Versed Vaper TeamBuild more easily and get better flavor with these highly rated RDAs
You may have heard about RDAs and have decided that you want to get one. Or maybe you’ve heard the term RDA, but aren’t quite sure what they are.
RDA stands for Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer, and is a type of ‘tank’ that you see on the top of vape mods. RDAs don’t actually have a tank, but rather have a ‘juice well’ in which a small amount of juice can collect. An RDAs main purpose is to allow the vaper to ‘drip’ a small amount of juice directly onto the coil and wick, and provide around a dozen or so draws.
Below you’ll find a list of the best RDAs available right now. These RDAs have been selected by our team based on their ease of use, vapor production, flavor intensity, build quality, and overall experience.
We’ve separated this list into three categories: single coil, dual coil, and mesh coil RDAs.
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Best Dual Coil RDAs
When it comes to dual coil RDAs, there are a lot of them. It seems like everyday you hear of a new dual coil RDA being released. But why choose a dual coil tank over a single coil one? There are a few reasons that you might but it mainly comes down to power and flavor.
A dual coil RDA will allow you to build lower resistance builds because the resistance gets halved when you build with dual coils. Lower resistance build require more power, and more power (generally) means more clouds and better flavor.
5.0
Exemplary
- Dimensions: 35mm x Ø24mm
- Airflow: Twelve airflow slots, adjustable stepped airflow
- Build Deck: Quad terminal, quad-post
PROS
- Space-capsule design looks great
- Excellent flavor
- Top cap spins smoothly to adjust airflow
- Airflow is smooth and free of turbulence
- 5mm deep juice well can handle over-dripping or over-squonking
CONS
- Top cap can’t be removed
- Have to pre-cut coil legs
Why We Picked It
The Drop V2 is a 24mm dual coil RDA made by Digiflavor. It’s the successor to the highly-praised Drop RDA and, although a lot has changed, it’s all for the better.
The Drop V2 has an attractive “space-capsule” body and precise machining that makes it one of the best looking RDAs around. It also has a spacious quad-post build deck with four large terminals for easy building. As long as you cut your coil legs to the right length (~5mm), the flavor from this RDA is excellent.
The airflow on this RDA is made up of six airflow slots per side, for a total of 12 airflow slots. These slots are arranged in three rows of two slots. The top cap turns extremely smoothly and can be used to achieve an airy DL draw down to a slightly restricted DL draw. There are plenty of ways that you can set the airflow, so you can experiment to see how you like it best.
The Drop V2 lets you drip liberally without worry thanks to its deep 5ml juice well. However, keep in mind that the top cap and body cap are one-piece, so you have to be careful dripping down the drip tip. For those who use squonk mods, the Drop V2 is fully squonk ready and comes with a bottom-feeding 510 squonk pin in the box.
Things have changed from the original, but with the Drop V2 they’re nothing but positive changes. If you’re looking for a new dual coil RDA to add to your collection, this is the first one that you should consider.
Read our full review on the Digiflavor Drop V2 RDA.
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5.0
Exemplary
- Dimensions: 35.55mm x Ø24.6MM
- Airflow: Three rows of wide airflow slots, side airflow
- Build Deck: Ø22.2mm, four terminal, postless
PROS
- Feels solid
- Concave build deck channels ejuice to wicks
- Excellent flavor
- Easy to build on
- Decent 2ml juice well
CONS
- Loose o-rings make it too easy to remove the body cap
- Body cap wiggles when locked in place
Why We Picked It
The Recurve V2 is a collaboration with Mike Vapes and it’s one of the best RDAs out. It’s the successor to both the Recurve RDA and Recurve Dual RDA and comes with a few changes that make it the best Recurve yet.
The Recurve V2 features a four terminal, postless build deck that can accommodate either single or dual coil builds. It also comes with two airflow inserts. These airflow inserts each have three rows of 5 airflow holes, but they differ in the amount of space that they leave on the build deck. One insert is for single coil builds and leaves less space on the deck, while the other insert is wider and meant for dual coil builds. It’s essentially two RDAs in one.
