If you're curious about longfills, we've got you covered. In this ultimate guide, we'll compare shortfill and longfill e-liquids to help you understand their differences. We'll explain how longfills work, highlight their benefits, and provide the information you need to make an informed decision.
Table of Contents
- What is longfill e-liquid?
- The benefits of longfill e-liquids
- How do longfills work?
- How do longfills work?
- What are the ingredients of a flavour concentrate?
- What is PG/VG base mix?
- What is the nicotine strength of a longfill flavour concentrate?
- Can I vape longfill flavour concentrate on its own?
- What bottle sizes are available for longfills?
- What is the difference between a shortfill and longfill e-liquid?
- Will the new vape tax affect DIY e-liquids?
- Summary
What is longfill e-liquid?
A longfill is a DIY e-liquid typically supplied in a 60ml bottle filled with 20 or 30ml of flavour concentrate. It provides a custom vape experience by letting you mix the ingredients yourself, this is achieved by adding a PG/VG base to the longfill and then a couple of nic shots if you wish to vape nicotine. Longfills are cheaper and can be used to make e-liquids tailored to your preferences.
Once you’ve picked your longfill flavour, you can decide what type of vape you want by choosing your base PG/VG mixer. Adding a 50/50 PG/VG base will create a liquid suitable for MTL (mouth to lung) vaping, whilst cloud chasers can use a thicker high VG base like a 30/70 PG/VG ratio for sub-ohm vaping. It's entirely up to you; choose a high PG for MTL or a high VG base mix for DTL (direct to lung) and add it to the longfill bottle.
You also have full control over how much nicotine you want in your e-liquid. Of course, you don't have to add any, if you prefer vaping nicotine-free e-liquid then there is nothing left for you to do but shake it up and get vaping. However, if you want nicotine in your mix, you can add either one or two 10ml nicotine shots to the longfill bottle to create your desired nicotine strength. You can make a 5mg or 10mg e-liquid for MTL vaping or a 3mg or 6mg nicotine strength for DTL vaping.
The benefits of longfill e-liquids
Cost: Longfills offer an economical advantage over using traditional premixed 10ml e-liquids or shortfills. Once the new tax on vape e-liquids is applied in 2026, you’ll really reap the cost saving benefits.
Convenience: Instead of juggling multiple 10ml bottles, you can carry one 60ml bottle that will keep you going for weeks.
Tailored vaping: Longfills let you choose the flavour profile you want and vape it the way you want to. No more finding your flavour only to realise that you can't use it in your vape kit because its the wrong consistency.
Increased flavour: Because you can mix the base PG/VG in yourself, you can control how strong your vape juice is. Create a punchy blend by adding slightly less base mix or tone down the sweetness by diluting the concentrate even further.
Wide array of flavours: One of the most appealing benefits of choosing a longfill e-liquid is the extensive variety of flavors available. You won't be held back by brands that only release nic salts or a few high VG shortfills, there are no limits to choosing any flavour your heart desires.
Suitable for all experience levels: Don't be put off by the fact that you need to mix the ingredients yourself. The mixing process is straightforward and intuitive. You can purchase base mix and nicotine shots that are premeasured, so all you have to do is pour them in.
How do longfills work?
Longfills use 3 ingredients; the concentrate that comes prefilled in the longfill bottle, a base mix of PG/VG and nic shots that need to be purchased separately.
Step 1: Choose your longfill flavour concentrate
The best bit is deciding what flavour you would like to vape! Whether you are a fruit fanatic, have a candy craze or desire scrumptious desserts, you’ll find a longfill e-liquid with your name on it.
The concentrate will take up approximately 50% of the bottles volume, leaving room for you to add the rest of the ingredients yourself.
Step 2: Decide on your base mix
If you want an MTL style vape that mimics the sensation of smoking or using a disposable, you will need a 50PG/50VG mixer liquid. This type of e-liquid is suitable for use in low-powered vape pens and pod kits.
These mixer kits contain PG, VG and premixed nicotine in either freebase or nic salt formulations.
E-liquids with a high PG ratio deliver rich flavour with a more noticeable sensation in the throat which replicates the feeling of puffing on a cigarette. The e-liquid produced has a thin consistency suitable for high resistance coils.
