If you're new to vaping, buying a vape is pretty simple. Tons of excellent all-in-one kits come with everything you need to start enjoying vaping.
However, once you move up to more high-end models, you will soon become lost at the sheer amount of customization these vapes offer.
Most mid to high-end vapes allow you to customize them so you can get the best possible vaping experience. Not only can you pick and choose between different tanks and coils, but since these devices don't come with an inbuilt battery, you can also choose what type of battery you want to power it.
And when it comes to batteries for vapes, the most common type used is the 18650. 18650 batteries are one of the most popular types of rechargeable batteries in the modern world. These flat-top lithium-ion batteries are used in a wide range of devices like laptops, phones, calculators, flashlights, and many others.
Unfortunately, picking the best 18650 batteries for you, the vape can be quite tricky. This is because the market is full of sub-par products and even counterfeits. Some brands even doctor their ratings, so their batteries look better than they are.
Thankfully, you have us. We've done all the necessary research for you!
In this article, we'll review the 7 best 18650 batteries for vaping. And we'll teach you what factors you should consider when purchasing one.
We understand that some of you don't have the time to go through this entire article. This is why we compiled this nifty little table that lists all crucial specs of the batteries we reviewed.
Product | Type | Capacity | CDR |
|---|---|---|---|
Flat top | 3000mAh | 15A | |
Flat top | 2500mAh | 20A | |
Flat top | 2547mAh | 35.1A | |
Flat top | 2500mAh | 20A | |
Flat top | 3015mAh | 22.1A | |
Flat top | 2000mAh | 30A | |
Flat top | 3500mAh | 20A |
7 Best 18670 Batteries Reviewed
Here is our selection for the 7 best 18650 batteries on the current market. We included a wide range of products that vary in capacity, CDR, and price to ensure there's something for everybody.
Most importantly, we made sure the sellers are trustworthy and respected in the vaping community, so you don't end up with a counterfeit battery that'll ruin your favorite vape mod.
By far, the most popular 18650 lithium-ion batteries for vapes are Sony VTC6 and VTC5. We recently reviewed the Sony VTC5a battery, so we'll compare these two batteries in this article.
Like the Sony VTC5a, VTC6 batteries measure 2.5 inches in length and about 0.7 inches in diameter. It's paramount you memorize these dimensions because most counterfeits are a bit bigger or smaller than the original dimensions.
One of the most significant differences between the Sony VTC5a and VTC6 is the capacity. Sony VTC5a has 3000mAh, while VTC6 has only 2600mAh. Still, even with the capacity of 2600mAh, you'll be able to use your vape for two to three days before you have to recharge the battery.
Another big difference between the VTC5a and VTC6 is the CDR. Sony VTC6 batteries provide only 15 amps of continuous discharge, which is half of what VTC5a offers. This means you won't be able to use these batteries for high drain sub-ohm vapes.
Besides these two major differences, VTC5a and VTC6 18650 batteries are practically the same. Both of these batteries have superb thermals. Even if you hog the vape, Sony VTC6 batteries won't heat more than 40 degrees Celsius. This is only ten degrees more than the standard room temperature!
If you're looking for the best vape batteries, 18650 batteries from Sony are your safest bet!
- Very affordable
- Excellent thermals
- Compatible with any battery charger
- The most counterfeit 18650 battery in the world
- Only 15 amps of CDR
If you own a sub-ohm vape, you need lots of amps to power the coil. And when it comes to high drain, high current 18650 batteries, one of the best brands you can go for is Samsung. Samsung 25R lithium-ion 18650 battery offers a decent capacity with excellent high drain capabilities.
Samsung 25R flat top batteries offer quite a lot of capacity for a high-drain battery. Rated at 2500mAh, the 25R will last you for around two to three days of vaping before you have to recharge them. And since these are high-current batteries, it's quite amazing they're rated at 2500mAh.
The best thing about the Samsung 25R battery is it's CDR. These batteries are capable of 20 amps for continuous discharge, which is more than enough to power even the hungriest sub-ohm vape. While some batteries offer 30 amps CDR, 20 amps is still more than enough to power most of the sub-ohm vapes.
When it comes to thermals, the Samsung 25R battery can reach temperatures up to 70 degrees Celsius. However, the battery will get this hot only if you vape every couple of seconds for a full hour.
In normal use cases, the 25R battery won't get hotter than 40 degrees, which is quite reasonable.
- 20 amps CDR
- Excellent capacity
- Affordable
- The battery can get hot if you hog the vape
- Not as good as Sony VTC5
If you own a sub-ohm vape, you need a battery that can continuously discharge at least 20 amps of current. Of course, the higher the CDR, the better since the battery won't heat up as much. And when it comes to high CDR, one of the best 18650 batteries around is the Hohm Teck Work 2.
Hohm Tech Work 2 is a lithium-ion battery that's rated at 2547mAh capacity. With this much capacity, these batteries will allow you to enjoy your vape for around two days if you use it moderately. If you're a heavy vaper, these batteries won't last more than a day.
