Dry hit versus dead coil
A dry hit tastes sharp and papery for one or two puffs, then clears once the wick catches up. A dead coil tastes burnt on every puff, no matter how long you leave it, and the flavour never returns.
The four things that cause it
- Chain vaping — puffs faster than the wick can re-saturate
- Low battery — a weak coil heats unevenly and scorches
- Heat — a device left in the sun thins the liquid and floods or dries the wick
- An empty tank — the last stretch of liquid never fully reaches the wick
What to try, in order
Put the device down for ten minutes, then recharge it fully. Take one slow gentle draw. If the flavour is back, it was a dry hit and pacing is the fix. If it still tastes burnt after a full charge and a rest, the coil is done and the device has reached the end of its usable life.
What not to do
Do not open the device, do not try to refill it, and do not run it under water or heat it to revive it. Sealed disposables are not serviceable, and opening one exposes a lithium cell and concentrated nicotine liquid.
Finished devices go to a battery or e-waste collection point, never in the household bin — our disposal guide explains where.