How PG/VG Ratio, Coil Type, and Temperature Affect Vapour and Flavour
12 May 2025 by : shane margereson

Your PG/VG ratio, coil resistance, and wattage all shape how your vape tastes and how much vapour you get. Change one and the other two need to adjust.
This guide covers which PG/VG ratio works with each coil resistance, how temperature and wattage affect flavour, and where mesh coils fit in. If you're not sure what PG and VG actually are, our guide to choosing vape juice explains the basics.
Best PG/VG Ratio by Coil Resistance
The resistance of your coil determines which PG/VG ratio wicks properly and tastes right. Thicker juice (high VG) needs bigger wick ports found in lower resistance coils. Thinner juice (high PG) works in the smaller ports on higher resistance coils.
|
Coil Resistance |
Best PG/VG Ratio |
Vaping Style |
Wattage Range |
|
1.0 ohm and above |
50/50 |
MTL, tight draw |
8W to 15W |
|
0.8 ohm |
50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG |
MTL, slightly open |
12W to 18W |
|
0.6 ohm |
60/40 or 70/30 VG/PG |
Restricted lung hit |
18W to 25W |
|
0.4 ohm |
70/30 VG/PG |
Open lung hit |
25W to 40W |
|
0.2 ohm and below |
70/30 or 80/20 VG/PG |
Full sub-ohm |
40W to 80W+ |
A 0.8 ohm coil in a pod kit will wick 50/50 juice without any problems. Put 80/20 VG/PG through that same coil and the wick can't keep up, leaving dry hits and burnt cotton. The opposite problem happens at the other end. Thin 50/50 juice through a 0.2 ohm sub-ohm coil at high wattage floods the coil and causes spitback.
Best PG/VG Ratio for Flavour
PG is the sharper carrier. A 50/50 e-liquid puts more definition into each note and hits the throat harder. Bump the VG up to 70/30 and the flavour softens, gets a touch of natural sweetness from the VG, and comes with a lot more vapour.
What works best depends on what you're vaping:
|
Flavour Type |
Ratio That Works |
Why |
|
Fruit and menthol |
50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG |
PG sharpens the tartness and cooling |
|
Dessert, custard, bakery |
70/30 VG/PG |
VG sweetness fills out the creamy notes |
|
Tobacco |
50/50 |
Balanced throat hit and body |
|
Candy and sweet |
60/40 or 70/30 VG/PG |
Higher VG stops them tasting artificial |
For the sharpest flavour from any ratio, keep your coil fresh. Gunked up cotton and burnt sweetener mute everything regardless of the PG/VG split. Our coil guide covers how to spot when yours needs swapping.
PG/VG Ratio for Pod Kits
Pod kits with coils between 0.6 ohm and 1.2 ohm have small wick ports. Stick with 50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG. Go above 70% VG and the wick can't keep up, so you get dry hits, gurgling, or flavour that tastes flat.
Nic salt e-liquids come in 50/50 as standard, so they're a natural fit. For MTL vaping in a pod kit, 50/50 nic salts or 50/50 freebase won't give you any wicking trouble.
A few pod kits do take 0.4 ohm or 0.6 ohm coils for a looser draw. 60/40 or even 70/30 VG/PG can work at those resistances, but check the coil's wick port size first. Smaller ports choke on thicker juice even at lower ohms.
Wattage and Temperature Settings by PG/VG Ratio
Thick juice needs more heat. A 70/30 VG/PG e-liquid at 12W barely vaporises, and the flavour comes through weak and muted. Push the same juice to 30W on the right coil and everything opens up.
|
PG/VG Ratio |
Suggested Wattage Range |
Notes |
|
50/50 |
8W to 18W |
Stay in the lower half for nic salts |
|
60/40 VG/PG |
15W to 25W |
The mid range where most pod coils sit |
|
70/30 VG/PG |
20W to 50W |
Needs a 0.4 ohm coil or lower |
|
80/20 VG/PG |
40W to 80W+ |
Sub-ohm territory only |
Start at the low end of your coil's printed wattage range and go up by 2W to 3W per session until the flavour peaks. Going past that point burns the sweetener faster without tasting better. Our wattage guide goes deeper on finding the right output for your coil.
