What Is a Shortfill E-Liquid?
A clear explanation of why shortfills exist, how the bottle sizing works, what TRPR rules have to do with it and how Imp Jar shortfills fit into the wider picture.
The short answer
A shortfill e-liquid is a bottle of nicotine free vape juice that is deliberately filled below its full capacity. The empty headroom exists so you can add a separately sold nicotine shot, mixing your own nicotine containing e-liquid at home rather than buying it pre-mixed. An Imp Jar 50ml shortfill, for example, comes in a 60ml bottle with 50ml of liquid inside, leaving exactly enough room for one 10ml nic shot.
Browse the Imp Jar Originals range
50ml shortfills in disposable inspired flavours, ready to mix with a nic shot of your choice. UK made in Maidstone, Kent.
Why the bottle is filled short on purpose
The shortfill format was created in direct response to the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations introduced in the UK in 2016. The rules limit any bottle that already contains nicotine to a maximum of 10ml, with a strength cap of 20mg per ml. That works fine for nic salts but it left no practical route for selling larger bottles of nicotine containing e-liquid. Shortfills solved this by leaving the nicotine out entirely at the point of sale. Because a 0mg liquid falls outside the same bottle size restriction, manufacturers can fill a 50ml, 100ml or larger bottle with flavoured base liquid and leave the buyer to add their own nicotine through a separately regulated 10ml shot.
What is in the bottle before you add anything
The base liquid inside a shortfill is made up of vegetable glycerine, propylene glycol and flavouring, with no nicotine at all. Imp Jar shortfills are blended at a 50% VG and 50% PG ratio, which keeps the liquid suited to mouth to lung pod kits and tanks rather than the thicker high VG blends used in heavier sub-ohm setups.
How the headroom is used
Once you are ready to add nicotine, you open one 10ml nic shot and pour it into the shortfill bottle, replace the cap and shake it well. The two liquids combine to fill the bottle completely and reach a low, predictable nicotine strength.
| Shortfill size | Headroom available | Nic shots needed |
|---|---|---|
| 50ml shortfill (60ml bottle) | 10ml | One 10ml nic shot |
| 100ml shortfill (120ml bottle) | 20ml | Two 10ml nic shots |
| 50ml shortfill, no nicotine wanted | 10ml unused | None required |
For the exact step by step process and a nic shot strength table specific to Imp Jar 50ml bottles, read our guide on adding nic shots to a 50ml shortfill.
Shortfill versus a standard 10ml e-liquid
A standard 10ml bottle already contains nicotine and is ready to vape straight away. Shortfills require a short mixing step but give you considerably more liquid per bottle, often at a lower cost per millilitre, particularly if you go through e-liquid quickly. The trade off is a few minutes of mixing time in exchange for fewer bottles, less packaging and better value over time.
Shortfill versus a nic shot
It helps to think of the two as a pair rather than alternatives to each other. The shortfill is the large flavoured base, the nic shot is the small concentrated nicotine top up. Neither is designed to replace the other, they exist specifically to be combined.
Common questions about shortfills
Why can I not just buy a large bottle with nicotine already in it?
UK regulation caps any bottle containing nicotine at 10ml. Selling the liquid nicotine free in a larger bottle and the nicotine separately in a 10ml shot is the legal route to buying more liquid at once.
Is a shortfill weaker than a normal e-liquid?
Not necessarily. Once a nic shot is mixed in, the resulting strength is comparable to a standard low strength e-liquid, typically around 3mg.
Do all shortfills use the same VG and PG ratio?
No, ratios vary by brand and range. Imp Jar Originals shortfills are blended at 50% VG and 50% PG to suit mouth to lung kits.
Part of the Imp Jar 50ml guides hub
This page is part of our complete Imp Jar 50ml guide series. Return to the Imp Jar 50ml Guides Hub for the full topic overview. Browse the related guides below.