with an RDA or an RTA in my book.


>>>Back To The Top


Vape Mods & Box Mods Explained

best yihi mod

The YiHi SXmini SL Class – A Stunning Mod That’s Pricey But Well Worth It…

Vape mods (or Box Mods) are what power your tank.

They come in all shapes and sizes, but most do the same thing: send power to the atomizer inside your tank.

If you’re new, you’ll want a regulated box mod because unregulated mech mods are extremely dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing – so AVOID these.

Right now, these are my #1 picks for the best vape mods and box mods currently available on the market.

PICTURESNameBest Place To BuyRatingWhy You'd Buy This ModPrice

best vape mod

GeekVape AEGIS X Kit

($68.95 w/FREE SHIPPING)

100%
  • Simple To Use 
  • Great Systems UX; Tons of Vaping Modes 
  • OLED Display 
  • Comes With A Solid Sub Ohm Tank 
  • Ideal For New Vapers 

$68.95 (FREE SHIPPING) 

best box mod

SX Mini G Class 200W

($239.95 w/ FREE SHIPPING)

100%
  • Unparalleled Accuracy & Performance
  • Amazing For Temp Control
  • Ultra-Premium Design
  • Bluetooth Control (iPhone & Android)
  • 100% Accurate Power Delivery
  • Gorgeous Settings Menu & UX

$239.95 (FREE SHIPPING)

top vape mod

USV ARC 240w

($24 – Down From $79)

99%
  • Brilliant, Totally Unique Style
  • Immense Power (240W)
  • Lightweight
  • 32-bit ARM Processor
  • OLED Display
  • Full TC Suite
$24 – Down From $79

best vape mod

Vandy Vape Jackaroo 100W

($59.95 w/FREE SHIPPING) 

98%
  • One of The Best Looking Kits Around 
  • Stunning Mod Design 
  • Brilliant Performance Across The Board 
  • TONS of Vaping Options – TC, Power, ByPass, Curves 
$59.95 (FREE SHIPPING)

best vape mod

VooPoo DRAG 2 Kit

($79.95 w/FREE SHIPPING) 

98%
  • Brilliant Design + Super Robust 
  • GENE Chip is Ridiculously Good
  • Great All-Round Performer 
  • Excellent Value For Money 
  • Tons of Vaping Modes 
  • Hits Like A Freight Train
$79.95 (FREE SHIPPING)

best vape mod

GeekVape NOVA Kit

($71.95 w/FREE SHIPPING)

95%
  • Stunning Design + Proper Old School Box Mod 
  • Cerberus Mesh Tank is Phenomenal 
  • Great Performance, Plenty of Vaping Modes 
  • One of The Best Looking Mods of 2018 
  • AS Chip Ensures Fast Firing + Lots of Safety Features

$71.95 (FREE SHIPPING) / (UK) £74.99


>>>Back To The Top


What Are Squonk Mods?

Like a standard box mod, a squonk mod is essentially the power unit that drives your RDA.

The only difference is that a squonk mod has a squonk bottle inside it that stores E Juice. To send E Juice to your RDA, simply squeeze the squonk bottle and your coil is soaked in E Juice.

topside-dual-vs-pulse-dual-squonk

The Vandy Vape Pulse Dual & The Topside Dual – Two KILLER Squonk Mods!

Squonk mods basically removed the need to drip when using RDAs, and this is very, very cool if you’re lazy like me.

Again, you’ll want to use a regulated squonk mod for the same reason as above – unregulated mods are dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.

These are my current favorite squonk mods (and they’re all 100% regulated)…

ProductPICTURESRatingUSPsPrice

TOPSIDE DUAL Squonker 200W

best squonk mod

100%

  • Awesome Performance (200W, Full TC Suite)
  • Great Design; Unique & Lots of Color Options
  • 10ml Squonk Bottle
  • Dual-18650s

Pulse Dual 220W

best vape mod

100%

  • Masses of Power (22oW)
  • 100% Regulated
  • Dual-18650s
  • Comes With Awesome RDA (PULSE X RDA)
  • Solid Design, Awesome Performance

GeekVape AEGIS SQUONK 100W

best vape mod

100%

  • Dual-18650 Cells
  • Amazing Industrial Design
  • TC Support
  • 8ML Squonk Bottle
  • Multiple Color Options

USV MACH ON3 Squonk Mod

best vape mod

95%

  • Excellent Design
  • Dual-18650 Cell
  • TC Support
  • 240W Max Output
  • Comes With Decent RDA 

Vandy Vape Pulse 80W

best vape mod

96%

  • 100% Regulated 
  • TC Vaping 
  • Single Cell (But It'll Run 21700 Cells)
  • Great Design
  • Cheap 
  • Easy To Use (Ideal For First-Timers)  


Helpful Posts To Check Out: 

  • Why I ONLY Ever Use Regulated Squonk Mods 
  • USV MACHon3 vs Rage Squonker
  • The Best Squonk Kit For Those on A Budget

>>>Back To The Top


A Word on E Juice

Rune Wolves – One of VapeBeat’s Bloggers & In-House Juice Master

Like music, partners, and colors, E Juice is very subjective.

