What Is MTL and DTL Vaping?

If you’ve been around vapers for more than five minutes, you’ll have heard people throwing around terms like MTL vape and DTL vape. At first, it sounds like nonsense, like some secret code only vapers know, but it’s just about how you inhale.

And here’s the kicker: the way you inhale changes everything. The nicotine hit, the size of the clouds, even the kind of kit and e-liquid you’ll need. So, let’s cut through the jargon and get to grips with MTL vs DTL vaping.

What Do MTL and DTL Mean?

• MTL (Mouth-to-Lung): With MTL vaping, you take the vapour into your mouth first, then breathe it into your lungs. Exactly how you’d smoke a cigarette.


• DTL (Direct-to-Lung): You skip the pause in your mouth and pull vapour straight down into your lungs, like taking a deep breath.

Simple enough, but the experience is totally different.

The Quick Comparison

If you’re fresh off cigarettes, the MTL vape meaning is easy to grasp. With a mouth to lung vape, the draw feels just like smoking, short puffs into the mouth, then into the lungs.

Why Does It Work?

• An MTL vape uses higher resistance coils (1.0Ω+).
• It runs at lower wattages (10–25W), so batteries last longer.
• It loves thinner liquids (50/50 PG/VG), especially nic salts.

What Are the Benefits of Mouth-to-Lung Vaping

• An MTL vape kit gives a familiar feel if you’ve smoked before.
• It packs a stronger throat hit and higher nicotine, so cravings are dealt with quickly.
• It doesn’t burn through e-liquid, so it’s kinder on your wallet.
• It produces small clouds, handy if you don’t fancy drawing attention in the pub garden.

What’s Not So Great?

• An MTL vape produces less vapour.
• Its flavour can feel toned down compared to DTL.

What Are the Best MTL Vape Kits?

The best MTL vape kits are pod systems and vape pens. Simple, portable and perfect for nicotine salts.

This is the one you’ve seen in action when someone blows out a cloud that practically hides the telly. With a direct to lung vape, you breathe vapour straight into your lungs, smooth, airy and very different to smoking.

Why Does It Work?

• A DTL vape uses sub-ohm coils (below 0.6Ω).
• It runs hot at 40W and up, sometimes over 100W.
• It needs thick liquids (70% VG or more).

What Are the Benefits of DTL Vaping?

• A DTL vape produces huge clouds of vapour.
• More flavour intensity from high-VG juice.
• Works with lower nicotine, so you don’t get overwhelmed on a long inhale.

What’s Not So Great?

• A direct to lung vape eats through liquid at a shocking pace.
• It has a shorter battery life thanks to higher wattage.
• It is not very discreet; you will get looks if you’re fogging up the bus stop.
• It can be intimidating if you’re just starting.

What Are the Best DTL Vape Kits?

Box mods, sub-ohm tanks, and bigger pod mods. Adjustable airflow, chunky clouds, and plenty of customisation.

After knowing about MTL and DTL vaping, the next question that most likely would pop up in your mind is: Is MTL or DTL better? Well, here’s the easy way to decide:

• Want something that feels as close to smoking as possible? Choose MTL.
• Want clouds that make you look like you’re vaping a weather system? Opt for DTL.
• Vape mostly at work, on breaks, or in public? Go with MTL.
• Vape for fun, flavour and hobby vibes? Choose DTL.

There’s no right or wrong; you can choose the best MTL vape for a cigarette-like feel or the best DTL vape for bigger clouds. At the end of the day, it depends on what you enjoy. Some people even switch between the two, MTL during the day and DTL when relaxing at home.

Getting your e-liquid right

This is where many new vapers slip up, pairing the wrong liquid with the wrong kit.

• MTL Liquids: 50/50 PG/VG blends or nic salts. Higher nicotine (up to 20mg in the UK) works well because you’re only taking in small amounts of vapour.
• DTL Liquids: Shortfills and high-VG (70%+). Nicotine needs to be low, usually 0–6mg, or it’ll feel harsh.

Quick tip:

Don’t put thick high-VG juice in a little pod; you’ll burn the coil. And don’t put thin 50/50 juice in a sub-ohm tank, it’ll leak everywhere.

So there you have it, the answer to mouth to lung vs direct to lung. One is familiar, cigarette-like, and discreet. The other is airy, cloud-heavy, and hobbyist. The choice is yours.