Updated 21 February 2024: Buying the right vape liquid is one of the most crucial tasks when it comes to vaping as it can either make or break your whole experience.
With so many e liquid brands and flavours available everywhere, it can be tricky to choose the best one for you.
You might be wondering right now: what is the best e liquid in the UK? How do you choose one?
Well, we have some good news for you – we have reviewed and compared some of the most popular eliquid brands on the UK market.
Keep in mind that taste is subjective, but this will be a good starting point for beginners and more experienced vapers who are looking to explore new flavours and brands.
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Best E-Liquid Brands
How to Choose the Right Eliquid?
FAQ
Best E-Liquid Brands in the UK
#1: V2 Vsavi Platinum E-Liquid (Editor’s Choice)
If you’re a current smoker and are looking for an e-liquid that can make the transition to vaping as smooth and easy as possible, you’re not looking for something that can be confused with a bag of candy. You’re looking for a true cigarette replacement – an e-liquid with the complexity to satisfy a palate that’s used to tasting tobacco every day.
With flavours like Sahara, V2 Red, Congress, Gold Tobacco, Bold Tobacco, Bold Leaf Menthol and more, no vape juice brand offers a bigger selection of tobacco and menthol flavours than V2 Vsavi Platinum e-liquid. No matter what type of flavour you’re looking for in a cigarette replacement – bold, nutty, robust, smooth or sweet – you’ll find it in the V2 Platinum range.
V2 Platinum e-liquids also include a few sweeter selections like Cherry, Coffee and Cola.
The V2 Cigs brand is tops when it comes to quality. V2 conducts lab tests for every e-liquid batch to ensure purity, and the company also conducts ongoing monitoring for strict quality control.
V2 Vsavi Platinum e-liquid is a high-PG vape juice, so it’ll perform flawlessly in even the smallest e-cigarettes. An e-liquid with a high percentage of PG is also ideal for discreet vaping because the vapour clouds dissipate quickly.
If you’re looking for an e-liquid that can provide a true one-for-one replacement for the cigarettes you’re giving up, V2 Vsavi Platinum e-liquid is definitely the best e-liquid in the UK.
#2: Vsavi 100% VG (Best High-VG E-Liquid)
Vsavi 100% VG e-liquid isn’t just the best high-VG vape juice in the UK – it’s also one of the purest e-liquids in the world.
Using a base of 100% organic vegetable glycerine, Vsavi 100% VG e-liquid is vegan friendly, contains no genetically modified ingredients and uses only natural flavours. If you’re looking for the e-liquid that provides the cleanest and most natural vaping experience anywhere, this is definitely the one.
It’s difficult to find 100% VG e-liquids these days, with most e-liquid companies opting to use blends of VG and PG in order to harness the benefits of both liquids.
For some people, though, it’s not enough for an e-liquid to simply be high in VG. A few people are allergic or sensitive to PG and don’t want to consume it at all – not even in small amounts. If you fall into that category, Vsavi 100% VG e-liquid is the obvious answer for you. A 100% VG e-liquid is also a good choice for you if you’re looking for a vape juice that can produce big clouds or simply enjoy the full, silky mouth feel of vegetable glycerine.
Confused? Never fear; you’ll find an explanation of VG and PG in the second half of this buyer’s guide.
When it comes to flavours, you’ll have plenty of choices with Vsavi vape juice. The standard 100% VG range includes some great options like Apple, Coffee Cream and Classic Virginia. The new Vsavi Gourmet Range is also 100% VG and includes some sweeter options like Coconut Delight, Cappuccino and Toffee Caramel Choco.
#3: IVG (Best Candy and Fruit Flavours)
As great as tobacco and menthol flavours are for helping new vapers wean themselves off of conventional cigarettes, you may reach a point in your vaping journey where trying to replicate the flavour and throat hit of smoking no longer holds much interest for you. At that point, you might find yourself switching to a more powerful vape mod and trying some sweeter flavours – and when you get there, IVG is one of the e-liquid brands you definitely have to try.
