How to add a nic shot to a shortfill (without the mess)

You need a shortfill, the right number of 10ml nicotine shots, and somewhere flat to work. Kitchen roll is optional but recommended if you are as clumsy as the average human holding two small bottles.

Check the shortfill size first. A 50ml bottle normally sits in a 60ml container and takes one shot. A 100ml bottle normally sits in a 120ml container and takes two. Pick a shot whose ratio suits your kit: 50/50 keeps things thinner, 70VG keeps a 70/30 shortfill at 70/30. The Top Shot 70VG is a popular match for standard shortfills.

The maths is simple: multiply the shot strength by the shot volume, then divide by the total liquid. One 18mg, 10ml shot holds 180mg of nicotine. Spread across 60ml that gives 3mg per ml. Two shots in a 100ml shortfill make 360mg across 120ml, which is also 3mg.

Use the calculator below with your own numbers before you open anything. It is the easiest way to avoid accidentally making something far stronger or weaker than you meant. If you want a ready-made table instead, our shortfill nicotine maths guide has every common combination.

Every step below takes seconds. The only bit that ever gives trouble is the nozzle, because some brands fit them very tightly to stop leaks in the post. Work over kitchen roll, and do the pour slowly so the shot does not glug and splash.

Nicotine shots should not be vaped on their own and should be kept away from skin as much as practical. If you spill some on your hands, wash it off with soap and water. Shake longer than feels necessary: the shot is clear and thinner than the shortfill, so it likes to sit on top if you are lazy about it.

Some nozzles are fitted so tightly they feel welded. Before you reach for anything sharp, run warm (not hot) water over the neck of the bottle for a minute. The plastic softens slightly and the nozzle usually comes out with a firm pull.

Still stuck? Use the flat edge of a coin under the lip and lever gently all the way round. As a last resort you can squeeze the shot in through the nozzle tip slowly, which works fine but takes a few minutes. Avoid knives near your fingers: no e-liquid is worth that. Once the nozzle is out, keep it on a clean tissue so it does not pick up fluff before it goes back in.

Not really. Modern shortfills are made to vape straight away once shaken. That said, a lot of vapers find the flavour settles and rounds off if the bottle sits for a day or two, especially creamy, custard and tobacco blends.

The quick win is a long shake. If you want to go further, leave it somewhere warm and dark overnight with the cap on and shake again in the morning. More on that in our guide to e-liquid steeping.

Fruit and menthol blends gain almost nothing from waiting, so there is no reason to sit on them. Rich, layered flavours are where patience occasionally pays.

A quick one to check the maths stuck. You have bought a 100ml shortfill and picked up two 18mg nic shots, which is the most common combination we ship. Both go in, you shake it for a good thirty seconds, and you fill up your tank.

Before you take a puff, what strength are you about to vape? Think in total milligrams first, then divide by the full volume of the bottle, shots included. Plenty of people forget that the shots themselves add volume, which is exactly where the wrong answers come from.