That bubbling noise and the tiny drops of hot liquid on your tongue both come from the same thing: too much liquid sitting where the air should be. Clear it now, then change the one habit that keeps causing it.
The short version
- Gurgling is liquid in the airflow or coil chamber, bubbling as you draw.
- Spitting is pooled liquid popping on a hot coil and flicking up the chimney.
- Clear it by blowing gently through the mouthpiece with the device off.
- Prevent it with gentler puffs, the right wattage and not overfilling.
Gurgle versus spit: same cause, two symptoms
Gurgling is the sound of air being dragged through liquid that has collected in the coil chamber or airflow. Spitting is what happens when that pooled liquid hits hot metal: it pops and sends small drops up the chimney into your mouth.
Both mean the coil is getting more liquid than it can vaporise. That can be because you are pulling too much in, because the wattage is too low for the coil, or because liquid has collected after the kit sat on its side.
A bit of gurgle on a brand new coil is normal while the cotton settles. It should vanish within the first few fills.
- 1Drip tip
- 2Top cap and fill port
- 3Glass and chimney
- 4Coil head
- 5Airflow ring
- 6510 connection
- 7Mod: screen and buttons
- 8Battery bay
Clear it in 30 seconds
When the gurgle starts, you want the excess liquid out before you take another puff. The trick is to push it back the way it came, not suck it further in.
Do this with the device switched off or the button untouched. Firing while you blow is pointless and can splash hot liquid out of the airflow.
If liquid comes out of the airflow holes when you blow, that is fine: it was going to leak anyway. Have a tissue wrapped around the base. If you are doing this more than once a day, the fixes in the next sections will stop it happening at all.
- Lock or stop firingLock the device or simply keep your finger off the button.
- Wrap the baseHold a tissue around the airflow to catch anything that comes out.
- Blow gentlyTwo or three soft puffs of air through the mouthpiece push pooled liquid back down.
- Flick itHold the tank upright and give it a firm downward flick, like a thermometer.
- Dry and testWipe the mouthpiece, then take a short, gentle puff.
What is causing yours?
Once it is cleared, work out why it happened so you are not doing the flick routine forever. One question narrows it down.
The most common answer by far is the first one. Many vapers coming from cigarettes draw long and hard, which floods small coils in a way a gentle sip never would.
Wattage is the sneaky one. Running a coil at the very bottom of its range means it is not hot enough to vaporise everything the wick delivers, so the leftover liquid pools. Nudging the power up a couple of watts is often all it takes.
When does the gurgling happen?
You are drawing too hard or the wattage is too low. Soften your draw and raise the power 2 or 3W within the coil's printed range.
Liquid settled overnight. Store the kit upright and give it one gentle blow-through before your first puff.
You overfilled or got liquid in the chimney. Fill against the side of the glass and stop below the top.
The coil is flooded or worn out. Reseat it, check the O-rings, or fit a fresh coil.
Power: the gurgle-proof sweet spot
Every coil has a watt range printed on it. At the bottom end the coil runs cool and liquid can collect faster than it vaporises; at the top end it vaporises fast but risks dry hits. The sweet spot for spitting is usually the middle.
Mesh coils spit less than traditional wire coils because the heat spreads over a wider area. If you get spitting on every coil you try, look for a mesh option in your kit's range of replacement coils.
Kits with no adjustable power are tuned to their pods, so spitting on those is down to drawing technique or a flooded pod rather than wattage.
- 20WCool, gurgly
- 25WSome spitting
- 32WBalanced
- 40WHot, thirsty
- 45WDry hit risk
Stop it coming back
Gurgling is almost always a habit problem rather than a broken kit. A few small changes keep the coil fed but never drowned.
The biggest win is puff length. Short, steady draws give the cotton time to rewet without being flooded. If you like longer pulls, open the airflow a little so there is less suction on the wick.
Keep a dry tissue handy for the drip tip. A couple of drops of condensation sat in the mouthpiece can mimic spitting, and a quick wipe tells you whether it was the coil or just moisture. Our mouthpiece condensation guide covers that side of it.
Quick answers
Why does my vape gurgle?
Liquid has collected in the coil chamber or airflow and air is bubbling through it. Blow gently through the mouthpiece with the device off, then soften your draw.
Why is my vape spitting hot liquid?
Pooled liquid is popping on the hot coil. Raise the wattage slightly within the coil's range, take shorter puffs and avoid overfilling.
Is a spitting vape dangerous?
It can sting your lips or tongue, so it is worth fixing, but it is a nuisance rather than a hazard. Clear the coil and adjust your technique.
Do new coils gurgle?
Often for the first few fills while the cotton beds in. If it carries on past a day, the coil may be flooded or seated wrongly.
