What is a bottom-feeder?

The bottom-feeder principle

The English term "bottom-feeder" literally means "feeding from below". It is also common to come across the terms "BF", "Squonk" or "Squeeze Box" in vaping jargon. More specifically, the bottom-feeder refers to a very specific type of operation, as it is designed to facilitate the feeding of drippers. 

The dripper, an essential component for understanding the role of the bottom-feeder

A dripper is in fact a rebuildable atomizer. Drippers allow you to enjoy better flavor reproduction from your e-liquids compared to standard atomizers. Their great precision in this area also makes them perfect allies when it comes to tasting an e-liquid and forming a concrete impression of it. They also offer a significant advantage when it comes to producing large vapor clouds, since their greater airflow allows the use of lower coils. They are therefore able to heat more efficiently and produce ever more vapor! 

While drippers were still little used until then, more and more users wishing to enjoy a more intense and more flavorful vape are now turning to these new-generation atomizers to customize their Pod as they wish. The dripper also has no reservoir, which means it must necessarily be fed with e-liquid from another source. This is where the bottom-feeder comes into play.

The bottom-feeder, a simple alternative solution for dripper users

The bottom-feeder allows for simple and quick feeding of your dripper's coil. Indeed, since the dripper has no reservoir, it must be fed regularly so that the cotton of its coil never runs out of e-liquid and vapor can be produced continuously. Thus, through a small flexible vial containing the e-liquid in question, the coil of your dripper can be fed from the bottom in a much faster way than usual. 

As an example, consider the case of a standard rebuildable Box to which a dripper is added. In order to ensure the operation of your mech or electronic Box, it would be necessary to open its mechanism and manually soak the coil's wick; which is not always practical on a daily basis.

In contrast, in the case of a bottom-feeder setup, the reservoirless atomizer is connected directly via a small tube to the flexible bottle placed just below. By pressing on this bottle, the liquid rises through the tube until it reaches the atomizer and its coil. With a simple squeeze of the vial, the cotton of the coil installed on your dripper will be soaked with e-liquid and you will be able to vape freely! 

Bottom-feeder features

As you might expect, an electronic or mechanical Mod must have enough space to integrate a bottom-feeder configuration. Indeed, a Box of this type generally features a rectangular format that allows it to accommodate everything needed: a battery cell, a small flexible bottle, and a small tube to connect to the dripper's coil. 

The small bottle in question generally offers a large capacity, ranging from 6 to 11 ml; which is clearly much more than what the built-in reservoirs on traditional clearomizers or atomizers allow (between 2 and 5 ml). Once the bottle is filled, you will not need to refill it right away, giving you a great deal of vaping autonomy!

Furthermore, the design of a Box accommodating a bottom-feeder configuration is conceived to maximize ease of access to the small flexible reservoir to be squeezed. As such, compatible Mods generally feature an opening, allowing you to effortlessly apply the necessary pressure to feed the system — without having to disassemble anything. Finally, it is also important to choose an atomizer compatible with the bottom-feeder. The latter must therefore have a pierced 510 connector to allow the liquid to pass through.

Advantages of the Bottom-feeder

The bottom-feeder is first and foremost a considerable time-saver for vapers who own a rebuildable atomizer of the dripper type, along with a compatible Box. Indeed, as mentioned above, you do not need to worry about disassembling your Box to feed the dripper. Furthermore, a Pod Mod compatible with the bottom-feeder features quick disassembly, allowing you to easily remove and refill the bottle with e-liquid. Using a large-capacity bottle also guarantees greater usage autonomy until the next refill.

Furthermore, by opting for the bottom-feeder, you will enjoy all the benefits associated with using a dripper: more flavorful e-liquid, more intense vapor, for an overall significantly more enjoyable vaping experience!

Disadvantages of the Bottom-feeder

Although the BF greatly simplifies the daily use of a dripper, refilling the flexible bottle is still more tedious than on a standard Box with an atomizer/clearomizer, where you simply need to fill the reservoir. Indeed, even though the generous capacity of this type of bottle reduces the frequency of refills, it is still necessary when the time comes to: open the Box, remove the bottle, then refill it with e-liquid before repositioning it. 

Furthermore, pressing the bottle too hard or too repeatedly can cause e-liquid leaks through the air inlets. It is therefore advisable to space out the presses so as not to overfeed the dripper with liquid.