Temperature Control vs Wattage Mode
Temperature control (TC) caps the coil at a set heat level. Once it hits that temperature, power drops off so the cotton never scorches. Wattage mode doesn't do that. It pushes fixed power the whole time, and if the wick dries out between puffs, you get a burnt hit.
TC only works with nickel, titanium, or stainless steel coils though. Most pod kit coils are kanthal, and kanthal won't register in TC mode at all. If your kit supports it and your coils match, start around 200°C to 250°C and adjust from there. Otherwise, wattage mode with the coil and ratio match from the table above does the job.
Mesh Coils vs Wire Coils for Flavour
A mesh coil is a flat strip of metal that sits across the full width of the wick. Wire coils use a wrapped spiral that only contacts the wick at tighter points. That difference in heated surface area changes how the juice vaporises and what you taste.
|
Factor |
Mesh Coil |
Wire Coil |
|
Heat distribution |
Even across the full wick |
Concentrated at wrap points |
|
Flavour |
Wider flavour profile, more notes come through |
Can be more intense on single notes |
|
Vapour |
More vapour at the same wattage |
Less vapour, tighter draw |
|
Coil life |
Tends to last longer |
Shorter lifespan in most cases |
|
Ramp up |
Heats quickly from cold |
Slower to reach full temperature |
Mesh is the better pick for flavour in most kits. The even heating pulls more out of the juice without scorching any one spot. You'll notice it especially with complex flavour profiles where multiple notes need to come through at once. Wire coils are mainly found in MTL tanks now, where a tighter warmer draw suits certain vapers.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the author - Shane Margereson
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Why Your Vaporesso Pod Is Leaking and How to Fix It
A leaking Vaporesso pod is annoying but it's rarely a fault with the pod itself. Most leaks come down to how you're filling it, what juice you're using, or a seal that needs replacing. The fix is usually quick once you know where the leak's coming from. If you're after the matching replacement pods for an XROS kit, both the COREX 3.0 and COREX 2.0 generations are stocked. This guide covers the most common reasons Vaporesso pods and tanks leak. You'll find specific fixes for the XROS 5 series, the Luxe XR Max 2, and sub-ohm tanks like the iTank T. We'll go through each type of leak, what causes it, and how to stop it happening again. Vaporesso Pod Leaking from the Bottom Leaking from the bottom is the most common complaint we hear about Vaporesso pods. Juice pools underneath the pod and seeps down into the battery connection. You'll usually notice it when you pick your vape up and your fingers are sticky. Or when you pull the pod out and there's liquid sitting in the well. What causes it: The seal between the pod and the base isn't sitting right. This happens when a pod hasn't clicked in fully or when the rubber seal around the base has worn down. Hairline cracks you can't easily see are another common cause. Overfilling is another big one because the excess juice has nowhere to go except down through the airflow channel. How to fix it: Pull the pod out and dry the connection area with a tissue or cotton bud. Get right into the pin contacts where juice likes to collect. Check the bottom of the pod for cracks. Hold it up to a light and look for hairline fractures around the base and the seal edges. Push the pod back in firmly until you hear it click. On the XROS 5 and XROS 5 Mini, the magnetic connection should pull it in snugly with no wobble. If the leak keeps coming back with the same pod, swap it for a fresh one from the COREX 3.0 or COREX 2.0 range. The seals wear out over time, especially if you're pulling the pod in and out a lot to refill. Vaporesso Leaking from the Air Hole Juice coming out of the airflow slots is usually a sign that the coil chamber's flooded. Instead of being vaporised, liquid's sitting in the coil area and getting pushed out through the air holes. This happens when you inhale or when pressure changes inside the pod. What causes it: The