Deciding which E-liquid is right for you can be difficult, especially as recent popularity means there’s hundreds of brands and flavours available. If the endless choice of fruity flavours wasn’t enough, there’s also a variety of E-liquid ratios that can make your decision even harder. So, how do you choose which E-liquid is right for you?
What’s in E-liquid?
Unlike cigarettes, which are full of harmful chemicals and toxins, E-liquids only contain four ingredients:
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Propylene glycol (PG): a food-safe chemical which helps hold flavour and nicotine.
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Vegetable glycerin (VG): a sugary, syrup-like sweetener made from natural oils that produces vapour and intensifies flavour.
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Food flavouring: typically, E-liquids contain natural and artificial food flavouring, giving them a delicious taste.
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Nicotine (optional): nicotine is available in most E-liquids and is used to satisfy smokers’ cravings to prevent them going back to cigarettes.
Types of E-liquid ratios
E-liquids are available in different ratios, which refers to the amount of PG and VG within the liquids. The main E-liquid ratios include:
PG-based E-liquids:
PG-based E-liquids often have a 70% PG content and are designed to simulate the feeling of smoking. With a thinner consistency, and a subtler amount of vapour, they can hold higher levels of nicotine and achieve a more intense throat hit.
VG-based E-liquids:
VG-based E-liquids have a 60% VG content, so have a thicker consistency that can only handle lower levels of nicotine. These E-liquids are associated with more exotic and intense flavours and produce larger vapour clouds, despite having a less intense throat hit.
50/50 E-liquids:
These best of both, 50/50 E-liquids contain an equal mix of PG and VG, offering an adequate throat hit and a punch of flavour. These can contain a range of nicotine levels and are a common choice for most vapers.
Short fill E-liquids:
Short fills are nicotine-free and complete with intense flavours. They’re often packaged in large bottles so there’s space to add your own nicotine.
Which E-liquid is right for you?
When it comes to choosing which E-liquid is best for you, it’s a matter of personal taste, and what motivates your vaping. It could be that you’re cutting out cigarettes and satisfying your nicotine cravings, or simply social vaping.
Your vape device should also be considered when picking an E-liquid.
For example, vape pens are often used for first-time vapers and resemble cigarettes. As they’re small devices, they use less power and are unable to heat liquids to a high temperature. This means they’re more suitable for PG-based E-liquids. 50/50 ratio liquids may be too thick and will require you to replace the coils in your device sooner.
Whereas box mod kits are available in different sizes and work with more power. They have the ability to heat at higher temperatures, which makes them ideal for thicker, VG-based e-liquids.
Choosing nicotine strength
Deciding on a nicotine strength depends upon personal preference and smoking habits. For heavy smokers, PG-based E-liquids will be more suitable as they can contain higher nicotine levels. Light smokers may want to experiment with E-liquids until they find one suitable for their taste and cravings.
Trying a 50/50 ratio is always a good starting point, as it provides a medium throat hit and can contain various levels of nicotine, from 3mg to 12mg. If a low mg of nicotine isn’t satisfactory, you can opt for a higher strength until you’ve found the right one for you. For non-smokers, opt for a nicotine-free E-liquid and enjoy a flavourful vaping experience.
