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Vaping is the next best option for many people trying to quit smoking. However, before getting started, a would-be vaper must be familiar with the e-cigarette itself, along with various associated terminologies. One good example is short fills.

Short fills are cartridges that have less e-liquid in them than they should. This can come as a surprise to some people, especially if they are new to vaping. In addition, short fills are not standardised, which means the e-liquid content can vary according to the brand, flavour and strength.

This article will discuss everything there is to know about short fills. Read on below to get started.

More about Short Fills

A short fill is a cartridge that contains less e-liquid than the manufacturer stipulates. For example, a cartridge marked as 0.5ml may have 0.4ml of e-juice. The standard for e-cigarette cartridges is between 0.5 and 1.0ml. Anything below that is considered a short fill.

Short fills are a marketing strategy used by some e-juice companies to sell more of their products. Since the e-juice market is relatively saturated, different companies compete by touting things like value, variety, and even lengths to ensure the best quality.

As far as the industry is concerned, some e-juice companies intentionally short their products, hoping it will appeal to buyers. The reason? So that vapers can add a drop or two of nicotine to appeal to their preferences.

Why Short Fills Are a Good Idea

Short fills make it easier for vapers to customise their experience. In most cases, vapers can add a couple of drops of 18mg to 24mg nicotine to an e-juice that is otherwise advertised as 6mg – 12mg. Some vapers add an entire nicotine shot to their e-liquid to give them a similar experience to smoking.

Short fills also allow vapers to use their favourite flavours. A famous example is Cherry Coke. With short fills, vapers can add menthol to the cherry flavour, giving them an experience that's closer to the original.

Using short fills also makes it easier for vapers to use certain flavours. For instance, if you're making your own e-juice and you want to make a bottle of strawberry menthol, you can just add menthol to the strawberry e-juice.

Why Short Fills Are Bad

When you buy a cartridge of e-liquid, you're paying for a certain amount of e-liquid. You don't get what you paid for when you get short-filled cartridges. These can be low-quality products that contain synthetic filler.

While there is a good chance that the short fill cartridges are safe for vaping, you could get something that isn't. These can be made of low-quality, standardised e-juice. In some cases, these e-juices have been reported to have damaged cheap vape pens, along with poor quality batteries.

To get the full benefit of your e-juice, you must get the advertised amount of e-liquid. Avoid short-filled e-liquid cartridges and stick to the excellent and safe products you know.

Mixing Short Fills

If you're planning to mix short fills with other e-liquids, always make sure that the bases are compatible. This means the nicotine level, PG/VG ratio and flavourings. You must also remember to take a few drops of the intended e-juice before adding the short filled e-liquid. This will help find out if the mixture is working.

It's vital to have a handy eyedropper to minimise spillover. Always remember to clean your vape pen once you're done mixing e-liquids. If you're using a dripper or tank, fill it up with 100% pure PG and run it until the e-juice is fully evaporated.

Finally, it's also recommended to use a separate tank, not the one you use to vape.

Getting the Right Nicotine Level

If you're planning to use the short fills to flavour a lower-nicotine e-juice, you must first ensure that the level is safe for vaping. To do this, you can add a few drops of the e-juice you're using to the short fill e-juice.

It's recommended to start with a smaller amount and build your way up. This way, you can slowly find the right amount of nicotine to add without disrupting the flavour or the throat hit.

Conclusion

Short fills are a good option for some vape users, especially those who prefer to customise their e-juice. However, while they make things easier, they can also be a bit risky, especially if you're using them as your sole source of nicotine. Before getting a short fill for your vape, you should always do your research first.

If you’re looking for vape shops in the UK, look no further than V8PR! We offer a wide range of products from juices, mods, kits, and accessories—all of which can enhance your vaping experience. Simply go to our website and take your pick!