three main reasons are overfilling, using e-liquid that's too thin for your pod, and inhaling too hard without firing the coil. Leaving your vape on its side for a long time can also let juice seep into the airflow channel by gravity. How to fix it: Close the airflow slider if your kit has one. On the XROS 5 and Luxe XR Max 2, slide it fully closed. Hold the pod over a tissue and blow gently through the mouthpiece to clear excess liquid from the coil chamber. You should see droplets come out of the air holes. Take a few short puffs without inhaling to burn off any remaining flood. You might get a slight gurgling sound for the first couple of draws, and that's the excess burning away. When refilling, leave a gap at the top of the pod. Filling right to the brim forces juice into the airflow channel as soon as you push the stopper in. Store your vape upright when you're not using it. Lying it flat lets juice migrate towards the air holes over time. Vaporesso Leaking into Your Mouth Getting e-liquid in your mouth when you take a draw feels unpleasant and it's usually a flooding issue. The coil can't vaporise the juice fast enough, so liquid gets pulled up through the mouthpiece instead of vapour. What causes it: Drawing too hard is the most common reason, especially on mouth-to-lung pods like the 0.8 ohm COREX 3.0. Pod kits don't need the same suction as a cigarette. Hard pulls drag more liquid into the coil chamber than it can handle. Using a very thin e-liquid (high PG) in a pod meant for thicker juice causes the same problem. The liquid wicks too fast, floods the coil, and gets pulled up through the mouthpiece. How to fix it: Take slower, gentler draws. With the XROS 5 on auto-draw, a steady two to three second inhale works better than a sharp pull. If you're getting liquid in your mouth consistently, try tightening the airflow. A narrower airflow slows the air speed and reduces the chance of pulling liquid through. Check your e-liquid ratio. For Vaporesso pod kits, 50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG works best. High PG liquids (70% PG or more) are too runny and flood the coil. Our e-liquid guide explains ratios in more detail. Flick the pod gently over a tissue to clear any excess from the mouthpiece. Some condensation builds up naturally and a quick flick sorts it. Why a New Vaporesso Pod Might Leak Brand new pods shouldn't leak, but they sometimes do in the first few fills. This catches people out because they assume a new pod means a faulty pod, when it's usually down to one of two things. Priming too aggressively. If you've dripped liquid directly onto the coil or overfilled while waiting for it to soak, the wicking material gets saturated. The excess has to go somewhere. Fill the pod, leave it standing upright for two to three minutes, and that's enough time for the cotton to absorb the juice without flooding. Not seating the pod properly. New pods can feel stiff before the seal's bedded in. Give it a firm push until you feel the click. If there's any movement or wobble, the seal isn't making full contact and liquid will find its way through the gap. Fixing Leaks on the Vaporesso XROS 5 Series The XROS 5 range uses COREX 3.0 pods with improved seals compared to the older COREX 2.0 versions. Leaking is less common on these pods, but it still happens if the basics aren't right. XROS 5 and XROS 5 Nano: Both have adjustable airflow sliders. Close the airflow before you refill the pod and keep it closed for about thirty seconds after filling. This stops air pressure from forcing juice down through the coil while the wicking catches up. Open it back up once you're ready to vape. XROS 5 Mini: The Mini is draw-activated only with no fire button. If you're getting gurgling or spit-back, the pod's likely flooded. Blow gently through the mouthpiece onto a tissue to clear the coil chamber, then take a few light puffs to burn off the remaining excess. XROS Pro 2: The Pro 2 has a slide-lock on the side that prevents accidental firing. If it's been going off in your pocket without you realising, the coil heats up and creates pressure changes that push liquid out. Make sure the lock's engaged