Vaping is as common today as eating breakfast every morning, not everyone does it, but we know it’s a thing. As such, we have to become familiar with terminology and concepts that relate to vaping, which is why it’s important to know what an atomizer is.

I am sure you will see a vaper walking around with their thick sweet vapor trailing behind almost every hour. More often than not, I have been left craving donuts or a nice muffin because some fat dude is ripping mad drip and I catch the scent.

Even if this might be frustrating, I also vape and love the taste and vapor quality that is in part due to a good atomizer.

Let’ take a quick spin, check out some cool terminology that will make you seem like a caping connoisseur, and maybe eye some dope products along the way.

Essentially, and put in common, understandable vaporizing terms, an atomizer is a component where a liquid is turned into vapor.

However, it’s good to understand the more complex, scientific concept, where an atomizer is a device for emitting water, perfume, or other liquids as a fine spray.

That being said, an atomizer will be the component of your vape that turns the liquid from juice into vapor via heat and a fine spray emission.

Atomizers have many different parts and designs, so let’s dive deeper to see what atomizers are all about.

There are many different approaches and ways of answering this question, I will do my best to explain the complex scenario of the different types of atomizers.

Let’s break down this topic in essentially three answers, number one is the different types of atomizers depending on how they work, we’ll start off from there.

There are Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers (RDA) and Rebuildable Tank Atomizers (RTA), these two are the most common. You may also find a third type, called a Rebuildable Dripping Tank Atomizer (RDTA), which is a combination of both.

Check out the Pulsar Hell Fire Atomizer, it comes with 5 different coils and is compatible with 510 batteries, it’s a great example of a dripping atomizer, for wax.

Click here for our full review of the Pulsar Hell Fire.

The difference between these atomizers comes down to whether or not they have a tank that keeps your e-juice stored and feeds the coil. As you may have guessed correctly, the RDA does not have a tank and depends on dripping every 3 to 4 puffs, which is rather inconvenient, but the purest and best way of getting solid vapors.

The second differentiating factor is how the atomizer is built. Essentially this will come down to the components of the atomizer, precisely the number of coils that will give the atomizer more or less strength and influence the quality of your vapor.

Finally, we can also answer this question with the different ways that atomizers are marketed. Although they will all do the same thing, atomizers come in different shapes and sizes, and as such, they will differ slightly and have different uses for each.

Tank vaporizers are commonly marketed as clearomizers; these allow the user to see how much fluid they have and whether or not their coil is clean. One crucial aspect that distinguishes a clearomizer from the rest is allowing the user to remove and replace the coil.

Cartomizers, on the other hand, are commonly disposable. Although some are refillable, they will not allow the removal and replacement of the coil. Cartomizers are the easiest to use, and these are the ones typically used in the cannabis industry.

This will again vary from type to type, and brands have their own designs. For instance, this cool Puffco Peak Atomizer is compatible with 510 batteries and actually features no coil, instead, it has a ceramic bowl that is designed for optimal heat performance and flavorful hits.

Normality is not common in the industry, as most brands have their own designs and different connectors to be unique and exclusive. But, there, in reality, it will come down to a basic and easy way to use, as most brands follow the same procedures, what will change is how not what you do.

You start by either assembling the atomizer if you build your own deck, or you open a box, take out your atomizer and screw it on your battery. Just like a mortal!

So we common people who are not vape gods (those who wick their own coils and all that) take the atomizer out of its pack and are again faced with two options. We either have a tank, or we don’t. If we don’t, we just screw it on or connect it to the battery and feel a rush from being kinda like the guys that build their own stuff. If we do have a tank, it can be full (cartomizer) or empty, in which case we pray.

Nah, actually we just prime our coil’s wick, fill it with our goodies, and then we wait a little while, just so the juices have saturated the wick so we don’t get any nasty dry hits. Always check your lil’ guides to see what the recommended power is, and have fun experimenting. What everyone recommends is to start from the lowest wattage and build your way up. 

The best option is always to check the user’s manual, some videos online, or get a friend to show you the ropes! With so many models out there, you’re probably going to find whatever you find best to learn how to use your new device.

If you get down to brass tacks, a coil is, in reality, what will turn your liquid to vapor through saturation of its wick and heat that will precisely cook those juices into the good stuff we want in our lungs! Coils are made for precise and consistent hits at a determined temperature that the battery will heat the element at. 

So, simply put: a coil is a heating element that receives direct power flow from the battery. In reality, there are a lot of different coils, and each brand will make their own with cool designs and whatnot, but they will all do the same: heat the liquid at a temperature ranging from 180°F to 500+°F. 

Check these awesome coils for the Terp Pen by Boundless. These come in a 2-pack, made from high-quality ceramic and metal, and will replace your Terp Pen’s coil.

Replacing a vaporizer is simple and pretty straightforward, but it will come down to what type of vape you have and the class of atomizer you use. Essentially, the simplest of atomizers, which are carts, simply are unscrewed or unplugged, thrown out, and replaced with a new one.

Some, like clearomizers or rebuildable atomizers, have to have their parts swapped out to continue enjoying your vaping experience. This is quite simple in the case of a clearomizer because you change the coil, and that’s it: you’re good to go. 

Rebuildable atomizers, be it RDA, RTA, or RDTA, will need the crafty and engineer-like abilities of vape gods because you need to disassemble and rebuild your whole rig or deck entirely. As such, these have their methodology, which you can learn about by losing your mortality.

Just remember, the essential part about vaping is doing what works and feels best for you. What matters most is you’re comfortable!