The top cap is stepped and allows you to adjust the airflow by rotating it. You can close off the top row of airflow holes and leave the bottom two rows open for a slightly restricted draw, or close the top 2 rows of airflow holes and leave just the bottom row open for a very restricted draw.
The Recurve V2 is an equally great performer with single coil builds as it is with dual coil builds and the airflow inserts make a world of difference. As long as you use the single coil insert for your single coil builds, you’ll get flavor that is just as good as a dual coil build.
The build deck is quite spacious and can accommodate dual 3mm ID coils or up to a 5mm ID single coil. The build deck is also concave and channels ejuice back to your wicks.
A great design feature is the extremely deep juice well. It will hold 2ml of ejuice which means that you can drip or squonk liberally without worry of flooding or leaking. When you do squonk, there are channels that lead directly from the central squonk pin and straight to your cotton for efficient wicking.
If you like the idea of having a single, very flavorful tank that can do both single and dual coil builds, we highly recommend picking up the Recurve V2.
4.0
Excellent
- Dimensions: 33.7mm x Ø25MM
- Airflow: Two large side slots directed down an inner chamber and under the coils, adjustable
- Build Deck: Four terminals, two posts
PROS
- Easy to build on
- Leak proof due to top-to-bottom airflow system
- Excellent flavor
- Included drip tip is quite comfortable
- Nice adjustable airflow
CONS
- Bottom feed pin not included
- Deck is on the smaller side
Why We Picked It
The Geekvape Z RDA is Geekvape’s latest RDA. If you’ve used the Geekvape Zeus X RTA then you’ll be familiar with the build deck. There are two bridged posts with a total of four terminals. This allows you to build either single or dual coil builds, however the Geekvape Z will perform best with a nice pair of beefy coils.
The airflow on the Geekvape Z consists of two odd looking airflow slots at the top of the tank. These airflow slots force airflow down to your coils, around the chamber, and then back over the coils and out through the drip tip. This gives the Geekvape Z the flavor of a bottom airflow tank, but with the leak-resistance benefits of a top airflow RDA.
As we mentioned earlier, the Geekvape Z RDA keeps the same 2 post build deck as the Zeus X RTA. The post holes allow plenty of room to fit exotic coils and large gauge wire builds. The juice well also gives plenty of room to drip without worry of flooding.
The Geekvape Z RDA delivers flavor and performance that is absolutely top notch and most rebuildable vapers will be happy what it brings to the table.
4.5
Outstanding
- Dimensions: 32.8mm x Ø22mm
- Airflow: 15 airflow holes per side (three rows), adjustable
- Build Deck: Dual post, large screws
PROS
- Condenser on body cap reduces space in build deck for better flavor
- Excellent flavor
- Lots of ways to adjust the airflow
- Airflow is quiet and feels direct
- 5mm deep juice well
CONS
- No rabbit ear style posts
- Requires premeasuring/cutting coil legs
Why We Picked It
The Dead Rabbit Solo is another great “Dead Rabbit” tank from Hellvape and an all-around excellent single coil RDA. It’s not just a hastily done redesign of the dual coil Dead Rabbit tanks, but instead has been redesigned from the ground up to provide a great single coil rebuildable experience.
At just 22mm in diameter and 32.8mm tall, the small size concentrates and enhances the flavor of your vapor. Although there are no “rabbit-ear” style posts, the build deck is very easy to build on and consists of two posts secured by sturdy flathead screws. The lack of rabbit-ear posts means that you have to pre-measure and cut your coil legs before installation, but we found 5mm to be the perfect length.
The Dead Rabbit Solo allows you to set the airflow in a number of ways. There are three rows of airflow holes and you can turn the top cap to close off one row at a time. You can also close all three rows at the same time from left to right, allowing you to leave just half of the airflow holes open.
