Mouth to Lung v Direct to Lung Vaping

What's the difference between Mouth to Lung Vaping and Direct to Lung Vaping?

If you are new to vaping, or even if you’ve been vaping for some time, you may be wondering about the difference between ‘mouth to lung’ (MTL) and ‘direct to lung’ (DTL) vaping. MTL and DTL are two of the most common expressions in vaping terminology and may relate to tanks, coils, e-liquids, and the clouds produced.

That’s why developing an understanding of the differences between MTL and DTL can help you to decide on the best mouth to lung vape kit or straight to lung vape kit suited to your preferences.

In this guide, we’re going to cover the difference between MTL and DTL. We’re also going to recommend products suited to each technique. 

What is Mouth to Lung Vaping?

Mouth to lung (MTL) is the inhalation technique used by people who smoke cigarettes and is, therefore, the most common technique among people who have switched to vaping. MTL involves two stages. First, you must draw the vapour into the mouth from your vaping device. Next, you must inhale the vapour down to the lungs. 

MTL is preferred by vapers for two reasons:

• MTL typically delivers a smoother throat hit. This is especially true of high PG e-liquids, which can deliver a harsh throat sensation - holding the vapour in the mouth and controlling the inhalation to the lungs can mean a more enjoyable vaping experience.

• The MTL vaping technique involves briefly holding the vapour in the mouth, meaning the flavour in the vapour is held in contact with the tongue. This increases the flavour hit and is the preferred technique among vapers who enjoy the taste of the flavoured e-liquids.

Mouth to Lung Vaping - Products Suited to MTL

Mouth to lung vaping tends to be the preferred method of vaping for newcomers who have recently quit smoking. With this in mind, we’re going to look at suitable MTL vaping products.

• Mouth to lung vape kit

Vaping devices with tanks above 1 ohm are best for MTL vaping. These devices vaporise the e-liquid using lower temperature coils, meaning the flavour of the e-liquid is brought out and not burned (i.e. vaping devices below 1 ohm will typically become hot in the hand and burn the e-liquid, diminishing the flavour when used for MTL vaping).

Examples of vaping devices ideal for MTL vaping include our Classic Pen Starter Kit (£12 including liquids) and the stylish Antares Pod Kit using 1.4ohm coils.

• MTL e-liquids

Our wide range of £1 e-liquids and 50/50 e-liquids are ideal for MTL vaping. Exceeding a ratio of 60% VG and 40% PG may result in a diminished MTL vaping experience - keep in mind that PG can be thought of as the flavour, and VG can be thought of as the cloud density.

Now, we’re going to cover DTL vaping, the alternative to MTL vaping.

What is Direct to Lung Vaping?

Direct to lung (DTL) or straight to lung vaping techniques are typically preferred by more experienced vapers. Instead of holding the vapour in the mouth before inhaling, DTL involves inhaling the vapour straight from the device into the lungs. DTL vaping is generally considered the more intense style of vaping, delivering a greater throat hit.

DTL vaping is preferred by vapers for one main reason:

• High vape cloud density (smoke thickness when exhaled)

Sub-ohm vaping devices (below 1 ohm) contain coils that vaporise the e-liquid at much higher temperatures. For this reason, sub-ohm vape kits have larger batteries and more powerful coils to cope with stickier VG e-liquids. When exhaled, DTL vaping with high VG e-liquids produces a dense vape cloud.

Note: DTL sub-ohm vape kits used with high VG e-liquids can tickle the throat and cause coughing in beginners.

Direct to Lung Vaping - Products Suited to DTL

If you wish to produce thick clouds, direct to lung vaping may be right for you. The type of vape kit and the VG/PG ratio of e-liquid you select will determine the outcome of your DTL vaping experience.

• Direct to lung vape kit

The vaping device you select should contain a sub-ohm coil (i.e below 1 ohm), such as a box mod. These coils burn at the high temperature required to produce thick clouds. The 50w Mod Pen starter kit is an example of a suitable DTL device.

• DTL e-liquids

DTL vaping works best with sweet and sticky high VG e-liquids. This is because e-liquids with a high VG ratio are thick enough to burn at high temperatures, producing a greater cloud density.

If you are unsure where to begin on your MTL vs DTL journey, feel free to start with a 50/50 e-liquid in a vaping device above 1 ohm. From here, experiment with different devices and e-liquid ratios to discover your preferences.