featured image showing the best 21700 vape batteries

5 Best 21700 Batteries In 2023 [by use case]

While the majority of vaping mods feature internal power supplies, there are many advantages to using a mod which takes an external battery. For one thing, a failed internal battery pretty much means that mod is finished, but if the vape batteries can be removed then it’s a simple case of swapping it out!

21700 batteries aren’t quite as popular as 18650s, however, they are still the battery of choice for many mods which are intended for consistently high wattage outputs. But with so many on offer how are we to determine which are the best 21700 batteries?

If you’re a frequent reader of ours you may have seen our recent roundup of the best 18650 batteries, in which we rated and reviewed several of the most popular 18650 batteries available. 18650 might be the most popular external battery size, however this does nothing to help those seeking out the best 21700 batteries, so in the following piece that’s exactly what we’re going to take a look at!

And if you’re looking for a vape battery mod and think you may have ended up in the wrong place, please check out our roundups of the best vaping mods and the best small vape mods.

But without any further delay, let’s jump in and take a look at the best 21700 batteries available!

We assembled this list by listening to our customers, considering their stated requirements and analyzing various batteries by way of milliamp and amperage, so as to provide the most rigorous and impartial choices possible.

The Best 21700 Battery Overall: Molicel P42A Battery

The Molicel P42A has enough mAh and amperage to get the vast majority of sub-ohm vapers the satisfaction they need, at a very affordable price!

Molicel P42A Battery, the best 21700 vape battery

We spent a long time investigating which 21700 batteries were the cream of the crop and likely to provide a vaper with the longevity, power and reliability necessary for frequent daily use and feel confident in our choices. However, there has to be a winner, a 21700 battery which rises over the rest, and today that winner is the Molicel P42A!

While some of the other battery brands might have bigger name recognition; rechargeable lithium batteries is what Molicel DOES! For decades they’ve been at the very forefront of rechargeable battery tech, and their P42A 21700 battery’s popularity with sub-ohm vapers speaks for itself.

The 5 Best 21700 Batteries Are

  1. Molicel P42A Battery
  2. Golisi S35 Battery
  3. Vapcell T30 Battery
  4. Sony VTC6A Battery
  5. BAK N21700CG-50 Battery
 

Molicel P42A Battery

Best for: Price

9.2/10
Total
Battery Capacity
9.3/10
Amperage/‘Stress’ Limit
9/10
Longevity
8.8/10
Build Quality
9.5/10
Price
9.6/10
Price
£8.99
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Features We Love

Manufacturing Expertise

Literally the inventors of rechargeable lithium batteries

Long Lasting

4200mAh goes a long way

High Stress

30A decent for sub-ohm

Molicel are a well-known brand in the world of vaping. Maybe not quite as commonplace as companies like Samsung and Sony, but for a company almost entirely dedicated to rechargeable battery tech it’s impressive that they’re able to compete with and – in some cases – excel beyond the Big Brand Names.

Morever, Molicel aren’t limited to 18650 batteries; Molicel’s P42A boasts an impressive balance between high capacity and amperage.



The Molicel P42A has an internal battery capacity of 4200mAh, very ample and capable of providing many hours of charge for your external battery vape.

The P42A has a discharge rate of 30A, making it very well suited to sub-ohm vaping and power outputs which are likely to put the battery through some stress which it’s designed to handle well. The amperage may not be the kind of wattage an RDA requires. though.



Molicel were responsible for the creation of the very first rechargeable lithium batteries, and so you can be assured that when you buy Molicel you’re buying literal decades of experience in the manufacture of safe and reliable 21700 batteries.

Although it’s unsurprising that a battery manufacturer as storied and experienced as Molicel would release a 21700 battery that was perfect for intensive vaping, it’s very pleasing to see that they haven’t had to make any great sacrifices when balancing mAh and A.

Pros

  • Years of battery experience
  • Great power capacity
  • Good amperage for sub-ohming

Cons

  • Not the highest mAh, but still really good
Price
£8.99
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Golisi S35 Battery

Best for: Performance

8.7/10
Total
Battery Capacity
8.7/10
Amperage/‘Stress’ Limit
10/10
Longevity
8.6/10
Build Quality
8.3/10
Price
7.9/10
Price
£21.99
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Features We Love

High Amperage: 40A easily capable of handling any intense requirements
Dual Batteries: Perfect for marrying a pair for long-term use
Long Lasting: 3750 mAh enough power for consistent use

It’s often a good idea, when seeking out batteries for a dual battery mod, to purchase two batteries at once and ‘marry’ them, meaning you use and charge them together constantly to ensure the longest battery life possible.

