Best RDAs of 2019 & Reviews

Which RDA (Rebuildable Drip Atomizer) Should You Buy?

Features Expert Rating
HellVape Dead Rabbit
HellVape Dead Rabbit
  • Four Post Build Deck
  • Single or Dual Coil
  • 5mm Deep Juice Well
(98%)
Check Price
Wotofo Troll V2
Wotofo Troll V2
  • Two Post Build Deck
  • Dual Coil
  • 10mm Deep Juice Well
(98%)
Check Price
The Goon RDA
The Goon RDA
  • Bridge Clamp Deck
  • Single or Dual Coil
  • 6mm Deep Juice Well
(96%)
Check Price

Our # 1 RDA (Rebuildable Drip Atomizer) for 2019

We spent many hours testing and reviewing some of the best RDAs on the market today to bring you our top pick for the number #1 spot: The HellVape Dead Rabbit RDA. 

Why the Dead Rabbit?

  1. Cute atomic bunny logo
  2. Simple, easy to build on deck
  3. Deep juice wells and ability to use single or dual coil builds.
It is a good dripper for the money.

It is priced affordably and designed so that even new builders can be successful at using this RDA. Not many advanced devices are made for beginners or even suggested for them.  But the simplicity of this atomizer makes it perfect for someone wanting to get into building because it is so uncomplicated, even for beginners.

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Editor’s Choice

The Best RDA of 2019

Hellvape Dead Rabbit RDA
                                                                                                   (98%)
Learn More About Our #1 Pick

Which Type of RDA is Right For You?

If you are looking for a new rebuildable atomizer to add to your growing collection, or if you are a new vaper who is looking to get into building your own coils, then you came at the right place. Here, you will learn all about the best RDAs so you will have no problem choosing the right one for you.

What to Look For

R

Good-size Airflow Holes

If you are looking for an RDA for bigger clouds, the first thing that you should look for are big air flow holes. The general rule of thumb when it comes to cloud-chasing is more airflow is equal to bigger clouds. The newer RDAs have such huge airflow holes that you will hardly feel any resistance when you take a deep drag.

R

A Deck That Accomodates Larger Coil Builds

For bigger clouds, you need to install bigger diameter coils. The more surface area that heats up and vaporizes the juice, the bigger and thicker clouds will be. Check the build deck, especially the holes where you will insert the leads for your coils and the distance between the positive and negative posts.

R

Narrowed Mouthpiece

If you are looking for the best RDAs for flavor, choose the ones with the smaller chambers. The shorter distance the vapor has to travel before it reaches your mouth means that less flavor is dissipated. Ideally, the inner chamber of the chuff cap should tapered or concaved towards the drip tip, this concentrates the vapor and makes the flavors more intense.

What to Avoid

Q

Complicated Build Decks

If you are a beginner at coil building, you should avoid RDAs with complicated build decks. Ideally, for beginners, the two-post Velocity-style build decks are recommended. This type of build deck makes it easy to install coils because the post holes are staggered, so you do not have to bend your leads.

Q

Buying RDAs with a Non-Adjustable 510 pin

For those experienced vapers:  Avoid non-adjustable 510 pins. The 510 pin is the copper colored bolt that sticks out from the bottom of the RDA. Ideally, the 510 pin should stick out by a couple of millimeters, this means you can safely use the RDA on a hybrid mechanical mod and not just on a Variable Wattage mod with a spring-loaded 510 connector.

Q

Buying an RDA without Exta 0-rings

Avoid RDAs with flimsy O-rings. Try spinning the chuff cap/air flow control a bit; if it seems too easy to twist then the O-rings are too small, which means that you will be constantly adjusting the airflow controls because they will most likely close or open up on their own. If your RDA doesn’t come with an extra set, buy some anyway.

Specialized Reviews Ranking System

At License to Vape, we employ a comprehensive evaluation system to analyze and measure the full value of products, by looking at the ingredients, clinical studies, safety, projected effectiveness, return policies, and overall customer satisfaction. This method is known as the License to Vape Ranking System.

Top 8 Vaping Pens For 2019

We’ve compiled a list of what we’ve found to be the top products in this category and on the market today.

HellVape Dead Rabbit

HellVape and Vaping Heathen

98%
OUR SCORE
Features
Build Deck
10
Durability
9.5
Value
10
Vape Flavor
10
Vapor Cloud
10
Well Capacity
9
Pros
  • Innovative build deck
  • Supports single and dual coil builds
  • Nice angled airflow
  • Produces dense flavorful clouds
Cons
  • None
The Bottom Line
The Dead Rabbit RDA is a collaboration by Hellvape, a vape manufacturing company, and VapinHeathen, one of the most popular YouTube vape reviewers. The Dead Rabbit RDA uses an innovative top access build deck, which means you insert the leads of your coils into the holes on the top of the build posts. This build deck design opens up a lot of possibilities on the kinds of coil builds you can use. The posts on the build deck resemble bunny ears so it is a nice little design perk and is different than most others and adds a little fun to it. This is definitely a nice little RDA that is well within anyone's vape budget. Learn More About Our Top Pick