IVG offers two different product ranges – the original range and the new Dessert range. You’ll find them both when clicking the button below. Between the two ranges, you’ll enjoy five delicious flavour options: Jam Roly Poly, Raspberry Stix, Honey Crunch, Strawberry Jam Yoghurt and Unicorn Hoops.
Suffice it to say that if you like sweets, you’ll definitely find plenty to love here.
IVG and the other two remaining e-liquid brands on this list – Dinner Lady and Nyx – are all shortfill e-liquids, which means that you need to add the nicotine to the bottle before using it. The required nicotine shots are automatically offered during the buying process to make it easy for you.
If you’re not sure what shortfill e-liquids are, don’t worry. We’ll explain them at the end of this article – and if you’re a beginner, rest assured that the V2 Vsavi Platinum and Vsavi 100% VG e-liquids mentioned above are already pre-mixed and contain the required nicotine.
Dinner Lady (Best Dessert Flavours)
Dinner Lady is one of the biggest vape juice brands in the UK, and they’ve built on that success by expanding their product selection relentlessly since the brand’s launch in 2016. Starting with just one flavour, the Dinner Lady range has since grown to include desserts, drinks, sweets and even tobacco flavours.
If you try just one Dinner Lady flavour, it has to be Lemon Tart. It’s the company’s first product, and it remains one of the most iconic e-liquids ever to come out of Britain. Sold throughout the world, Lemon Tart is a bona fide dessert classic that layers a sweet and slightly tangy lemon custard flavour over a base that tastes like an authentic buttery pie crust. If you like sweet-and-sour e-liquids or have any interest in citrus flavours, Lemon Tart is as essential today as it was on the day of its release.
Given all of the interesting flavour categories that we mentioned above, it’s difficult to name just a few favourite Dinner Lady e-liquids out of the many on offer – but we’ll try anyway.
Strawberry Macaroon is a great dessert flavour that takes Lemon Tart’s concept of fruit and pastry and turns it on its head with notes of ripe strawberry and toasted coconut.
If you love e-liquids that mix sweet and savoury notes, you’ll love Café Tobacco by Dinner Lady. Containing a blend of sweet coffee and decadent cream layered over a smooth tobacco base, this e-liquid turns tobacco into a true dessert flavour you’ll want to enjoy every day.
#5: Nyx (Best Affordable Vape Juice)
Vape juice in the UK is much more affordable these days than it used to be, but it’s still not easy to find a cheap e-liquid if you want to have a truly premium experience. Nyx e-liquid is one of the rare exceptions.
This vape juice comes in an enormous 120 ml bottle containing 100 ml of e-liquid, and it comes with two nicotine shots that you can add to give the vape juice a final nicotine strength of 3 mg/ml. With twice as much e-liquid as other brands for around the same price, suffice it to say that you can potentially save a lot of money if you switch from your usual brand to Nyx.
Nyx e-liquid has a VG/PG ratio of 70/30, so it’s formulated to produce impressive clouds in larger vape mods and will provide a great experience in many pod-based devices as well.
The flavour selection with Nyx vape juice is modest, but it includes several of the most popular flavour profiles in the UK such as Hi-Zen Heisenberg, Blackcurrant Ice and Blue Raspberry Ice.
Several of Nyx’s e-liquids include light touches of menthol to provide a little extra coolness and refreshment. Fruit-and-ice flavours are also extremely popular in the realm of disposable vapes – so if you’re currently using disposables and are interested in switching to a refillable device, Nyx vape juice should definitely be on your short list.
How To Choose the Right E-Liquid?
There are lots of different brands of e-liquid on the market, so how do you know which is the right one for you?
There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to choosing the best vape juice for you, so here are a few of the factors to keep in mind.