With the airflow completely open there’s a touch of restriction. It’s a direct lung draw no doubt but it’s not super airy as you might expect. This comes down to the compact build deck and small airflow holes, which are only Ø1.2mm.
While the Dead Rabbit Solo doesn’t provide flavor that is as good as its dual coil brothers (it is a single coil RDA after all), it’s excellent for a single coil tank. This, in part, comes down to the top cap and condenser which greatly reduce the space on the build deck for better flavor and excellent airflow.
The Dead Rabbit Solo is also great for squonking because the center squonking pin feeds ejuice straight to your wicks. You can squonk and immediately take a draw without the fear of dry hits.
For its overall versatility, ease of building, and amazing flavor, the Dead Rabbit Solo makes our list of the best RDAs.
Read our full review on the Dead Rabbit Solo.
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CODE: VERSED
4.5
Outstanding
- Dimensions: Ø22mm
- Airflow: Two medium slots on each side, adjustable
- Build Deck: Dual large post, dual large terminal
PROS
- Excellent flavor
- Ultra smooth airflow
- Deep juice well
- Extremely easy to build on
- Good build quality
CONS
- Top airflow slot does not close individually
Why We Picked It
The Drop Solo V1.5 is a great single coil RDA. It’s the follow-up and successor to the wildly successful Drop Solo RDA. The Drop Solo V1.5 retains the small 22mm diameter of the original but now features a cleaner and more modern design.
The build deck consists of two large posts. The two large terminals allow you to drop in your leads, secure them from the sides, and then trim your coil legs. This makes the Drop Solo V1.5 extremely easy to build on, even for a complete beginner to RDAs. This RDA also has a deep juice well which allows you to drip and squonk liberally.
The airflow on the Drop Solo V1.5 is fully adjustable and consists of two, medium-sized slots on each side of the tank. The airflow is relatively quiet and ultra-smooth. The airflow can be adjusted to provide anywhere from a direct lung draw to a restricted DL draw.
You get a standard 510 pin, as well as a bottom feeding 510 squonk pin with the Drop Solo V1.5.
4.0
Excellent
- Dimensions: Ø22mm
- Airflow: Ten side holes on each side, adjustable
- Build Deck: Quad terminal, elevated postless
PROS
- DL and RDL capable
- Solid build quality
- Good flavor
- Can produce huge clouds
- Nice range of airflow adjustment
CONS
- Top cap can get hot with consecutive draws
Why We Picked It
The Nitrous is an RDA that can be used with both single and dual coil builds. However, you’ll get the best performance using a single, large coil.
This 22mm RDA is designed for maximum flavor and features a raised two post build deck. There are four terminal openings so if you’re using a single coil you can use either forward or reverse wrapped coils. The raised build deck perfectly positions your coils with the airflow holes and this allows the Nitrous to deliver big clouds and intense flavor.
The airflow on the Nitrous is fully adjustable and consists of ten holes on each side of the RDA. You can close off just the top row of holes and leave the bottom row open, or close off both rows of holes at the same time. This gives you plenty of options for how you want the airflow and lets you achieve exactly the type of draw that you want.
The juice well on the Nitrous is a bit shallow at 1.5ml so you have to be careful not to over drip. For those of you who like to squonk, the Nitrous RDA comes squonk ready with a bottom-feeding squonk pin.
Best Mesh RDAs
Mesh coils RDAs are able to produce more flavor and larger clouds thanks to the increased surface area of the mesh. However, they’re also very sensitive and unforgiving to wick and must be wicked with the cotton fully contacting the mesh.
If not, you’ll end up with hot spots and a burning coil. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to get it right if you know what you’re doing.