For cloudy sub-ohm vaping look for a high VG base mix of 30PG/70VG or higher. You’ll get a thicker e-liquid that uses more power to vape and delivers a rich and silky vaping experience. If you do decide that you want to try out sub-ohm vaping then we recommend you look at our advanced vape kits range, which has everything you need.
Some brands like Nixer provide their base mix in 10ml multi-pack bottles that are measured out to fill one longfill exactly. These kits contain premixed nicotine in a 3mg or 6mg strength.
Others like Vampire Vape supply 100ml base mix bottles can be used to fill multiple longfill bottles, leaving you to decide how much mase mix you want to add.
Step 3: Choose your nicotine strength
If your PG/VG base e-liquid does not come premixed with nicotine then you have the option of adding a nic shot, or vaping nic-free, it's up to you.
Using nicotine shots, you can tailor the nicotine strength to suit your needs. There are freebase nicotine options which provide a stronger throat hit or nicotine salt blends that deliver a smoother vape. Some nic shots also contain ice menthol allowing you to add a refreshing element of coolness to your chosen flavour.
They come in 10ml bottles and are mixed to various raitos of PG/VG. So make sure that you purchase a nic shot with a consistence that matches your base mix.
Step 4: Shake it up
Once you’ve added all the ingredients together, shake the bottle for 5 minutes to mix all the ingredients together. We recommend that you give your longfill bottle a good shake for 5 minutes, let it settle and then do it again.
Once mixed, your longfill is ready to be used straight away. Some vapers like to steep the flavour by letting the bottle sit in a dark cupboard for a few days, the belief is that this will improve the flavour. It's up to you.
Are longfills cheaper than nic salts?
Longfills work out slightly cheaper than purchasing the equivalent volume in 10ml nic salts using a multi-buy deal. Here is a table showing you how the costs stack up:
Price Comparison Table: Nic Salts vs Longfills | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Product Type | Total Volume (ml) | Cost per Bottle | Cheapest Price per ml |
3 x 10ml Nic Salt (£3.95 each) | 30ml | £3.33 (3 for £10) | £0.33 |
4 x 10ml Nic Salt (£2.95 each) | 40ml | £2.50 (4 for £10) | £0.25 |
Longfill (50ml) + Mixer Kit | 60ml | £12.40 | £0.20 |
What are the ingredients of a flavour concentrate?
A flavour concentrate contains artificial or natural food-grade flavourings suspended in PG (propylene glycol), which acts as a carrier. The flavour options are endless with an array of fruit, menthol, candy, dessert and sodas and combinations that include classics like blueberry sour raspberry and vanilla tobacco.
When it comes to mixing your own e-liquids, you need to be vigilant for vendors selling illicit products. It can be tempting to save money by buying bulk from online marketplaces, but often the vendors on these sites are hawking liquids with unsafe ingredients. Always purchase your DIY e-liquids from a reputable retailer like Vape Superstore.
What is PG/VG base mix?
The main constituent of all e-liquids is a base mix of flavourless Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerine, otherwise known as PG/VG. The ratio of these two ingredients will determine the type of vape you can enjoy. PG is a thin liquid that is used as a carrier for flavour and has the added effect of producing the 'throat feel' that many smokers crave. VG is much thicker and is predominantly there to create vapour.
A base mix with a high VG content of 70% VG or higher will create dense clouds favoured by sub-ohm vaping enthusiasts who use powerful direct to lung vape kits. These beastly devices use larger coils with low resistance starting at 0.5ohm or lower.
For a more restricted vaping experience that will feel reminiscent of a cigarette, you will need a base mix with a higher PG content. These start at 50PG up to 60PG, they make a thinner e-liquid that suits low powered beginner vape pens and pod kits using coils in the 0.6ohm to 1.5ohm resistance range.
What is the nicotine strength of a longfill flavour concentrate?
Flavour concentrates have no nicotine in them to begin with. You have the option of adding nic shots to create a nicotine strength of your choice. The type and strength of your nicotine is determined by the base e-liquid that you added.
