A 50ml shortfill plus one 18mg nic shot gives you 60ml of 3mg liquid, often for less than half the price per ml of a 10ml bottle. The catch is strength: shortfills are built for low nicotine and sub-ohm devices. Here is the full breakdown.
The short version
- 10ml nicotine bottles: about 30p to 40p per ml at our prices.
- Shortfill plus nic shot: about 15p to 22p per ml in our examples.
- A 50ml shortfill plus one 18mg shot makes 60ml at 3mg. 100ml plus two shots makes 120ml at 3mg.
- Need 10 to 20mg for a pod kit? Stick with 10ml bottles.
Why two formats exist
UK rules cap bottles of nicotine-containing e-liquid at 10ml and 20mg/ml. Shortfills get around the size limit by being sold nicotine free, in a bottle with space left to add nicotine yourself.
A typical 50ml shortfill comes in a 60ml bottle, with room for one 10ml nic shot. A 100ml shortfill comes in a 120ml bottle, with room for two. Bigger 100ml bottles are the cheapest way to buy liquid per millilitre.
10ml bottles come ready to vape at the strength you choose, from 0 to 20mg, in nic salt or freebase.
Price per millilitre
Here is what a millilitre costs using real products. For shortfills, we added the cost of a Top Shot 18mg nic shot at £0.99 per shot.
Kiwimelon shortfill at £7.99 plus one shot is £8.98 for 60ml, about 15p per ml. The same flavour as a 10ml nic salt is £3.99, or 40p per ml. Lemon Tart shows a similar gap: 22p per ml as a shortfill against 40p as a 10ml.
Mother's Milk 100ml at £19.99 plus two shots is £21.97 for 120ml, about 18p per ml. Bigger bottles generally mean cheaper liquid.
Source: Spectrum Vaping prices, Top Shot at £0.99, rounded to the nearest penny.
Work out your shortfill strength
The maths is straightforward. Final strength equals the nicotine you add divided by the total liquid. One 10ml shot at 18mg contains 180mg of nicotine. Add it to 50ml of shortfill and you have 60ml, so 180 divided by 60 gives 3mg/ml.
With a 100ml shortfill, two shots give 360mg in 120ml, also 3mg. To reach 6mg you would need twice as many shots, and there is no room in the bottle. That is why shortfills are mainly a low-strength format.
Use the calculator to try your own combination.
Final strength 3.0mg in 60ml
How to mix a shortfill
Mixing takes about a minute and needs no special kit. The steps below work for any shortfill with room for shots. Nic shots are not meant to be vaped on their own; they are made for mixing.
Shaking matters more than people expect. Nicotine shots and flavoured liquid can separate slightly at first, so give the bottle a good shake for 30 seconds. Some vapers leave it a day before vaping, but many shortfills are ready straight away.
Nicotine is addictive and nic shots are concentrated, so keep them sealed and well away from children and pets.
- Open the shortfillRemove the cap and pop out the nozzle tip. Most lift off with a fingernail.
- Add the shotSqueeze one 10ml nic shot into the bottle.
- ResealPush the nozzle back in and screw the cap on tightly.
- Shake wellShake for 30 seconds to mix the nicotine through.
- Label itMark the strength on the bottle, for example 3mg.
Which format suits you
Your device decides this more than your budget. Shortfills are thick, high VG liquids at low strength, perfect for sub-ohm tanks and kits that produce big clouds. Put one in a tight 1.2 ohm pod and it will wick slowly and taste weak.
10ml bottles are where you find nic salts and 50/50 freebase at 10mg, 12mg, 18mg or 20mg, the strengths pod kit and MTL vapers usually want.
If you vape a sub-ohm setup, shortfills will save you a lot. If you vape a pod kit, 10ml bottles are the right tool, and nic salts from £2.99 are already good value.
What device do you use?
10ml nic salt or 50/50 at 10 to 20mg.
10ml freebase at 12 to 18mg, or nic salt at 10mg.
Shortfill with one or two shots, at about 3mg.
A shortfill on its own, with no shot added.
Quick answers
Are shortfills cheaper than 10ml e-liquids?
Usually, yes. In our examples, shortfill plus nic shot costs about 15p to 22p per ml, against 30p to 40p for 10ml bottles.
What strength does a 50ml shortfill make?
Add one 10ml 18mg nic shot to 50ml and you get 60ml at 3mg/ml.
Can I use shortfills in a pod kit?
They are usually too thick for tight pod coils, and they only reach about 3mg. 10ml nic salt or 50/50 is a better fit.
Why can't shortfills come with nicotine?
UK rules limit nicotine-containing e-liquid bottles to 10ml, so larger bottles are sold nicotine free with room for shots.