Golisi are here to meet this need with a frankly stunning pair of batteries, the Golisi S35.

The S35 battery boasts an absolutely awe-inspiring 40A of amperage. This is easily enough to handle any amount of stressful output you intend to put the battery through, capable of producing consistent competition-level clouds with ease.

Even better, Golisi have somehow solved the issue of ordinarily having to sacrifice mAh for A. The Golisi S35 has a power capacity of 3750mAh, not the highest in the world but astonishingly high for a battery with such a high amperage rating.

The Golisi S35 is perhaps one of the best battery bargains you’ll ever encounter; two stunningly powerful and high charge batteries that won’t let you down, no matter how many fat clouds you hope to puff that day!

Pros

  • Perfect for sub-ohm use
  • Marriable pair
  • Affordably priced

Cons

  • Many MTL mods not compatible with 21700s
Price
£21.99
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Vapcell T30 Battery

Best for: Wattage

8.6/10
Total
Battery Capacity
8.2/10
Amperage/‘Stress’ Limit
9/10
Longevity
8.8/10
Build Quality
8.9/10
Price
8.1/10
Price
£7.99
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Features We Love

Good Amperage: 35A is a very high and capable of handling frequent high stress levels
High Capacity: 3000mAh, while not the highest, is still good for all-day-vaping
Competition Grade: Professional quality power and longevity

Ordinarily when looking for a 21700 battery that’s capable of handling wattages above 100W all day you need to accept a sacrifice in capacity, as high amperage batteries are rarely able to hold a large amount of charge.

But Vapcell are here to smash those assumptions! As a matter of fact, you don’t have to make the sacrifice! Their T30 battery will absolutely not let you down.

The Vapcell T30 has a very high amperage of 35A, which is easily enough to handle the highest wattage outputs your mod can manage.

But it also comes packing a 3000mAh capacity! While that might seem lower than some of the other batteries mentioned today, it’s a very high amount of power capacity for a vape designed to withstand intense, competition-level cloud outputs.

While some vapers out there, both sub-ohm and MTL, will possibly be looking for a battery with a slightly higher mAh, those of you who rarely go lower than 100W will want to opt for a battery like this because it is absolutely designed with your requirements in mind.

The Vapcell T30 is a cloud chaser’s dream; capable of handling intensive outputs and also lasting several hours before requiring a charge!

Pros

  • Supremely high amperage
  • Perfect for all sub-ohm use
  • Good power capacity

Cons

  • Not perfectly suited for MTL use
Price
£7.99
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Sony VTC6A Battery

Best for: Build Quality

8.6/10
Total
Battery Capacity
9.2/10
Amperage/‘Stress’ Limit
8.6/10
Longevity
8.3/10
Build Quality
8.3/10
Price
8.5/10
Price
£9.99
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Features We Love

Brand Recognition: Sony is an extremely well known brand with years of experience
Long Lasting: 4000mAh enough power for all day use
Durable: Solidly built batteries that last a long time when well maintained

Sony need no introduction; one of the most recognisable technology brands and manufacturers on the planet, they carry with them a hefty payload of name recognition and consumer confidence, and taking a look at these batteries you can quickly see that the faith is not misplaced.

The Sony VTC6A 21700 battery has an internal power capacity of 4000mAh, a stunning amount of charge bound to provide hours of heavy vaping action.

And emphasis on heavy, as the 30A discharge rate of the battery means that it can handle those more stressful high wattage outputs favored by the cloud chasers out there.

There’s a reasonably good chance that, if you’re looking up the best 21700 batteries, you’re probably familiar and fond of high-powered sub-ohm vaping. Rest assured that the Sony VTC6A is easily enough to handle almost any output level for your vape kit.

Pros

  • Extremely well known brand
  • Durable builds
  • Great power capacity

Cons

  • Slightly highest cost than some
Price
£9.99
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BAK N21700CG-50 Battery

Best for: Battery Life

8.4/10
Total
Battery Capacity
9.8/10
Amperage/‘Stress’ Limit
6.2/10
Longevity
8.8/10
Build Quality
9.5/10
Price
7.8/10
Price
£6.99
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Features We Love

High Capacity: 5000mAh is an absurdly high charge, particularly for MTL vaping
MTL Specific: 10A not an advisable amperage for sub-ohming
Durable Build: Solidly constructed

It’s easy to assume that 21700 batteries are only for the hardcore, the cloud chasers, the sub-ohmers kicking out vast and massive plumes of vapour, but you’d be wrong!