Thankfully, Hom Tech Work 2 battery charges incredibly quickly. You will have these batteries up and running in less than two hours with a decent battery charger.
One of the best things about these batteries is their amazing CDR. The Hohm Tech Work 2 battery is capable of continuously discharging up to 35.1 amps of current! This is more than enough to power even the hungriest of coils.
And on top of that, these batteries won't even heat up that much because most vapes aren't capable of drawing 35 amps of current.
The only issue we have with these batteries is their somewhat questionable quality control. Out of three batteries we bought, one just couldn't charge to full capacity no matter how long we left it in the battery charger.
- 35 amps CDR
- High capacity
- Recharges incredibly quickly
- Questionable quality control
- Not recommended for high-ohm vapes
If you're looking for an affordable high drain, high capacity lithium-ion battery for your sub-ohm vape, your best choice is the LG HE4 battery.
The HE4 li-ion battery is a replacement for the discontinued HE2 battery and is better in every way than its predecessor.
Unlike the LG HG2 battery we reviewed a while back, the HE4 is a bit larger. Measuring around 2.55 inches in length, this battery is a bit larger than most others. Still, that's not a big problem since most vape mods have a bit larger battery compartment than required for special cases like the one with this battery.
When it comes to capacity, the HE4 battery is rated at 2500mAh. This is more than enough capacity for you to use your vape for around two days before you have to recharge it. And since this battery is good for about 500 cycles, you can use it for approximately two years before they become completely useless.
When it comes to CDR, the HG2 battery offers 20A CDR. This is the same CDR LG HG2 batteries have. However, when it comes to thermals, LG HG2 beats HE4. While LG HG2 won't get hotter than 50 degrees Celsius, the HE4 will reach temperatures of up to 80 degrees when under stress.
However, the battery will reach this temperature if you really hog the vape. Under typical use cases, this battery will remain as cool as ice.
- Very affordable
- Decent capacity
- 20A CDR
- Gets quite hot if you hog the vape
- A bit bigger than other 18650 batteries
If you have a high-ohm vape mod and are looking for a decent high-capacity 18650 li-ion battery, look no further than Hohm Teck Life 4. Although these Tech Life 4 batteries don't come from a well-known brand, they are among the most popular among experienced vape enthusiasts.
Let's see why!
The main reason why these batteries are so popular among vape enthusiasts is their massive high capacity. These batteries are rated at 3015mAh. However, when we tested the battery, it only managed to pull out around 2900mAh.
Although we don't like it when companies lie, 2900mAh capacity is still quite solid. This is more than enough capacity for you to use your vape for two or three days before you have to recharge it.
When it comes to CDR, these batteries are rated at 22.1 amps. While this might be a bit of an overkill for a high-ohm vape, this only means the battery won't heat up too much.
What's more, if you decide to go for a sub-ohm vape, you can just transfer these batteries from your old device to the new one.
Still, we don't recommend putting these batteries in sub-ohm vapes because they can get quite hot. Under high stress, the Tech Life 4 battery can reach temperatures of up to 70 degrees Celsius. However, if you use your vape moderately, these batteries won't get much hotter than the room temperature.
- Superb capacity
- Excellent for high-ohm vapes
- Excellent thermals when used in a sub-ohm vape
- The manufacturer dolled up the rating
- Can get quite hot when used in a high-ohm vape
If you love using incredibly power-hungry mech mods, you need a battery that won't die out after just a couple of draws. Thankfully, Samsung produces one of the best 18560 batteries for power-hungry devices. Enter, Samsung 20S, a 18650 battery that doesn't have many charges, but packs quite the punch.
Samsung 20S are lithium-ion batteries that are rated at only 2000mAh. This isn't quite a lot of juice for your vape, but when you factor in it's high CDR, 2000mAh is quite astounding. These batteries have 500mAh more capacity than other high drains 18650 batteries on the market!
When it comes to CDR, Samsung 20s 18650 li-ion batteries are rated at 30A. While many companies like to fiddle with the ratings, this 18650 battery offers a true 30A CDR. This means they're the best 18650 battery you can buy if you own a mech mod vape.
When it comes to thermals, these batteries will stay cool at all times. Even during continuous use, the 20S didn't exceed temperatures over 50 degrees Celsius. During our test, the battery lingered around 40 degrees Celsius for most of the time.
Our only gripe with this battery is that it's commonly counterfeit. This is why we recommend you buy it only from verified sellers or those sellers you trust.
- Best 18650 battery for mech mods
- Amazing CDR
- Decent capacity
- Commonly counterfeit
- A bit pricey
If you don't like having a lot of downtime on your vape, you need a battery 18650 that has a massive capacity. One of these batteries is the MXJO 18650 battery.
MXJO had quite a shaky start in the vape world because they used to beef up the ratings so they can sell more batteries. Thankfully, the situation turned for the better when they released the MXJO 18650 li-ion battery in 2017.
