SHORTFILL E-LIQUID MEANING - WHAT ARE SHORTFILLS AND ARE THEY THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU?

Shortfill e-liquids are larger vape bottles with no nicotine but room for adding nicotine shots, allowing you to mix your own nicotine levels. Discover what makes shortfills popular, how to use them, and the benefits they offer and the drawbacks - and why SMOKO prefilled vapes might be the right choice for you.

Key Takeaways

• Shortfill e-liquids allow vapers to customise nicotine levels by adding nicotine shots, providing flexibility and a tailored vaping experience.

• These e-liquids come in larger sizes (typically 50ml or 100ml) and offer a wide variety of flavours, making them a cost-effective choice for vapers who want to mix their own liquids, desire higher nicotine strengths and use refillable vapes.

• SMOKO vapes use prefilled refills to streamline the vaping experience, removing the need for vapers to carry or purchase multiple products.

Understanding Shortfill E-Liquids

Shortfill e-liquids are a game-changer in the vaping world. These larger bottles of e-liquid contain zero nicotine but are designed with enough space to add nicotine shots, allowing you to customise your e-liquid with regard to nicotine intake. This flexibility is valued by many vapers, offering the convenience of mixing your own nicotine levels to suit personal preferences without starting from scratch.

The variety in shortfill e-liquids is astounding, offering flavours ranging from sweet fruits and decadent desserts to refreshing menthols. Additionally, these e-liquids come in various VG/PG ratios, such as the popular 70/30 blend, catering to different vaping styles and preferences. Most shortfill e-liquids are high VG blends, making them perfect for sub-ohm vaping, which results in larger vapour clouds and intense flavours. While this may provide a rich experience, studies indicate that sub-ohm vaping produces more carbonyl compounds than higher resistance vaping (1), so lower powered devices like the SMOKO E-Cigarette could be a less harmful option that using higher powered vape mods.

Typically, a shortfill bottle has an average capacity of 50ml, with extra space to add a 10ml nicotine shot, though 100ml shortfill e liquid bottles are also common, allowing 20ml for added nicotine shots. This design makes it easy to achieve your desired nicotine strength without needing multiple smaller bottles. With shortfill e-liquids, your vaping experience can be tailored towards your needs, with a little bit of time and effort.

Conversely, at SMOKO we believe in offering a hassle-free vaping experience so vapers don't need to worry about things like carrying spare e-liquid bottles or spare parts for their vape kits. All SMOKO users need is a charged battery with a refill on top and you are good to go! For both the SMOKO VAPE POD and VAPE MAX, the refills are held in place with magnets so putting a refill in your battery couldn't be easier!

How to Use Shortfill E-Liquids

Using shortfill e-liquids is a straightforward process that allows you to tailor your vaping experience. Start by removing the cap of your shortfill bottle, then add your chosen nicotine shot. Shake the bottle thoroughly after adding the nicotine to ensure it mixes well with the e-liquid. This step is crucial for achieving a consistent nicotine level throughout the liquid.

Shaking your e-liquids before use also helps to recombine any ingredients that may have separated over time. After shaking, let the mixture settle for a few minutes before vaping. This waiting period allows the flavours and nicotine to blend properly, resulting in a smooth and enjoyable vape. This could present a little issue; if the liquid has separated out in your device then you'll need to give your device an aggressive shake. This may help to encourage leaking and get e-liquid into the chimney and/or mouthpiece of the vape.

For those who prefer a very light nicotine level, you can add only half a nicotine shot to your shortfill e-liquid. This flexibility in adjusting nicotine strength makes shortfills an flexible choice for both new vapers and experienced users looking to fine-tune their vaping experience.

Benefits of Shortfill E-Liquids

Shortfill e-liquids offer numerous benefits that make them a popular choice among vapers. One of the most significant advantages is cost-effectiveness. Purchasing shortfill e-liquids can lead to substantial savings over time, especially when compared to buying multiple 10ml bottles. For instance, a 50ml shortfill can be priced around £8.00, making it a more economical choice.

Another major benefit is the ability to customise your nicotine strength. With shortfill e-liquids, you can add nicotine shots to achieve your preferred levels, whether you want a strong nicotine hit or a milder experience. This level of customisation is particularly appealing to vapers who are transitioning from traditional cigarettes and want to control their nicotine intake more precisely, or mix an e-liquid stronger that the 2% or 20mg/ml legal limit for retail e-liquids in the UK (2).

Additionally, shortfill e-liquids come in larger sizes, typically 50ml or 100ml, allowing you to enjoy more liquid in a single purchase. The variety of exclusive flavours available in shortfill options, often with higher VG ratios, leads to a richer and more satisfying taste experience. This combination of cost savings, customisation, and flavour variety makes shortfill e-liquids a standout choice for vapers of all levels.

The drawbacks of using shortfills include spending time spent mixing your nic shots to the shortfill, which may be quick for some but doing the maths to work out how to get a more obscure nicotine strength can be much more time consuming than just emptying your nic shots to the nicotine free vape juice in the shortfill bottle.

