Let's start with the obvious. Standard coils are almost always cheaper per pack. If you're dropping your first paycheck on a device and a spare pack of coils, that difference matters. A pack of standard coils might run you a few dollars less than mesh, and when you're counting every dollar, that's real.

But don't stop at the shelf price. Think about how long a coil lasts. Mesh coils, because they heat more evenly, often hold up longer before the flavor fades. If you're replacing a standard coil every five days and a mesh coil every ten, the mesh one might actually cost you less per day. That's the kind of math that matters on a budget.

Decision cue: If you need to keep the initial spend as low as possible, standard coils win. If you can stretch a few dollars further, mesh might pay for itself over a month.