- Is the e-liquid suited to your e-cig device? If you have a device that has a coil resistance of over 1.0 Ohm you’re probably a mouth-to-lung vaper and will need an e-liquid that is a 50/50 PG/VG blend or, at least, a maximum of 60VG/40PG. You’ll also be able to vape an e-liquid with a higher strength of nicotine. On the other hand, if you’re a direct-to-lung vaper using a sub-ohm tank, your coil resistance will be under 1.0 Ohm, and you’ll need an e-juice that has a higher VG content of at least 60%. You will probably also want to stick to a maximum nicotine strength of 6mg.
- Flavour – e-juices come in all kinds of flavours these days, so you can choose from an enormous variety. If you’ve only just switched to vaping, you may prefer a tobacco-flavoured ejuice, but there are plenty of other options including fruit flavours, dessert tastes, menthol or even cocktail flavours.
- Blends or single flavours – as you experiment with your e-juices, you may want to consider trying blended e-liquids which combine several flavours in a single e-juice. If you’d like a more complex taste when you vape, one of these options may suit you. However, if you’re new to vaping, you may prefer to stick to single flavours at first until you get used to the experience.
- Nicotine strength – another important factor to consider is the strength of the nicotine in your e-juice. If you’re switching from smoking cigarettes to vaping, you will want to ensure that your e-juice has sufficient nicotine to help you quit the habit. However, over time, you’ll be able to reduce the amount of nicotine in your e-liquids so you can become less reliant. If you already smoke one pack of cigarettes each day, when you switch to vaping, you can opt for an initial strength of between 18mg and 20mg. You can then reduce gradually to a lower strength like 12mg or 6mg, finally working down to 3mg or even 0mg. It’s important to get the level of nicotine in your ejuice right. If the level is too low, you’ll need to vape more often. On the other hand, if it’s too high, you may start to feel unwell.
- VG/PG ratio – e-juices have different levels of VG (vegetable glycerine) and PG (propylene glycol). Usually, a mix of both will be in your e-juice. PG offers better flavour but less vapour. Meanwhile, VG is thicker and has a sweeter taste. While it produces more vapour, it might overtake your ejuice’s flavour. A standard blend is around 50/50 VG/PG, but some e-liquids contain more VG for better cloud production. Some people are sensitive to PG, though, so they may need to choose a high VG or even a 100% VG e-juice.
- Safety – don’t forget to check that your preferred e-juice is tested and has been proven to be safe before you use it.
FAQ
E-liquid is the fluid that you put in your vaping device where it gets heated up, thus allowing you to inhale the vapour.
E-liquid contains a base such as vegetable glycerine (VG) and/or propylene glycol (PG) as well as flavourings and frequently nicotine too (except for 0mg nicotine liquids). Vape juices come in either bottles or in pre-loaded cartridges.
Propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerine (VG) are the two base liquids that comprise the majority of almost every bottle of e-liquid. PG and VG are both commonly used in a wide variety of products including foods, drinks, supplements, cosmetics and medications. PG and VG share some of the same properties in that both liquids are excellent emulsifiers and are both very effective at retaining moisture. However, they also have a few differences when used in e-liquid.
- PG is thinner than VG, so it produces smaller clouds. PG-based e-liquids are good for discreet vaping because the clouds disappear quickly after you’ve exhaled them. PG is less sweet than VG, and that makes it a better flavour carrier. PG also produces a slightly scratchy sensation in the throat when it’s inhaled, which can enhance throat hit.
- VG is thicker than PG, so it produces larger clouds. VG-based e-liquids are great for cloud chasers because the clouds tend to hover in the air for a long time before dissipating. VG is sweeter than PG, so it can potentially enhance e-liquids with sweet flavour profiles. VG is also a little easier on the throat than PG, so a high-VG e-liquid may be a good choice for you if you tend to experience throat irritation when vaping.
As we mentioned above, most e-liquids use a blend of VG and PG to highlight the benefits of both. There are a few people in the vaping community who are allergic or sensitive to PG, though, and you’ll want to choose an all-VG e-liquid like Vsavi 100% VG vape juice if you fall into that group.
