If you've been searching for a new e-cigarette, you may well have seen the term 'ohms' or 'low resistance' mentioned when cartomizers and atomizers are being described. You might have wondered what these terms mean and felt confused in not understanding which one is the best for your electronic cigarette.

What does Ohms mean?

Ohms is a term that is used when describing cartomizers or atomizers. When these items are discussed they can be given an ohms rating. Put simply, ohms is a measure of how easily electricity is able to travel through an item.

How does the Ohms rating apply to e-cigarettes?

When it comes to e-cigs, ohms relates to how intense the heat being produced by the coil is; this is important as the heat is required to evaporate the liquid and produce vapour.

The ohms rating can inform the consumer how hot the heat element in the coil of the e-ciggy will become; a low ohms rating (or low resistance) means more heat is produced for evaporation and the e-cigarette will have more vapour and flavour; many people feel this leads to a better smoking experience for the user. It is important for e-smokers to be aware of the ohms rating of a cartomizer or atomizer as it will enable them to adjust the vapour production and flavor of their e-cigarette.

How does the ohms rating effect an e-smokers experience?

A low ohms rating

A low ohms rating means more electricity will flow through the device and so more heat is created in the coil. The advantages of this for the user are a better smoking experience as more vapour is created which is also warmer in temperature. The disadvantages of a low ohms rating are that the battery will drain much quicker as more power is being used and this can cause the battery to fail; as well as this, dry hits are more likely, the flavour maybe stronger or weaker and more liquid is used which means cartridges won't last as long.

A high ohms rating

A high ohms rating means less electricity will flow through the device and so less heat is created in the coil. The advantages of this for the user are that the battery will last longer and will be less likely to fail, dry hits are much less likely and less e-liquid is used so cartridges will last for longer. The disadvantages of a high ohms rating are that the smoking experience can be less enjoyable as less vapour is created and it tends to be cooler in temperature. As well as this, a high ohms may lead to a stronger or a weaker flavour.

When it comes to deciding which ohms rating for a cartomizer or atomizer is best, there is no right or wrong answer as the decision is largely down to an individual's personal choice, their equipment and battery size. Most people look for achieving the best vapour and flavour with the lowest ohms rating.