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What Nicotine Strength Should I Vape?

Free UK Tool

What Nicotine Strength Should I Vape?

Not sure how many mg you need? Answer two quick questions and get a personalised nicotine strength for your device, plus a full 0-20 mg chart and a salt vs freebase guide. Built for UK vapers.

1How much do you smoke, or did you smoke?

2What kind of device do you use?

Not sure? Small mouth-to-lung devices that feel like a cigarette are “MTL”. Big cloud kits are “sub-ohm”.

Pick your smoking level and device to see your recommended strength.

What do mg and % mean?

Nicotine strength is shown two ways and they mean the same thing. “mg” is milligrams of nicotine per millilitre of e-liquid; “%” is that as a percentage. To convert, divide the mg by 10: 20 mg is 2%, 10 mg is 1%, 6 mg is 0.6% and 3 mg is 0.3%. In the UK, the legal maximum for nicotine e-liquid is 20 mg/ml (2%).

Nicotine strength chart (0-20 mg)

Strength%TypeBest suited to
0 mg0%Nicotine-freeNo nicotine; flavour only, or the last step when stepping down
3 mg0.3%FreebaseSub-ohm / big-cloud kits, very light or social smokers
6 mg0.6%FreebaseMTL kits, light smokers (up to ~10 a day)
10 mg1%Nic saltPods and MTL kits, light to moderate smokers
12 mg1.2%FreebaseMTL kits, moderate smokers (10-20 a day)
18 mg1.8%FreebaseMTL kits, heavy smokers (a pack a day)
20 mg2%Nic saltPods, disposables and MTL kits; moderate to heavy smokers. UK legal maximum
Sub-ohm kits make a lot of vapour, so they use low strengths (0-6 mg). Pods and disposables use nic salts (usually 10 or 20 mg) because salts stay smooth at higher strengths.

Nic salt or freebase?

Nic salt

Smoother on the throat and gives a quicker nicotine hit, so higher strengths (10 mg and 20 mg) stay comfortable. Ideal for disposables, prefilled pods and small refillable/MTL kits, and for smokers who want cravings dealt with fast.

Browse nic salt e-liquids

Freebase

The traditional nicotine, with a firmer throat hit that gets sharper as the strength rises. Comes in a wide range (3-18 mg) and works across MTL kits, while the low strengths (3-6 mg) suit sub-ohm vaping. Also what shortfills plus a nic shot give you.

Browse shortfills

Is my strength too high or too low?

Signs it's too high

A harsh or burning throat, coughing, dizziness, a headache, hiccups or feeling slightly sick. If that sounds familiar, step down to the next strength.

Signs it's too low

Still craving cigarettes, vaping almost constantly, or a weak, unsatisfying throat hit. If so, step up a strength, or switch to a nic salt for a quicker hit.

Start at a strength high enough to stop the cravings, then reduce it over time at your own pace. There is no need to rush.

Nicotine strength FAQs

Match it to how much you smoke. As a rough guide: a light smoker suits 6 mg freebase or 10 mg nic salt; a moderate smoker (10-20 a day) suits 12 mg freebase or 10-20 mg salt; a heavy smoker suits 18 mg freebase or 20 mg salt. Start high enough to stop the cravings, then step down over time. A specialist vape shop or your local Stop Smoking Service can help you fine-tune it.

No, 6 mg (0.6%) is a low-to-medium freebase strength. It sits between 3 mg and 12 mg and suits lighter smokers using a mouth-to-lung kit.

20 mg means 20 milligrams of nicotine per millilitre of e-liquid, which is 2%. Nicotine percentage is just the mg divided by 10. 20 mg is the UK legal maximum for nicotine e-liquid.

It is not advisable. Sub-ohm kits produce a lot of vapour, so 20 mg would deliver far too much nicotine and feel very harsh. Use 3-6 mg freebase in a sub-ohm kit, or choose a smaller pod or MTL kit if you want a higher strength.

Nic salt is smoother and gives a faster nicotine hit, so it stays comfortable at 10-20 mg and suits pods and MTL kits. Freebase has a firmer throat hit, comes in 3-18 mg and is used across MTL and (at low strengths) sub-ohm vaping.

Often 20 mg nic salt or 18 mg freebase in an MTL or pod kit. Use it as much as you need to manage cravings, and do not worry if you vape more than you used to smoke. You can reduce the strength later.

No. If you don't smoke, don't vape. Vaping is intended for adult smokers switching away from cigarettes.

Related tools and guides

Once you know your strength, see how many cigarettes your vape equals, mix your own with the e-liquid calculator, or browse nic salts, prefilled pod kits and shortfills.

Vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking but it is not risk-free, and is intended for adult smokers and vapers. If you don't smoke, don't vape. This finder is a general starting-point guide, not medical advice; a specialist vape shop or your local Stop Smoking Service can give tailored help. UK law limits nicotine e-liquid to 20 mg/ml (2%). Keep nicotine away from children and pets.

Sources: NHS, “Using e-cigarettes to stop smoking”; GOV.UK e-cigarette regulations (TRPR nicotine limits). Guidance only.