You walked into a vape shop. Or you opened a vape website. You saw two things sitting next to each other: a tiny 10ml bottle and a big 100ml bottle.
You guessed. You guessed wrong.
Now you've got the wrong format for your device, the wrong nicotine strength, and a vape that doesn't feel like the one you came in for.
This 10ml vs shortfill guide fixes that - for life.
/// THE 90-SECOND ANSWER
If you vape on a pod system (small device, refillable cartridge, draws like a cigarette) - you want 10ml nic salt.
If you vape on a sub-ohm or DTL device (bigger device, big clouds, draws like a hookah) - you want 100ml shortfill.
Done. If you've got 90 seconds, that's the post. Read on if you want the why.
/// WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 10ML NIC SALT AND 100ML SHORTFILL?
10ml nic salt is pre-mixed e-liquid with nicotine already in it, in three strengths: 5mg, 10mg, 20mg. UK law caps pre-mixed nicotine bottles at 10ml - that's why the bottles are small. You crack the seal, drop it into your pod, you're good to go.
100ml shortfill is 100ml of 0mg liquid in a 120ml bottle - the missing 20ml is left empty on purpose, so you can add your own nicotine via a 10ml or 20ml nic shot. Add one nic shot to a 100ml shortfill and you get 110ml of e-liquid at roughly 1.8mg. Add two and you bump it up. You set the strength, you mix it yourself.
Why two formats? Because the two devices need two completely different liquids.
/// FORMAT 01
10ml nic salt: made for pod kits
For pod users + small refillables
Pod systems vape less liquid per puff and need higher nicotine concentrations to feel like anything. Nic salt nicotine - chemically smoother than freebase nicotine - is what makes 20mg in a tiny pod actually pleasant. Without it, 20mg feels like swallowing a chilli.
You probably want 10ml nic salt if:
Your device is small and refillable
Vaporesso XROS, Smok Novo, Caliburn, and other pod kits.
You're switching from cigarettes
You want a stronger hit that satisfies cravings fast.
You don't want to mix anything
Crack open, drop in your pod, vape.
You vape in short, frequent puffs
Throughout the day, not all at once.
You don't see big clouds
When you exhale, the vapour is subtle.
If that's you, the 10ml is your aisle. Kuro 10ml comes in 5mg, 10mg, and 20mg - pick your strength based on how heavy a smoker you were (or are):
/// FORMAT 02
100ml shortfill: made for sub-ohm vapers
For DTL + big-cloud setups
Sub-ohm devices (the chunky ones, 60W+, with bigger tanks and lower-resistance coils) chew through liquid. A heavy sub-ohm user might burn through 5β10ml of liquid a day. Buying that volume in 10ml bottles would empty your wallet by Wednesday.
100ml shortfill solves the cost problem. 100ml of liquid for the price of 6β8 nic salts. Plus you control the nicotine - most sub-ohm vapers run lower strengths (3β6mg) because the device delivers more nicotine per puff anyway.
You probably want 100ml shortfill if:
Your device is bigger
With replaceable coils, running above ~25W.
You blow visible clouds
Vapour you can see across the room.
You vape DTL
Direct-to-lung - one big inhale, not little puffs.
You go through more than 10ml every two days
10ml bottles would empty your wallet.
You want flexibility on strength
Mix to taste with 1, 2, or no nic shots.
If that's you, Kuro shortfill is built for it β same eight flavours as the 10ml range, in a 120ml bottle with 100ml of 0mg liquid. Add one Riot nic shot for ~1.8mg, two for ~3.5mg.
/// COST COMPARISON: 10ML VS SHORTFILL PER ML
Real numbers, no spin:
Heavy 10ml user (1 bottle a day) = ~30 bottles a month
Heavy shortfill user (1 Γ 100ml every 10 days) = ~3 bottles a month + 3β6 nic shots
Per-ml, shortfill is roughly 60β70% cheaper than 10ml nic salt. The trade-off is you need to mix it yourself (10 seconds, no tools) and you can't grab-and-go quite as easily.
If money matters and you've got a sub-ohm device β shortfill, every time.
/// FIVE QUESTIONS TO KNOW WHICH FORMAT YOU NEED
Quick check. Five questions, one of two answers each:
- Is your device smaller than a phone? (yes = 10ml; no = shortfill)
- Does it have replaceable coils? (no = 10ml; yes = shortfill)
- Do you blow visible clouds when you exhale? (no = 10ml; yes = shortfill)
- Are you vaping at 20W or under? (yes = 10ml; no = shortfill)
- Do you go through more than 10ml a day? (no = 10ml; yes = shortfill)
If you got mostly the first answer - 10ml nic salt. Mostly the second - 100ml shortfill. Split β DM us, we'll talk you through it.
/// WHERE KURO FITS IN BOTH FORMATS
Kuro is the only premium UK e-liquid range built deliberately for both sides of the wall. Eight Japanese-inspired flavours, both formats, same brand.
Whichever door you came in through, the flavours are the same: Kakigori Blood, Ryu Berry, Matcha Latte, Sakura Nights, Tokyo Mule, Umeshu Plum, Akiba Grape, Momo Fuji.
The full story is in our manifesto.
/// JAPANESE DESIGNED. UK MADE. ///
///FAQ: 10ML NIC SALT VS 100ML SHORTFILL
Can I use 10ml nic salt in a sub-ohm device?
You can - but it'll be too strong and burn through fast. Nic salt at 20mg in a sub-ohm tank delivers harsh, expensive nicotine. Stick to shortfills (3β6mg) for sub-ohm.
Can I use 100ml shortfill in a pod kit?
Yes, but it won't hit as hard. Pod kits work best with higher-strength nic salts because they vape less liquid per puff. You can use 6mg shortfill in a pod if you prefer freebase nicotine over salts.
What's the cheapest way to vape - 10ml or shortfill?
100ml shortfill is roughly 60β70% cheaper per ml than 10ml nic salt. The trade-off is you need to add a nic shot and shake the bottle.
Do shortfills come with nic shots included?
Not from most brands. Riot includes free nic shots with every Kuro shortfill purchase, so you don't have to buy them separately.
Are 10ml nic salts and 100ml shortfills made by the same brand?
Most brands pick one or the other. Kuro is one of the few premium UK ranges that does both formats with the same eight flavours, so you can swap formats without losing the flavour you like.
/// ι» ///
NOT FOR EVERYONE // ε½ηΆ
You'll either get it or you'll go back to strawberry.
