Best Shortfill E-Liquids: Top Flavours to Try

If you vape with a sub-ohm kit and want better value, bigger clouds, and more flavour variety than a stack of 10ml bottles can offer, shortfill e-liquid is the format you need. A shortfill vape juice gives you larger volumes, zero nicotine until you add your own nic shot, and access to the full range of premium UK flavour brands.

This guide covers what is a shortfill eliquid, how they work, which flavours consistently perform best, and how to choose the right bottle for your setup. Browse the full shortfill e-liquid collection at Vaping 101 to see the complete range across every brand and bottle size.

What Is a Shortfill Eliquid?

A shortfill eliquid is a large bottle of nicotine-free vape juice that's deliberately not filled to the top. The gap at the top leaves room for you to add a nic shot, giving you control over your final nicotine strength.

UK TPD regulations prohibit selling nicotine-containing e-liquids in bottles larger than 10ml. Because shortfill vape juice contains zero nicotine, it falls outside that restriction and can be sold in 50ml, 100ml, or 200ml formats.

The result is a much better value format. One 100ml shortfill costs significantly less per ml than buying ten 10ml bottles. The what is shortfill e-liquid guide covers the full mechanics in detail. The shortfills vs longfills guide explains how shortfills compare to the other large-format option.

How to Add a Nic Shot to a Shortfill

Adding nicotine to a shortfill vape juice is straightforward. You squeeze a 10ml nic shot into the shortfill bottle, screw the cap back on, and give it a good shake for 30 to 60 seconds.

For a 50ml shortfill, one 18mg nic shot produces a 3mg final strength. For a 100ml shortfill, add two nic shots to reach 3mg. Use the shortfill calculator at Vaping 101 if you want a different final strength or are working with a non-standard bottle size.

Let the mixture steep for a few minutes before vaping to allow the nicotine to distribute evenly through the liquid. The how to use shortfills guide walks through the full process step by step for anyone new to the format.

Shortfill Sizes Available

Shortfill eliquid comes in three main sizes, each suited to different usage levels:

• 50ml shortfills: come in 60ml bottles, add one nic shot for 3mg. Great for trying new flavours. Browse the 50ml shortfills collection.
• 100ml shortfills: come in 120ml bottles, add two nic shots for 3mg. The most popular size for regular sub-ohm vapers. Browse the 100ml shortfills collection.
• 200ml shortfills: the best value format for heavy vapers who have a firm favourite flavour.

What Device Do You Need for Shortfill Vape Juice?

Shortfill vape juice uses a high VG ratio, typically 70/30 or 80/20 VG/PG. This thick consistency requires a sub-ohm device with a low-resistance coil, good airflow, and enough wattage to vaporise it properly.

Standard pod kits and starter kits are not suitable for most shortfills. Their small coils and restricted airflow cannot handle high VG liquid and will produce a weak, muted draw.

The right devices for shortfill e-liquids are sub-ohm kits, advanced vape kits, and powerful pod mods. The advanced vape kits collection at Vaping 101 covers every sub-ohm device suited for shortfills. The high VG e-liquid collection also lists compatible formats and devices.

If you do use a pod system, look for 50/50 shortfills specifically. These suit MTL devices and are available across brands like Dinner Lady and Vampire Vape. The e-juice collection covers all e-liquid formats including 50/50 options from every major brand.

Best Fruit Shortfill Vape Juice

Fantasi produces some of the best shortfill flavours in the fruit and fizzy drink category. Their Mango Ice, Watermelon Ice, and Grape Ice shortfills deliver intense, soda-style fruit profiles with a sharp icy finish that's consistently satisfying.

Nasty Juice is another standout for fruit shortfills. Their Slow Blow (pineapple and lime) and Asap Grape remain bestsellers across the UK. The flavour intensity is noticeably higher than most budget fruit options.

Doozy Vape produces a broad fruit range covering tropical blends, single-fruit options, and menthol-fruit hybrids. Their Seriously Fruity range is one of the best value shortfill vape juice collections for everyday fruit vapers.

Twelve Monkeys is also worth exploring for complex, layered tropical fruit blends with award-winning profiles. Their shortfills use carefully developed recipes that deliver more depth than straightforward single-fruit options. Browse the 100ml shortfills collection to find Twelve Monkeys alongside every other top fruit brand.

Best Menthol and Fresh Shortfill Eliquid

Vampire Vape leads the menthol and fresh shortfill category. Their Heisenberg Koncept shortfill is one of the most-searched vape flavours in the UK, blending mixed berry with a distinctive anise and menthol exhale that's instantly recognisable.

Pinkman and Blood Sukka Koncept are also consistent bestsellers from Vampire Vape, covering sweeter fruit-menthol territory. Each delivers the same quality that made Vampire Vape's original 10ml bottles famous, scaled up into a full shortfill format.

The Vampire Vape collection at Vaping 101 stocks its full shortfill range. For a wider menthol selection, the shortfills collection is filterable by flavour category.

Best Creative and Punchy Shortfill Eliquid

Riot Squad specialises in bold, unconventional profiles that punch above their weight. Their PUNX range delivers Caribbean-inspired fruit blends designed to be genuinely distinctive rather than safe copies of popular flavours.

The Riot Squad Black Edition shortfills go further, with complex multi-layered recipes that reward vapers who want something different from mainstream fruity options. Both the PUNX and Black Edition are regularly cited among the best tasting shortfill e-liquid options by experienced sub-ohm vapers.

The 50ml shortfills collection includes Riot Squad in both PUNX and Black Edition formats for vapers who want to try them before committing to a 100ml. The shortfills vs longfills guide is useful if you find yourself wanting even more control over your nicotine level beyond what shortfills offer.

Best Shortfill Eliquid: Tips for Choosing the Right One

Finding the best shortfill e-liquid for your setup comes down to a few practical considerations.

First, always match the VG ratio to your device. High VG shortfills (70/30 or 80/20) need a sub-ohm tank. If you use an MTL or pod setup, look for 50/50 shortfills from the 50/50 e-liquid collection.

Second, start with a 50ml bottle when trying a brand for the first time. Committing to a 100ml before you know a flavour suits you is an easy mistake. The 50ml shortfills collection covers every brand in the smaller size.

Third, stock up on nic shots before you order shortfills. Running out of nic shots defeats the purpose of buying a large shortfill format. A pair of 18mg nic shots per 100ml shortfill is the standard formula for 3mg.

Fourth, consider your flavour category. If you're not sure whether to go for dessert or fruit, the best vape flavours guide covers the UK's most popular profiles in both formats.

For a deeper understanding of how shortfills compare to nic salts for different devices and use cases, the nic salts vs e-liquid guide covers both formats side by side. You can also use the shortfill calculator to work out exact nicotine ratios for any bottle size or desired strength.

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