when you're not using it. All XROS models: The fill port plug on XROS pods needs pressing in firmly after filling. If it's sitting proud by even a millimetre, it'll let juice weep out slowly. Press it flat with your thumb until it's flush with the top of the pod. Fixing Leaks on the Vaporesso Luxe XR Max 2 The Luxe XR Max 2 uses a larger pod than the XROS range and it connects to the base via a press-fit rather than magnets. Most leaks on this kit come from two places. The pod-to-base connection. E-liquid residue builds up around the contacts over time and stops the pod from seating flush. Pull the pod out and wipe both the base connection and the bottom of the pod with a dry cloth. Push it back in until it clicks and do this every few refills. The coil is not sitting right. The Luxe XR Max 2 uses press-fit coils inside the pod. If the coil isn't pushed in all the way, juice bypasses the seals and leaks through the base. When you swap a coil, push it firmly until you feel resistance stop. There shouldn't be any give when you wiggle it. There's a comparison between the XR Max and XR Max 2 on the blog if you want a closer look at what's changed. Fixing Leaks on Vaporesso Sub-Ohm Tanks If you're using a sub-ohm setup like the iTank T on the Vaporesso Armour Ultra, the leak points are different from pod kits. Base connection. Make sure the coil's screwed into the base straight and hand-tight. Cross-threading is the most common cause of sub-ohm tank leaks. If the threading feels rough, back out and start again rather than forcing it. O-rings on the coil. Every coil has small rubber o-rings around it that create the seal. Before you screw a new coil in, check the o-rings are sitting in their grooves and haven't slipped or torn. A missing o-ring means a guaranteed leak. Top cap. After filling through the top, make sure the cap's fully closed. On the iTank T, the top slides open to reveal the fill port. If it's not pushed all the way back to the locked position, juice can seep through under the cap. The right e-liquid. Sub-ohm tanks need thicker juice than pod kits. Stick to 70/30 VG/PG or higher. Using 50/50 in a sub-ohm tank is one of the most common causes of flooding. The thinner liquid wicks too fast for the coil to vaporise and leaks through the base. E-Liquid and Leaking: Getting the Right Ratio Using the wrong VG/PG ratio for your kit is one of the easiest mistakes to make and one of the simplest to fix. The wrong thickness floods the coil and causes leaking from the air holes, mouthpiece, or base. Kit Type Best Ratio Why XROS 5 / 5 Mini / 5 Nano 50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG Thinner juice wicks properly in pod coils XROS Pro 2 50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG Same pod platform as XROS 5 Luxe XR Max 2 50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG Pod with similar coil size iTank T / Armour Ultra 70/30 VG/PG or higher Sub-ohm coils need thicker juice If you're using nic salts in a pod kit, most bottles are already mixed at 50/50. That's the right consistency for XROS and Luxe pods without needing to check. The nic salt strengths guide covers which strength to pair with which pod. How to Stop Your Vaporesso Leaking Long-Term Fixing a leak once is straightforward, but preventing it from happening again takes a bit of habit. Fill carefully every time. Angle the bottle nozzle against the inside wall of the fill port and squeeze slowly. Never squeeze liquid down the centre air tube. Leave a two millimetre gap at the top and press the fill port stopper flat after you're done. Wipe the connections regularly. Every time you pull a pod out to refill, take five seconds to dry the contacts with a tissue. Residue builds up and stops the pod seating properly, which leads to slow leaks you won't notice until juice is already in the battery well. Store upright and keep the airflow closed. When your vape's sitting on a desk or in a bag, stand it up and close the airflow. Both reduce the chance of juice migrating into the air channel. Replace pods before they fail. Pods don't last forever. Once flavour drops off or you notice the seal around the base getting