What I like, you may hate. And vice versa.

For this reason, it’s kind of impossible to tell you what the BEST E Juice is…

All I can do is point you in the general direction. And to do this, we did some research that analyzed over 100,000 E Juice sales in late 2018.

The result? Simple: a list…

You can check out the full results here: The 18 Most Popular E Juice Brands & Flavors On The Planet Right Now…

Helpful Posts To Check Out: 

  • PG vs VG: What’s The Difference
  • Best Nic Salts Brands Guide: The #1 Nic Salts E Juice Brands 
  • Why Your E Juice Tastes Harsh Explained 
  • The Best Tobacco E Juice on Planet Earth!

>>Back To The Top


Dry Herb Vaporizers (And Desktop Vaporizers)

best desktop vaporizer

The Volcano Vaporizer | AKA My #1 Pick For Desktop Vaporizing!

If you want to vaporize dry herbs like medical marijuana rather than eating or smoking them, a vaporizer is 100% the way to go.

You basically have two options: ultraportable vaporizers and mains-connected, desktop vaporizers.

Both are pricey, but if medical marijuana is important to your lifestyle, then they are well worth the investment.

You can read more about them both by clicking the links below…

Related Content For More Information:

  • The #1 Ultra-Portable Vaporizers For Weed
  • The Best Desktop Vaporizers: Our #1 Picks

>>>Back To The Top

Filed Under: Ejuice, Features, How to Guides, Vape Tanks Tagged With: box-mod, E juice, Sub-Ohm Vaping, Vape Tanks, vaping 101

Kanger SubTank Nano Review: Small But Insanely POWERFUL

By Drake Equation | October 23 2015

Sub-ohm vaping is no longer exclusive to rebuilders and drippers. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Kanger SubTank Nano –– a beast of a tank that is now widely available everywhere

Rebuilders –– the guys that build their own gear –– have been sub-ohm vaping for quite a while now. But now, thanks to a new generation of over-the-counter tanks like the Kanger Sub Tank and its Mini and Nano iterations, sub-ohm vaping is possible to all, providing you have a mod with sufficient power (20W is the BARE minimum, so aim for 30+ watts for this type of head).

As it stands you have a few decent options when it comes to sub-ohm vaping with over-the-counter tanks, but two of the most well known are Aspire’s Atlantis tank and, the subject of this review, the Kanger Sub Tank Nano (AKA the newest edition to the company’s Sub Tank Range).

Prior to testing the Sub Tank Mini I was using the still-excellent Aspire Nautilus on my Cloudpor Mini mod. I’d heard great things about this tank and, with tantalising prospect of sub-ohm vaping incarnate inside the Sub Tank Nano, well, I just had to give it a whirl. Read on for VB’s full verdict on t he Kanger Sub Tank Nano –– one of our new favourite tanks.

Kanger SubTank Nano Review: Packaging

The Sub Tank Nano ships in a very well put together and attractive box, complete with hologram (so you know its legit) and a product ID. As with a lot of cool-looking products, red and black are the order of the day here. The box itself is sturdy and, because it’s based around a sliding rather than tearing mechanism, can be reused to store the tank and its components in should you switch to another setup.

Kanger Sub Tank Nano

Slide off the black covering and you’re presented with a red container with a slide-out compartment. Inside here you’ll find the following bits and bobs:

  • 1 X Subtank Nano
  • 1 X OCC 0.5 ohm head
  • 1 X OCC 1.2 ohm head
  • 1 X Replacement Pyrex tank
  • 1 X Owner’s manual

Setup is simple as can be: just piece together the pieces, prime the coil with a few drops of juice, fill the tank, screw it onto your mod and begin vaping. That’s it. No screwdrivers. No nothing. Just a few screws and you’re up and running.

Kanger SubTank Nano Review: Design

I really like how this tank looks. It is constructed out of solid-feeling, premium metals and features very attractive red O-ring accents at the top and bottom of the pyrex tank. It can hold a MAX of 3ml of juice inside its 18.5mm diameter tank and is, as the name suggests, the smallest of Kanger’s Sub Tank line.

Kanger Sub Tank Nano

The Sub Tank Nano is 510-threaded and it features a removable drip tip. This was a very smart move on Kanger’s part because not everybody likes using metal drip tips; they have a habit of heating up and/or making your teeth feel weird. The stock drip tip is rather stubby too. I can DEFINITELY see myself switching to something longer in the not too distant future.

