Types of Vape Pen Tanks

The two main types of Vape Pen Tanks are Clearomizers and Cartomizers

We are here to help explain the difference between a Clearomizer, a Cartomizer and an Atomizer

There is a lot of confusion on the differences between a clearomizer versus a cartomizer, and rightfully so. They are very similar in many respects, but they have many differences too. If you are not sure what either one are, just know that there are basically two types of tanks (where the e juice goes) thatcher you will put on your electronic cigarette or vape pen ego batteries:

• Clearomizers
• Cartomizers

Though both are used completely based on your own personal preference, clearomizers are by far the more popular and usually preferable tank to use on your vape pen. Both the tanks consist of two parts – the tank portion to hold the e juice and an atomizer to heat up the e juice within the tank. The clearomizer and cartomizer are tanks, with the atomizer built in. So the battery connects to the tank and the battery makes contact with the heating element, the atomizer, to start the vaping process.

What is a Clearomizer?

Vape Pen Clearomizers are essentially a tank and an atomizer all in one. They are usually a clear or opaque tank, hence the name “clear” in clearomizer. The tank’s purpose is to hold the e juice, while the atomizer’s purpose is to pull the e juice in and heat it up to turn it into vapor. The mouth piece that you see connected to the tank is referred to as the drip tip, and is simply just a mouthpiece to put your lips on when puffing the vape pen.

What is a Cartomizer?

Even though clearomizers are the more popular tank, some people use cartomizers with the ego vape pen. Cartomizers are usually a metal body (sometimes clear though), as opposed to the clear body of a clearomizer. A cartomizer is a cartridge and atomizer all in one, similar to the clearomizer. The difference between the clearomizer and the cartomizer though, is that with a cartomizer, the whole thing has to be replaced when the atomizer goes bad, as opposed to just the atomizer portion with clearomizers. So the atomizer, which pulls in the e juice and heats it up to turn it into vapor can go bad and with a clearomizer you can just unscrew this portion and replace just the atomizer, which is less expensive than replacing the whole tank. With a cartomizer you have to replace the whole tank, which can be a bit more costly.

One major difference on a Cartomizer vs a Clearomizer is that, on a Cartomizer, the wicks are made of a different wick material. These tanks have a polyfill material which acts to soak up the e juice to the heating coil. It much more like a spongy material than the typical wicks on clearomizer tanks you commonly see.

What is an Atomizer?

You probably also hear the term atomizer a lot. The atomizer is a part of the tank, whether your tank is a clearomizer or cartomizer. Some atomizers are wick atomizers, meaning they use a wick absorb and suck up the e juice to reach the heating element, or coil. Some are long wick and some are short wick. The short wick bottom feeders are typically the preferred tanks (explained below).

Atomizers also come in a variety of different resistances, depending on the coil on the atomizer. The lower the resistance on the atomizer, the higher the potential for more power, so in effect you will be able to produce more vapor. The amount of vapor production also depends on the type of e juice you are using in your tank, along with what voltage is set at (if you are able to change the voltage, for example if you have the ego twist or a vape mod)

Types of Clearomizer Tanks: Rebuildable vs Non-Rebuildable tanks

There are two types of clearomizer tanks you will probably run across. These are:

• Rebuildable Tanks
• Non-Rebuildable Tanks

Atomizers with a wick may need to be replaced every several weeks or months, otherwise it could get clogged or give off a burnt taste. Sometimes the clearomizer (which has the atomizer built in) is rebuildable. This means you can take the atomizer out of the clearomizer and replace just the atomizer, when it goes bad. Some clearomizers are not rebuildable and you have to replace the whole clearomizer tank (like you do with a cartomizer), when the atomizer goes bad. This can end up costing more money, but at the same time, non-rebuildable tanks are usually pretty inexpensive.

For example, the Ce4 tank is a non-rebuildable tank. This means it is all one piece and when the wicks start to go bad, you have to throw away the whole clearomizer, as the tank is permanently fastened to the atomizer. Other tanks like the Ce5 are rebuildable and thus the atomizer and the tank are not permanently fastened, you can acutally unscrew the wick portion (atomizer) from the tank to replace it.

Types of Clearomizer Tanks: Top vs Bottom Feed Tanks

Not only are there rebuildable and non-rebuildable tanks, there are also top and bottom feed tanks. There are two more subcategories of clearomizer tanks that have to do with what portion of the tank is “feeding” e juice to the atomizer/ heating coil. These tanks are:

• Top Feed Clearomizers
• Bottom Feed Clearomizers

Top Feed Clearomizers

Top feed clearomizers have the atomizer at the top, above the e juice. This will give a warmer vape, but it can cause issues when the e juice gets low, in that it will not vape as good and may even give a burnt taste. Many people just vape with it tilted up, with the ego battery portion in the air. This is so the e juice can reach the wicks or coil that is located near the top (near the drip tip mouth piece).

Bottom Feed Clearomizers

Bottom feed clearomizers such as the Evod and ProTank have the atomizer at the bottom and don’t have the necessity of tilting the vape pen during use, because the atomizer is usually always in contact with the e juice. These clearomizers give off a cooler vape compared to the top feed clearomizers. If you are still unclear about exactly what the differences between Top and Bottom Coil Clearomizers are you can read more here:  Top vs Bottom Feed Clearomizer, or if you would like to read the differences between the Evod Tank and the ProTank, read more here: Evod Vs ProTank.

If you have any questions about any type of cartomizer, clearomizer or atomizer firing pins, please contact our team today, and we are more than happy to help.