Longfills with a base mix of 50PG/50VG can be brought up to a 5mg or 10mg nicotine level. Adding a high VG base mix for sub-ohm vaping will allow you to create a 3mg or 6mg nicotine-strength e-liquid. There are freebase nicotine options, which provide a stronger throat hit and nic salt formulas which deliver a smooth and satisfying throat feel.
It is worth noting that some brands like Nixer, have their nicotine premixed into the base mix. So all you have to do is add the 3 shots from the mixer pack to your longfill concentrate bottle and give it a good shake.
Can I vape longfill flavour concentrate on its own?
No. Flavour concentrates are not designed to be vapes on their own. Remember, it is a concentrated amount of flavour suspended in a PG base, if vaped without diluting it will deliver an extremely harsh throat hit that will likely damage your coils.
Not only will you have an unpleasant experience, it is also a waste of money to vape through 30ml of liquid when you can make double that amount. You always need to add a bit of PG/VG base mix to thicken the liquid and dilute the harshness and the intensity of the flavour.
What bottle sizes are available for longfills?
Longfills are available in 60ml and 120ml bottle sizes. These bottles will contain up 30 to 60ml of flavour concentrate with room for your base mix and nicotine shots.
Maximise your puffs!
- 60ml longfill bottle will deliver up to 18,000 puffs = 30 disposable vape bars.
- 120ml longfill bottle provides up to 36,000 puffs = 60 disposable vape bars.
What is the difference between a shortfill and longfill e-liquid?
Shortfill e-liquids have flavour concentrate and PG/VG base that is premixed, all you’ve got to do is achieve the desired nicotine strength with an added nicotine shot. Shortfill bottles come in 60ml sizes filled with 50ml of e-liquid and room for one nic-shot or 120ml bottles filled with 100ml of e-liquid with room for two nic shots. The bottles will state what the ratio of e-liquid is. You can buy 50PG/50VG shortfills and higher VG options.
A longfill separates all the main ingredients and lets you mix them in yourself. They are available in a 60ml bottle containing 20 or 30ml of flavour concentrate. Longfills let you pick the PG/VG base yourself and leave it up to you to decide how much you want to add.
The choice between shortfill and longfill e-liquids is down to personal preference. Shortfills offer an easier route by pre-mixing the flavour and PG/VG, leaving you to add nicotine if desired. Longfills give vapers more control over their e-liquid and work out much cheaper.
Will the new vape tax affect DIY e-liquids?
At the moment there is no clarity as to if or how DIY e-liquids will be taxed. The new vape duty is an excise tax that has a heavy impact on high strength premixed nicotine e-liquids including nic shots. Nicotine free e-liquids will also be affected, increasing by £1 per 10ml.
It is unclear if the new vape duty will include concentrates and PG/VG base mix. The tax is implemented at the manufacturer level, but it is unlikely that the HMRC would ask every individual who makes their own e-liquids to register themselves as a manufacturer. The management of this would be totally impractical, especially as most DIY vapers would be mixing for personal use.
Placing a tax on flavour concentrates and base mixes would set a dangerous precedent as it would encourage vapers to use potentially unregistered toxic products and ingredient alternatives not suitable for inhalation. Those trading in illicit black market vapes would certainly capitalise on this, which would place even further strain on the already beleaguered trading standards enforcement teams.
Summary
Longfill e-liquids offer a personalised and economical approach to vaping, giving you control over flavour, nicotine strength, and the PG/VG ratio of your mix. This DIY method not only allows for a tailored vaping experience but can also lead to significant cost savings, especially in light of upcoming vape taxes.
By choosing your flavour concentrate, base mix, and nicotine level, you can craft an e-liquid that perfectly matches your preferences. Remember to source your ingredients from reputable vendors to ensure safety and quality. Embrace the flexibility and creativity of longfill e-liquids for a vaping experience that is uniquely yours.
If mixing your own e-liquids sounds like your thing, then head over to our complete guide on How to Mix Your Own E-Liquids, or browse our range of flavoursome longfill e-liquids right here at Vape Superstore.
If you would like to share your thoughts on this article or your experiences with burnt vape coils, please add a comment below.
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