soft, swap it out rather than waiting for it to leak. COREX 3.0 pods last longer than the older 2.0 versions, but they still need changing. Most vapers get one to two weeks out of a pod before the seal starts to soften. Both pod generations are listed under the wider Vaporesso XROS range page if you need to top up. Match your e-liquid to your kit. This comes back to the VG/PG table above. If you've been getting repeated leaks and can't find a physical cause, check the bottle. Wrong ratio is the most common thing people overlook. The Vaporesso maintenance guide covers cleaning, storage, and when to replace parts if you want a full walkthrough. When It's Not a Leak You Can Fix Sometimes the pod or tank has a fault from the factory. If you've tried everything above and the same pod still leaks in the same spot every time, it's likely a manufacturing defect. Same goes for a brand new pod that leaks before you've even filled it. Get in touch with us and we'll sort a replacement. For the latest specs and pricing on XROS replacement pods, see the COREX 3.0 and COREX 2.0 pages. Related products & ranges Vaporesso replacement pods Vaporesso coils Shop coils & pods More vaping guides How long do vape coils last? How to prime a vape coil

How Long Do Vape Coils Last? A Vaporesso Coil Lifespan Guide
A vape coil lasts anywhere from a few days to three weeks. The biggest factor isn't how you vape, it's what you put in the tank. Sweet e-liquids, wrong wattage settings, skipping the priming step, and chain vaping without breaks are behind most of the coil complaints we hear about. Fix those four things and your Vaporesso coils and pods will last noticeably longer. If you've come here looking for XROS-specific pod replacements, you'll find both generations on the COREX 3.0 and COREX 2.0 pages, with the matching kits over on the Vaporesso XROS series page. How Long Do Vaporesso Coils and Pods Last? Here's what we typically see from customers and from our own testing, not manufacturer estimates. Coil/Pod Type Light Sweetener E-Liquid Medium Sweetener Heavy Sweetener (Bar Salts) XROS pods (0.8Ω / 1.2Ω) 2 to 2.5 weeks 1 to 1.5 weeks 3 to 5 days GTX mesh coils (0.3Ω / 0.8Ω) 2 to 3 weeks 10 to 14 days 5 to 7 days GTi mesh coils (0.2Ω / 0.4Ω) 2 to 3 weeks 10 to 14 days 5 to 7 days That's based on moderate vaping, roughly 200 to 400 puffs a day. Heavier vapers will burn through coils faster regardless of juice. How Many Puffs Does a Coil Last? It depends. A quick one-second puff puts far less stress on a coil than a long four-second draw, so puff count alone doesn't tell the whole story. That said, most Vaporesso coils handle somewhere between 3,000 and 10,000 puffs. The sweetener in your e-liquid matters more than the number of puffs you take. Vaping Style Estimated Puffs Per Coil Light vaper (under 200 puffs/day) with low-sweetener juice 7,000 to 10,000 Moderate vaper (200 to 400 puffs/day) with bar salts 3,000 to 5,000 Heavy vaper (400+ puffs/day) with sweet juice 1,500 to 3,000 What Kills Vape Coils Early? If your Vaporesso coils are burning out fast, it's almost always one of these four things. 1. Sweet E-Liquid (The Biggest Coil Killer) Sweetener is the number one reason coils die early. Most sweet e-liquids use sucralose, and sucralose doesn't vaporise cleanly. It caramelises on the coil like burnt sugar in a pan, building up a dark crust that chokes the wick and ruins flavour. Bar salts and disposable-style nic salts typically pack in more sweetener than standard UK-made juice. If your XROS pods or GTX coils are only lasting a few days, your juice is probably the culprit. Try switching to something clearer and less sweet. The difference can be dramatic. We've seen coils that lasted four days on bar salts go two weeks on a lower-sweetener nic salt. The darker the juice in the bottle, the more sweetener it usually contains. Our nic salt and bar salt collections cover the full range. 