If you’ve read a lot here already, you’ll most likely have seen it mentioned that taste is a very subjective thing. Well, people’s practices are just as subjective. Some people think it’s easier one way and others find another way better.
Stove top (or lollypop) coils, single coils, dual coils, the same coils/tank that you usually vape on, wickless coils, … it doesn’t really matter as long as you’re comfortable with your procedures and if they’re helpful to you.
Before I do any testing, I would have read up on the flavors I want to test. I check recommended percentages for the flavor I’m about to test. Based on this, I kinda know how much base liquid I have to test with. If a flavor is useful from 0.1%, it’s really difficult to test a 10ml bottle and I’ll up it to a 30ml. If the mean usage is about 2-4%, 10ml would be a more appropriate size for me.
Then I add about a quarter of the mean usage to my base, mix it up (literally with a small mixer) and I try it without steeping. I’ll up the % in my tester and repeat this process until the flavor starts to give off unpleasant notes or mutes. At that point, I know what the workable range is for the flavor.
Depending on those results, I make 1, 2 or 3 little bottles with minimum, mid and maximum usage to steep. Those go in a cupboard and will be tested after 2 weeks. I used to test about every day but I don’t see the point of it anymore. When in doubt after 2 weeks, I may or may not continue steeping but usually I’m done at that point.
Personally, I prefer to use a single coil atty because it’s easy and fast to re-coil, wick etc. I used to use cotton pads as wick but it’s always a pain to cut, peel off the outer layers and rewick so I’m now on a quest to find good and affordable shoelace wicks (fasttech, ali express, gearbest etc have lots and cheap ones on offer).
If you use a beefy coil and use temperature control, the coil will hold a lot of juice and you won’t even need a wick for testing, but every 2 or 3 puffs you’ll need to drip again. Want to change flavors, just dry-burn the coil (sometimes it needs a rinse) and start with a new flavor.
It really doesn’t matter what method you use, but keep it easy and fun. It doesn’t make much sense doing 2 dozen flavors every day, take it easy and give your taste buds a break. A lot of people see SFT’ing as an annoying chore, stop doing them or immediately start mixing recipes and judge flavors that way… it just doesn’t work efficiently so keep your head cool, don’t overdo it and look at it as a fun new discovery each time.
I’m not saying you should do this, just telling you it’s an option if you test a lot and want to save time on wicking and reduce waste cotton.
I guess in this case I’m gonna have to dial the patience up a notch especially if some of the flavours require a lengthy steep haha