What VG/PG Ratio Should You Choose?

The ratio you pick affects more than just cloud size. It changes how the liquid wicks, how the flavour comes through, and how the vapour feels on the inhale.

70/30 (VG/PG) is the most popular starting point. It’s thick enough to produce solid clouds and a smooth hit, but the extra PG helps carry flavour more distinctly. Most sub-ohm coils with resistances between 0.4 and 0.8 ohm handle 70/30 well without any wicking problems.

80/20 and max VG blends are better suited to very low-resistance coils, typically 0.15 to 0.3 ohm, running at 60W or above. At these levels, the liquid needs wide wicking ports and high heat to flow and vaporise properly. You’ll get denser clouds and a noticeably softer hit, but flavour can feel slightly muted compared to a 70/30 blend unless you’re running the right coil and wattage combination.

If you’re unsure where to start, 70/30 covers the majority of sub-ohm setups without any fuss. For more detail on how PG and VG behave differently, take a look at our guide to VG and PG.

Which Devices Work Best with High VG Juice?

High VG liquid and low-resistance coils are paired for a reason. The thick consistency of a 70/30 or max VG blend doesn’t flow fast enough through the small, tight wicking ports found in MTL coils or pod systems. Try it in the wrong device and you’ll likely get dry hits, burnt coils and poor flavour within a few sessions.

The hardware that handles high VG reliably:

• Regulated box mods paired with sub-ohm tanks and mesh coils in the 0.15 to 0.8 ohm range
• Squonk mods with bottom-feeding RDAs, which keep the liquid in contact with the wick continuously
• Rebuildable atomisers where you control the wick density and can tailor it to thicker liquid
• High-wattage pod mods with purpose-built sub-ohm coils and larger juice channels

Sub-ohm coils with resistances below 0.5 ohm running at 60W to 100W tend to give the best results with 80/20 or max VG blends. A 70/30 blend is more forgiving and will perform well on coils up to 0.8 ohm at 30W to 60W. We ran Zeus Juice through a 0.2 ohm mesh coil at 65W for around 10 days before the flavour started to fade, which gives you a reasonable benchmark for coil life with a sweeter shortfill. For a closer look at coil options, our beginner’s guide to vape coils covers what to look for. You can also browse sub-ohm coils directly if you know what you need.

If you’re still deciding on a device, check our guide to sub-ohm vaping before buying.

What Happens If You Use High VG Juice in the Wrong Device

This is one of the most common frustrations for vapers stepping up from a pod kit or starter device, and it’s worth understanding what actually goes wrong.

High VG liquid is thick. In a device designed for 50/50 or nic salt juice, the wicking material can’t absorb the liquid fast enough to keep up with each puff. The result is a dry hit: a harsh, acrid burning sensation caused by the coil heating without enough liquid present. Do it enough times and the coil burns out, leaving a permanent bitter taste that no amount of extra juice will fix.

The symptoms of using high VG in the wrong device:

• A harsh or burnt taste after just a few puffs, even with a full tank
• Reduced vapour despite the coil appearing to function normally
• Coils burning out far earlier than their usual lifespan
• Gurgling or flooding as liquid sits in the tank but fails to wick through fast enough

If any of those sound familiar, the fix is usually the device rather than the liquid. Our guide to avoiding dry hits walks through the causes in more detail. For devices that are actually built for high VG juice, browse our sub-ohm kits.

What Nicotine Strength Should You Choose?

Nicotine delivery in a sub-ohm setup works differently from a pod kit or MTL device. At higher wattages, you produce more vapour per puff, which means you absorb more nicotine per inhale even at lower mg/ml. That’s worth keeping in mind before you assume you need a high-strength liquid to manage cravings.

