What are Shortfills? A Short Guide

Vaping has well and truly become a thing in the UK. It has become one of the biggest pastimes in the UK. People who used to be seen smoking are now seen with a vape in their hands. And while this is a good thing because this means that they are moving away from the harmful option, there are still some things to consider before vaping in the UK. Like, what is a shortfill?


The UK industry of smoking and vaping is still governed by the Tobacco Products Directive. The rules that the TPD has established have set a standard in the UK as to what goes when it comes to vaping too. These limitations affect every vaper in the UK, such as how large a vaping tank can be or the concentration of nicotine it can contain. This was done with good intentions to protect the people. 


But this also led to a surprising development. The TPD limited any e-juice bottle containing any concentration of nicotine to a maximum size of 10ml. It was fine back when the regulations were announced, but as people have moved to RDAs and mesh coil tanks, it isn’t considered nearly enough for vaping enthusiasts. 


So, the surprising development in question was shortfills. These shortfills allowed people to buy bigger bottles of e-juices without violating any regulations. Today, we will be taking a look at how that is:


What are Shortfills?

As the name suggests, the bottle isn’t completely full of e-liquid. The concept is quite simple. Let’s say a bottle of “50ml shortfill” Nicohit e-liquid is being sold. That means the bottle’s actual capacity is 60ml but is filled with 50ml of e-liquid with no nicotine content. 


The 10ml gap left is then filled by adding 10ml of e-juice, which contains the desired amount of nicotine concentration. This is considered a pretty clever workaround to the issue. 


So, if you purchase any shortfill bottle, what you will get is a bottle of e-juice without any nicotine content in it. And then, you can later fill it with 10ml of whatever nicotine content you require later on. Though, if you want to vape without any nicotine content at all, that is also an option for you. The shortfill is ready to be used whichever way you prefer. 


The 10ml nicotine bottle that is used to add to the shortfill bottle is known as a nic-shot. These nic-shots are, according to regulation, only available in a maximum volume of 10ml. 


How to Use

This is a step-by-step way of correctly combining a nic-shot with a shortfill. 


  • First of all, pry open the nozzle on top of the shortfill bottle. This is easy to do; you can either open the nozzle with your nail or try an object with a thin edge and put it under the nozzle and gently move it upwards.  
  • Once the bottle is open, take the contents of the nic-shot and pour it into the shortfill bottle. Make sure to do it slowly so as to not spill any.
  • Once poured, take the nozzle top and put it back on firmly. Make sure it is secured properly.
  • Shake the shortfill bottle vigorously until everything is mixed well. 
  • Then just pour it into your tank and enjoy. 

Since you are mixing the nic-shot with the shortfill by hand, you will not be able to produce the force needed to fully homogenise the liquids until one mixture is formed. That is why it is recommended that whenever you want to use the mixture, you vigorously shake it before pouring it into the tank. Commercially manufactured e-juices don’t really need to be shaken by hand as they are homogenised during manufacturing. 


Conclusion

Shortfills were developed as a clever way around the regulations but have now become commonplace in the UK. They are easy to figure out and mix, and you should always give a thorough shake before pouring it into your kit. 


If you are looking for more information on shortfills or looking to buy e-juices, starter kits, or other accessories, then Juicedoutvapes is the place for you. We are an online vape store with the best collection of e-juices and vape products in the UK. 

Disposable podsE-liquidsNicohit e liquids