A Review Of The Best 18650 Batteries For Vaping

By: Nicholas King.
Last Updated: August 15th, 2021.

18650 Batteries

There are few things worse than to get caught short with low batteries while you are out and about. Good batteries are not cheap, and we expect them to last a while. In a previous blog we looked at the cause of vaping explosions and it came down to the battery. When you choose the correct type of battery for your mod, you increase the safety – and fun factor – of your vaping experience.
 

The 18650 Battery Winners!

Let’s first look at the best batteries on the market, we have tried to break it down by usage with a simple description of the ideal setup!
 

Up To 20A Batteries

20A batteries are ideally recommended for regulated mods powering at around 40-80W with a resistance of around 0.19 to 1.26 OHMS.

20A-30A Batteries

20A-30A batteries are ideally recommended for regulated mods 60–120W with a resistance of around 0.14 to 1.18 OHMS.

30A and Higher Batteries

Higher than 30A batteries are ideally recommended for regulated mods 60–120W+ with more higher current so lower resistances of around 0.02 to 1.0 OHMS.

Quick Battery Facts

The best box and vape mods requires a supply of long-lasting energy, and the battery must be capable of discharging at an even rate, for long periods, at high capacity.

• Durability is expressed in milliAmp-hours.
• Discharge rate (Amperage or Amp) is how much current you can draw from the battery at any given time. This is a critical factor for sub-ohm vapers.
• Wattage is determined by the mod (automatic setting in case of a regulated mod, custom setting in case of a mechanical mod).
• The greater the current (Amp) rating of the battery, the higher the wattage you can vape at.
• Users who vape at high wattage need more Amps.
• Users who vape at low wattage need lower Amps. Lower Amp-rated batteries provide longer vaping times.
• Using a low Amp battery at high Wattage will overwhelm the capacity of the battery. It may overheat, build up pressure and vent, or even explode.

Before You Buy

• Lithium-Ion batteries start to degenerate when they leave the factory, whether you use them or not. Always check the manufacturing date of a batch.
• Try to keep a record of when you start using the new batteries and how often you recharge them. If the batteries are of poor quality, you will quickly notice and can avoid a repeat buy.
• Always pair your cells and mark them with a sticker to be sure you don’t mix them up. Matching a battery that is almost spent with a new battery will affect performance markedly.
• Test new or suspect batteries with the correct equipment.
• Onboard recharging may be convenient, but it is a good idea to remove used batteries from the mod and replace with batteries charged on an external charger as it helps to keep the charge levels perfectly even in your pairs.
• If a Li-Ion 18650 battery weighs less than 40 – 44g, it may be a fake.

Safety First

No matter what brand you buy, beware of unscrupulous operators. Batteries are supposed to be manufactured under stringent quality regulations in ‘clean rooms’ to prevent any stray particles from entering the battery. Cheap batteries from China are flooding the market, and in most cases, we know nothing of their reputation or willingness to stick to manufacturing rules. Test each battery carefully, monitor temperature while in use, and regularly examine for signs of decay.  Take a look at our 9 Safety and Handling Tips article which should cover most of the safety precautions.

Well-Known Battery Brands

The market leaders such as LG, Panasonic, and Sony do a lot of R&D to ensure they stay at the head of the pack. You will also be familiar with Hitachi, Kokam, Toshiba, SAFT, and BYD.
Bottom Line – Buy with confidence.

Little-Known Battery Brands

Due to the high demand for Li-Ion batteries, a host of new manufacturers have stepped into the fray. Some of these companies simply copy good products. A notable few companies such as LeClanche, Amperex, MicroVast, Electrovaya and Johnson Controls also do their own development and can be regarded as the ‘Up & Comers’ of the industry.

Bottom Line – Help to add to the reputation and body of knowledge by keeping good records of their performance.

