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If you’ve just bought your first kit, or you’re still deciding, there’s a good chance the nicotine strength question is the bit holding you up. It’s the one thing almost everyone asks us in the shop, usually right after “which one do I buy”, and it’s also the bit most guides get wrong.
Most advice out there tells you to start low and work your way up, the same way you might ease into a new coffee order. That’s not how nicotine works, and it’s one of the main reasons people give vaping a go for a fortnight and quietly go back to cigarettes.
We’ve been mixing e-liquid since 2008, so this isn’t a guess. It’s what actually happens when thousands of people get it right, and what happens when they get it wrong.
Why this matters more than people think
Your body is used to a certain amount of nicotine. It doesn’t care whether that comes from a cigarette or a vape, it just knows what it’s expecting.
If your vape gives you noticeably less than that, you won’t necessarily think “this nicotine strength is too low.” You’ll just think “this doesn’t feel like it’s working” and reach for a cigarette without really knowing why. That’s the trap. It’s rarely the device, it’s almost always the strength.
Go too high the other way and you’ll know about it fast: harsh throat hit, a bit of a head spin, maybe some coughing. Both ends are avoidable if you start in roughly the right place.
How UK nicotine strengths work
In the UK, e-liquid nicotine strength is measured in milligrams per millilitre, written as mg or mg/ml. You’ll see it as a number on the bottle, usually 0, 3, 6, 10, 12, 18 or 20mg.
By law, freebase e-liquid can’t go above 20mg/ml here, and bottles are capped at 10ml. Nicotine salts follow the same 20mg cap but tend to come in pre-filled pods or smaller nic salt bottles instead.
Higher number means more nicotine, that part’s simple. What trips people up is assuming a “medium” number is a safe middle ground for everyone. It isn’t. The right number depends entirely on how much you were smoking, not on what feels like a cautious choice.
Freebase or nic salts, because it changes the answer
Before you land on a strength, it’s worth knowing there are two types of nicotine used in e-liquid, and they behave differently at the same number on the bottle.
Freebase nicotine is the traditional type, used in most standard e-liquids. At higher strengths it gets harsh on the throat fairly quickly, which is why freebase liquids over about 12mg can feel like a lot if you’re not used to it.
Nic salts are a gentler form of nicotine, chemically altered so higher strengths don’t hit the throat nearly as hard. That’s why you’ll see nic salts sold at 10mg and 20mg as standard, strengths that would feel rough as freebase, but come through smooth in salt form. If you’re heading straight to a pod kit, which most new vapers do, you’ll likely end up on nic salts anyway.
Matching strength to your habit
Forget how you’d like to vape and think about how you actually smoked. This is the single biggest thing people get wrong, they pick a strength based on what sounds sensible rather than what matches their habit.
As a rough starting point:
Heavy smoker (20 a day or more, roll-ups, first cigarette within minutes of waking) Nic salts at 18 to 20mg, or freebase at 18mg if you’re using a device built for it. You need the nicotine to actually meet the habit you’re replacing.
Moderate smoker (10 to 20 a day) Nic salts at 10 to 12mg, or freebase around 12mg. This is where most people who switch from a standard pack-a-day habit end up settling.
Light or social smoker (under 10 a day, or only when out) Freebase or nic salts at 6mg, sometimes lower. You’re less likely to be chasing a big nicotine hit, so there’s less need to go strong.
Never smoked, or already vaping and cutting down 0mg, or as low as you can comfortably manage. There’s no health reason to start on nicotine if you’ve never needed it.
None of this is exact science, everyone’s habit and tolerance is slightly different, and there’s usually a bit of trial and error in the first week or two either way. But starting close to your real habit, rather than “just to be safe”, is what actually makes the switch stick.
Signs you’ve got it wrong
You’ll usually know within the first few days, and it’s worth paying attention rather than pushing through it.
Too low and you’ll feel restless, still craving cigarettes, or find yourself vaping constantly without really feeling satisfied. Some people describe it as the vape “not doing anything.” That’s a strength problem, not a willpower problem, so don’t be too hard on yourself if this happens.
Too high and you’ll notice it almost immediately, a sharp or peppery throat hit, a slightly dizzy or light-headed feeling, occasionally a bit of nausea if it’s really too strong. If that happens, drop down a strength rather than sticking it out. There’s no prize for suffering through it.
Stepping down over time
A lot of vapers use nicotine strength as a way to gradually cut down, and it works well precisely because you’re not trying to give up the habit and the nicotine at the same time.
Once you’ve settled into vaping properly, usually after a few weeks to a couple of months, some people choose to drop a strength at a time, say from 18mg down to 12mg, and see how it feels. If it’s comfortable, that becomes the new normal. If it isn’t, there’s nothing wrong with staying where you are for a while longer before trying again.
There’s no schedule you have to follow here. Plenty of long-term vapers stay on the same strength for years and that’s completely fine too.
Getting the rest of your setup right
Nicotine strength doesn’t work in isolation, it’s tied to the device and the type of e-liquid you’re using. A full breakdown of e-liquid types is worth a read if you haven’t settled on PG/VG ratio yet, and if you’re still choosing your first kit, our starter kit guide is a good place to see what actually suits a mouth-to-lung, cigarette-like inhale versus something bigger.
If you’ve already worked out you want nic salts, our full nic salts range covers every strength mentioned above, and our team in-store or on live chat will happily talk you through it if you’re still not sure. It’s genuinely one of the most common conversations we have, so don’t feel like you’re asking a daft question.
FAQs
Here are some of the more frequently asked questions around nicotine strength:
What nicotine strength should a heavy smoker start on?
Most heavy smokers, 20 a day or more, do best starting on 18 to 20mg nic salts, or 18mg freebase if using a device suited to it. Going lower usually just means going back to cigarettes within a couple of weeks.
Is 20mg nicotine strong?
It’s the highest strength legally available in the UK. It’s strong, but it’s also roughly in line with what a heavy smoker’s body is already used to, so it doesn’t feel excessive to that person the way it might to someone who’s never smoked.
Can I start on 0mg nicotine?
Yes, if you’ve never smoked or you’re already comfortable vaping and cutting down. If you’re switching from cigarettes, 0mg is unlikely to satisfy the habit and often leads people back to smoking.
Should I choose nic salts or freebase?
Nic salts are usually the better choice for pod kits and higher strengths, since they’re smoother on the throat. Freebase suits lower strengths and bigger devices better. Most new vapers switching from cigarettes end up on nic salts simply because that’s what most pod kits use.
How do I know if my nicotine strength is too low?
If you’re still craving cigarettes, vaping constantly without feeling satisfied, or find yourself reaching for an actual cigarette without quite knowing why, that’s usually a sign your strength needs to go up, not that vaping isn’t for you.