Wotofo Troll V2

Wotofo

98%
OUR SCORE
Features
Build Deck
10
Durability
9.6
Value
9.3
Vape Flavor
10
Vapor Cloud
10
Well Capacity
10
Pros
  • Velocity-style build deck
  • 2 airflow options - vertical and slanted
  • Tons of vapor
  • Great flavor
Cons
  • O-rings are a little tight
  • Airflow can be hard to adjust
  • No single coil option
The Bottom Line
The Troll V2 from Wotofo is one of the most popular RDAs to ever come out in the last two years. If you are looking for a good balance between cloud production and flavor, the Troll V2 is the best choice. The great thing about the two airflow options is that you can really fine tune your draw. For instance, if you want an open, airy draw, use the vertical slots fully opened, if you want a rather tight, MTL type of draw, use the horizontal slots and adjust them so just a small hole on both sides are visible. The best thing about the Troll V2 is that you get top-tier performance at a bargain basement price, which is why it is so appealing. Learn More About Our Top Pick

The Goon RDA

528 Custom Vapes

96%
OUR SCORE
Features
Build Deck
10
Durability
9.3
Value
9
Vape Flavor
10
Vapor Cloud
10
Well Capacity
9.5
Pros
  • Easy to build on
  • High-quality manufacturing
  • Supports single and dual coil builds
  • Can fit any type of wire
Cons
  • No 510 drip tip adapter
The Bottom Line
The Goon by 528 Customs is probably one of the most popular RDAs out there. It has got all of the basics covered; the clamp-style build deck is easy to use, you can use any kind of wire you want, the juice well is quite deep, it supports dual and single coil builds, and it produces a decent amount of clouds. The first version of the Goon was already easy to build on, but when 528 Customs came out with the Goon V1.5, this time making the clamps spring-loaded, it just improved upon perfection. This is the RDA that beginners and even seasoned vapers should have in their arsenal. Learn More About Our Top Pick

Augvape Druga RDA

Augvape

95%
OUR SCORE
Features
Build Deck
9
Durability
9.5
Value
9.8
Vape Flavor
9.3
Vapor Cloud
9.5
Well Capacity
10
Pros
  • Innovative build deck
  • Can fit large diameter wires
  • Good mix of cloud and flavor production
Cons
  • A bit tricky to build on
  • No extra screws
  • Hard to adjust airflow
The Bottom Line
The Druga by Augvape was one of the most ambitious RDAs to ever come out in 2017 thanks in part to its patented Clam Snag System. The Druga’s unique build deck almost guarantees that your coils will have maximum contact with the build posts. Not only is the Druga an RDA, it can also be used on a Squonker, you just need to replace the pre-installed gold 510 pin with the SS squonk pin that comes with the package. Although the build deck looks intimidating for beginners, it actually has a shallow learning curve, which means even beginners will have no trouble building on it. If you are looking for an RDA that can do it all, the Druga should be high on your list. Learn More About Our Top Pick

Flawless Tugboat 22

Flawless

92%
OUR SCORE
Features
Build Deck
9
Durability
10
Value
9.4
Vape Flavor
9
Vapor Cloud
9
Well Capacity
9
Pros
  • Deep juice well
  • Easy to build 3-post design
  • Nice build quality
Cons
  • Cramped build deck
  • Single O-ring gets slippery and loose
  • Small airflow holes
The Bottom Line
The Tugboat V1 is one of the iconic RDAs to ever come out of the vaping scene, and it still remains to be quite popular these days. The Tugboat uses a 3-post build deck, which makes it easy to build on (the positive post is the one at the center, the two others are negatives). Flavor-wise, the Tugboat’s small chamber makes for a flavorful vape. However, if you are a full-blown cloud chaser, you might not like the airflow of the Tugboat V1, because even if you open it up completely the draw is still a bit tight. On the other hand, if you are a beginner at rebuildable atomizers, you definitely should get the Tugboat. Learn More About Our Top Pick

Mutation X V5

Indulgence

89%
OUR SCORE
Features
Build Deck
8.9
Durability
9
Value
9
Vape Flavor
8.5
Vapor Cloud
9
Well Capacity
8.7
Pros
  • 20 airflow holes
  • Deep juice well
  • Easy to install coils
Cons
  • Build posts tend to loosen over time
  • No replacement PEAK insulator
  • Peak insulator easily cracks when dropped
  • Prone to leaking
The Bottom Line
The Mutation V5 is one of the best RDAs for clouds to ever come into the marketplace. The innovative thing about the Mutation is that you can remove the Velocity-style posts and use it postless, which means you can install bigger coils, but this can be quite tricky and is not recommended for beginners. Although the Mutation V5 is a 22mm RDA, the chamber is quite high, and it has a total of 20 airflow holes, which means you can chuck huge clouds using this tiny atty. If you are a beginner at using rebuildable atomizers, the Mutation V5 is a good one to start with; as long as you do use the build posts. The Mutation’s 22mm diameter also means that it will fit on almost all mods big or small. Learn More About Our Top Pick

