Innokin coils, the eight Z Coils cross-checked on the bench
Eight resistance values, one manufacturer list, four retailer listings, and wattage ranges that do not always agree for the same head. Buying Innokin coils for a Zenith or a Zlide looks simple until you put the numbers side by side. The 0.8 ohm head is rated at 14 to 17 W on Innokin’s own blog and at 15 to 18 W elsewhere. The lab lined the figures up to separate what holds from what does not.
Which Innokin coils for which draw
The answer sits in one family, the Z Coil, made in eight values from 0.3 to 1.6 ohm. British category pages for Innokin coils mix several families, Prism and Sceptre among them, but the Z Coil is the range made for the Zenith, the Zlide and the Kroma Z. Pick by the draw you want, then by the wattage.
- Tight MTL draw and nicotine salts, the 1.6 ohm, the 1.2 ohm or the DuoPrime 0.6 ohm, between 9 and 14 W.
- A warmer tight draw, the 0.8 ohm, which Innokin describes as a warmer vape needing more power.
- A looser draw at moderate power, the Plex3D 0.48 ohm or the Plexus 0.5 ohm, around 13 to 16 W.
- Restricted direct lung, the 1.0 ohm at 20 to 25 W, or the 0.3 ohm at 30 to 40 W.
The eight Z Coils, manufacturer against retailers
The table sets the list Innokin published on its blog on 30 March 2023 against four specialist retailer listings checked in October 2026. The last column gives the window every source agrees on.
| Value | Build | Innokin | Retailers | Shared window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 ohm | Z RDL | 30 to 40 W | 30 to 40 W | 30 to 40 W |
| 0.48 ohm | Plex3D mesh | 12 to 16 W | 13 to 16 W | 13 to 16 W |
| 0.5 ohm | Plexus | 12 to 16 W | 14 to 19 W | 14 to 16 W |
| 0.6 ohm | DuoPrime | 9 to 13 W | 9 to 13 W | 9 to 13 W |
| 0.8 ohm | Kanthal | 14 to 17 W | 15 to 18 W | 15 to 17 W |
| 1.0 ohm | Kanthal, RDL | 20 to 25 W | 20 to 25 W | 20 to 25 W |
| 1.2 ohm | Kanthal, MTL | 10 to 14 W | 10 to 12 or 10 to 14 W | 10 to 12 W |
| 1.6 ohm | Kanthal | 10 to 14 W | 9 to 12 or 10 to 14 W | 10 to 12 W |
Three values are unanimous, the 0.3, the DuoPrime 0.6 and the 1.0 ohm. For the 0.8 ohm, the gap comes from Innokin itself, which prints 15 to 18 W on its Zenith II and Kroma Z product pages.
The 1.6 ohm splits opinion the most, rated 9 to 12 W by two retailers and 10 to 14 W by two others. A gap of one or two watts is enough to push a setting outside the range, depending on which listing you follow.
Reading a wattage range when listings disagree
When two listings give two ranges for the same head, the careful reading is to work where they overlap.
Start in the shared window
Begin at the bottom of the shared window, go up one watt at a time only if the vapour feels lukewarm, and never pass the top of it. On a 1.6 ohm head, that means staying between 10 and 12 W. Below the range the wick stays flooded and flavour goes flat. Above it, heating outruns the liquid reaching the cotton and the burnt taste arrives early.
Why the 1.0 ohm wants more watts than the 0.8 ohm
On a generic chart, a lower resistance calls for more power. The 1.0 ohm Z Coil breaks that rule at 20 to 25 W, because Innokin designed it for restricted direct lung or a warm MTL draw, and that intended use sets its power. Our vape wattage chart by ohm gives the general bearings across brands, but it does not transfer unchanged to this family.
Matching e-liquid to each Innokin coil
The thickness of a liquid decides how fast it travels back into the cotton. The retailer listings sort Innokin coils into three groups.
The 0.3 ohm wants a high VG liquid, above 50% VG for one retailer and at least 60% for another, the first adding that this ratio prevents leaks.
The Plex3D 0.48 ohm, the Plexus 0.5 ohm and the 1.0 ohm sit around 50/50, with the 0.8 ohm on the same border.
