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If you’ve ever popped into a vape shop, you may have noticed that some e-liquids are in 10ml bottles, while others are in bottles five to ten that size. If you’re not quite sure why, then don’t worry, we’re here to explain!
We’ve put together this ultimate guide on shortfill e-liquids to help you understand how to use them, who they’re for and how to add nicotine to them.
Key Takeaways
- Shortfill e-liquids are an easy and convenient way of getting around TPD regulations, giving DTL (Direct To Lung) vapers the option of getting larger bottles of nicotine-free e-liquid with space to add their own nic shots.
- Shortfills usually come in either 50ml or 100ml bottles, but there are sizes of up to 200ml available too.
- 50ml shortfills leave you with enough space in the bottle for one nicotine shot, while 100ml shortfills have enough room for two.
- When used in a sub ohm vape kit or tank, shortfill vape liquid will produce large, dense clouds of vapour.
- Most shortfills are mixed with high VG ratios (70% or above), offering a smooth inhale, big clouds and deep flavour. However, we also have 50/50 shortfills available — for a discreet MTL (Mouth To Lung) inhale that feels more like a cigarette.
What are Shortfill E-Liquids?
Shortfills are larger bottles of vape juice that arrive “short filled” with nicotine-free e-liquid. They come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 50ml up to 200ml. Shortfill e-liquids are the go-to-choice for DTL (Direct To Lung) vapers who use high-powered sub ohm devices, vape mods and sub ohm tanks.
Regular shortfill vape juice isn’t meant to be paired with most starter kits, pod vapes, vape pens, as the e-liquid is too thick for the high-resistances coils. That said, you can get 50/50 shortfills, which are compatible with the types of vape device mentioned.
Shortfill e-liquids come in bigger bottles with extra room inside for you to add a 10ml nic shot or two — depending on the size of the bottle.
50ml shortfills are the standard, arriving in a 60ml bottle that leaves you enough room for one nicotine shot.
If you’ve gotten a 100ml shortfill, then you can add two nic shots. 200ml shortfills leave you with enough space for four nicotine shots, although they’re relatively less common these days.
If you want to know more about how shortfill e-liquids differ from other types of vape juice, feel free to check out our Ultimate Beginners Guide To E-Liquid for an in-depth comparison
Why don’t shortfills contain any Nicotine?
Shortfills come as nic-free liquid to comply with TPD regulations. They became necessary as a result of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) reducing the legal bottle sizes of nicotine e-liquid to 10ml back in 2016.
These new regulations were unpopular among sub-ohm vapers who use high-wattage vape kits, which consume more vape juice a lot faster than your standard starter kit or pod vape.
For those using sub ohm devices, a 10ml bottle of e-liquid might only last a single day.
To circumvent these regulations, movers and shakers in the vaping world turned to bigger bottles of nicotine-free vape juice, with just enough space for vapers to add their own nicotine.
What sizes can I get shortfills in?
You can get shortfill e-liquids in any size, as there aren’t any TPD restrictions on bottle sizes when it comes to nicotine-free vape juice.
As mentioned, 50ml and 100ml shortfills are the most common option. However, there also shortfills available in sizes up to 200ml, albeit less commonly.
What are nic shots?
Nicotine shots are 10ml bottles of nicotine e-liquid, typically unflavoured, though some offer a cooling effect. To add nicotine to your shortfill vape juice, simply mix in the nic shot.
Different Types Of Nic Shot
There are several types of nicotine shots available: standard freebase nicotine shots, nicotine salt shots, nic cool shots, and 100% VG (vegetable glycerin) nicotine shots.
Freebase Nic Shots
Regular freebase nicotine shots are typically mixed to a 70% VG concentration.
They’re what most vapers pair with shortfill e-liquid, as their VG/PG ratios tend to match up.
This means that they won’t interfere with the content or thickness of your vape juice.
100% VG Nic Shots
100% VG nicotine shots are the perfect choice for those intolerant or allergic to PG (propylene glycol), or those who simply prefer to vape PG-free.
Adding these nicotine shots to a 100% VG shortfill e-liquid ensures that your vape juice remains completely free of propylene glycol.
Nic Salt Shots
As their name suggests, nic salt shots are made with nicotine salts. Nic salts are favoured for their smooth throat hit and quick absorption. They satisfy nicotine cravings faster, so they’re ideal if you’re trying to quit smoking.
Nic salts usually contain 50% PG or more. Propylene glycol is a lot thinner than vegetable glycerine, so it’s important to consider how this PG ratio will affect the thickness of your e-liquid.
Nic Cool Shots
Blended with freebase nicotine, nic cool shots contain some ice (koolada) or menthol flavouring — complementing your shortfill e-liquid with an icy exhale and overall cooling sensation.
You can get them in different VG/PG ratios, but they’re most commonly available as freebase e-liquid that contains 70% VG or more.
Nic Shot Mixing Calculator
| Bottle size | Nic Shot | No. of Nic Shots | E-Liquid Strength |
| 50ml | 9mg | 1 x 10ml | 1.5mg (0.15%) |
| 50ml | 18mg | 1 x 10ml | 3mg (0.3%) |
| 50ml | 20mg | 1 x 10ml | 3.3mg (0.33%) |
| 100ml | 9mg | 2 x 10ml | 1.5mg (0.15%) |
| 100ml | 18mg | 2 x 10ml | 3mg (0.3%) |
| 100ml | 20mg | 2 x 10ml | 3.3mg (0.33%) |
If you’re vaping shortfill e-liquids, then chances are, you’re using a sub ohm kit (unless you’ve gone for a 50/50 shortfill). In which case, we strongly advise that you only use a maximum nicotine strength of 6mg.
