What Does It Mean if a Disposable Vape Tastes Burnt?

If your disposable vape tastes burnt, it's a sign something isn't working right with the device. This can happen when the vape is used too much or is running low on e-liquid. The burnt taste makes vaping unpleasant and often means it's time to replace the device. Once the burnt flavor starts, it's usually hard to fix, so prevention is key.

by: Joe C. | 09/04/24 1:30PM

One of the reasons why disposable vapes are the most popular vaping devices in the world right now is because they provide a great vaping experience with almost no work. A disposable vape is ready to use right out of the box; all that you need to do is unpack it and enjoy. Normally, you can expect a flavor that’s smooth and delicious every time, so it’s going to come as a surprise if you puff on your disposable vape and find that it tastes burnt.

Normally, a disposable vape tastes burnt because it’s out of e-liquid, and that’s the first situation we’re going to discuss in this guide. There are several other reasons why a disposable vape might produce a burnt flavor, though, and a couple of them are actually fixable.

So, why does your disposable vape taste burnt? We’ll discuss all of the possible reasons and explain what you should do next. Let’s jump in.

Your Vape Is Out of E-Liquid

As we mentioned above, the most common reason why a disposable vape begins to taste burnt is because it’s out of e-liquid. There’s no longer enough vape juice in the device’s tank or wick to supply e-liquid to the coil, and the coil begins to overheat. This results in an extremely harsh and unpleasant flavor every time you puff on the device.

You’ll always know when a disposable vape is almost empty because the flavor quality and vapor production will drop noticeably when the device is nearly dry. In addition, many modern vapes have screens or indicator lights that provide advance warning when it’s nearly time to replace your device.

If your vape doesn’t have a screen or e-liquid indicator, you won’t know it’s empty until it begins tasting burnt. With time, though, you’ll start to get a feel for how long you can expect your usual brand to last and will be able to plan ahead when it’s almost time to buy a new one.

Your Vape Has Residue on the Coil

When a disposable vape is out of e-liquid, the flavor becomes extremely harsh; you may even cough when you use the device. It’s possible, though, that you’re experiencing something a little different. Maybe your device is still producing plenty of vapor, but the flavor has become smoky and almost caramelized. If that’s the case, it means that the e-liquid in your device is heavily sweetened.

Many of today’s e-liquids taste very sweet, and the reason why they taste so sweet is because they include the calorie-free sweetener sucralose. Sweetened e-liquid does have a drawback, though, which is the fact that sucralose melts, blackens and sticks to metal when it’s heated. It creates residue that eventually makes a vape coil produce a burnt flavor, and there’s no way to prevent the flavor degradation from happening.

If you don’t like the burnt flavor that results when you use a disposable vape with sweetened e-liquid, you have three options.

  • You can use a dual-coil device. The more sweetened e-liquid that you put through a coil, the more quickly the coil will begin to taste burnt. A dual-coil disposable vape effectively divides the load between two coils, giving you higher flavor quality for twice as long. A well-stocked vape shop like Cloud City will always offer a large selection of dual-coil disposable vapes.
  • You can use a device with a smaller e-liquid capacity. That way, by the time the device starts to taste burnt, it’ll be nearly out of vape juice anyway.
  • You can use a device that’s filled with unsweetened e-liquid. Vape juice doesn’t have to be sweetened to taste good, and there are many disposable vapes that don’t include sucralose.

You’re Not Waiting Long Enough Between Puffs

Are you getting a burnt taste intermittently when you use your disposable vape – it begins to taste burnt during a vaping session, but the flavor becomes normal again after you’ve put the device down for a while? If that’s the case, it’s likely that you’re probably “chain vaping” – you’re puffing on the device almost non-stop and aren’t waiting between puffs, and that’s causing the device’s wick to dry out.

A disposable vape has a wick that works by absorption to transfer e-liquid to the heating coil. After you puff on your device, the wick is dry and needs several seconds to refresh itself. You should keep that in mind when you use your device and ensure that you’re always waiting long enough after each puff for the wick to absorb more vape juice. If you do that, you shouldn’t have to worry about an intermittent burnt taste.

Your Vape’s Power Level Isn’t Right for You

One feature that’s become common among modern disposable vapes is that many recent devices have adjustable power levels. Some dual-coil vapes have the ability to use both coils simultaneously instead of alternating between the two coils; this future is usually called “Boost Mode” or “Pulse Mode.” Other vapes even allow for manual wattage adjustments.

The problem with having a disposable vape that has multiple output modes, though, is that some people may actually find the higher-output modes too intense. If that’s the case for you, the solution is easy – just use your device’s control button or power slider to reduce the output for a smoother experience.

Your Vape’s Flavor Isn’t Right for You

The final reason why a disposable vape can produce a burnt or unpleasant taste is because the e-liquid flavor simply isn’t for you. Some people find certain flavors or flavor combinations irritating or unpleasant. Maybe tobacco isn’t quite the right flavor for you, for instance, and a beverage or dessert flavor would be more to your liking.

If you frequently experience throat irritation when vaping or perceive the flavor as burnt, you should try a disposable vape that has the word “Ice” in its flavor name. These flavors include a bit of menthol, which adds a cooling sensation and makes the overall experience much smoother. Many “Ice” flavors use such a small amount of menthol that you’ll just detect a hint of coolness but won’t actually taste a minty flavor at all.