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Many e-liquids are available in shortfill bottles. Also known as shake ‘n’ vapes, shortfills are larger bottles of e-liquid that can make your life a little bit easier and could save some of your hard-earned cash into the bargain.
Its cheaper to produce one large bottle and better for the environment than manufacturing several small bottles. This fact is generally reflected in the price of shortfills!
Shortfills are underfilled bottles containing e-liquids which are nicotine-free. There’s space in the bottles to add nicotine shots.
Shortfills are generally available in two sizes: 50 ml of e-liquid, in a 60 ml bottle and 100 ml of e-liquid in a 120 ml bottle. Shortfills enable you to purchase a larger amount of your favourite flavours and can be more convenient options than multiple 10ml bottles.
The European Tobacco Directive (TBD) of 2016 stipulated that e-liquids containing nicotine must be sold in volumes not exceeding 10ml. The regulations were retained in the UK following Brexit in the form of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations (TRPR).
Initially e-liquid producers introduced packs of three 10ml bottles to give vapers more practical and cost-effective ways to buy their juice. But shortfills have proved to be a better idea altogether! As the e-liquids in shortfills are nicotine free, there is no restriction on the volume that can be sold in a single bottle. All you have to do is add a nicotine shot or two and you have the perfect vape juice for your needs and in a sensible quantity.
Also known as nic shots and nicotine boosters, nicotine shots are 10ml bottles of base liquid containing a specified amount of nicotine. You can add the shot to your shortfill bottle to create vape juice with your preferred nicotine strength. Simples! Or maybe not! To achieve the strength you are looking for, you need to do the maths!
Nicit Up Ice Nicotine Shot 70VG 18mg by Vampire Vape (10ml)
Flavourless
Nicit Up Nic Salts Nicotine Shot 50VG 20MG by Vampire Vape (10ml)
Flavourless
The numbers involved can initially seem confusing but allow us to explain!
The strength of nicotine shots is expressed in mg per ml. This means that an 18mg nic shot features 18mg of nicotine per millilitre. A 10ml bottle therefore contains 180mg of nicotine.
Adding an 18mg nicotine shot to 50ml of nicotine-free e-liquid in a 60ml bottle will result in juice with a strength of 3mg. In other words, you will be mixing 5 parts nicotine-free e liquid with 1 part nicotine shot. The finished juice will therefore be one sixth the strength of the nic shot – 18mg become 3mg.
If you wish to achieve a strength of 3mg but have 100ml of e-liquid in a 120ml bottle, you need to add two 18mg nic shots. Get it?
At Vapekit, we offer 9mg, 15mg and 18mg nicotine shots. So, let’s test your maths!
Adding a 9mg shot to 50ml of flavoured e-liquid will result in the finished product having what nicotine strength?
If your answer is 1.5ml, you are right!
Our shortfill shot calculator will help you achieve the right nicotine stength when mixing your juice.
If you feel that shortfills might introduce unwanted hassle to your vaping life, don't rush to judgement! It really doesn't take too much time or effort to complete your e-liquids.
You should find instructions on the bottle, possibly under a peel and reveal sticker. But here’s our handy guide to mixing your juice:
It is worth noting that the shortfill versions of many e-liquids are formulated to feature higher concentrations of flavourings than their 10ml counterparts. This is to allow for the fact that the flavour-free nicotine shots will dilute the strength of the juice. However, some shortfill e-liquids are identical to the 10ml 0mg nicotine strength versions and so the nic shot will reduce the flavour intensity a little. The more shots you add to the juice, the greater the impact on flavour.
It can be difficult to see whether the flavour intensity of a shortfill e-liquid has been adjusted. If the packaging does not feature the information you need, try reading a few reviews as these may provide the answers you are looking for.
It is also worth noting that freebase nicotine will slightly impact flavour while salt nicotine will not. This may impact your choice of nicotine shots.