Kanger Sub Tank Nano

With respect to re-filling the Sub Tank Nano, there is really only one way to do it properly: unscrew the tank from the mod and then unscrew the bottom part of the tank (the bit below the air-flow system). Do NOT attempt to do it the other way around (unscrew the top bit) while it’s still attached to the mod; the tank simply disassembles itself in your hands and this gets eLiquid ABSOLUTELY everywhere. I found this out the hard way while dining out with my better half.

Kanger SubTank Nano Review: Features

The BIG feature here is the 0.5ohm coil which ships inside the box alongside the equally impressive 1.2ohm coil. The former is what will get you sub-ohm vaping, but whether you prefer it to the 1.2ohm coil will depend entirely on your tastes. I tend to prefer the 1.2ohm setup for my personal preferences, but that’s just me. It’s best to try both and see which fits your personal tastes and vaping style best.

Kanger Sub Tank Nano

Another cool feature inside the Kanger Sub Tank Nano is its OCC (organic cotton coil) head, which is made from organic Japanese cotton and basically makes eJuice taste utterly fantastic –– like, next-level-good. It’s hard to put into word, really, so you’ll just have to try it to experience just how much difference the low resistance OCC head and new wicking material makes to the overall flavour of the juice.

The adjustable air-flow system is decent as well. There are three settings: 1) fully open, 2) two hole and 3) one hole. To switch between the modes, simply drag the ring around and have a toot. My personal preference is the one hole setting, as I prefer more resistance on my draw. It’s also pretty easy to modify the fully-open setting for a more bespoke draw by expanding or decreasing the extent to which it is open.

Kanger SubTank Nano Review: Performance

In a word: fantastic. This really is one of the best tanks we’ve ever used, and while our reviews section might a smidge light at the moment (we’re a new site, so give us a break, there’s plenty more on the way) we have tested a bunch of tanks over the past couple of years as vape enthusiasts and NOTHING matches the Sub Tank Nano for power, taste and cloud production.

You will need a decent mod to power the Sub Tank Nano, however, so if you’re using something below the 20W mark you might want to upgrade to something with a bit more of a punch before investing in a Sub Tank –– the 0.5ohm coil needs between 15-30W of power; the 1.2ohm coil between 12 – 25W. I’m using the Cloudpor Mini at present and I’m very impressed by the device. It’s tiny compared to some mods out there and goes up to 30W, making it an ideal companion for the Sub Tank Nano.

Kanger SubTank Nano Review: Verdict

The Kanger Sub Tank Nano is hugely impressive for a variety of reasons. The flavour you get out of it is, quite frankly, insane. The build quality and overall look and finish of the tank and the packaging it comes in is second to none. It holds enough juice for a full day’s heavy vaping and is super easier to disassemble, clean and refill. And then there’s the small fact that you CAN sub-ohm vape with it right out the box.

The only thing I really don’t like about the Sub Tank Nano is the drip tip it comes with; it’s too stubby and is prone to heating up on longer draws. This isn’t a deal breaker, however, because you can easily replace it, and this is something I will almost certainly be doing inside the next few days.

Beyond this it’s all good. I can’t really fault this tank in any way. Kanger really has attempted to build a tank for almost every type of vaper with its Sub Tank range. The Nano is the smallest and least offensive to your pocket, however, and for this reason I can see it fast becoming the most popular. If you want more room for liquid of the option to rebuild, check out the Nano’s bigger brother in the form of the Mini or the standard Sub Tank model.

For everybody else, the Nano is likely the way forward.

Like what you read? Help SUPPORT VapeBeat and BUY the Kanger SubTank Mini HERE via one of our Trusted Partners In Crime 🙂

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Best Tanks, Kanger Sub Tank Nano, Sub-Ohm Vaping

Primary Sidebar

Trending

  • Smok RPM40 Review: Better Than VooPoo Vinci X?

    Smok RPM40 Review: Better Than VooPoo Vinci X?

    …Read More
  • What Are Shortfill E-Liquids? Everything You Need To Know…

    What Are Shortfill E-Liquids? Everything You Need To Know…

    …Read More
  • Innokin LiftBox Bastion Review: Auto Squonk, Baby!

    Innokin LiftBox Bastion Review: Auto Squonk, Baby!

    …Read More
  • CyberVape CyberX Review: A Bangin’ New Pod System…

    CyberVape CyberX Review: A Bangin’ New Pod System…

    …Read More
  • 10 “BEST SELLING” Vape Kits 2019 (The #1 Most Popular Vapes)

    10 “BEST SELLING” Vape Kits 2019 (The #1 Most Popular Vapes)

    …Read More

Footer

Stay Connected With VapeBeat

Vapebeat
About Us Newsletter Privacy Policy Advertising
© 2019 Vapebeat. All rights reserved

Vapebeat: Registered in England No. 0000000001707 648511

  • Our E-Juice Store
  • Best Vape Products
  • User Guides
  • Reviews
  • Vape Culture
  • News
  • About Us