2. Wrong Wattage Every Vaporesso coil has a wattage range printed on it. Go above that range and you'll overheat the cotton. Go below it and the juice doesn't fully vaporise. It just sits there caramelising on the coil. Coil Rated Range Best Lifespan Range GTX 0.8Ω mesh 12 to 20W 16 to 17W GTX 0.3Ω mesh 32 to 45W 36 to 38W GTi 0.2Ω mesh 60 to 75W 65 to 68W GTi 0.4Ω mesh 50 to 60W 52 to 55W Start low and work up until the flavour tastes right to you. The sweet spot for most Vaporesso coils sits at about 60 to 70% of the way through the rated range. Our wattage guide goes into more detail. 3. Poor Priming Skip the priming step and you can burn a brand new coil in three puffs. Once cotton is scorched, there's no saving it. Priming just means giving the wick time to soak up juice before you fire the coil. For XROS pods, fill up and wait at least ten minutes. For GTX and GTi tank coils, put a few drops of e-liquid directly onto the exposed cotton through the intake holes. Then put the tank together, fill it, and give it ten to fifteen minutes. Take your first five to ten puffs at a lower wattage than you'd normally use, then gradually bring it up. Our coil priming guide walks through it step by step. 4. Chain Vaping Puff after puff with no break? The wick can't keep up. Dry patches form on the cotton, those patches burn, and the coil starts dying from the inside out. Around 20 to 30 seconds between puffs is enough to let the wick catch up. It matters even more with thicker high-VG liquids because they move through cotton more slowly than thin 50/50 nic salts. How to Make Your Vape Coils Last Longer All five of these work with any vape, not just Vaporesso. Nail them all and you'll notice the difference within your first week. Pick a lower-sweetener e-liquid. Clearer juices with less sucralose make the single biggest difference to coil life. You won't lose out on flavour either. There are plenty of UK-made nic salts that taste great without hammering your coils. Stay within the recommended wattage. Check what's printed on your coil and aim for the middle to lower end. You'll still get good flavour, but your coil won't be working as hard. Prime every new coil. Ten minutes of patience saves you from binning a brand new coil on day one. It's the easiest habit to build. Don't let the tank run dry. Top up when you're down to about a quarter full. If the wicking ports are exposed to air, you're vaping dry cotton. Take breaks between puffs. Especially on higher-wattage setups like the Vaporesso Luxe or Armour Series. Twenty to thirty seconds between puffs gives the wick time to catch up. Which Vape Coils Last the Longest? Mesh coils outlast round-wire coils every time. The flat mesh strip heats the cotton more evenly, so there's less hot-spotting and less localised burning. Your cotton stays cleaner for longer. Vaporesso's GTX and GTi ranges are all mesh. Out of the lineup, the GTi 0.4Ω tends to go the distance because it runs cooler than the 0.2Ω at moderate wattage. For pod users, the newer XROS COREX 3.0 pods have stepped up from earlier versions with a hive mesh structure that heats more evenly. The 1.2Ω pod usually outlasts the 0.8Ω since it pulls less power per puff. Older COREX 2.0 pods are still around for vapers running earlier-generation kits. GTX vs GTi Coils Choosing between Vaporesso's two coil families? Here's how they stack up. GTX Coils GTi Coils Used in Luxe XR Max, Luxe X Pro, Luxe X2, Armour G, Armour GS iTank, iTank 2, iTank T, Gen Max, Target 200, Armour Max Coil style Single mesh Dual mesh (0.2Ω), single mesh (0.4Ω) Typical lifespan 1 to 3 weeks 1 to 3 weeks Wattage range 12 to 45W (varies by resistance) 50 to 75W (varies by resistance) Best for MTL and restricted DTL vaping DTL and high-wattage vaping Lifespan is roughly the same for both. Where they differ is vaping style. GTX coils suit mouth-to-lung and restricted DTL vapers, while GTi coils suit direct-lung vapers running higher wattage. Our guide to vape coils covers the full range. How Long Does a Vaporesso Vape Last? This is a different question entirely from coil lifespan, but it comes up constantly. The vape itself (battery, body, electronics) should give you one to three years. Batteries degrade first. A integrated battery will start losing capacity after about 12 to 18 months of daily charging. Kits with removable batteries like the Vaporesso Armour series go longer because