In recent years, more and more new vaping products have emerged on the market to make vaping easier and more convenient for those looking to stop smoking.
One such product is shortfills and nicotine shots, which help to make vaping more convenient, cheaper and customisable for the vaper.
We take a look at what shortfills and nic shots are, and how you can use them.
What Are Shortfills?
Shortfills are larger bottles of nicotine-free E-Liquid – they usually come in 25ml, 50ml, 100ml and 200ml sizes.
As the name suggests, the bottles are slightly underfilled, leaving room in the bottle for vapers to add in a ‘nic shot’.
What Are Nic Shots?
Nic shots, or nicotine shots, are small bottles of pure nicotine. They are added to the shortfill to give it a nicotine content of your preferred strength.
Why Were Shortfills Created?
Over the years, the vaping industry has been met with many rules, restrictions and regulations that are meant to make vaping safer for vapers. Back in 2017, the Tobacco Products Directive implemented a new regulation that limited nicotine-based E-Liquids to a bottle size of 10ml.
This was a problem for some vapers, who found buying larger bottles of E-Liquid cheaper and more convenient.
Shortfills were created as a way to get around the bottle size limitations. As shortfills are nicotine-free, they can be sold in bottles larger than 10ml while remaining compliant with the Tobacco Products Directive regulations. The nic shot can be sold as a 10ml bottle of pure nicotine.
Why Choose Shortfills and Nic Shots?
Cost-Effective
When combined, the shortfill and nic shot can create far more E-Liquid than you would get in a standard 10ml bottle of pre-mixed E-Liquid. This makes it a more cost-effective choice for many vapers.
Control Over Strengths
Another benefit is the ability to have greater control over the strength of the E-Liquid. When it comes to regular bottles of ready-to-vape E-Liquid, the strengths can sometimes be limited.
For example, a particular flavour may sound tempting but is only available in 10mg and 18mg options. There is huge flavour variety when it comes to shortfills, so you can find a flavour you love and make it in a lower strength.
If you’re looking to gradually lower your nicotine intake, then using shortfills and nic shots can be a great way of doing this.
Different Types of Nic Shots
There are different nic shot options available. One kind may suit you better than another.
- 50:50 Nic Shots – to be used with shortfills containing a 50:50 ratio of VG and PG.
- Max VG Nic Shots – to be used with high VG shortfills, such as 70:30 or 80:20.
- Nic Salt Shots – nic salts provide vapers with a smoother throat hit and a quicker absorption rate. They satisfy cravings quickly and work well at higher strengths, making them good for those who need higher nicotine levels.
- Ice Nic Shots – a nic shot with an added menthol taste to create a refreshing feeling.
How Much Nicotine Should You Add to a Shortfill
Most nic shots will come in 18mg strengths. Below you will see a chart that explains the amount of nic shots you need to create 3mg and 6mg E-Liquid using shortfills of various sizes.
You may also find nic shots in other strengths, such as 9mg or 15mg. For these, you’ll have to do a bit of maths. For example, a 9mg nic shot in a 25ml bottle would produce 30ml at 3mg. In a 50ml bottle, it would make 60ml of 1.5mg E-Liquid.
This way, you can enjoy many different flavours of E-Liquid at lower strengths.
How to Mix Shortfills and Nic Shots
- Get the shortfill and nic shot of your choice.
- Remove the lids and pour the nic shot into the shortfill. Usually, you will be pouring the entire bottle of nic shot into the shortfill.
- Replace the cape and lid on the shortfill bottle and shake it up, so that the two liquids mix.
- An optional fourth step is to let the shortfill steep for around 48 hours to ensure both liquids are well combined and the flavour as intense as possible.
Steeping Shortfills
While it isn’t a required step, some choose to leave their shortfill to steep after adding in the nic shot. This is because the nic shot can slightly dilute the shortfill’s flavour. By leaving it to steep, it is thought that the E-Liquid becomes more flavourful again.
It is recommended to leave the mixture for 24-48 hours, although some vapers choose to leave the E-Liquid to steep for weeks!
Can You Vape Shortfills Alone?
Shortfills can be vaped alone without any nic shots added for a nicotine-free vaping experience. Some choose to do this as it is more cost-effective and there is a large selection of flavours available.
We hope that this guide has helped you to understand shortfills and nic shots a little better! If you still have questions about these E-Liquids and how to use them, then please get in touch with our expert team for more advice and guidance!