The DuoPrime 0.6 ohm, the 1.2 ohm and the 1.6 ohm want a PG-led liquid, 50% VG at most, and accept nicotine salts. In the UK, nicotine e-liquid comes in 10 ml bottles capped at 20 mg/ml, nicotine salts included. A liquid that is too thick on these tight heads feeds the cotton slowly, and the head burns before it has done its job.
Plexus, Plex3D, DuoPrime or Kanthal wire
The 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.6 ohm heads use Kanthal wire. The 0.48 ohm uses a mesh Innokin calls Plex3D, the 0.5 ohm a Plexus build, two heads the brand promotes for flavour and longevity.
Innokin presents DuoPrime as a change in coil design aimed at better wick saturation and longer coil life. If you are torn between the 1.2 and the 1.6 ohm, the DuoPrime 0.6 ohm deserves a place in the comparison.
Compatibility and the 2 ml rule in the UK
Check compatibility against Innokin’s list first, then against retailers, who flag one exception.
What Innokin and retailers confirm
Innokin names the Zenith, the Zlide and the Zenith Pro, states that the Zenith II takes every current Z Coil, and pairs the 0.3 ohm with the Coolfire Z80 kit. Three retailers add the Zlide Top. The GO Z is the exception, with two retailers stating that values below 0.6 ohm cannot be used, one adding that the kit’s battery does not detect them.
Why the 2 ml cap matters here
Every refillable tank and pod sold in the UK is capped at 2 ml, and Innokin lists a 2 ml version for both the Zenith II and the Kroma Z. A small tank means frequent refills, and every refill is a chance to run a tight head dry or flood an open one. On a British setup, matching liquid to head matters more, and our guide on how to prime a vape coil covers the first fill.
Innokin families not to mix up
Innokin files its other coils separately. ZF coils fit the Z Force tank of the Kroma 217 kit, in 0.2 ohm at 50 to 80 W and 0.3 ohm at 30 to 45 W, while Sceptre, Ajax, Scion and Prism heads serve other devices. A ZF 0.3 ohm and a Z Coil 0.3 ohm share a value but not a family, so read the full reference before ordering. As our Geekvape coils bench test shows, the series decides, not the brand.
FAQ
Five questions come up when ordering a Z Coil, more often about names and devices than about watts.
Are Zenith coils and Z Coils the same thing?
Yes. Innokin changed its packaging at the end of 2019 and states that boxes marked Zenith coils and Z Coils hold the same heads. The Z Coil name has replaced the old one, though some listings still carry both.
Which Z Coil should go in a Kroma Z?
Innokin ships it with a 0.3 ohm and a 0.8 ohm and calls it compatible with the whole range. Its adjustable output of 6 to 40 W covers every range in the family, with the 0.3 ohm range reaching the top of the device.
What separates the 1.2 ohm from the 1.6 ohm?
On paper, very little. Innokin gives both the same 10 to 14 W range, names the 1.2 ohm its MTL head and points the 1.6 ohm at nicotine salts. One retailer, answering a customer, describes the 1.2 ohm draw as only slightly airier.
Do Innokin coils work on another brand of mod?
Yes, as long as the tank belongs to the Z Coil family. The mod only supplies power, the tank is what takes the head. Just check that your mod goes low enough for the tight heads, around 9 to 10 W.
Does the 0.3 ohm Z Coil suit nicotine salts?
None of the listings checked recommends it for that. Innokin points the 1.6 ohm at nicotine salts, and retailers pair the 0.3 ohm with high VG liquids vaped at 30 to 40 W.
Choosing Innokin coils by draw, then by the shared window
For a tight draw with nicotine salts, the 1.6 ohm remains the head Innokin designates, with the DuoPrime 0.6 ohm as the alternative. For a warmer tight draw, the 0.8 ohm. For a looser draw, the Plexus 0.5 ohm or the Plex3D 0.48 ohm. For restricted direct lung, the 1.0 ohm or the 0.3 ohm, depending on what the mod can deliver.
Then set the head inside the shared window and confirm compatibility, especially on a GO Z. Chosen that way, Innokin coils are not temperamental, and the signs that a head is finished are covered in our piece on how long a vape coil lasts.
Editorial content for adult readers only. Nicotine vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. Vaping products can contain nicotine, a substance that causes addiction. This article is not a buying recommendation.