BAK are back in town to prove that any vaper can seek out intelligent power solutions. And, it’s fantastic to see they are supplying 21700 batteries which are ideal for MTL vapers.

The BAK N21700CG-50 has a phenomenal power capacity of 5000mAh. You’d be hard pressed to find an external battery that can offer you more than that!

A sacrifice is made to attain that high mAh; the N21700CG-50 has a very low amperage – clocking in at only 10A. 10A is absolutely not suited towards sub-ohm vaping, and we do not advise using the battery for such purposes.

However, if you’re an MTL vaper who intends to keep their wattage in the moderate 9-13W range then it’s a perfectly adequate amperage for your requirements, and with 5000mAh to play with you’re looking at several days of MTL vaping action!


The BAK N21700CG-50 is the best vaping battery for the MTL vaper who only wants to charge their vape twice a week!

Pros

  • Perfect for MTL
  • Several days of charge
  • Affordably priced

Cons

  • Definitely not suited to sub-ohm use
Price
£6.99
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21700 Batteries FAQ

“What is a 21700 battery? Is it different from an 18650 battery?”

No need to be nervous about the name! It might seem like vape batteries have confusing numbers attached to them, but these merely tell you the size of the battery! 

21700 means that the battery is 21mm in diameter and 70mm in length, and the final ‘0’ just lets you know it’s a cylindrical battery! 18650 batteries are the same; 18mm diameter, 65mm length.

18650 batteries are the same; 18mm diameter, 65mm length.

The name simply indicates the physical dimensions of the battery: 21mm diameter, 70mm height and the ‘0’ simply highlights that it’s a cylindrical battery.

21700 batteries often have much higher amperes than 18650s, however, they usually – but not always – sacrifice some battery capacity in order to attain the high A rating.

As such, 21700 batteries are usually intended for intensive cloud outputs and are often purchased in multiples as they don’t carry quite as much charge as 18650s and may need to be swapped out midday.

What is “mAh”? Amperage? I’m confused!”

Understandable to be uncertain; until getting into vaping most people don’t have much need to learn about the ins and outs of batteries! But don’t worry, you don’t need an electrical engineering degree to know what your vape requires.

‘mAh’ is short for milliamp, and it’s how a battery’s power capacity is measured. The higher the mAh, the more charge it can carry. When buying a power bank, for instance, you’ll notice that the more expensive ones have a high mAh, because they can provide more charges before needing to be plugged back in.

 What is “Amperage”?

Amperage, often listed simply as ‘A’ measures the discharge rate of the battery. Slightly more complex, this basically means how much ‘stress’ you can reasonably expect a battery to put up with before suffering from a fault or short.

There’s usually a bit of a tradeoff between mAh and A; batteries with higher power capacities will often have a lower amperage rating, and vice versa. It’s sometimes a bit of a balancing act to figure out how much capacity you’re willing to sacrifice for higher power outputs.

Are 21700 batteries safe?

About as safe as any other battery out there! There are however a few things to keep in mind with 21700, 20700 and 18650 batteries.

  1. Your batteries should only ever be stored either in the packaging they came in, your vaping device or a battery carry case. Don’t carry loose batteries in your pocket or purse, as they may come into contact with metals (keys, change, etc) which can lead to the battery ‘shorting’ and no longer working well.
  2. If you need two batteries for your vaping device, purchase two at once and ‘marry’ them. Marrying batteries basically means committing to only ever using these batteries together. Store them together, charge them together, vape with them together. Using mixed batteries can lead to issues. For instance, if you’re using two different 21700 batteries, one with a mAh of 2500 and the other registering at 3200, the vape will read the specs of the ‘lesser’ battery and apply them to both, resulting in uneven drain and a shortened battery life.

Need More Help? 

Thanks for checking out our roundup of the best 21700 batteries available for your vape mod! Batteries might seem like one of the more complicated aspects of vaping, but we hope that this guide has made the important information a little more digestible.

There are no silly questions in vaping, so don’t hesitate to get in contact if you have any questions regarding batteries and other vaping gear. Check out some of the links below for more roundups, news and reviews of vaping juice and tech.

And be sure to check out the MIST Youtube channel, where we frequently upload entertaining and informative videos on vaping gear and culture.

Aiden Aitken avatar

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