Vape Accessories Guide: Coils, Batteries, VG and Nic Shots (2026)

Vape accessories are the difference between a device that performs like it did on day one and a device you end up replacing. Coils, batteries, vegetable glycerine and nicotine shots are the four things most South African vapers actually buy again and again, and getting each one right saves real money. Everything in this guide is in stock in our coils, pods and spares range.

Coils: the single biggest lever on flavour

A coil is a wire wrapped around cotton. Liquid soaks the cotton, the wire heats it, you get vapour. Once that cotton is scorched or clogged, no amount of good e-liquid will save the taste.

The tell-tales are consistent. Flavour goes muted, then the draw turns harsh, then you get a distinct burnt note. If you have hit the burnt stage, the coil is finished; a new one is the only fix. Most people get one to two weeks out of a coil, though sweet, dark or heavily sweetened liquids will eat it faster because the sugars caramelise on the wire.

Two rules keep coils alive. First, match the coil to the device: an Airscream Pro coil only fits an Airscream Pro, and no amount of hope will make it seat in something else. Second, prime it. Wet the cotton through the ports, fill the pod and leave it standing five minutes before you fire it. A dry first pull ruins the coil permanently.

Batteries: the part people get wrong

If your device takes an external 18650 cell, the battery is not an accessory, it is a safety-critical component. Buy a known cell from a known brand and treat it properly.

Look at the continuous discharge rating, not just the capacity. A 2600mAh cell rated 25A continuous will comfortably run a regulated mod; a cheap unbranded cell claiming 5000mAh will not, and it may vent under load. Charge on a proper external charger at around 0.5A rather than the fastest setting you can find. It takes longer and the cell lasts hundreds more cycles.

Never carry a loose battery in a pocket with keys or coins. A short across the terminals is exactly how the horror stories start. Use a plastic case, and retire any cell whose wrap is torn or scratched.

VG and nic shots: how to mix your own for a fraction of the price

This is where the real saving is. A longfill or shortfill arrives as a concentrated flavour in an oversized bottle, deliberately under-filled and nicotine-free. You finish it yourself.

Vegetable glycerine is the neutral base that carries the flavour and makes the vapour. Top the bottle up with VG and you have a full-strength, zero-nicotine e-liquid.

A nicotine shot adds the nicotine. One 10ml shot of 24mg unflavoured freebase dropped into a 120ml bottle lands you at roughly 2mg, which is the standard strength for sub-ohm cloud vaping. Want more? Add a second shot. The arithmetic is simple: total nicotine milligrams divided by total millilitres.

Bought this way, a 120ml bottle of finished e-liquid costs a fraction of buying 120ml ready-made. If you vape at low strength in a sub-ohm tank, mixing is far and away the cheapest route.

Essential vape accessories in stock at ADVapes

What to keep on the shelf at home

Keep a spare coil, always. The one guaranteed way to have a bad week is to have your coil die on a Sunday night. At R119 for two, a backup pack is cheap insurance.

Beyond that, buy to your habit. If you run an external-battery mod, own a second set of cells so one pair is always charged. If you mix your own, keep a bottle of VG and a couple of nic shots on hand, because running out mid-mix leaves you with an undrinkable half-made bottle. If you only use pod systems, coils and pods are all you need.

You must be 18 or older to purchase. Nicotine-containing products contain nicotine, which is an addictive substance. Not for use by non-smokers, pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Related reading

• Vape coils, pods and spares: the guide to replacements that last
• DIY e-liquid made simple: longfills, flavour shots and nic shots
• Pod systems and refillable kits: what coils and pods they use