The MXJO offers the biggest capacity out of all batteries we reviewed so far. This 18650 battery is rated at a whopping 3500mAh. This is more than enough juice for you to use your vape for a very long time.
In fact, with two of these bad boys powering your vape, you'll be able to use it for a full week before you drain them.
When it comes to the continuous discharge rate, these batteries are rated at 20A. While this is more than enough charge to power a sub-ohm vape, we recommend you don't use it on those types of devices.
These batteries can get quite hot if you use them with a sub-ohm vape. We tested it out, and the battery got quite hot in very little time.
With that said, if you use MXJO 18650 to power a high-ohm mod box, it won't exceed the room temperature.
- Rated at 3500mAh
- Decent CDR
- Incredibly affordable
- These batteries will get hot if you use them in a high-ohm vape
- The brand has a shady past
Read more —
How to Choose the Best 18650 Batteries for Your Vape?
By far, 18650 batteries are the most common type of batteries used to power vape mods. And for a good reason too. These batteries come in a wide range of capacities, and most importantly, they can discharge enough power to run the vapes coil.
Unfortunately, because of the popularity of 18650 batteries, you will often find subpar models and even straight-up counterfeits if you visit many of the online stores.
To help you avoid wasting money or damaging your vape, we prepared this guide. So, here are four factors you need to consider when buying a 18650 battery for your vape.
1. Battery Brand And Manufacturer
The battery brand is the first thing you need to consider when buying an 18650 battery. The main goal of every brand and manufacturer is to sell as many batteries as possible, so it's really easy to stumble upon a brand that exaggerates the ratings to appeal better to the customers.
The practice of re-wrapping and exaggerating battery ratings is illegal because it can be dangerous to customers. Most companies get called out for their illegal practices, but some can slip under the radar. This is especially true when buying 18650 batteries online.
Make sure you always double-check when buying 18650 batteries in online stores. Major brands that provide quality and truthful ratings are Samsung, LG, Panasonic, and Sony.
Of course, other battery brands offer good quality, but most of them tend to exaggerate the ratings slightly.
These companies usually don't produce their own batteries. Instead, they buy batteries from other manufacturers, re-wrap them, and add packaging to make the batteries suitable for retail sale.
2. Battery Capacity
Battery capacity is measured in mAh (milliampere-hours), which tells you how many milliamperes you can draw for how much time. Knowing this, many would choose a battery with the highest possible capacity.
Unfortunately, we have to tell you that a high battery capacity comes at the cost of CDR (current rating).
With most batteries, you'll need to choose whether you want high capacity or high current. However, there is no need to worry. You can find a 18650 battery that offers the perfect balance between CDR and capacity.
For example, a 18650 battery with 2500-3000 mAh and a CDR of 15-20 A would be the best of both worlds like the Samsung 25R, LG HG2, or Sony VTC5A.
3. Continuous Discharge Rating
The continuous discharge rating represents the maximum current at which you can discharge the battery safely and continuously without damaging it.
So, before you choose the best 18650 battery for vaping, make sure you know how much current your vape requires.
If you choose a 18650 battery with a continuous discharge rating that is less than you require, you'll notice that the battery is overheating. That is because the battery must work beyond its abilities and can't keep up.
Besides the continuous discharge rating, you may also hear the term pulse discharge rating. The pulse discharge rating represents the maximum current at which your battery can be discharged for a short period without reducing its capacity or damaging it.
When looking at the pulse rating, many factors need to be considered when comparing two batteries, so it's easier to focus just on the CDR.
4. Button Top And Flat Top
The final thing you'll need to consider when buying a 18650 battery is do you need a flat top or a button top. A button top battery has a button-like protrusion, which increases the battery's length. In contrast, a flat top battery has a flat top.
Make sure you know what type you need because if you buy a flat top battery, it'll be too short for your device, and the same goes the other way around.
Read more —
Best for | Product Name | Price |
|---|---|---|
Best Choices | Sony VTC6 | |
Runner Up | SAMSUNG 25R | |
Best Fast Charging 18650 Battery | HOHM TECH WORK 2 | |
A Battery with a High Capacity | LG HE4 | |
Best Thermals for a Sub-Ohm Vape | HOHM TECH LIFE 4 | |
Best 18650 Battery for Mech Mods | Samsung 20S | |
Very Affordable 18650 Battery | MXJO 18650 |
Conclusion
All that's left is to tally up the results.
If you like using high-ohm vapes, the best 18650 battery you can buy is the Sony VTC6. These batteries offer a perfect combination of capacity and CDR, and it doesn't heat up as much as other brands.
And if you like more using power-hungry sub-ohm vapes, the battery that will best suit your needs is the Samsung 25R. Although it offers only 20A CDR, it can power most sub-ohm devices without heating up too much. And on top of that, it's rated at true 2500mAh.
Lastly, if you're looking for a product that has a high CDR and charges up quickly, we recommend you pick up a HOHM Tech Work 2. Rated at 35.1A CDR and 2547mAh, these batteries will power even a mech mod with no problems.