The right nicotine strength depends mostly on your device, then on how much nicotine you're used to. In a pod kit, most people use nic salts at 20mg/ml or 10mg/ml. If you're coming from 20mg disposables, 20mg nic salt will feel most familiar. If that's too strong, 10mg is the next step down. In a bigger sub-ohm kit, low-strength freebase at 3mg or 6mg is normal. UK law caps all nicotine e-liquid at 20mg/ml. Our e-liquid hub covers nicotine types and the UK rules in more detail.
The quick answer
| Your setup and history | Usual starting point |
|---|---|
| Pod kit, moving from 20mg disposables | 20mg nic salt |
| Pod kit, light or occasional vaping | 10mg nic salt |
| Pod kit, finding 20mg harsh or too much | 10mg nic salt |
| Pod kit, prefer freebase | 12mg or 18mg freebase (if your coil suits it) |
| Sub-ohm kit, big clouds | 3mg or 6mg freebase |
| Want the flavour, no nicotine | 0mg |
Treat that as a place to begin, not a rule. Everyone's different, and it often takes a bottle or two to settle.
Why the device matters so much
Strength is per millilitre. How much nicotine you take in also depends on how much liquid you vaporise per puff.
A pod kit at low power makes a small amount of vapour with each draw. A sub-ohm kit at higher power makes a lot more. So the same strength feels very different in each. A 20mg liquid in a pod kit can feel right; the same 20mg in a big sub-ohm kit would feel overwhelming for most people. That's why sub-ohm vapers use 3mg or 6mg, and pod vapers use 10mg or 20mg.
Our vape coil guide explains how coil resistance changes vapour production, and MTL vs DTL covers the two styles of draw.
Nic salt or freebase changes the feel
At the same number, the two feel different on the throat. Nic salts are smoother at high strengths, which is why pod kits and the old disposables used them at 20mg. Freebase at 18mg or 20mg feels harsh to many people. The nic salt vs freebase guide explains the chemistry behind that.
So "what strength" really comes with a second question: "in which form?" For most pod kits, the answer is nic salt.
Signs your strength is off
You'll know within a day or two.
Probably too low:
- You're puffing almost constantly.
- You're getting through pods or bottles much faster than expected.
- You still feel unsatisfied after vaping.
Probably too high:
- The throat hit is harsh or makes you cough.
- You feel lightheaded, dizzy or queasy.
- You find yourself wanting to vape less often than you'd expect.
If you feel unwell, stop vaping and let it pass, then drop the strength.
Vaping too little nicotine also has a knock-on effect on your kit. Constant puffing empties pods faster and wears out coils. Our guide to how long a vape pod lasts explains the link.
UK strengths you'll see
The legal ceiling comes from regulation 36 of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016: nicotine e-liquid can't contain more than 20mg/ml, and nicotine bottles can't be bigger than 10ml. In practice, strengths on UK shelves cluster like this:
- Nic salts: 10mg and 20mg are by far the most common.
- Freebase 10ml: 0mg, 3mg, 6mg, 12mg and 18mg are typical.
- Shortfills with nic shots: usually end up around 3mg/ml. The shortfills guide shows the maths.
You'll occasionally see mg written as a percentage. 20mg/ml is 2%, and 10mg/ml is 1%.
Moving from disposables
A lot of people working this out right now are coming from disposables, which were banned in the UK in June 2025. Most of those used 20mg nic salt, so that's the closest match in a refillable or prefilled pod kit. Staying at the same strength to begin with makes the switch easier to judge, because only the device has changed. If it feels stronger in your new kit than your old disposable did, that can happen when a pod kit's coil produces more vapour per puff. Drop to 10mg and see how it feels. Our disposable vape alternative guide covers the kit side of that move.
Changing strength over time
Some people stay at the same strength for years. Others step down gradually, for example from 20mg to 10mg nic salt, and later to lower-strength freebase in a different kit. If you plan to do that, a refillable pod kit makes it easier, because you can buy any strength by the bottle rather than being tied to what one brand's prefilled pods offer. Our refillable pod vape guide covers how those kits work.
If you do change strength, change one thing at a time. Switching strength, flavour and device all at once makes it hard to tell what you do and don't like.
Strength and flavour
Higher nicotine can mute flavour a little and add a peppery edge, particularly with freebase. Some people find cooling menthol and ice flavours feel smoother at 20mg. If 20mg tastes harsh, try a cooler flavour such as cool mint or peach ice before dropping strength. The flavour library has more to choose from.
Prefilled pods: check what's offered
On a prefilled pod kit, you're limited to the strengths that brand makes for that pod. Many offer 20mg and some offer 10mg. If you know you want a specific strength, check before you commit to a kit. Our prefilled pod vape guide has more on choosing.
Questions people ask
Is 20mg the strongest vape you can buy in the UK?
Yes. UK law caps nicotine e-liquid at 20mg/ml, so 20mg is the highest strength on sale legally.
Should I use 10mg or 20mg nic salts?
If you were using 20mg disposables and want things to feel the same, 20mg is the closer match. If 20mg feels too strong, or you vape lightly, 10mg is the usual next step.
What strength do sub-ohm vapers use?
Usually low-strength freebase, often 3mg or 6mg. Sub-ohm kits produce far more vapour per puff, so a lower strength goes further.
What does 20mg/ml actually mean?
It's the concentration: 20 milligrams of nicotine in each millilitre of liquid. A 10ml bottle at 20mg/ml contains 200mg of nicotine in total.
