The great thing about disposable vapes is that they're easy to use. You don't have to worry about refills or maintenance. And when you're done, you just open a new one.

Or at least that's the theory. But what if something goes wrong?

If your vape breaks down, we're here to help! Our guide will show you how to fix a disposable vape that won't take a hit - no matter what the underlying problem is.

Why is your new disposable vape not working (Know your vape parts first)

There are a number of different reasons why your disposable vape may not be working properly, regardless of whether it is a rod or a pen. To find out what's going wrong, it helps to understand the different parts and how they work together.

1. The battery

The battery powers the vape. So if your battery isn't working, nothing else will.

Assuming there's nothing wrong with it, the battery will heat up the ...

2. Coils

These sit in a tank surrounded by e-liquid. Inside the coils is wicking, an absorbent material designed to make sure the e-liquid is absorbed and reaches the coils.

When the battery is activated, the coils get good and hot, turning the e-liquid into vapour. This vapour then travels through an exit point in the tank to the ...

3. Mouthpiece

This is where the vapour leaves the device and enters your mouth.

It's not just a hole, though. The mouthpiece also acts as a switch, responding when you draw on the vape to fire up the coils.

Potential Issues – How to Fix Your Disposable Vape Not Hitting

As you can see, a vape has a pretty simple design. But it needs all three elements - battery, coils and mouthpiece - to work properly. A problem with any one of these can leave you with a vape that doesn't hit the spot.

So what kind of problems can occur? And how do you fix them if they do?

1. A disposable vape that won't turn on

Most disposable vapes are easy to use. They can be activated by simply inhaling. But not all of them will. Sometimes you need to turn them on.

Check the instructions to see if there is a switch-on button. If so, the problem is solved.

2. Dead battery

No power means no vape! The coils can't heat up, so the juice can't turn into vapour.

Most rechargeable vapes have a light that flashes to show that the battery is working. So if you don't see one, chances are your battery is dead.

But be careful. Many disposable vapes don't have a light at all. So don't throw your device away until you've checked for other potential problems.

Unfortunately, if you have a disposable vape and the battery is dead, that's the end of the road. You'll need to invest in a new one.

If you have a rechargeable vape, plugging it in and letting it charge should solve the problem. However, check to see if a light comes on when you plug it in. If it doesn't, it's probably broken.

3. Out of juice

You might be thinking this can’t be the case. Your disposable vape was supposed to be good for 600 puffs, and you’ve had nowhere near that many!

But those puff figures are just estimates. The precise number you’ll get out of your device depends on how long and how deeply you inhale.

Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to check the e-liquid level on most disposable vapes. But if you’ve experienced a harsh or burned flavor from your last couple of draws, running out of juice is likely to be the culprit. And with a disposable vape, that means its time is up.

4. Blocked mouthpiece

The light is on when you draw, and until it stopped working, your vape tasted completely normal.

That sounds like your battery is working and you still have e-liquid. The problem here could be that something is stopping the vapor getting out through the mouthpiece.

That can happen if the holes in the mouthpiece are blocked.

Some vapes have removable mouthpieces which will make it easier to check this. Just take off the mouthpiece and hold it to the light to check for blockages.

With most disposable vapes, though, the mouthpiece is fixed in place.

If you think you might have a blocked mouthpiece, a toothpick, pin, or cotton bud can help deal with the problem. Just push it gently into the holes in the mouthpiece to dislodge any fluff or debris.

5. Blocked airflow holes

Some disposable vapes have extra holes to assist the air flow through the device. Just like the ones in the mouthpiece, these can become blocked. And that’s particularly likely to happen if you keep your vape in a pocket that has a fluffy lining.

The technique here is the same as for clearing blockages in the mouthpiece. Just use a pin, toothpick or cotton bud to poke out any debris.

If your vape is activated by drawing on it, there’s another fix you can try too. Cover one of the airflow holes at a time with your finger, then draw deeply. The extra air pressure will sometimes be enough to dislodge any particles from the uncovered holes.

6. Air bubbles in the e-liquid

Sometimes air bubbles can get between the e-liquid and the coils. That means the liquid won’t heat up and you won’t get any vapor.

This is quite a common issue, but fortunately it’s also easy to fix. Just give your vape a shake or a few gentle taps. The movement should burst the bubbles and enable the liquid to reach the coils again.

7. Dried out wicking

Another problem that can prevent the e-liquid from reaching the coils is dried out wicking. This can happen if you’ve been using your vape a lot, especially if you’ve been drawing frequently and deeply.

One of the symptoms caused by this is a weak vape. And if the wicking is very dry, you could also experience the same unpleasant burnt flavor you get when you’re out of e-liquid altogether.

The only solution here is time. Give the vaping a rest while the e-liquid is reabsorbed into the wicking. That will usually take around ten minutes. Giving your vape a gentle shake during this time will also encourage the e-liquid to soak into the wicking.

Our Top Pick

Sikary S600 Puffs

• Name: Sikary S600
• Puffs: 600 puffs
• Nicotine: 2%
• Coil: 1.2Ω Mesh Coil

8. Overheating

Most disposable vapes have some kind of overheating prevention built into a key area of their machine. This is good, considering the high heat that goes through a typical vaporizer. It’s there to prevent things from (literally) blowing up in your face.

If you left your vape in a hot car or felt your vape getting unusually hot, only to have it not pull anymore, your vape could have overheated. The safety system probably shut it down before things could get ugly.

A good fix for this is to bring it out of the heat and let it cool down. Then, check to see if it can pull now. In some cases, it may just need a cooldown. In other cases, the vape may already be too fried to do much.

9. Frozen E-Liquid

On the other side of the spectrum is a case when you leave e-liquid or vape juice out in the freezing cold. Though it is unlikely that your liquid will be fully frozen, extremely low temperatures can cause condensation and may also make it hard for the liquid to travel.

Warming up the vape, giving it a quick (but gentle) shake, and also giving it a couple of extra puffs can help make it work again. This can serve as a good lesson to learn if you live in a cold climate: vapes and cold do not mix!