you just swap in fresh batteries when the old ones fade. Our battery safety guide covers how to look after your battery properly. Signs Your Coil Needs Changing You'll usually know. But if you're not sure, look for these four things. Burnt or off taste. If your vape suddenly tastes harsh, charred, or just wrong compared to a fresh coil, that's your answer. Swap it out. Reduced vapour. Same wattage, same juice, but less cloud than before? The coil is gunked up and can't heat properly anymore. Darker e-liquid. Check the juice in your tank or pod. If it's gone darker than when you filled it, the coil is pushing residue back into the liquid. Gurgling or spitting. A tired coil can warp slightly or lose its seal, letting juice flood in where it shouldn't. That's the gurgling and spitback you're hearing. VG/PG Ratio and Coil Life Thick juice wicks slowly. If it can't keep up with the coil, you get dry hits, and dry hits kill cotton fast. VG/PG Ratio Works Best In Coil Impact 50/50 Most pod kits Wicks easily, good coil life 60/40 Most pod kits, Luxe XR Max Wicks well, slightly thicker 70/30 iTank 2, Gen Max, sub-ohm tanks Standard for DTL, larger wick ports handle it 80/20+ Large sub-ohm tanks only Too thick for pods, causes dry hits Trying to run a 70/30 or thicker juice in a pod kit is asking for trouble. Your pods will burn out in days. Stick to 50/50 vape juice for pod kits. For the latest specs and pricing on XROS replacement pods, see the COREX 3.0 and COREX 2.0 pages. Related products & ranges Shop coils & pods Vaporesso coils More vaping guides All about vape coils How to prime a vape coil

What Are Shortfill E-Liquids? A Quick Guide to Shortfills and Nic Shots
Shopping shortfills? Browse shortfill e-liquids and nic shots. What Is a Shortfill E-Liquid? A shortfill is a bottle of 0mg vape juice that isn't filled to the top. The gap at the top is there so you can add a nic shot and mix your own nicotine strength. UK law (the TPD) stops shops from selling nicotine e-liquid in anything bigger than 10ml. Shortfills get round this because the bottle ships nicotine free. You buy the nic shot separately and add it yourself. You'll see shortfills in 50ml, 100ml, and 200ml sizes. The bottle is always bigger than the liquid inside it to leave room for one or more nic shots. Shortfill Size Bottle Size Nic Shots to Add Final Volume 50ml 60ml 1 60ml 100ml 120ml 2 120ml 200ml 240ml 4 240ml How Do Nic Shots Work? A nic shot is a small 10ml bottle of unflavoured nicotine. You pour it into your shortfill, give the bottle a good shake, and it turns the 0mg juice into a 3mg (or 6mg) vape liquid. No flavour added from the nic shot itself so your juice tastes the same. How to Mix a Shortfill (Step by Step) Take the cap and nozzle off your shortfill bottle Pour the full nic shot into the shortfill Put the nozzle and cap back on tightly Shake the bottle hard for about 30 seconds Leave it to settle for 10 minutes if you can (not essential, but helps) Fill your tank or pod and you're ready to vape The whole thing takes about 30 seconds. The bottle is sized so one nic shot fills the gap exactly. Freebase vs Nic Salt Shots You've got two options when it comes to nic shots. Type Throat Hit Best For Typical Strength Freebase nic shot Noticeable at 3mg Sub-ohm tanks and high wattage kits 18mg per 10ml Nic salt shot Smoother, less throat hit Vapers who want a gentler feel 20mg per 10ml Freebase is the standard pick for shortfill mixing. Nic salt shots work the same way but feel smoother on the inhale. Mixing Strength Table Here's what you get from the most common setup using 18mg freebase nic shots. Shortfill Size Nic Shots Added (18mg) Final Strength Final Volume 50ml 1 3mg 60ml 50ml 2 6mg 70ml 100ml 1 1.5mg 110ml 100ml 2 3mg 120ml 200ml 2 1.5mg 220ml 200ml 4 3mg 240ml Most shortfill vapers sit at 3mg. If you want 0mg, just skip the nic shot and vape the shortfill as it comes. What VG/PG Ratio Are Shortfills? Most shortfills are 70/30 or 80/20 VG/PG. That's on the thicker side, made for sub-ohm kits and higher wattage vaping where you want bigger clouds and a smoother draw. 50/50 shortfills do exist and they're thinner. These work in