What are shortfill e-liquids?

Shortfill or Shake and Vape E-liquids are larger bottles of liquid that are supplied without nicotine. These e-liquid bottles are known as shortfills because they just aren't filled all the way to the top!

The space above is for adding a nicotine shot. Once this is added, shake the bottle to mix the nicotine with the flavored e-liquid (hence the alternate name shake and vape).

The story behind the shortfills

Before the new Tobacco Product Directive (TPD), which came into force in May 2017, many vapers bought larger bottles of liquid. However, the EU has introduced an upper limit for the size of nicotine-containing e-liquids in the Tobacco Products Directive.

It was crucial that the limit was for nicotine-containing e-liquids and not for nicotine-free e-liquids. There remained immense and frustrated demand for larger bottles of e-liquid.

One problem is the price. It's much cheaper to produce larger bottles than it is to produce smaller bottles, and that price is passed on to the vapers. This doesn't matter to vapers using lower powered devices, but cloud chasers using high powered devices can use up an immense amount of e-liquid in a short amount of time. It's also frankly frustrating to buy 5, 10, or even 20 bottles of e-liquids instead of one large bottle. After all, many vapers also agree that smaller bottles lead to more plastic waste and harm the environment.

By separating nicotine and e-liquid, manufacturers were able to produce larger bottles of e-liquid again, which the vapers demanded. These just have to buy nicotine shots separately, but in some ways it's definitely a step forward for vapers.

Who are shortfills suitable for?

Shortfills usually consist of high VG e-liquids. These are not good for high resistance coils. That's because the thicker e-liquids will burn out these coils. High VG e-liquids are designed for cloud chasers who use low-resistance coils with larger port holes designed to handle the thickness of e-liquids.

They're also not good for people who prefer higher levels of nicotine. Since the EU regulations for nicotine shots still apply, the maximum permissible strength for nicotine shots is 2% (20mg). This means that if you add a full nicotine shot to 50 ml of flavored e-liquid, you will still have a relatively low level of nicotine. It's not that big of a deal for more powerful devices, but for starter devices, the nicotine hit can be very bad.

If you're a cloud chaser with an advanced piece of equipment, great. The high VG values are perfect for blowing large clouds, the larger amount is ideal for devices that use more liquid.

However, if you prefer a tight pull, a good throat hit, and smaller clouds, you are probably better off continuing to use the 10ml e-liquids.

Advantages of shortfills:

• Ideal for cloud chasers
• Often cheaper per ml
• Better for the environment

Disadvantages of shortfills;

• Low nicotine levels
• Nicotine shots must be purchased separately

According to TPD regulations that went to live in May 2016, size bottles of eliquids containing nicotine are limited to 10ml. Nicotine content is also limited to maximu of 20mg (20mg/ml).

Shortfill bottles do not contain nicotine (0mg) therefore are not linited by TDP regulations. On the market you can find bottles from 30ml to 120ml. In the bottle there is the extra space left for adding “nicotine shots” in required amount and strength.

Nicotine shots or Nic Shots are flavourless and usualy have between 18-20mg/ml nicotine strength. How to Mix a short fill e liquid? To add nicotine to a short fill bottle, you would need to remove the lid of the bottle followed by the inner top cap.

Then add your nicotine into the bottle and once this is added you can pop the top cap of the bottle back into place, ensuring it is fitted back correctly, put the lid of the bottle back and then shake the bottle. Shaking the bottle for around one minute will mix the nicotine solution with the e-liquid. Leave it for 5 minutes to settle.

In 60ml shortfill bottle there is 10ml of space where you can add a full 10ml bottle containing an 18mg nicotine shot. Afetr mix you will receive 60ml of e-liquid with a 3mg nicotine content.