Nic Shots – Perfect Your Shortfill Vape Liquid With 10ml Nicotine Shots
If you’ve been exploring the world of vaping, you’ve probably come across nicotine shots before, and they're absolutely essential when you are pairing with large shortfills of vape juice and want to keep to a specific nicotine level. Simple yet versatile, a nicotine shot allows you to customise your vape juice to your desired nicotine strength.
Most nic shots are typically available in 10ml bottles in 18mg nicotine strength, and simply need to be added directly to a 50ml or 100ml shortfill e-liquid. Once mixed, you’ve got a bottle of tasty vape liquid at 3mg strength, perfect for sub-ohm setups and without losing out on any of the flavour you love.
What Is a Nicotine Shot?
A nicotine shot is a small 10ml bottle of high-strength nicotine vape liquid without flavour that's specifically made to be mixed into larger short-fill e-liquid bottles.
By law, you cannot buy more than 10ml of e-liquid in the UK if it contains nicotine, so for large-format shortfill bottles of vape juice in 50ml or 100ml, these are all completely nicotine-free. Although shortfills keep this lack of nicotine in mind and manufacturers deliberately leave space in the bottle for you to add nic shots for shortfills, turning your juice into a satisfying vaping experience with a nicotine strength of your choosing.
Key details:
- Typically come as 18mg nic shots (sometimes 20mg versions for salts).
- Shots are 10ml bottles, easy to measure.
- Designed to be added to 50ml and 100ml short bottles.
- Usually TPD compliant and UK made for safety and consistency.
Why Use Nic Shots With Your Vape Juice?
The main reason to use a nic shot is to allow you the choice to select what quantity of nicotine you would like in your vape juice, especially since not every vaper wants the same level of nicotine content when they are vaping. With nic shots available, you can take a 50ml 0mg shortfill bottle and decide if you want to:
- Create a 3mg e-liquid by adding a single 18mg shot into a 50ml shortfill.
- Mix into a 100ml 0mg shortfill with two 18mg nic shots, giving you 120ml of 3mg e liquid.
- Adjust nicotine content lower or higher depending on how many nic shots you add.
This puts control back in your hands, letting you tailor both flavour and nicotine levels to your desired strength and better still it is a lot more cost-effective than purchasing premixed nic salts in the smaller 10ml bottles.
Nicotine Shots Usually Contain Just Nic Salts With No Flavour
Most nicotine shots are flavourless, as they are designed not to interfere with your shortfill flavours. Although you can often find menthol variants of nic shots that can add a subtle cooling edge to your vape juice if you would like to add some extra dimension to your vape juice.
VG Nicotine Shots Are Ideal For Cloud Chasers
If you prefer your vaping to feel thicker with denser vapour clouds, a VG nicotine shot is the best option since these keep your 70VG shortfill ratios intact. This not only maximises cloud production but keeps your vape juice flavour distinct and balanced, ideal for sub-ohm style vaping!
Shortfills and Nic Shots Make For Perfect Partners
Large-format vape juice seen in shortfills all comes without nicotine and can’t reach its full potential without you adding a 10ml 18mg shot, making this pairing both practical and beneficial as you directly control the nicotine content within your vape juice.
Different Types of Nicotine Shots
Whilst they all perform the same function, not all nic shots are the same as they can all have a slightly different effect on the vape juice you use as a base, although nic shots generally fall into two main categories;
Freebase Nicotine Shots
- Traditional nicotine booster shot formula.
- Delivers a stronger throat hit, perfect for those who want a sensation closer to cigarettes to help them quit smoking.
- Usually 18mg nicotine in a 10ml format.
- Ideal for sub-ohm short fill e-liquid mixes.
Nicotine Salt Shots
- Known as nicotine salt shots or salt nic shot, these are smoother and absorb into the bloodstream quicker.
- Provide a smoother throat feel and faster nicotine delivery.
- Great for those who want to increase their nicotine strength without a harsh inhale, ideal for ex-smokers.
- Popular options include ns20 nic salt shot varieties.
Both types provide a smoother or stronger throat hit depending on your preference. The goal is simple: match your nicotine shot to your vaping style.
How To Mix A Nic Shot Into A Shortfill
Whilst it may seem a little intimidating at first, mixing your own vape juice blends with nic shots is a lot simpler than it looks:
- Open your shortfill (50ml or 100ml 0mg).
- Add your 10ml bottle of 18mg nicotine shot (or more, depending on size).
- Shake well until the vape liquid is consistent.
- Let it settle for the best flavour.
Following this process you can get results like;
- 50ml shortfill + 1 x 18mg shot = 60ml at 3mg.
- 100ml shortfill + 2 x 18mg shots = 120ml at 3mg.
If you want 6mg e-liquid, you’ll need to use a 50ml shortfill and two full 18mg shots; making the calculations may seem a little confusing but with all products clearly labelled, it is surprisingly easy to adapt your shortfill into any blend you see fit!
Choosing the Right Nicotine Strength
Your desired nicotine strength will very much depend on your existing vaping routine and what nicotine level you find is best based on your needs;
- 3mg – Light vapers, usually using sub-ohm tanks with decent vapour output.
- 6mg – For those who want a stronger nicotine hit and still a smooth feel.
- 10mg and 20mg nic salts – Better with pod systems and low ohm devices.
Some users also experiment with 15mg variants, but most nic shots available are within the 18mg nicotine mark.
Nicotine Salt Shots vs Freebase – Which Is Better?
Ultimately there is not a right or wrong option when it comes to which option you choose since both have a different effect on your vaping and noticeably change the experience. Freebase nicotine shots feature a much more noticeable throat hit which is ideal if you were previously a smoker, as they pack a similar kick. Nicotine salt shots, on the other hand, are noticeably smoother with higher nicotine absorption, which is ideal if you want to avoid those harsher throat hits.
Shop Nicotine Shots At Our Online Store Today
Nicotine shots are the simple way to customise your shortfill e-liquids and are all available in 10ml bottles, making them compact and highly convenient to adjust your shortfills on the go. These high-strength shots are added to nicotine-free shortfills to create your preferred nicotine level without having to compromise on flavour. With high-quality ingredients, TPD-compliant standards and competitive pricing, you can shop nic shots online at our store to find everything you need to mix with confidence.
Nicotine Shot FAQs
Do nicotine shots affect the flavour of my shortfill?
Nic shots are flavourless and designed not to interfere with your e-liquid taste. High-VG versions are also available to match thicker shortfill blends for consistent results.
What strength are nicotine shots usually sold at?
Most are 18mg or 20mg, which when added to shortfills typically dilute to 3mg strength e-liquid.
What is the difference between freebase and nicotine salt shots?
Freebase shots deliver a stronger throat hit, while nic salt shots offer smoother nicotine absorption and are often preferred for higher-strength vaping.
How many shots do I add to my shortfill?
For a 50ml shortfill, usually 1x 10ml nic shot will create a 3mg liquid. A 100ml shortfill will need 2x 10ml shots for the same strength.
Can I vape a nicotine shot on its own?
No, nic shots are designed to be mixed with shortfills and should ++never++ be vaped without being mixed with vape juice.
