An electronic cigarette atomizer employing a vertical ceramic atomizing unit, the atomizing unit (6) includes a ceramic atomizing rod (61) made from a ceramic material, a heating wire (62) wound around the ceramic atomizing rod (61), and a lead wire (63) connected to both ends of the heating wire (62); the ceramic atomizing rod (61) is vertically disposed in an atomizing seat (5), an upper-end surface of the ceramic atomizing rod (61) is in direct contact with a cigarette liquid permeation sheet (4) and can absorb and conduct electronic cigarette liquid from the cigarette liquid permeation sheet (4) to a portion around which the heating wire (62) is wound. The electronic cigarette atomizer of the present invention employs a plurality of vertical ceramic atomizing units (6), which gives an atomization effect of a large smoke volume and avoids the production of a burnt odor.