While not a massive increase, creating a stronger e-liquid than the retail maximum may require adding more than two nic shots to the shortfill, which needs the user to be wary of the bottle size as a 50ml shortfill bottle will overflow with 2 nic shots, and a 100ml shortfill e liquid bottle will overflow with more than 2 nic shots. Here we come to the time consumption issue again, as doing more than the process described above would require doing things like emptying all the contents of the shortfill and nic shots into a 3rd 'mixing' container to be mixed. Then you are looking at problems such as 'is the mixing container sterile/clean?' and 'where can I store this larger container?'

Additionally, if you purchase a shortfill flavour that you decide you don't like but only find out after mixing it with your nic shots, then you either have 'suck it up' and use a flavour you don't enjoy just to get your money's worth, or it goes to waste (if you don't have an appropriate vaper friend willing to take it off your hands). Luckily, if you use the wrong nicotine strength, you can dilute you e-liquid with more shortfill vape juice, but again we start to see the cost of experimenting.

Popular Shortfill Flavours

The world of shortfill e-liquids is bursting with exciting flavours that cater to every taste. From fruity delights and indulgent desserts to refreshing menthols, there’s something for everyone.

Let’s dive into some of the most popular categories of shortfill flavours, each offering a unique and enjoyable vaping experience.

Fruity Bliss

Fruity shortfill e-liquids are a vibrant and refreshing choice for many vapers. Popular flavours include pineapple, mango, strawberry, and rhubarb, as well as creative combinations like mixed berries and peanut butter and jelly. These juicy and refreshing flavours awaken your taste buds and provide a delightful vaping experience.

Brands like Just Juice and Riot Squad are known for their exotic flavours. Whether you’re craving the tangy sweetness of pink lemonade or the tropical burst of mango and pineapple, these fruity blends offer a smooth vape that transports you to a sunny paradise.

Shortfill ranges aren't the only fruity offerings in the vaping world, though! Prefilled options like the SMOKO VAPE POD has 16 flavours available at a range of nicotine strengths, including Crisp Apple, Black Currant, Cherry, Fruit Burst, Raspberry and Strawberry flavours!

Decadent Desserts

For those with a sweet tooth, dessert-flavoured shortfill e-liquids offer a delightful escape into indulgence. Imagine vaping rich vanilla custard, caramel cheesecake, or chocolate tiramisu – these flavours are designed to satisfy your cravings without the calories.

Brands like Doozy Vape excel in crafting these luxurious dessert flavours, providing a smooth and satisfying vape that feels like a treat with every puff. The variety of dessert options ensures that you can find the perfect flavour to suit your mood and taste preferences.

Dessert flavours aren't exclusive to shortfills; SMOKO offers a range of rich dessert or aperitif beverage flavours - such as Vanilla, Coffee and Absinthe flavours.

Cool Menthols

Menthol shortfill e-liquids offer a refreshing and invigorating vaping experience. These flavours are known for their minty freshness, providing a cool and smooth vape that can be a great palate cleanser.

Many menthol shortfills combine mint with fruity flavours like passion fruit and kiwi, creating a unique and refreshing blend that stands out. Brands like Doozy Vape offer high-quality menthol blends that deliver a satisfying throat hit without being overpowering.

At SMOKO, we know many smokers used to favour menthol cigarettes, so we offer a choice of a Menthol Tobacco flavour and Mint Breeze - a pure mint flavour - for the minty enthusiasts among you.

Choosing the Right Nicotine Shot

Choosing the right nicotine shot is crucial for achieving your desired vaping experience. Nicotine salts and freebase nicotine are the two main types available, each offering different benefits. Nicotine salts provide a smoother throat hit, making them suitable for higher nicotine concentrations without the harshness. They are absorbed more quickly, offering a rapid nicotine effect similar to traditional cigarettes.

On the other hand, freebase nicotine is preferred for low powered devices, providing a stronger throat hit and more intense flavour. However, it can be harsh at higher strengths, which might not be suitable for all vapers and more powerful devices. Low strength freebase nicotine is generally recommended for those using sub-ohm vape kits; as these more powerful devices produce large amounts of vapour so when this contains freebase nicotine, the larger volume can be very harsh.

SMOKO Refills use freebase nicotine, the purest form of nicotine, to help create the 'throat hit' that many smokers are looking for when they first make the switch to vaping. Studies indicate that while nic salt vaping may get nicotine into the system faster, freebase nicotine appears able to achieve and maintain higher nicotine levels in the blood. (3) This might explain why so many smokers have quit smoking with the SMOKO E-Cigarette Cigalike vape over the past 10+ years!

Mixing the shortfill and nic shots

To achieve a low nicotine strength, you can add an 18mg bottle of freebase nicotine to a 50ml shortfill bottle to get a 3mg nicotine strength. For a higher strength of 6mg, simply use two nicotine shots. This flexibility allows you to tailor your nicotine intake to match your preferences perfectly, ensuring a smooth and satisfying vape every time.