If you’ve never vaped before and are worried about using an e-liquid containing PG, you probably have no reason to be concerned. PG is in so many of the products we use every day that if you were allergic or sensitive to it, you would probably already know.
The other thing you’ll notice as you shop for e-liquid in the UK is that virtually all vape juice falls into two categories: 10 ml bottles and shortfills. This is because of the Tobacco Products Directive, which limits the maximum bottle sizes of e-liquids that contain nicotine.
- If a bottle of e-liquid is 10 ml, it can contain nicotine and will be available in the nicotine strength of your choice up to a maximum of 20 mg/ml.
- If a bottle of e-liquid is larger than 10 ml, it is a shortfill bottle and requires you to add the nicotine separately. Once you’ve added the nicotine, the final strength of the e-liquid will be 3 mg/ml.
When you buy shortfill e-liquid, you’ll also need to buy one or more small bottles of unflavoured e-liquid with nicotine called nicotine shots or nic shots. Most retailers do their best to make this process as simple as possible by automatically offering the correct number of nicotine shots for the size of the shortfill bottle during the buying process.
To mix a bottle of shortfill e-liquid, remove the nozzle from the bottle and add one nicotine shot for a 60 ml bottle or two shots for a 120 ml bottle. Replace the nozzle. Close the bottle and shake it well. Once it’s thoroughly mixed, the e-liquid is ready to use.
The benefit of shortfill e-liquid is that it’s legal to sell in bottles larger than 10 ml. Since it contains no nicotine, it doesn’t violate the Tobacco Products Directive. If you’re a heavy vaper and are tired of buying lots and lots of small bottles, you’ll probably enjoy shortfill e-liquid.
On the other hand, some people may find the process of adding nicotine shots to shortfill e-liquid messy or inconvenient.
Also, shortfill e-liquid isn’t for people who require higher nicotine strengths because it’s generally not possible for shortfill vape juice to have a nicotine strength higher than 3 mg/ml.
If you are looking to make the largest clouds you possibly can, then you will want to choose an e-juice that has a high ratio of VG or one that contains pure VG.
VG stands for vegetable glycerine. This compound is essentially what produces a vape cloud. So, therefore, a higher VG count would mean that a larger cloud would be produced.
Generally speaking though, E-juices with a higher VG number tend to be the sweeter flavours on the market, so if you’re not a fan of sweeter flavours then you will likely have a more difficult time trying to find high VG vape juice.
E-juices that are high in VG also tend to suffer from a more muted flavour at times since the sweetness of VG may cover an e-liquid’s more subtle notes.
High VG E-liquids are also quite thick, meaning that they take longer to be saturated into the coils.
A better question would be “is e-liquid a safer choice than tobacco?” Since e-liquids only have a few ingredients in them, they are safer than cigarettes. In fact, they’re 95% safer than cigarettes according to the Royal College of Physicians. Although e-liquids haven’t been proven to be 100% safe yet, they a better choice than inhaling the 5000+ chemicals found in cigarette smoke into your lungs.
While the vast majority of vape liquids on the market are completely safe to use, there are a few that should be generally avoided. For example, vape juices that have been made cheaply should probably be avoided at all cost.
Super cheap E-liquids will have been manufactured using substances and chemical compounds that are not pure or consistent. The lack of consistency and standardisation in these E-liquids can cause some serious health issues in some cases.
Many of these cheaper E-liquids usually come from China and will be visibly sub-par. A general rule of thumb is that if the label of the product does not look legit, then it probably won’t be.
E-liquids that have been made in Europe and the US are your best bet. Always stick with brands that are well recognised amongst the vaping community.
The well-known brands within these countries always ensure that their product is well-tested and safe to consume.
Best practices for storing your vape juice:
- Don’t expose your eliquid to direct sunlight
- Avoid extremely low or high temperatures
- Keep your e liquid in a cupboard, drawers or similar place where it’s dark
- Make sure to keep your liquid safely hidden away from the children.
