If you've picked up a big bottle of vape juice that isn't quite full to the brim, you've found a shortfill. It's deliberate, and it's one of the most popular formats in vaping thanks to the value and flexibility it offers over smaller bottles.

Shortfills are set to look a bit different from 1 October 2026, when the UK's new Vaping Products Duty comes into effect — we've covered the full picture in our UK Vape Tax Guide, and touch on what it means for shortfills below.

If you're thinking of starting with shortfills, this guide is essential reading before you buy; if you already know your way around them but you're concerned about pricing, it's worth reading on too.

What Are Shortfills?

A shortfill is a large bottle of nicotine-free (0mg) E-Liquid (usually 50ml or 100ml) sold in a slightly bigger bottle (60ml or 120ml) to leave space at the top. That gap is there so you can add a 10ml nic shot yourself, bringing the liquid up to a set strength (typically 3mg with one shot, or up to 6mg with two). 

You're not mixing to any strength you like; the space in the bottle determines how many shots it can take, and each dilutes to a fixed strength. This format exists because TPD rules cap the capacity of any nicotine-containing bottle at 10ml. Since a shortfill ships at 0mg, it isn't limited by that rule; you add the nicotine afterwards, within the strengths the bottle is designed for.

Shortfills are usually high-VG (thick, cloud-friendly), which is why they're most popular with sub-ohm and direct-to-lung (DTL) vapers rather than mouth-to-lung (MTL) users. If you're not sure which camp you're in, our MTL vs DTL guide breaks down the difference.

How Do Shortfills Work?

1. A 60ml bottle holds 50ml of E-Liquid, leaving 10ml of space (a 120ml bottle leaves 20ml, for two nic shots).
2. You buy a 10ml nic shot separately — a flavourless, high-strength nicotine concentrate (usually 18–20mg).
3. Pouring it in dilutes the liquid to a vapeable strength — typically 3mg per shot, up to around 6mg with two.
4. Nic shots are only ever sold in 10ml bottles of concentrated nicotine rather than "finished" E-Liquid, so this two-part system stays within the law while still giving you a big bottle of juice.

How to Open a Shortfill Bottle

Like other E-Liquid bottles, shortfills use a childproof cap:

1. Push the cap down while twisting to release the childproof lock.
2. Pop out the nozzle or dropper insert underneath (some "chubby gorilla" style bottles have a small notch to help lever it out).
3. With both removed, the bottle's ready for a nic shot or to pour from directly.

Keep the cap and nozzle safe — you'll need them back on before shaking.

How to Add a Nic Shot to a Shortfill

1. Open the shortfill bottle as above.
2. Pour the entire 10ml nic shot in — most shortfills are designed for one or two shots, so check the bottle size if you want a specific strength.
3. Replace the nozzle and screw the cap back on tightly.
4. Shake vigorously for 30–60 seconds to blend it through.
5. Optional: leave it to steep somewhere cool and dark for a few hours to overnight. Not essential; you can vape it immediately, but it tends to improve the flavour.

Can You Use a Shortfill Without Nicotine?

Yes. Shortfills are 0mg by default, so you can vape straight from the bottle with no nic shot needed; common among vapers who've stepped down to zero nicotine, or who vape purely for flavour. Read our guide to no-nicotine vaping for more information.

Is a Shortfill the Same as a 10ml Bottle?

Not quite. 10ml bottles can legally contain nicotine already mixed in, up to 20mg, and are ready to vape straight away. Shortfills are always sold nicotine-free, in bigger bottles, with nicotine added separately via a nic shot. They work out significantly cheaper per ml if you go through a lot of E-Liquid.

Who Are Shortfills For?

They tend to suit sub-ohm or DTL vapers getting through a lot of juice, anyone wanting better value per ml, and vapers happy with a set nicotine strength or 0mg.

MTL vapers wanting higher nicotine, or anyone who prefers a ready-mixed bottle with no setup, might lean towards 10ml bottles or pre-filled pods instead.

Freebase or Nic Salts?

Nic shots come in two types. Freebase is the traditional choice and pairs naturally with high-VG shortfills used in sub-ohm kits. Nic salts are smoother at higher strengths but generally suit lower-powered MTL setups, so they're less commonly used with standard shortfills. See our freebase vs nic salts guide for the full breakdown.

Do Shortfills Have Less Flavour?

Not by design; shortfills are usually formulated a little stronger to account for the flavourless nic shot diluting the mix, so a well-made one should taste just as strong once mixed. Flavour loss usually comes down to over-diluting with too many shots, skipping the steep, or an old bottle whose flavourings have faded with storage.

How Long Does a 100ml Shortfill Last?

It depends entirely on how much you vape:

• Light/occasional vapers: 4–6 weeks from a 100ml bottle
• Regular vapers: around 2–3 weeks
• Heavy sub-ohm users: around a week

Once opened, use it within a few months for the best flavour, and keep it away from direct sunlight and heat.

Quick question for readers: with the Vaping Products Duty landing on 1 October 2026, will you be sticking with shortfills or switching to a different format? Let us know in the comments below.

What's Changing on 1 October 2026

From 1 October 2026, the UK's new Vaping Products Duty (VPD) applies a flat £2.20 per 10ml to all E-Liquid, including nicotine-free juice. Because it's charged by volume, shortfills carry a bigger duty amount than smaller formats:

• 50ml shortfill: 5 × £2.20 = £11.00 in duty
• 100ml shortfill: 10 × £2.20 = £22.00 in duty
• Each 10ml nic shot: adds a further £2.20

So a 100ml shortfill plus two nic shots works out to £26.40 in duty alone. That figure is a fixed calculation — VAT, retailer pricing, and any launch-date promotions sit on top and will vary.

E-Liquid stores well for a year or two, so plenty of vapers are using the run-up to October to stock up ahead of the change.

Should I Start Vaping Shortfills With the Tax Coming in October?

It comes down to whether you're willing to absorb the extra cost or whether it changes what you can afford. Here's the current cost versus what's coming:

• Now: £10 for a 50ml shortfill + £1 for a nic shot = £11 total
• From October: +£11.00 duty on the bottle + £2.20 duty on the nic shot = £24 total

That's roughly double today's price, though exact shelf prices will vary by retailer.

If you're happy to absorb that, shortfills still work the same way and offer the same value in bottle size, so there's no reason not to start. If you'd rather avoid paying more, it's worth weighing up the alternative below first.

An Alternative to Shortfills

If October's changes have you weighing up other options, it's worth looking at how you vape more broadly rather than just the E-Liquid format. There are generally two choices:

• Refillable devices — pod kits or tanks you top up with your own E-Liquid
• Prefilled pods — sealed pods that come ready-filled, no topping up required

Our Refillable vs Prefilled Vapes guide breaks down how each compares to a shortfill-and-nic-shot routine, and which may suit you better depending on how much you vape and how much convenience you value.

What Does the Future Hold for Shortfills?

We don't know what the future holds for the popularity of shortfills, but we do know they'll be more expensive from 1 October. If you still want to switch to shortfills, or you want to stock up ahead of the tax, browse our shortfill bottles below.

Get shortfills for £1.99!