GeekVape Tsunami

GeekVape

89%
OUR SCORE
Features
Build Deck
9
Durability
8.5
Value
9
Vape Flavor
9.3
Vapor Cloud
9.3
Well Capacity
8
Pros
  • Easy to build on
  • Can use custom 510 drip tips
  • Respectable cloud production
  • Smooth airflow
Cons
  • Glass window fogs up (on the Tsunami with a glass window)
  • The powder coating scratches easily
  • The O-rings are not that tight
The Bottom Line
The Tsunami is one of Geekvape’s best drippers, and one might argue that it is the product that put the company on the map. If you are looking for an RDA that is affordable, easy to build and use, and can produce a respectable amount of vapor, the Geekvape Tsunami is the one for you. With its wide-bore drip tip, and wide-open airflow controls, you will find yourself in cloud chaser heaven in no time. The build deck of the Tsunami uses a two-post, four post hole design, which makes building on it quite easy; you do not need to bend the leads of your coils to make them fit into the post holes. The juice well is also quite deep, you can probably put around ten to fifteen drops of e-liquid in there with no problem. If you’re a complete beginner at rebuildables, you need to check out the Geekvape Tsunami RDA. Learn More About Our Top Pick

Wotofo Freakshow

Wotofo

83%
OUR SCORE
Features
Build Deck
8
Durability
8.5
Value
8
Vape Flavor
8.5
Vapor Cloud
8.5
Well Capacity
8
Pros
  • Comes in a variety of colors
  • Produces flavorful clouds
  • Innovative bottom feeding airflow
Cons
  • Cramped build deck
  • Needs a bit more airflow
  • Cloud production is just average
The Bottom Line
The Freakshow is one of Wotofo’s earlier products, and even then the company has made some of the best favor chasing attys in the market. The Freakshow is a 22mm, three-post RDA, which is a bit small for today’s standards, but back when it was first introduced this was the norm. Yes, the build deck of the Freakshow was quite small, and it would be quite a challenge to fit large diameter wire builds in there, but the reduced chamber size, and the bottom-feeding airflow, actually made this RDA one of the best flavor attys ever made. This is truly one atomizer that is worth its place in a vaper’s collection. Learn More About Our Top Pick

As an expert vaper testing and using everything from starter kits to mech mods and tanks to RDA’s, I have learned a lot about vaping and the vape experience over the last 5 years. We test and review some of the best products on the market to help you find some of the highest quality products available today. Ask me about my favorite RDA or tank. shannon@licensetovape.com

Click to see list of vaping pens we evaluated

What is an RDA?

An RDA, or Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer, is a type of atomizer allowing the user to make their own custom heating coils. Unlike other atomizers where you have to buy replacement coils once they have gone bad (the cotton is too dirty, burnt, or if you want to use a different flavor juice). With RDAs you just need to buy some vaping wire, organic cotton, and some simple tools to begin making your own coils.
Not only is it more economical than using pre-made sub-ohm coils, you can customize your vape to the way you want it. When you have gained enough experience building sub-ohm coils, you can change your RDA from being a cloud-chasing one to one that produces clouds that are more flavorful (flavor builds vs cloud-builds).
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How to Use an RDA?

Using a Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer is quite straightforward. Once you have coils built and installed in your atomizer, and you have put the right amount of cotton in there as well, you are ready to vape. First, you need to place a couple of drops of juice directly on the coils to make it so the cotton will wick the juice from the juice well more efficiently. Once the cotton is all nice and saturated, place the chuff cap (the top cover of the RDA) and then directly drip around 6 to 8 drops of juice into the juice well. Re-wet the cotton as needed to keep it from becoming dry.  The cotton inside the coils should resemble a slushi – not too wet or too dry.
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Advantages of an RDA

RDAs have several advantages over the other kinds of atomizers. First, if you want to use another kind of e-liquid, you only need to remove the old cotton and replace with fresh, new cotton and you are good to go. With sub-ohm tanks, you need to replace the premade coils entirely because the flavors would mix. Another advantage is that RDAs are more economical to use compared to atomizers that use pre-built coil heads. A couple of feet of vaping wire and a bundle of organic cotton can last more than a month, and they only cost a couple of bucks; pre-built coils, on the other hand, are quite expensive, sometimes running $15 for a pack of six, which will only last a week, maybe two tops.
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Vaping Pens We Evaluated

Vaping Tanks We Reviewed

Sub Ohm Tanks We Reviewed

Box Mods We Reviewed

Beginner & 0-50w Box Mods We Reviewed

50-100w Box Mods We Reviewed

100 – 200w Box Mods We Reviewed

Vape Mods We Reviewed

 

Mini Box Mods We Reviewed

Temperature Control Mods We Reviewed

Mechanical Mods We Reviewed

Vaporizers We Reviewed

Starter Kits We Reviewed

Vape Pen Starter Kits We Reviewed

Vape Mod Starter Kits We Reviewed

E-Liquids and Juice Brands We Reviewed

Online Vape Stores We Reviewed

Vape Battery Chargers We Reviewed

Dry Herb Vaporizers We Reviewed