Many of the best vapes on the market today are refillable, and there’s a good chance that you use a refillable device as well – and if you do use a refillable vape, there’s an equally good chance that throwing away one small bottle of e-liquid after another isn’t high on your list of favourite things to do. That’s why shortfill e-liquids exist – and if you’ve never bought vape juice in a shortfill bottle before, this guide is going to blow your mind.
So, what is shortfill e-liquid?
- Shortfill e-liquid is sold in larger bottles than standard vape juice. The most common bottle sizes are 60 and 120 ml.
- A shortfill e-liquid bottle isn’t completely full. A 60 ml bottle has 10 ml of empty space, and a 120 ml bottle has 20 ml of empty space.
- Shortfill e-liquid contains no nicotine. You add the nicotine yourself after buying the e-liquid. The nicotine for shortfill e-liquid is sold in 10 ml bottles called “nicotine shots” or “nic shots.”
Have we piqued your interest yet? Reading this guide, you’re going to learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about shortfill e-liquid. If you’re sick of throwing a bunch of tiny bottles away every day, your vaping experience is about to change forever.
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Key Takeaways:
Shortfill e-liquid is a large bottle of nicotine-free vape juice that includes no nicotine. The nicotine is offered separately, and you add it yourself.
If you use a powerful vaping device and go through more than 10 ml of vape juice per day, shortfill e-liquid might be ideal for you.
After the nicotine is added, shortfill e-liquid has a strength of 3 mg/ml. If you use a higher strength, shortfill e-liquid may not be right for you.
What Are the Benefits of Shortfill E-Liquid?
If you’ve been vaping for a while, you already have a pretty good idea of why shortfill e-liquid was invented. If you’re a new convert to vaping, though, allow us to clue you in. Shortfill vape juice exists because of a law called the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), which limits the maximum size of a bottle of e-liquid with nicotine to 10 ml. When the law was enacted, the bottle size limit wasn’t an inconvenience for most vapers because people generally used e-liquids with high nicotine strengths.
As vaping devices increased in power and capabilities, though, the bottle size limit became increasingly problematic. People began to use sub-ohm vapes with enormous cloud production – devices that were capable of using more than 10 ml of e-liquid in a single day. That’s why shortfill e-liquid was created. Using shortfill e-liquid reduces waste because it means that you’re no longer throwing bottles away constantly. It also means that you’re not buying an enormous package of tiny bottles every time you stock up on vape juice.
If you have a vaping device that you need to refill several times every day, you’re the ideal target market for shortfill e-liquid and will probably love it.
Does Shortfill E-Liquid Have Any Drawbacks?
As with just about every other technology and trend in vaping, shortfill e-liquid has both benefits and drawbacks. Here are a few of the things that you might not like about it.
- To add a nicotine shot to a shortfill e-liquid bottle, you’ll need to open the bottle. The problem is that the nozzles on vape juice bottles are intentionally difficult to remove because you wouldn’t want a bottle to pop open when you’re trying to fill your tank. Some people find the process of opening a shortfill bottle unpleasant and end up deciding that it isn’t worth the effort. You may also find it difficult to add a nic shot to a shortfill bottle if you have mobility issues.
- Opening a shortfill bottle can sometimes be a little messy.
- Shortfill e-liquid needs to have a higher flavour intensity compared to standard vape juice because a nicotine shot has no flavour and will dilute the final product. The best shortfill e-liquid brands make their products with this in mind, but there are some shortfill e-liquids that may not taste quite as good as their 10 ml counterparts.
- Shortfill e-liquid will have a nicotine strength of 3 mg/ml after the nicotine shot is added. If you use a higher nicotine strength than 3 mg, shortfill vape juice may not be appropriate for you.
How Do You Use Shortfill E-Liquid?
To use a bottle of shortfill e-liquid, you’ll need the shortfill bottle along with either one or two nicotine shots depending on whether the shortfill bottle has a capacity of 60 or 120 ml. A nicotine shot generally has a strength of 18 mg/ml, which will give the e-liquid a final strength of 3 mg/ml once it’s mixed. There are also some nicotine shots – such as the Nyx 50/50 nic salt shot – that have a strength of 20 mg/ml in order to provide a bit of an extra kick. Regardless of which nic shot you’re using, though, the procedure is the same.
- Open the shortfill bottle and remove the nozzle at the top. If you have difficulty removing the nozzle, put a butterknife under the seam and prise gently whilst moving the knife around the circumference of the bottle.
- Empty one (for a 60 ml bottle) or two (for a 120 ml bottle) nicotine shots into the shortfill bottle.
- Replace the nozzle and close the shortfill bottle tightly.
- Shake the bottle well and use it as you would any other bottle of vape juice.
Once you’ve added the nicotine shot(s), shortfill e-liquid should work and taste the same as any other vape juice. The one difference, though, is that shortfill vape juice may tend to separate over time since the ingredients aren’t forced together permanently as they would be with commercial mixing equipment. When you use shortfill e-liquid, it’s a good idea to shake the bottle every time you refill your tank.