I still like my good ol Japanese pads the best overall. Cotn threads are super convenient if, as Don Baldy says, your coils are 3mm which is pretty common. I've been using a bit more that aren't 3mm lately though. They are also more expensive.They absolutely DO have a break in time no matter what the marketing says. All cotton does, in my experience anyway.
Cotton Bacon works great, but I seem to have some kind of mental block about getting two wicks identical using it.
For me, the pads are consistent and vape fine.