What Is Shortfill E-Liquid and How Do You Use It?

You've seen the 50ml and 100ml bottles in vape shops labelled "0mg" and wondered what the point is. No nicotine — who wants that? Here's what shortfill e-liquid actually is, why it exists, and how it works once you add a nicotine shot. It's a cost-efficient format that suits a specific type of vaper well.

Why Shortfills Exist

UK MHRA regulations limit nicotine-containing e-liquid bottles to 10ml maximum. This is a consumer safety and regulation compliance measure. However, there's no restriction on the bottle size of nicotine-free e-liquid. Shortfill bottles (typically 50ml or 100ml) are filled to less than their full capacity — hence "short fill" — leaving room for a nicotine shot to be added by the consumer. A 50ml shortfill typically has 50ml of 0mg e-liquid in a 60ml bottle, leaving 10ml of headspace for one nicotine shot.

This format emerged as a practical workaround for the 10ml restriction and has become a standard part of the UK e-liquid market, particularly for vapers who use higher volumes of liquid and want the cost savings of larger bottles.

How to Add a Nicotine Shot to a Shortfill

Adding a nicotine shot to a shortfill is simple. A nicotine shot is a 10ml bottle of unflavoured e-liquid base (PG, VG) with a high nicotine concentration — usually 18mg/ml. Add one shot to a 50ml shortfill and the resulting 60ml of liquid will have a nicotine level of approximately 3mg/ml. That's the standard target for sub-ohm vapers who use shortfills.

Step by step: remove the cap from the shortfill bottle, squeeze in the entire nicotine shot, replace the cap, and shake vigorously for thirty seconds. Leave to settle for thirty minutes before using. Some vapers steep their shortfills for a few days after mixing — this can improve flavour integration, particularly for complex profiles.

Who Shortfills Are For

Shortfills make most sense for vapers who: use sub-ohm hardware at low nicotine (0–3mg), vape significant volumes of liquid daily (making 10ml bottles expensive to run), and primarily use freebase nicotine rather than nic salts. The cost per ml of e-liquid from a shortfill plus nicotine shot is considerably lower than buying equivalent 10ml bottles — typically 30–50% cheaper at equivalent quality levels.

Shortfills are NOT designed for pod kit users who use nic salts at higher strengths. The high-VG formulation of most shortfills won't wick properly in tight pod coils, and the resulting nicotine level (3mg maximum from a single nic shot) is far too low for most ex-smokers. If you're on a pod kit using 10mg or 20mg nic salts, shortfills are not the right format for you.

Choosing a Good Shortfill

Brand quality matters significantly in shortfills. The VG/PG ratio in most shortfills is 70VG/30PG or higher — the right ratio for sub-ohm hardware. Flavour quality varies between manufacturers. Look for brands with strong UK reputations and avoid the cheapest possible options, which often use lower-quality flavour concentrates that don't age well or perform inconsistently. VaperzHub stocks quality shortfill e-liquids and nicotine shots — browse the range at vaperzhub.co.uk.