5.0
Exemplary
- Dimensions: 35.5mm x Ø28.5mm
- Airflow: Three side slots on each side, adjustable
- Build Deck: Single center post, one side clamp on each side
PROS
- Excellent machining and build quality
- Excellent flavor from dual mesh coil
- Straightforward to build
- Airflow is highly adjustable
- Can be used in parallel or series configurations by switching the 510 pin
CONS
- Lots of machine oil out of the package (our experience)
- Very large base diameter (28.5mm)
Why We Picked It
The build deck on the Profile PS is similar to other Profile RDAs, only it has room for two mesh coils. Your mesh coils get inserted into the side clamps, as well as into the central post in the center of the deck. The post in the center tightens the leads of both mesh coils at the same time.
There are side mounted Phillips head screws to tighten the clamps on the sides. There are also two white peek insulator plates with springs. These help keep your cotton tight and pushed up against your mesh coils to prevent dry hits.
The deck has a really deep juice well; 3ml deep to be exact! This is amazing for those who over drip or over squonk like myself and ensures that ejuice won’t come spilling out if you get a little overzealous.
The airflow on the Profile PS consists of three slots on opposite sides of the barrel for a total of 6 slots. The middle slot is slightly wider than the top and bottom slots. Adjusting the airflow is done by rotating the top cap.
When the airflow is wide open there are 16 holes on each side of the top cap for a total of 32 airflow holes. These airflow holes are arranged in three rows; 5 airflow holes on the top row, 6 in the middle, and 5 on the bottom row.
If you continue to turn the top cap past these 16 holes, you’ll find 2 rows of holes for just the middle and bottom rows. The Profile PS gives a lot of options for airflow and there’s a ton of ways that you can configure it to get just the right amount of airflow that you’re looking for. You can even set it to half way on the 3 rows of airflow and halfway on the 2 rows of airflow holes if you like the draw.
The Profile PS is a solid mesh RDA. The flavor that comes out of this tank with two strips of mesh is absolutely amazing. If you thought that single mesh RDAs were the pinnacle of flavor for rebuildables, just wait until you try the Profile PS.
What is an RDA?
RDA stands for Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer, and is a type of ‘tank’ that you see on the top of vape mods. RDAs don’t actually have a tank, but rather have a ‘juice well’ in which a small amount of juice can collect. An RDAs main purpose is to allow the vaper to ‘drip’ a small amount of juice directly onto the coil and wick, and provide around a dozen draws. There are a number of benefits over a traditional atomizer and tank setup.
Why use an RDA?
There are a number of reasons why people would choose an RDA over a traditional atomizer and tank setup:
Intensified Flavor
Because the coils of an RDA are closer in proximity to the drip tip(where you inhale), RDAs produce a stronger, more intense flavor. This flavor enhancement is also because of how open the coils are versus the more closed-in coils of a traditional refillable tank. This is especially true in top airflow RDAs.
Larger Cloud Production
RDAs are known for their ability to produce massive cloud of vapor, and are a favorite in the vaping community for this reason. This is again due in part to the coil being very open to airflow. RDAs can chuck some serious clouds.
More Cost Effective
You should build your own coils with an RDA (you can buy premade coils, but building is fun and is much cheaper!) and there are a number of benefits to this. Importantly, it’s much cheaper than buying coils for refillable tanks. With a little bit of learning, you’ll be making coils like a pro (be sure to practice proper battery and coil safety precautions)!
Customization Options
Because you can build your own coils with RDAs, you have a wide-range of options. You can do single or multiple coil builds, straight coils, twisted coils, clapton coils, and many many more.
There are dozens of different styles of coils that can be made, and they arguably can produce better flavor and cloud production. Most importantly you can choose your number of wraps and your wire gauge, and thus your desired resistance for your coil. If you’re looking to completely personalize your vaping experience, an RDA is for you.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to buy an RDA, we hope that our list of the best RDAs has helped you make that decision! Each and every one of these RDAs on our list has been selected because of their rating among users, flavor intensity, customizability, and cloud production.
At Versed Vaper, we strive to produce incredible content that helps you to be more informed in your purchases and we hope that you learned something that you didn’t know!
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Have a question or a comment? Need help? Even if you just want to share your love for vaping. Send us an email! We would love to hear from you!