Top Brands Offering Shortfill E-Liquids

Several top brands have made a name for themselves in the shortfill e-liquid market, thanks to their quality, innovation, and diverse flavour offerings. Just Juice, for example, is recognised for its vibrant packaging and a wide range of fruit-inspired flavours that appeal to a broad audience.

Doozy Vape stands out with its rich selection of dessert and candy flavours, providing sweet and satisfying vaping experiences. Riot Squad is another notable brand, known for its innovative flavour profiles and consistent production standards.

While SMOKO doesn't offer shortfills, our great tasting UK-made e-liquid containing freebase nicotine is available in 10ml bottles for vapers with refillable vape kits.

Best Practices for Storing Shortfill E-Liquids

Proper storage of shortfill e-liquids is essential to maintain their freshness and extend their shelf life. Keeping your e-liquids in a cool, dark place helps preserve their flavour and quality over time. Exposure to heat and sunlight can cause the liquids to degrade, resulting in a loss of flavour and potency.

Sealing your shortfill bottles tightly is another crucial step in preventing oxidation, which can spoil the taste. While regularly used e-liquids typically don’t require special storage, those bought in bulk need careful handling to ensure they remain fresh and enjoyable.

Cost-Effective Vaping with Shortfills

Shortfill e-liquids offer significant cost savings, making them a cost-effective option for regular vapers. The larger bottle sizes, such as 50ml or 100ml, provide more e-liquid for a lower overall cost compared to multiple smaller bottles. This is particularly beneficial for those who get through a lot of vape juice and want to reduce their expenses.

Bulk buying shortfill liquids can also lead to quantity discounts, further enhancing savings for regular users. Vendors often offer additional promotions, such as free shipping on orders over a certain amount, making shortfill e-liquids an economical and practical choice for the budget-conscious vaper who is willing to invest their time in mixing e liquids and performing regular maintenance on their refillable device.

The biggest concern about bulk buying shortfills is that there is a lot of liquid to vape through! If storage space is an issue, then bulk buying big shortfill bottles may end up taking up a lot of shelf space - it might provide a better vaping experience to buy fresh every time you need a new bottle.

Prefilled Vaping Alternatives

At SMOKO, we are all about making things easy for smokers making the switch to E-Cigarettes. That means providing a streamlined vaping experience that is as easy as grabbing a cigarette from the packet and lighting it up. That's why our devices use prefilled refills that attach to the battery and are then ready for vaping.

The disadvantages of using shortfills is less in the liquid and more about the device. Shortfills are designed for refillable vapes, and refillable vapes place more responsibility on the vaper. This means you need to keep an eye on your vape coil as it degrades and keep spares so you don't get caught out. It means you need to clean your tank regularly, certainly if you want to change flavours without the previous flavour contaminating the new one. It means you need to check the integrity of your vape tank to make sure it's not leaking and getting into the battery housing. It means you need to check the integrity of the vape battery as a damaged battery can lead to thermal runaway, which in the worst case scenario could lead to an exploding vape. (4)

These extra concerns take up your valuable time and effort, and spares and replacement parts can add to the cost of running a refillable vape. With devices like the SMOKO VAPE POD - this is all taken care of for you! You get a new coil in every refill so you don't have to worry about keeping spares and monitoring and replacing your current coil. Spare batteries for SMOKO devices can be obtained in our weekly deals, in many cases for free, preventing worry about spare batteries and other associated parts!

Summary

In summary, shortfill e-liquids present a versatile and economical option for vapers, if you are willing to put in the extra time and effort to mix your e-liquids and look after your refillable vape. Their larger bottle sizes for shortfills, combined with the ability to customise nicotine levels and explore diverse flavours, make them a valid choice for users who want to dip their toe into mixing their own e-liquid without the experimentation that comes with adding flavouring agents to an unflavoured mix.

If you are a smoker looking to quit, or just investigating whether shortfills are the right choice for you, then consider SMOKO as your benchmark for a hassle-free vaping experience. All you need is your charged SMOKO battery and refill and you are good to go! No spare coils, no liquid bottles, no spare batteries and no maintenance required, SMOKO E-Cigs and Vapes make things as easy as they can possibly be, without entering into the wasteful territory that is disposable vapes (that are due to be banned in June 2025)! (5)

Make the switch with SMOKO today!

REFERENCES

(1) Sub-ohm vaping increases the levels of carbonyls, is cytotoxic, and alters gene expression in human bronchial epithelial cells exposed at the air–liquid interface

(2) E-cigarettes: regulations for consumer products

(3) Electronic Vaporization of Nicotine Salt or Freebase produces differential effects on metabolism, neuronal activity and behavior in male and female C57BL/6J mice

(4) Tips to Help Avoid Vape Battery Fires or Explosions

(5) Guidance: Single-use vapes ban

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Written by Dan Overgage

Dan Overgage is a former smoker of 10 years until he became a client of SMOKO E-Cigarettes.  Dan started working with SMOKO 5 years ago after successfully quitting using our e-cigarettes and works across our Customer Service and heads up our content creation and research with a strong focus on all things quitting smoking.  During his tenure with SMOKO, Dan has written countless blogs and consults with countless clients every day to help them to stay smoke-free.