Take a Look At Some Of The Best E-Cigarettes

Re-Wrapped Battery Brands

Some users are concerned about the safety and quality of re-wrapped brands. The battery manufacturing process is a little like baking a batch of brownies – although you use the same ingredients and process, there may be tiny variances in the final product.

That is why manufacturers test each battery and classify it according to stringent requirements. Top quality batteries go into the A-bin, and there are B and C-bins for batteries that show slight variances from the norm. Batteries from the B and C-bins – and sometimes A-Bin batteries – are sold to other companies who re-wrap the cells with a PVC coating and sell it under different brand names.

Most of the companies who re-brand operate with extreme care and goodwill, but there are disreputable operators in the industry who use this opportunity to sell inferior or unsafe products as ‘re-brands’. They even claim excessive performance levels, so the next time you see a battery rated at higher than 30Amps, be warned, it is certainly not true!

Bottom Line: Buy with great caution. Re-wrapping companies don’t do expensive R&D and can, therefore, supply quality products at a lower price, but always check that it is indeed a re-wrapped battery and not an inferior product masquerading as a re-wrap. Some of the re-wrap brands have earned their own following. You may have seen some of these names come up: Pegasus, Orbtronic, Robiton, NiteCore, GTL, Efest, Basen, EagleTac, UltraFire, Vamped, EnerPower, Xtar, Fenix and many more.

The Battery Category Table

This table has been in use in the industry for a while and helps users to pick the right batteries for their gear. As technology improves and manufacturers manage to cram both high capacity and high discharge ratings into their newer batteries, the lines between the previously clear categories for batteries (5 types, from A to E) are blurring and you’ll see more and more overlap between the ‘types’. If you are in doubt, rather err on the side of caution. Sub-ohm vapers should rather buy high-drain (high Amp) batteries than accidentally ruin their battery with excessive high Wattage demands.

Other 18650 Batteries You May Consider

LG MJ1 – LG INR18650MJ1. 3500mAh, 10A (Classified as Type A)

3500mAh is the highest safe capacity on the market, and the MJ1 is ideal for use with mods with a 30W or lower wattage which can support resistances of 0.4ohm and more. Although it is a relatively new battery and quite expensive to boot, it has already won many dedicated fans.

LG HG2 – LG H2 18650. 3000 mAh, 20A (Classified as Type B, C)

Although the LG INR 18650H conforms to Type B with its 3000mAh, it offers a 20 A maximum continuous discharge which makes it suitable for Type C. This hybrid battery life advantage means it is an excellent choice for sub-ohm vaping. It offers a long battery life at 3000mAh; however, the 20A discharge current makes it a high drain battery suitable for mods in Type C. It is very popular among sub-ohm vapers as it is highly compatible with all variable voltage/wattage mods and it is highly affordable.

LG HE2 / HE4 – LG 18650 HE2/HE4. 2500MAh, 20A (Classified as Type C)

The HE2 and HE4 batteries offer good battery life at 2500mAh and 20A continuous discharge limit. Some users find that the HE4 is capable of more charging cycles than the HE2. Both the HE2 and H4 is dependable and easy to find and remains a favourite high-drain vaping battery

Sony VTC4 / 5 – SONY US18650VTC4 / VTC4 18650 2000mAh, 30A (Classified as Type C, D)

Medium capacity 2000mAh battery and the 3.7V operating voltage makes it suitable for mechanical mods. Amperage is up to 30amps. It is meant for powerful mods that can support wattage between 80 and 120W and a coil resistance of 0.15ohm. Contrary to media reports, the VTC4/5 batteries have not been discontinued and are manufactured by Sony in China. The Sony US18650VTC5: 30 A – has a 2600 mAh capacity and 30 A limit.

LG HD2 – LG ICR 18650 HD2 2000mAh, 25A (Classified as Type D)

The LG HD2 is known as one of the best vaping batteries due to the 25A discharge rate. The 2,000 mAh capacity is not extreme but adequate. This hybrid (NMC) chemistry battery is safer than other ICR options.

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