If you’re using e-cigarettes as a way to quit smoking, it’s important to make sure that you’re getting enough nicotine. This can be easier said than done, however, which is why we've created the easy to use nicotine strength calculator you see below.
Calculate Your Ideal E-Liquid Nicotine Strength
For new vapers intent on making the transition from smoker to vaper, choosing the right nicotine strength is very important because it helps ensure a smooth transition from smoking to vaping. To calculate your ideal e-liquid nicotine strength, consider the following information:
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Low Strength (6mg) - Ideal for social smokers and people who smoke occasionally. Gives a mild, pleasant nicotine hit.
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Medium Strength (12mg) – This is easily our most popular nicotine strength as it provides a robust throat hit but doesn’t overshadow the taste of our flavours at all. Suitable for those smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.
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High Strength (18mg) - Ideal for smokers who are closer to a pack of cigarettes a day. The throat hit is pretty strong here so only recommended for relatively heavy smokers.
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Very High Strength (24mg) - Suitable for Long-Term Heavy smokers who are smoking more than a pack a day frequently. Regular smokers will find this strength overpowering so unless you’re in this category this strength definitely isn’t for you.
Usually, the ideal strength for you does take a little experimentation and if you're new to vaping then it won't take long to establish what works for you. When you get the right mix, you can always order two different strengths of the same liquid and mix your perfect balance of nicotine. This is really simple and can also be used to reduce nicotine levels.
How to Read Nicotine Levels
The amount of nicotine that’s present in an e-liquid is usually written as a number of milligrams (mg) per millilitre. The most common are:
- 0mg/mL (nicotine-free)
- 3mg/mL
- 6mg/mL
- 12mg/mL
- 18mg/mL
- 24mg/mL
- 30mg/mL
- 36mg/mL
This basically means that per millilitre of vape liquid, there is X amount of milligrams of nicotine. Sometimes, the nicotine strength can be expressed as a percentage and tells you what percentage of the liquid is nicotine. In 3 mg/mL liquid, this would be 0.3%. In a 36mg/mL liquid, this would be 3.6%.
As another example, in a 100ml bottle of e-liquid, a 6mg/mL nicotine strength would mean that the bottle is 0.6% nicotine by volume. In a 10ml bottle of e-liquid with a strength of 24mg, there will be 240mg of nicotine in total.
It’s also important to remember that nicotine strength refers to the strength of all the liquid in the bottle. So, you won’t get 24mg of nicotine from a 24mg/mL bottle if you vape 10ml out of a 100ml bottle---you would get 2.4mg. Also, research shows that only around 40-60% of nicotine enters the bloodstream, so you’d really be looking at around 1-1.6mg.
This is why choosing the right nicotine e-liquid can be quite a tricky task.
Choosing the Right Nicotine E-Liquid Strength
When choosing the right nicotine e-liquid strength, you need to account for two things:
- The type of tobacco cigarette you currently/used to smoke
- The type of vaping device that you’re using
Vaper Empire's premium e-juice is available in a wide range of strengths and flavours.Despite popular belief, it’s not just the number of cigarettes that you smoke per day that matters when it comes to choosing a nicotine e-liquid strength. Rather, it’s a case of looking at both the number and the type of cigarettes that you smoke---smoking light cigarettes is not the same as smoking strong unfiltered ones, for example.
Even with this information, it’s virtually impossible to be precise. This is because cigarettes don’t contain an exact amount of nicotine, with each brand of cigarettes providing a different amount. Nicotine levels are also not listed on nicotine packaging.
Despite this, however, it is possible to place cigarette smokers into different “bands” based on the type of cigarettes that they smoke.
- People who smoke strong unfiltered cigarettes. These contain the most nicotine and you will likely want an e-liquid in the very strong range, which is around 24mg or higher.
- People who smoke "regular" cigarettes. These are filtered, medium-strength cigarettes that call for a mid-level e-liquid nicotine strength of around 16mg.
- People who smoke lighter and ultra-light cigarettes should opt for an e-liquid with around 6mg to 12mg of nicotine.
It’s important to remember that these are not exact, however. These are starting points. We recommend starting at the lower end of your “band” and then adjusting your e-liquid over time to suit your own needs. If you find that your cravings are still there, consider moving to a stronger e-liquid.
Similarly, when your cravings start to feel weaker and disappear, you might consider moving down to the next lower nicotine strength. This is the normal “route” for quitting not only smoking but nicotine as well with the use of vaping as a cessation tool; you keep moving nicotine strength downwards until you’re at a point where you can vape low-strength vape juices without having any urges to pick up a cigarette.
Why Does Device Type Matter?
Device type matters because different vapes have different power levels, produce different amounts of vapour, and deliver vapour differently. For instance, there are two main categories of vapes: mouth-to-lung (MtL) and direct-to-lung (DtL). Vapers tend to use different strengths for each as DtL vapes are much more potent in their delivery, causing many vapers to opt for lower-strength e-liquids than they would otherwise use with MtL vapes.
V-Pack II SeriesFor people using your more “traditional” cig-a-like e-cigarettes and vape pens, it’s easier to choose a nicotine strength because you can more closely match it to your tobacco usage.
However, people using more powerful devices like the box mods used to blow fat clouds of vapour may have a slightly harder time. This is because these devices are able to deliver higher amounts of nicotine to the bloodstream than lower-power devices as a result of their ability to quickly deliver large amounts of vapour.
For example, if you used a 12mg/mL e-liquid in both a basic vape pen and a powerful box mod, the latter is likely to send more nicotine to the blood. This is because the higher power levels use more vape juice in a single sitting, subsequently delivering more vapour and nicotine.
If you’re using a more powerful device (something you may not want to do as a new vaper), then we recommend starting with a nicotine e-liquid one level below your cigarette type-based starting point.
Discover Our Range of Vape Juices
At Vaper Empire, we stock a huge range of our own e-liquids that are developed and made in-house by our own dedicated mixologists. They are available in two ranges---Classic and Artisan---and vary in nicotine strengths from nicotine-free to very high. With many flavours to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find something that’ll satisfy your palate.
Check out our online vape store to see our full range of e-liquids, vapes, and accessories. We offer fast express shipping and we ship all orders straight to customers' doors in as little as 3-5 days.