Vape Glossary: mAh, Puff Ratings, Nicotine Salt and Every Term on Our Listings

The terms that appear on Vaperan product pages and guides, defined the way the catalog uses them, with the figures for the devices we stock where a figure helps. Alphabetical.

Adjustable airflow

A slider or dial that changes how much air enters with each draw. Closed gives a tighter, cigarette-like draw; open gives more vapor. On draw-activated devices a fully closed airflow can stop the sensor firing.

All-in-one (AIO)

A refillable device where the battery and the pod or tank are one unit. Nothing to assemble beyond fitting the pod. See types of vapes.

Boost, Pulse and Turbo modes

A higher-power setting on a disposable that gives denser vapor and uses e-liquid faster. 21 of the 93 disposables we stock publish two puff ratings for this reason, the lower one for the boost mode.

Box mod

A larger device with adjustable wattage, a screen and a separate tank with replaceable coils; 22 kits in the catalog. Used with lower-strength freebase e-liquid.

Coil

The heating element inside a pod, tank or disposable. Its resistance in ohms decides the power it needs: around 0.8 to 1.2 ohm for nicotine-salt pods, around 0.15 to 0.6 ohm for sub-ohm tanks.

Dead on arrival (DOA)

A device that does not power on, charge or produce vapor out of the box. Covered by the Vaperan warranty when reported within 1 month of delivery.

Disposable vape

A sealed, prefilled device that is thrown away when the e-liquid is gone; 93 in the catalog, 92 of them draw-activated. Current models are rechargeable.

Draw-activated

Fires when you inhale; there is no button. A sensor detects airflow, which is why a blocked mouthpiece or closed airflow can stop a device hitting.

E-liquid capacity (mL)

How much liquid a device or pod holds, in millilitres: 10 to 40 mL across the disposables we stock. Capacity divided by daily use is how long a device lasts; see how long disposable vapes last.

Freebase nicotine

The older form of nicotine used in lower strengths (typically 3 or 6 mg) with box mods and sub-ohm tanks. Harsher at high strengths than nicotine salt.

mAh

Milliamp-hours, the size of a battery: 600 to 1500 mAh across the disposables we stock and up to several thousand in box mods. A bigger battery means fewer charges, not a longer-lasting tank.

Mesh coil

A coil made from a strip of metal mesh rather than wound wire; heats more evenly and is listed on 84 products in the catalog.

Nicotine salt

Nicotine combined with an acid so that high strengths (typically 5%, 50 mg/mL) are smooth to inhale at low power. 80 of the 93 disposables we stock are 5%. See the nicotine strength guide.

PACT Act

The US federal law that governs remote sales of vapor products: age verification, adult-signature delivery, tax reporting to the destination state and record keeping. It is why every Vaperan delivery needs an adult signature.

Pod system

A rechargeable device with a refillable pod; 68 in the catalog. E-liquid is bought separately and pods or coils are replaced every one to two weeks. See how to use a pod system.

Prefilled pod

A sealed pod that comes filled, used with a reusable battery on pod-based disposables; 14 replacement pod products in the catalog. It is replaced, not refilled.

Puff rating

The manufacturer’s maximum puff count, measured by a machine taking short puffs in the lowest power mode. Real use gives fewer. See what puff counts really mean.

Rechargeable disposable

A disposable with a battery that recharges, usually by USB Type-C (164 of the 200 products in the catalog, of all types, list it), so the e-liquid rather than the battery decides when it is finished. See how to charge a disposable vape.

Sub-ohm

A coil with a resistance below 1 ohm, run at higher wattage for more vapor. Used with freebase e-liquid, not 5% nicotine salt.

Vape pen

A slim, pen-shaped refillable device with a built-in battery; in practice a pod system by another name. See the vape pen kits category.

Wattage (W)

The power a device applies to the coil. Pod systems list a few watts to about 100 W, box mods up to 230 W. More power only matters with low-resistance coils.

Questions

What does mAh mean on a vape?

Milliamp-hours, the battery size. A larger number means fewer recharges; it does not make the e-liquid last longer.

What is the difference between nicotine salt and freebase?

Nicotine salt is smooth at high strengths and is used in 5% disposables and pod systems at low power; freebase is used at 3 to 6 mg in box mods and sub-ohm tanks at high power.

What does draw-activated mean?

The device fires when you inhale, with no button. Nearly every disposable we stock works this way.

Sources: the manufacturers' specification lists as published in the Vaperan catalog; prices shown are live. Written by the Vaperan team. Last reviewed September 30, 2026. How we write our guides.