E-liquids tend to have quite a long shelf life and there is no official expiry date for them. Usually, manufacturers say that their products have a 12-month shelf life as long as the ejuice is correctly stored in a drawer or cupboard and away from direct sunlight. If you keep your e-liquid in the fridge, it may last longer.
The steeping process allows the vape juice to rest for some time in order to improve the juice’s flavour in a similar way to allowing a good wine to age. There are several methods of steeping and everyone does it differently. You can read more about e-liquid steeping in this article: How to steep E-Liquid?
This is down to preference, so the best thing to do is to try several vape juices to see which you prefer. While it is always a good idea to read user reviews to get some idea about which flavours are the most popular, it’s important to remember that not everyone has the same tastes.
There are so many different brands, types and tastes on the market today that you have a world of choice to select from. As well as traditional tobacco or menthol flavoured e liquids that replicate the experience of smoking a cigarette, there are more unusual and exotic flavours too like fruity blends, cocktail inspired flavours and dessert varieties.
Depending on your personal preferences, you may not want a traditional tobacco flavouring but may prefer to try something sweeter or more unusual. You should also try a variety of PG/VG blends to see which you like best as some people prefer a blend that is higher in VG and others prefer a more PG heavy mix.
If you are planning on sub-ohm vaping you will need to choose an e-liquid with a higher ratio of VG, however remember that vape juices with a larger proportion of vegetable glycerine are thicker and can therefore cause your electronic cigarette to require more frequent cleaning since sticky residue will build up more quickly. It will also make your device harder to clean.
This is a very general guideline for choosing the right nicotine strength:
- Zero 0mg – This is a good choice for vapers who have successfully managed to quit nicotine and simply want to enjoy the vaping experience. This strength will give you 0 throat hit.
- Low 6mg – This is a good strength for casual smokers, who smoke around 5 standard cigarettes daily. This strength should give you a minimal throat hit.
- Medium 12mg – A good strength for those who smoke about 10 cigarettes daily. This strength is good with a noticeable throat hit.
- High 18-20mg – A good choice for anyone who smokes about one pack of cigarettes a day or more. This one has a very strong throat hit.
Also, the strength you choose may depend on your vaping device as different devices like vaporizer pen and more powerful devices (like mods) for sub-ohm vaping require different liquid strength.
As you might expect, a no nicotine vape juice will contain zero nicotine. It only consists of the other ingredients that are used to make e-liquid – Flavourings, VG and PG.
Yes, you can make your own e-liquid. DIY vape liquids have become very popular recently. For more information, check out our DIY E-Liquid guide for beginners.
To minimise a chance of getting e-liquid in your mouth, you should try following:
- When you refill your e-cig, take care to allow no liquid to drip into the centre chimney as it must be kept clear for the air flow.
- You should also avoid putting your e-cigarette into your pocket upside down as the liquid will all run into the mouthpiece.
- Ensure your tank is never overfilled.
- If you’re using a device with automatic draw-based activation, puff only as hard as necessary to make the device produce vapour.
If you are experiencing headaches, dizziness and nausea you are probably intaking too much nicotine. If this is becoming a problem, try choosing a lower nicotine dosage. If you are using liquid with 18mg nicotine strength, try switching to 11mg or 6mg liquid.
Chain vaping is not a very good idea, and you should listen to your body as it will warn you if you are overdoing it.
Since European TPD laws came into effect on May 2017, the maximum nicotine strength you can purchase in Europe (including UK) is 20mg/ml.
Conclusion
Finding a good quality e-liquid is vital if you want to really enjoy your vaping experience to the max.
However, with so many different flavours, blends and nicotine strengths to choose from, you should have no difficulty in finding some that really appeal to you.
Half of the fun of vaping is experimenting with all the different options available, so why not try out as many as possible to broaden your vaping horizons?