Top-Fill vs. Bottom-Fill Vape Tanks

When going shopping for a new sub-ohm vape tank, one of the last things that we tend to pay attention to is the location of the fill port or trench, which gives us access to the juice well so that we can refill our tank with e-liquid. Currently, tanks come in two styles: top-filling and bottom-filling, both of which are self-explanatory. But, is one superior to the other, and what does each one offer to the benefit of the vaper?

Top-Filling Vape Tanks
Today, you are most likely to come across top-filling vape tanks, as this has become the standard throughout the hardware industry. Top-filling tanks allow you to access the juice well from the top of the tank, which means that you don’t need to actually remove the tank from the vaping device. The way in which the juice well is exposed varies from model to model, as there are various options including ones that unscrew, rotary designs and more.

Pros

#1: CONVENIENCE
Top-filling tanks are more convenient overall. You don’t need to unscrew the whole tank, and this design is also more travel-friendly because of this. You can access the juice well with less effort, saving time and being great for refilling on the road.

#2: LEAKPROOF
Top-filling tanks are generally more leakproof than bottom-filling ones, since gravity is working in the tank’s favor. There isn’t a tiny seal through which the vape juice can seep over time through the bottom.

#3: EASIER ON YOUR 510-THREADED CONNECTION
Not having to regularly unscrew and recrew your tank from and to its device can make your 510-threaded connection last so that the tank continues to be fully secure when attached to your mod.

Cons

#1: MORE LIKELY TO GET DAMAGED IF YOU DROP YOUR DEVICE
Yes, if you drop a top-filling tank, it’s more likely that the opening mechanism will get damaged since it’s exposed, unlike a bottom-filling tank.

#2: NOT AS SECURE OF A VACUUM, DEPENDING ON THE MODEL
Some top-filling tanks don’t do as adequate of a job of maintaining a vacuum effect within the tank, which can improve airflow and keep your coil properly operational.

Bottom-Filling Vape Tanks
Bottom-filling tanks came before top-filling tanks, and while they’re no longer the dominant design, they do still exist and many tanks on the market are filled through the bottom. Bottom-filling tanks must be fully removed from the vaping device, as the opening to the juice well cannot be accessed otherwise. The bottom is usually unscrewed, so that the entire juice well is exposed and can be filled as needed.

Pros

#1: MORE PROTECTED AGAINST DROPS AND FALLS
Because bottom-filling tanks are protected by being screwed onto your device, the opening mechanism is less likely to get damaged when the device is dropped, since it is not exposed.

#2: MAINTAINS A GREAT VACUUM
Bottom-filling tanks tend to do a better job maintaining a vacuum within the tank as the seal is reinforced by being connected to the mod.

Cons

#1: NOT AS CONVENIENT
Ultimately, bottom-filling tanks require more effort to refill. You need to first unscrew the entire tank before accessing the bottom fill mechanism. This means that it can be harder to refill a tank when you’re away from home, since more steps are required and the process takes longer. Still, this is a minimal difference at the end of the day, and isn’t a big deal at all if you do most of your vaping at home.

#2: CAN BE TOUGH ON YOUR CONNECTIONS AFTER A WHILE
One thing to note about bottom-filling tanks is that the constant unscrewing and recrewing can gradually weaken the 510-threaded connection point that attaches the tank to your mod. Now, this likely only occurs if you’re someone who is refilling your tank several times a day, as it takes a while for this connection to wear down as it’s usually made from high-grade materials and coated in gold-plating.

#3: MORE LIKELY TO LEAK, ESPECIALLY IN OLDER MODELS
A bottom-filling tank is more likely to leak, mainly if you’re using an older model. The nature of a bottom-filling tank means that there is a small seal through which e-liquid can seep due to the nature of gravity. Keep in mind, however, that modern manufacturers have put a lot of effort into developing perfectly sealed, leakproof bottom-filling tanks, so that this issue is generally far less likely to occur.

Which One is Better?
Better yet, which type of tank is better-suited for your vaping needs: one that fills through the bottom, or one that fills through the top? Well, ultimately, there’s no definitive answer. It is up to you to compare the pros and cons of each to decide which aspects you prefer when you’re vaping.

Now, while it is true that top-filling tanks have become the standard and are therefore more widely available today than bottom-filling models, there is a reason why vapers still opt for bottom-filling tanks, and why they are still in production.