What Nicotine Strength Should I Vape? mg Guide by Device

Picking a nicotine strength is the choice people most often get wrong on their first order, and it has more to do with your device than with anything else. This guide explains what the mg number on a bottle means, which strengths fit which kinds of devices, how freebase and salt nicotine differ, and how to fine-tune once you are close.

What the mg number means

E-liquid strength is listed in milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid (mg/ml). So:

• 3mg means 3mg in every ml, or 0.3%.
• 6mg means 6mg in every ml, or 0.6%.
• A 32ml bottle at 6mg holds 6 x 32 = 192mg of nicotine in total.

The number is the concentration, not a per-puff dose. How much you actually take in depends on how much vapor your device makes and how you vape it, which is why the device matters so much.

The strengths we offer

We fill every bottle to order, so we can offer more steps than most shops:

• Regular (freebase) e-liquid: 0mg, 1mg, 3mg, 6mg, 9mg, 12mg, 15mg, 18mg, 21mg, 24mg, 27mg and 30mg, across our full e-liquid flavor line.
• Salt eJuice: 6mg, 12mg, 18mg, 24mg and 35mg, in any of our flavors.

Start with your device

Sub-ohm tanks and higher-wattage kits

Sub-ohm tanks make a lot of vapor with every puff and are usually used with a direct-to-lung draw. Because each puff carries so much liquid, these setups use low freebase strengths, typically 0mg to 6mg. Pair them with a VG-heavy mix such as 25% PG / 75% VG or Max VG. Browse our vape tanks if you are matching juice to hardware.

Salt e-liquid does not belong here. We do not recommend our Salt eJuice for more powerful mods or kits, or for any coil below 0.5 ohm.

Pod systems and pen-style kits

Pods and pens make smaller, tighter mouth-to-lung puffs, so each puff carries less liquid. That is why these devices are usually filled with higher strengths: freebase at roughly 9mg to 18mg and up, or salt nicotine anywhere in our 6mg to 35mg range. Use thinner mixes. 50/50 works in many pods, and for salt e-liquid, 100% PG or 75% PG / 25% VG is the safe choice, because 50/50 can be too thick for some pod devices. Our vape kits page lists the pod and pen kits we carry.

A starting-point chart

These are starting points, not rules. Adjust one step at a time.

• 0mg: no nicotine added, just flavor and vapor. Works in any device.
• 1mg to 3mg: sub-ohm tanks and high-wattage, cloud-heavy setups.
• 6mg: lower-wattage tanks, or lighter use in a freebase pod.
• 9mg to 12mg: freebase in mouth-to-lung pens and pods.
• 15mg to 30mg freebase: tight-draw mouth-to-lung devices, for people who want a stronger hit from freebase.
• Salt 6mg to 35mg: low-power pod systems only.

Freebase vs salt nicotine, briefly

Freebase nicotine is the traditional form. At higher strengths it gives a noticeably stronger throat hit, and a higher-PG mix adds to that. Nicotine salts are formulated to feel smoother at higher strengths, which is why they live in pods. Higher nicotine can also mask flavor, so our Salt eJuice already includes 15% extra flavor compared with our standard e-juice. For the full comparison, see The Advantages and Disadvantages of Nic Salt and Freebase Nicotine.

How to tell if you are at the right strength

• Too harsh? If the throat hit is harsher than you like, drop one step, or move to a higher-VG mix, which feels smoother.
• Not enough? If your vape feels too light and you keep reaching for it, try one step up instead of taking longer or harder puffs.
• Flavor seems muted? At higher freebase strengths, add our 15% or 35% Extra Flavor option.

Change one thing at a time (strength, mix or device) so you know which change made the difference.

Fine-tuning your strength

• Small steps. Our 1mg and 27mg options, and the 3mg steps in between, let you move gradually instead of jumping from 3mg to 6mg to 12mg.
• Blend two bottles. Equal parts of the same flavor at 6mg and 12mg give you 9mg. Mix in a clean, labeled bottle.
• Custom blends. Custom E-Juice lets you choose any strength from 0mg to 30mg with up to five of our flavors.
• DIY. Our premixed flavorless base comes at the strength and PG/VG ratio you pick, ready for you to add your own flavor.

Choose a strength first, then explore flavors

Our sample packs use one strength and one mix for all five bottles. Once you know your strength, a 17ml five-bottle sample pack is a low-commitment way to try five different flavors at that level.

Storage and handling

Whatever strength you choose, keep e-liquid in its childproof-capped bottle and keep it away from children and pets. Store it somewhere cool and dark, and wipe up any spills.

Nicotine strength FAQ

Is 3mg nicotine a lot?

3mg means 3mg of nicotine per ml of liquid, or 0.3%. It is one of the lower strengths, and it is most often used in sub-ohm tanks that make a lot of vapor per puff.

What does 0mg mean?

0mg means no nicotine is added. You still get the full flavor and vapor. Any of our flavors can be ordered at 0mg.

Can I use salt nicotine in a sub-ohm tank?

We do not recommend it. Our Salt eJuice is made for low-power pod devices, and we advise against using it with more powerful mods or kits, or with coils below 0.5 ohm.

Is 35mg salt the same as 35mg freebase?

The number measures the same thing, mg per ml. But salt and freebase feel different and are used in different devices. Salt is formulated to feel smoother at higher strengths. Our salt range goes up to 35mg, and our freebase range tops out at 30mg.

Can I order a strength between the listed options?

Our freebase options go in 3mg steps plus 1mg, which covers most needs. For something in between, you can blend two bottles of the same flavor, or mix your own from our flavorless base.

For adults 21+. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.