Nic Shots

What is a nic shot and why do shortfills need one?

Shortfill e-liquids are bottles of 0mg flavoured liquid filled to less than their total capacity. A 50ml shortfill in a 60ml bottle, for example, has 10ml of empty space at the top. That gap exists precisely for a nic shot.

UK regulations under the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) limit nicotine-containing e-liquid to 10ml bottles at a maximum of 20mg/ml. Larger bottles are only permitted if they contain zero nicotine. Manufacturers get round this by selling the 0mg flavour in a big bottle and letting you add your own nicotine booster separately.

The result is a flexible system: you control the strength, the ratio can be matched to your device, and you only pay for nicotine once rather than having it baked into the price of every bottle. For heavy vapers going through a 100ml shortfill a week, the saving adds up.

How to add a nic shot to a shortfill

The process is simple, but a few details make the difference between a clean mix and one that tastes slightly off for the first few puffs.

First, open the shortfill bottle. Pour or squeeze the full contents of the nic shot in through the opening. You don't need to measure; the bottles are sized to fill the remaining space precisely. Then replace the cap and shake vigorously for at least thirty seconds, ideally a full minute. The nicotine needs to distribute evenly through the liquid, and shaking less than you think you need to is the most common mistake.

If you have time, let it steep for five to ten minutes before you start vaping. This isn't strictly necessary, but it lets any remaining mixing happen and sometimes improves the flavour clarity on the first draw.

Step by step: mixing a nic shot

Takes about two minutes. Easier than it sounds the first time.

1. 1

   Open the shortfill

   Remove the cap from your 0mg shortfill. Check the bottle has the right space at the top: a 50ml shortfill in a 60ml bottle needs one 10ml nic shot. A 100ml shortfill in a 120ml bottle needs two.

2. 2

   Add the nic shot

   Open the nic shot and pour or squeeze it into the shortfill. If the nic shot has a needle tip, insert it and squeeze slowly to avoid spillage. The nic shot bottle should be empty when you're done.

3. 3

   Seal and shake

   Replace the cap tightly and shake for at least 30 to 60 seconds. Longer is better. The nicotine needs to blend evenly through the liquid, not just sit on top.

4. 4

   Steep briefly

   Leave the bottle for five to ten minutes if you can. Then fill your tank or pod and you're ready. If the first few puffs taste slightly flat, that usually means the mix needs another shake.

How many nic shots for each shortfill size?

The maths is straightforward once you know the bottle sizes. All calculations assume 18mg freebase nic shots, which is the most common option.

*Adding more shots than the bottle was designed for means slightly overfilling it. This works in practice but can be messy; you may need to decant some liquid first. Most vapers stick to the standard 3mg result using the correct number of shots.

Freebase nic shots vs nicotine salt shots

The type of nic shot you use affects the character of the final liquid, not just the nicotine level.

Freebase nic shots use traditional freebase nicotine. They're the standard choice for most sub-ohm vapers and anyone adding to a high-VG shortfill. At 3mg in a sub-ohm kit, the throat hit from a freebase shot is almost imperceptible, which suits direct-to-lung vaping well.

Nicotine salt shots (often called salt nic shots) use a treated form of nicotine that absorbs faster and feels smoother at equivalent strengths. They work best when you're mixing into a 50/50 shortfill and planning to vape through a pod kit or MTL tank rather than a high-wattage sub-ohm device. If you find 3mg freebase doesn't give you quite enough satisfaction but you're using an MTL setup, a salt shot is worth trying.

One small thing to know about salt shots: because the nicotine absorbs faster, they tend to feel slightly stronger at the same mg/ml than freebase at the same level. Some vapers find they get better results mixing a salt shot at 3mg than a freebase shot at 6mg. That's not a formula, just a rough rule of thumb.

Freebase vs salt nic shots

Both types mix into shortfills the same way. The difference is in how the nicotine feels when you vape, not how you add it.

Which VG/PG ratio nic shot should I buy?

The VG/PG ratio of the nic shot affects the final balance of your mixed liquid slightly, so it's worth matching it to your shortfill's own ratio.

A 70/30 nic shot (70% VG, 30% PG) suits a 70/30 or 80/20 high-VG shortfill. Adding a high-PG shot to a high-VG shortfill will thin it out slightly; that might actually help it wick in some tanks, but it can also affect flavour throw.

A 50/50 nic shot is more versatile. It works comfortably with 50/50 shortfills (common for MTL liquids) and won't noticeably change the character of a 70/30 shortfill either. If you're in doubt, 50/50 is the safe pick.

Some brands like Head Shot and Nic Up offer both ratios alongside ice or menthol-infused variants. These add a cooling note to whatever shortfill you mix them into, which is worth knowing before you open the bottle.

Nic shot brands at VapeCity

A short guide to what each brand offers and who it suits.

Running cost: how nic shots affect your e-liquid spend

Adding a nic shot to a 50ml shortfill costs around £3.99 to £7.99 extra per bottle, depending on the brand. Against the alternative of buying nicotine pre-mixed into 10ml bottles, the maths usually runs the other way: a 50ml shortfill at 0mg plus one nic shot often costs less than the equivalent volume in pre-mixed 10ml nic salts.

For a daily vaper going through around 5ml to 7ml per day, a 50ml shortfill lasts roughly a week. Add the nic shot cost to the shortfill price and you get a per-week liquid cost that compares favourably with other formats, especially versus buying individual 10ml freebase bottles or nic salts at the equivalent volume.

Where the calculation shifts: if you vape a small amount daily and prefer variety, a 50ml shortfill plus nic shot gives you 60ml of the same flavour. Some vapers prefer the flexibility of smaller 10ml bottles across multiple flavours and accept the slightly higher per-ml cost for that choice.