# Vape filter, the part to understand before you buy > A vape filter in paper, cotton or PET, what it changes to the draw and how to tell whether a device takes one before you buy it. On some product pages the word sits in the box contents, between the pod and the charging cable. On others it names a pack of spares sold separately. For anyone new to vaping, a **vape filter** looks like a minor detail, yet it changes how the device feels at the lips and it will not fit just any model. Nor is it the same thing as the filter tips sold for rolling papers. Before adding a pack to your basket, it pays to know which part it fits. ## A vape filter is a disposable paper or cotton mouthpiece A **vape filter** is a soft, disposable mouthpiece made of paper, cotton or PET (a food-grade plastic), fitted to the end of certain pods and certain tube-style devices. It takes the place of the rigid mouthpiece, known as a drip tip, that you would normally put to your lips. Its job is about the draw and the feel. It slows the airflow slightly, holds back some of the condensation that forms in the airway and gives a softer mouthfeel. There is no e-liquid or coil inside, and it is replaced separately from the pod. A device only takes a filter if it was designed for one. So it is not a universal accessory but a part tied to a model or a family of models, which is worth knowing before you choose a kit. ## What the filter changes to the draw and the feel Three effects set a filter device apart from one with a rigid drip tip. They explain why these models aim at one particular style of vaping. ### A tighter draw Retailers place filters on the mouth to lung side, or MTL, where vapour is drawn into the mouth first and then inhaled. The filter adds a little resistance to the airflow, which makes that tight draw more pronounced. On a device built for an airy, open draw it would be out of place. ### Fewer droplets at the lips As vapour cools in the airway it forms tiny droplets of liquid. Paper or cotton catches some of them, where a rigid drip tip sometimes lets them reach the lips. That is also why a filter gradually saturates and needs replacing. ### A softer feel Paper and cotton give slightly between the lips, unlike the resin or metal of a drip tip. That difference in feel is a matter of personal preference. The amount of vapour depends first on the coil and the power, not on the mouthpiece. ## Paper, cotton, PET, the main types of vape filter Filters fall into a few families, by material and by the part they fit onto. The table lists examples taken from manufacturer and retailer product pages. | Family | Material | Example | Part that takes it | |---|---|---|---| | Paper and PET filter | Food-grade paper and PET | Aspire Vilter filters, in boxes of 10 | Pods in the Vilter family | | Cotton filter | Cotton | Filters for the Vap'Or E-Feeling Nano | The device body, where it is the original mouthpiece | | Paper filter on a dedicated pod | Paper | Geekvape Wenax M Starter Kit | Only the kit's 0.8 ohm pod | | Rigid tip, no filter | Resin, metal or plastic | Standard drip tip | The tank or the pod | Aspire's Vilter filters combine food-grade paper and PET and come in boxes of ten. Two retailers list them as compatible with the whole range of Vilter pods. Cotton is used, for instance, on Vap'Or's E-Feeling Nano, where the filter is the original mouthpiece. On that kind of device the filter is part of the design from the start, not an option added later. ## How to tell whether a device takes a vape filter Whether a **vape filter** fits is decided by the kit's product page, not by the brand name. Two real cases show why. ### One kit, two pods, one filter Geekvape's Wenax M Starter Kit pairs a 400 mAh stick with a 2500 mAh battery compartment that recharges it. In its April 2025 press release, the manufacturer explains that the kit takes two interchangeable pods, a 1.2 ohm pod with a regular drip tip and a 0.8 ohm pod fitted with a paper filter. The filter follows the pod, not the whole device. Owning the kit is therefore not enough to vape with a filter, you also need the pod designed for it. Its resistance in ohms differs from the other pod, and that value sets the useful power range, as our guide to [vape settings in three steps](/uk/vape-settings/) explains. ### One brand, filters that do not swap At Vap'Or, a retailer's product page states that the cotton filters for the E-Feeling Nano are not compatible with the eRoll Slim kits, which come with filters of their own. Two devices from the same brand can therefore need two different references. ### What to look for on the product page Three clues settle it. Filters should appear in the box contents. A pack of spares should be sold under the exact model name. And when the kit offers several pods, the page should say which pod takes the filter. With none of these clues, the device is meant to be used with a rigid drip tip. ## Filter or rigid drip tip for a first kit The choice is not about quality or power. It comes down to the feel you are after and how many consumables you are happy to keep track of. ### The filter, for a tight draw and a soft feel A **vape filter** suits someone after a firm mouth to lung draw and a soft mouthpiece. In return it adds a consumable that must be bought for that exact model, on top of coils or pods. ### The rigid drip tip, for fewer parts to watch A rigid drip tip can be rinsed and kept. It suits anyone who prefers a looser draw or would rather not keep an eye on the state of a filter. Whichever you pick, UK rules apply in the same way, with refillable pods and tanks limited to 2 ml and nicotine e-liquid capped at 20 mg/ml in bottles of no more than 10 ml. ### Not the same cotton as the coil The word cotton covers two unrelated parts. Filter cotton touches the lips and is thrown away, while coil cotton acts as the wick, soaks up e-liquid and wraps around the heating wire. For that second kind, our guide on [how to wick a coil](/uk/how-to-wick-a-coil/) walks through the technique. ## FAQ These questions tend to come up once a filter device is in your hand. ### How do you change the filter on a vape? Pull the old filter straight off, wipe the end of the pod or the device body, then push the new one on until it stops. No tools are needed. ### How long does a vape filter last? One retailer quotes about two days with steady daily use, and five to ten days with lighter use and a well-kept filter. A filter that feels soaked or stiff is worth changing straight away. ### Why does a filter change colour as it is used? The condensation it holds contains e-liquid. The colour of the liquid and its flavourings gradually settles into the paper or cotton, which is why a filter turns yellow or brown. ### Do filters come in colours? Yes. For some models, retailers offer filters in several colours alongside the white version. The colour makes no difference to what the filter does, only compatibility with the device matters. ### What should you do if the filter is soaked with liquid? Replace it, then check the pod. A filter that soaks through in a few puffs usually points to an overfilled or leaking pod, and changing the filter alone will not fix the cause. ## Vape filter, a part chosen together with the kit A **vape filter** is neither a universal accessory nor a minor detail. It extends one specific pod or device, changes the draw and the feel, then gets replaced over time under its own reference. Before buying, the kit's product page tells you what matters, filters included, the pod concerned, spares sold under the model name. Reading those lines before choosing a vape filter means applying to a small part the method that works for all vaping kit, understanding what each component does before adopting it. Editorial content for adult readers only. Vaping products can contain nicotine, a substance that causes addiction. Vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. This article is not a buying recommendation.