Nic salts. Freebase. Shortfills. High VG. Low VG.
When it comes to buying vape juice, there’s a lot of choice - and it’s easy to get confused if you don’t know what the terms above mean.
So in this guide, we’ll explain the different types of e-liquid you can buy. You’ll also find which e-liquids can be used in different devices - including the best e-liquids for pods, mods and pod mods - and how to change your e-liquid for more or less vapour and throat hit.
By the end of this post, you’ll be well equipped to choose the best e-liquid for your needs and your device.
Contents
- Key terms explained
- What vape juice should you use for pods?
- What vape juice should you use for mods and pod mods?
- What nicotine strength should you use?
- Vape juice for a strong throat hit
- E-liquids for a smooth throat hit
- E-liquids for a disposable-style vape
- E-liquids for a cigarette-style vape
- E-liquids for cloud chasing
- Which is the most cost-effective e-liquid type?
- Which flavour?
- DIY e-liquid
- Conclusion
- Read more
- Related categories
If you're new to vaping, it's helpful to know a few key terms before you start! Common terms that can help when you are selecting e-liquid include:
Nic salts: A form of e-liquid that uses the salts found in tobacco leaves to create a smoother throat hit. The alternative to nic salts is regular e-liquid which uses freebase nicotine.
Bar salts: Strong flavoured, often sweet, nicotine salts that replicate the flavour of disposable vapes.
Shortfill: A large bottle of nicotine-free e-liquid. There is a space at the top of the bottle to add one or more nicotine shots.
Nicotine shot: A small bottle of usually flavourless e-liquid that can be added to a short-fill.
MTL: Mouth-to-Lung inhale. When you inhale into the mouth and hold vapour briefly before inhaling into the lungs.
DL: Direct-Lung inhale. When you inhale directly into the lungs. See MTL v. DL for more info.
PG: Propylene glycol. A flavourless alcohol used in e-liquid, it is thinner than VG, and creates more of a throat hit.
VG: Vegetable glycerine - another flavourless alcohol used in e-liquid. Thicker than PG, it is slightly sweeter, smoother on the throat and creates larger clouds of vapour. See PG v. VG for more info.
Pod systems and starter kits such as the Xros Series work best with nic salts and regular 10ml (freebase), or shortfill e-liquids with a VG:PG ratio of 50:50.
This is down to two factors. First is the design. Most pod kits come with a coil and airflow optimised for VG:PG 50:50 e-liquids. Secondly, they also provide a lower power which works well with these e-liquids.
Mods and pod mods usually work best with high VG e-liquids, such as those with a VG:PG 70:30 ratio. That’s because they generally produce more power, have more airflow and come with coils designed for thicker e-liquids.
There are a handful of mod kits designed for beginners which work best with VG:PG 50:50 ratios. However, these are very much the exception rather than the norm.
Jacques Houzec is a scientist who has spent a lot of time training vape shops and helping smokers to switch to vaping.
His experience is that most vapers choose nicotine strengths that are too weak for them to successfully switch. (Bear in mind that the maximum nicotine level allowed in the UK is 20mg/2%), which is far lower than the 5% levels that are sold in some other countries.)
If you’re smoking 15-20 cigarettes a day or more, you are probably best off using the strongest e-liquid you can get, which is usually 20mg in a 10ml bottle.
If you smoke less, or if you prefer light/mild cigarettes (e.g. Silk Cut), you might be able to drop down to 12mg (1.2%), but if you find that vaping is not working for you, you will probably need a higher nicotine strength.
If you’re a social smoker, though, there’s an argument for dropping the nicotine down as low as possible - for example, you might use 3mg (0.3%).
What if you don’t smoke? In that case, we strongly advise you don’t take up vaping. However, if you do decide to vape, you should use zero nicotine e-liquids.
For a more detailed guide, see our post: E-Liquid & Nicotine: Choosing the Right Strength.
Cigarettes can be harsh on the back of the throat, and many people actually miss that when they stop smoking. If you are looking to replicate that throat hit, you need an e-liquid with plenty of propylene glycol.
The key here is to look at the VG:PG ratio of your e-liquid. A VG:PG ratio of 50:50, such as Halo Vapour Co. or WizMix, gives enough throat hit for most smokers, although if you are looking for an even stronger throat hit you might look for a VG:PG ratio of 40:60.
