How to Choose the Right E-Liquid

Jun 22, 2022Updated Oct 23, 20265 min readVape School

There are thousands of e-liquids out there, in just about every flavor you can think of. That’s great when you know what you like and overwhelming when you don’t. The right bottle comes down to a few choices: flavor, nicotine, PG/VG ratio and where you buy.

Get those right and even a simple device can be a great vape. Get them wrong and the best gear in the world won’t save it. Here’s how to choose.

What’s in the bottle

Most e-liquids contain just four ingredients:

• Vegetable glycerin (VG), for vapor and smoothness
• Propylene glycol (PG), for flavor and throat hit
• Flavorings, usually food-grade
• Nicotine, if you choose it

The recipe sounds simple, but balancing it well is hard, which is why the same flavor can taste great from one brand and flat from another. Our guide to what vape juice is made of goes deeper.

Step 1: Choose your flavor

Flavor comes first. If you don’t enjoy the taste, nothing else matters. The main families are:

• Fruit, from strawberry and mango to watermelon and mixed berries, often with a candy or icy twist
• Dessert, such as custard, cookies, cream and bakery flavors
• Menthol and icy blends with a cooling finish
• Tobacco, from mild blends to bold ones
• Drink-inspired flavors, like lemonade and coffee

Adults coming from cigarettes often start with tobacco or menthol because the taste is familiar, then branch out. If that’s you, talk with your doctor about your options as well, since no vaping product is FDA-approved as a quit-smoking aid.

Before you commit to a flavor, check reviews and awards, because a juice that promises strawberry ice cream doesn’t always deliver. Our E-Liquid Awards and our list of vape flavors that taste like the real thing are good starting points.

Step 2: Match nicotine and ratio to your device

Nicotine type and strength

Nicotine comes in two forms, and your device largely decides which one you need.

• Nic salts feel smoother at higher strengths and usually come in 20 to 50 mg. They are made for low-power pod systems.
• Freebase nicotine is the traditional form. Starter kits and mouth-to-lung tanks commonly use 6 to 18 mg, while sub-ohm tanks and drippers use 0 to 6 mg.

With too little nicotine for your device, you may find yourself puffing constantly, which also burns through coils. With too much, you may feel dizzy or nauseous or get a headache. If you’re unsure, start at the lower end for your device and adjust. Our nicotine strength guide and nic salts explainer have the details.

PG/VG ratio

PG carries flavor and adds throat hit, while VG makes denser vapor and feels smoother. The ratio also sets how thick the juice is, which matters for your coil.

Device	Ratio to look for (PG/VG)	Why
Pod systems and starter kits	50/50	Thin enough for small coils, with balanced flavor and throat hit
Mouth-to-lung tanks	50/50 or 60/40	More throat hit from a tight draw
Sub-ohm tanks and RTAs	40/60 to 30/70	Smooth, dense vapor at higher power
RDAs	30/70 to 20/80	Maximum vapor on custom builds

Some vapers find PG irritating, and a higher-VG juice may feel better for them. Learn more in What Are PG and VG? and What Is 50/50 E-Liquid? If you’re still choosing a device, our beginner’s guide to vaping can help.

Step 3: Buy smart

Bottle size and freshness

Nic salts usually come in 30 ml bottles, while freebase juice often comes in larger bottles that suit sub-ohm vapers who go through juice quickly. If you’re still exploring, smaller bottles let you try more flavors before you settle on favorites. Store bottles capped, somewhere cool and dark and out of reach of children and pets. See how long vape juice lasts, and if a custard or bakery flavor tastes thin, try steeping it.

A store you can trust

Stick with reputable sellers, online or local, that verify age and carry authentic products from established brands, and be wary of prices that look too good to be true. ZampleBox ships from Vista, California, to US addresses, sells to adults 21 and over only and verifies age at checkout. Questions? Email [email protected] or visit our help desk.

Try more flavors with the Zamplebox Club

The fastest way to learn what you like is to try a lot of it. In the Zamplebox Club, you choose your nicotine strength and flavor families, rate flavor notes and get a box of 30 ml bottles each month, starting at $23.99 for three bottles. Pod vapers can pick the Salt Nic Box instead, and sub-ohm vapers who burn through juice fast can choose the Big Juice Box. Every pick comes with a short reason, you can swap any bottle before it ships, and you can mark flavors as favorites or “never send.” Skip, pause or cancel anytime.

Bottles worth trying

Common questions

WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. For adults 21+ only.