A rough guide for sub-ohm vaping:

• 0mg – for vapers who have already reduced nicotine to zero or prefer clouds without any nicotine hit
• 3mg – the most common choice for regular sub-ohm vapers, delivering a noticeable hit across most setups without harshness
• 6mg – suits vapers stepping down from higher strengths, or those running setups at lower wattages within the sub-ohm range

One thing to be clear on: high VG shortfills are sold at 0mg by default, in a 100ml bottle with space left for a nic shot. Adding a single 10ml nic shot to a 100ml shortfill gives you a 3mg freebase result at a final volume of 110ml. That’s the standard approach, and it keeps the liquid compliant with UK regulations, where nicotine-containing e-liquid is limited to 20mg/ml.

If you’re coming from nic salts in a pod kit and worried 3mg freebase won’t touch your cravings, it very likely will at sub-ohm wattages. The delivery is faster and larger per puff than you might expect. For more detail on matching strength to your setup, our guide on choosing the right nicotine strength is worth reading before you order.

Shortfills Explained: Format, Cost and How to Use Them

Most high VG vape juice in the UK is sold as a shortfill. The format is simple: a bottle filled to 100ml with 0mg e-liquid, leaving a gap at the top to add a nic shot. Once you add the shot, cap it, give it a shake and leave it for a few minutes, it’s ready to use.

Every shortfill in our range comes with a free nic shot, so you don’t need to buy them separately. If you’ve never used the format before, our guide on how to use shortfills covers the mixing process step by step.

On cost, shortfills make a significant difference over time. A 100ml shortfill typically costs between £10 and £15, compared to buying ten individual 10ml bottles which would likely run £25 to £40 for equivalent volume depending on the brand. For a vaper getting through 15 to 20ml a week, that difference adds up to a meaningful saving across a month. It’s one of the main reasons everyday vapers settle on shortfills as their standard format once they’ve made the switch from disposables or starter kits.

Our Recommended High VG Brands

We stock a good range of high VG shortfills, and they’re not all the same. Different brands suit different tastes and setups, so here’s an honest breakdown of what each brings.

Wick Liquor is our go-to for complex, layered dessert and tobacco blends. The recipes are multi-note, meaning you’ll often pick up different flavours on the inhale and exhale. Better suited to vapers who find single-note liquids boring.

Zeus Juice delivers consistent, well-balanced fruit and menthol profiles with a clean finish. It holds up well through longer coil life and doesn’t gunk the wick as aggressively as some sweeter options.

Doozy Vape Co – Seriously Fruity is the right pick for vapers who want bright, vivid fruit flavour without the cloying sweetness that causes flavour fatigue after a few hours of all-day vaping.

Nasty Juice leans into tropical fruit profiles with a bolder, more intense style. If you want something that hits hard on flavour and still produces solid cloud output, it’s a strong option.

The Lancashire Creamery is for vapers who prefer rich, indulgent cream and custard profiles. Slower going on coils than fruit blends, so budget for slightly shorter coil life if sweetness is high.

Five Pawns is a premium, artisan-style brand known for complex, barrel-aged and slow-steeped recipes. The profiles tend to be layered and indulgent, sitting at a higher price point than everyday shortfills, and suit vapers who treat their juice as something to savour rather than get through quickly.

Bombo focuses on bold, fruit-forward shortfills with vivid, punchy flavour and solid cloud production. It’s a good option if you want something vibrant and easy-drinking without the heavier sweetness of a dessert blend.

For a flavour comparison between high VG and 50/50 liquids, take a look at our best 50/50 vape juice guide if you’re deciding between formats. If you want more guidance on getting the best flavour from your setup, our guide to improving vape flavour is also worth a read.

Shop High VG Vape Juice at Legion of Vapers

Our high VG shortfill range covers every major flavour category, from clean single-note fruits to complex dessert blends and chilled menthol profiles. Every shortfill ships with a free nic shot included, so you can start vaping straight away without a separate purchase. Orders over £40 qualify for free delivery, and first-time customers get 5% off their first order.

We’re an IBVTA member and won the London and South East England Prestige Award 2024, which we’re proud of, but what matters more is that we actually vape what we sell. Every brand in our range has been tested, and the ones that didn’t cut it aren’t here.

Whether you’re building out a box mod setup for the first time or restocking your regular shortfill, browse our full high VG e-liquid range to find your next juice.