When you first use a high PG e-liquid, Dr Houzeq advises taking a long drag and not allowing too much air in, as this can cause coughing. With both high PG and high nicotine e-liquid it's best to use vape hardware that is designed for Mouth-to-Lung (MTL) vaping such as the devices from the Xlim Series.
It’s not just e-liquid that affects throat hit. For more tips, see our post 7 ways to tailor your throat hit experience.
There are two ways to soften the throat hit of an e-liquid.
The first is to use nicotine salts. These were originally introduced because vapers found the nicotine hit with high-strength freebase e-liquids too harsh.
Nicotine salts, which utilise the original form of nicotine found in tobacco leaves, create a much smoother throat hit. They may also increase the speed of nicotine delivery, making them more satisfying.
Nicotine salts are very popular with new vapers and are ideal for smokers who prefer light/mild cigarettes and tobacco. However, if you are used to a strong hit on the back of the throat, they may not be for you. Examples of nicotine salts include Nasty Juice Salts, Ohm Brew and Halo Salts.
Another way to minimise the throat hit is to use a higher VG e-liquid. However, high VG e-liquids are best used with more advanced equipment. We talk more about this below under cloud vaping.
Disposable vapes have taken the UK by storm in recent years - but the average vaper only uses a disposable vape device for three months before switching to a reusable device. Even if you do want to stick with them, they are going to be banned from 2024.
What, though, if you want to switch to a reusable or rechargeable device but have become wedded to the taste of disposable devices?
Then you're best off using a bar salt. Strong and often sweet in flavour, these are nicotine salts with extra flavour concentration and are designed to replicate the taste of a disposable vape. Popular ranges include Elfliq and Seriously Bar Salts.
If you are looking to replicate the feeling of a cigarette, there are two options.
The first is an e-liquid with more propylene glycol, typically with a VG:PG ratio of 50:50, which gives a similar throat hit to that of a cigarette. These e-liquids, best used with pod systems and lower-powered devices, are also best for a tight, restricted draw that more closely mimics a cigarette.
But recently, many vapers have reported that pod systems that use a combination of nicotine salts and regular e-liquid, such as the Hexa Pro, create a very realistic smoking experience. The Hexa is a closed pod system, but hybrid salts are also starting to be used in 10ml e-liquids, as with Riot S:ALT.
If clouds are your thing, the best choice is high VG e-liquids. That’s simply because VG creates more clouds than PG.
High VG e-liquids come in both 10ml and larger shortfill versions. However, shortfills are often the best choice as they cost less per ml, and you can use a lot of e-liquid when you blow large clouds.
Remember that to handle the thicker e-liquids and produce those clouds, you also need more powerful devices and use lower-resistance coils (typically well below 1 ohm) with wider holes that help absorb the e-liquid.
Also see: Best E-liquids for Clouds.
The most cost-effective type of e-liquid is 50/50 shortfills. These come in larger nicotine-free bottles with space for nic shots to be mixed in. Because of their larger size, they cost less per ml. What’s more, VG:PG 50:50 e-liquids usually last longer than high VG e-liquids because they are used at lower power levels.
You can learn more with our guide to 50/50 shortfills.
Flavour is very personal, and the best way to find the right flavour for you is to experiment, so we won’t write too much about it here.
But one key thing to mention is that while many smokers start with a tobacco flavour, evidence suggests that smokers who start with a non-tobacco flavour are more likely to switch successfully. So even if you love smoking, it’s well worth experimenting with non-tobacco flavours from the off.
For inspiration, see our picks for Best E-liquid Flavours.
Some vapers choose to make their own e-liquid. However, I’d only recommend this if you are using concentrates designed for vaping and produced by a reputable manufacturer.
That’s because most flavourings you can buy off the shelf have not been tested for inhalation. This is in contrast to nicotine-containing e-liquids. E-liquids produced in the UK are made with ingredients that are safer for inhalation. Before being sold, they must undergo emissions testing for harmful substances and be submitted to the UK Medical and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
Concentrates and shortfills do not need to be submitted, but they have been designed for vaping. Even then, I’d advise only buying from a reputable manufacturer who cares about quality.
Learn more: DIY E-liquid - Is It Safe?
Choosing your first e-liquid can seem like a minefield when you see all the alternatives. But if you can identify your needs using the guide above, you can quickly narrow down the type of e-liquid you need to start with. Then you can start exploring the wonderful and varied world of e-liquid flavours!