Higher nicotine strengths aren’t recommended for DTL vaping, as they’ll lead to an unpleasant throat hit in high-powered devices.
Most vapers tend to opt for a 3mg nicotine strength, as a 6mg strength would require them to pour out some of their e-liquid to add an extra nic shot — sacrificing some of its flavour.
Nicotine shots are always 10ml in size, though they come in different nicotine strengths, allowing you to achieve nicotine levels such as 1.5mg, 3mg, or 3.3mg.
If you’re aiming for a 6mg nicotine strength and have a 50ml shortfill, you’ll need to pour out 10ml of the nicotine-free e-Liquid and add a second 10ml nic shot.
How To Add Nicotine Shots To Your Shortfill
Once you’ve worked out what nic shot you’ll need to achieve your desired nicotine strength, you’re ready to buy some and mix them into your shortfill!
Remove The Nozzle
Firstly, you’ll want to carefully remove the nozzle from the shortfill bottle.
You can use a pair of pliers, a butter knife, your keys, or a convenient shortfill bottle opener tool for this.
You’ll also need to remove the nozzle (or nib) from the nic shot bottle.
Add Your Nic Shot
Once you’ve removed the nozzles from your shortfill bottle and nic shot(s), you can then add nicotine to your shortfill e-liquid.
If you’ve got a 50ml shortfill, one nic shot will do just fine.
If you have a 100ml shortfill, you’ll need two nic shots.
Replace The Nozzle
Press the nozzle back onto your shortfill bottle, ensuring it clicks securely into place.
Tighten the cap and give the bottle a thorough shake for around 30-60 seconds.
This ensures that the nicotine is evenly mixed into your shortfill e-liquid.
Let It Sit For A While
You might want to leave your e-liquid to steep (settle) for at least five minutes.
However, for best results, it’s worth letting it steep for an hour or two.
While this is an optional step, steeping your nicotine can impact the overall flavour intensity of your e-liquid.
Can I vape a nic shot on its own?
Technically, yes, you can vape a nic shot by itself. That said, nicotine shots are almost always flavourless (with the exception of ones that use menthol or ice/koolada), so we can’t imagine you’d enjoy vaping them on their own.
While it’s perfectly safe to do, vaping unflavoured e-liquid just seems like it’d be unpleasant, joyless, and somewhat dystopian.
PG & VG Ratios
The desired VG/PG ratio of your shortfill depends on what type of vape kit you use. Most shortfill e-liquids are high-VG, containing 70% or more. However, like we said earlier, there are 50/50 shortfills available too.
Thicker, high-VG shortfills are compatible with sub ohm/DTL vape kits, while 50/50 options with a thinner consistency are better suited to low-wattage MTL (Mouth To Lung) devices, like most pod vapes, starter kits and vape pens.
High-VG & 70% VG Shortfills
A shortfill vape liquid mixed to a concentration of 70% VG or more would be considered a high-VG e-liquid.
These thicker e-liquids are ideal for pairing with low-resistance coils in a sub ohm vape kit, creating large amounts of thick, luscious vapour — perfect for all the cloud chasers out there.
Plus, with a high-VG e-liquid, you’re guaranteed rich flavour and a super smooth inhale.
50/50 Shortfills
Recently, there has been an influx of shortfill vape juices with a 50/50 VG/PG ratio, specifically designed for use in MTL kits. Brands like Drifter have introduced 50/50 shortfill e-liquids in larger bottles aimed at beginner vapes.
This is a cost-effective alternative to 10ml juice bottles for vapers who want to save money and are willing to add their own nicotine shots.
These e-liquids are also the only type of shortfill vape liquid suitable for use in low-powered MTL devices, which offer a similar sensation to smoking cigarettes.
The only drawback is that to achieve higher nicotine strengths, you’ll have to pour out some of the vape juice, as these bottles only allow for a 3mg nicotine strength.
Nevertheless, they offer excellent value for vapers looking to save money and enjoy a low-nicotine e-liquid.
100% VG Shortfills
100% VG e-liquids are fairly niche. They’re made for vapers who are are allergic, intolerant or sensitive to PG.
Other than that, they work in the same way as any other shortfill, typically available in 50ml bottles.
If you have an allergy or intolerance to propylene glycol, you can go for a PG-free e-Liquid and pair it with a 100% VG nic shot.
If you’re looking for a PG-free vape liquid, Frugi has you covered.
What type of vape kit should I use with a shortfill?
Regular shortfill e-liquid is only meant to be used with sub ohm vape kits with a high power output and low-resistance coils (below 1.0Ω).
That said, keep in mind that there are now 50/50 shortfills intended for use with MTL starter kits and high-resistance coils (1.0Ω and above).
If you’re not sure whether your vape kit will work properly with a shortfill, have a look at the product description or user manual, as they’ll clearly state what vape juices you can use.
Best Shortfill E-Liquid Flavours To Check Out
As with much of the vaping industry, the best flavour comes down to personal preference. Mixed berries, citrus, blue raspberry, ice cream, strawberry, coffee, cake… the options are endless!
To simplify things a little bit, we’ve given you the option of browsing e-liquids by flavour on our site.
This means that you can narrow down your search to find the exact flavour you’re looking for.
Experiment with a few different e-liquid flavours, and before long, you’ll discover your favourite. We really do have something to please any palate.
Summary
To recap, shortfill E-Liquids are large bottles of nicotine-free vape juice with extra room to mix in a nicotine shot or two.
They’re perfect for DTL vapers seeking 3mg or 6mg vape juices in 50ml sizes (or larger). They can also save you some money, and you can explore tens of thousands of flavours, ranging from fruit and berries, to candy and desserts.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team of vaping experts is available via phone, live chat, or email to help with any queries you may have.