pod kits and lower powered setups. Brands like Imp Jar and Doozy make 50/50 shortfills if you want the bigger bottle size without needing a sub-ohm tank. One tip: match your nic shot ratio to your shortfill ratio. Using a 70/30 shortfill? Go with a 70/30 nic shot. A mismatched shot won't ruin anything but the consistency might be slightly off. Which Kit Do I Need for Shortfills? It comes down to the VG/PG ratio of the shortfill. Shortfill Type VG/PG Kit Needed Coil Range High VG (70/30 or 80/20) Thick Sub-ohm kit or mod with a tank 0.2 to 0.5 ohm 50/50 Thinner Pod kit or MTL kit 0.6 to 1.2 ohm High VG shortfills are too thick for most small pod kits. The liquid won't wick fast enough and you'll get dry hits. Stick to sub-ohm coils below 0.5 ohm for the best results with standard shortfills. If you already use a refillable vape kit and want bigger bottles, look for 50/50 shortfills specifically. Are Shortfills Cheaper Than 10ml Bottles? Yes. Ml for ml, shortfills work out a lot cheaper than buying individual nic salt or freebase 10ml bottles. A 100ml shortfill plus two nic shots gets you 120ml of juice for a fraction of what twelve separate 10ml bottles would cost. If you vape daily, the difference over a month is significant. Shortfills are the cheapest way to buy e-liquid in the UK right now. That's worth knowing with the new vape duty landing in October 2026. Shortfills and the UK Vape Duty (October 2026) From 1 October 2026, every ml of e-liquid sold in the UK gets hit with a new tax called the Vaping Products Duty. It's 22p per ml, flat rate, whether the bottle has nicotine in it or not. So a 0mg shortfill gets taxed at the same rate as a 20mg nic salt. Here's what that looks like for shortfill buyers. Product Duty Added Duty + VAT on Duty Impact 10ml nic shot £2.20 £2.64 Roughly doubles the cost of a nic shot 50ml shortfill £11.00 £13.20 Adds £13+ to every 50ml bottle 100ml shortfill £22.00 £26.40 Adds £26+ to every 100ml bottle Shortfills are hit hardest because the tax is based on volume. A 100ml bottle that currently costs under £10 could end up north of £30 once the duty is applied. The Sell Through Window Retailers can continue selling unstamped stock (bought before the duty kicks in) until April 2027. After that date, every bottle on sale must carry a Vaping Duty Stamp on the packaging. That gives a roughly six month window from October 2026 to April 2027. During that time you can still buy shortfills at current prices while shops clear existing stock. Shelf Life and Stocking Up E-liquid bottles have a printed shelf life of about two years from production. That's the date on the label. But here's the thing with shortfills: they're 0mg. Nicotine is the part that goes off over time, and there's none in the bottle. A 0mg shortfill kept in a cupboard away from sunlight and heat will hold its flavour well past that two year date. If you vape shortfills regularly and know which flavours you'll use, buying ahead before April 2027 makes sense. You'll avoid paying the full duty on every bottle going forward. The bigger your bottle size, the more you save per ml by buying before the tax hits. Best Shortfill Brands at Ecigone We stock shortfills from dozens of brands. These are some of the ones our customers come back to most. Doozy Shortfills big flavour range across fruit, menthol, and dessert categories Zeus Juice Shortfills award winning UK brand with some of the most recognised shortfill recipes around IVG 100ml Shortfills 100ml bottles from one of the UK's biggest vape brands Just Juice Shortfills fruit focused range with strong tropical and citrus options Nasty Juice globally known brand with bold fruit and menthol shortfills Wick Liquor dessert and bakery shortfills with a loyal following Drifter Bar Shortfills disposable inspired flavours in 50/50 shortfill format for pod kit users Big Bold 100ml bottles with strong, punchy flavour profiles The full shortfill e-liquids collection has everything we carry. Related products & ranges Shortfill e-liquids Shop all e-liquids Nic salt e-liquids More vaping guides E-liquids explained (start here) Longfill e-liquids guide VG vs PG ratios explained






