A low price and a well-made vape juice are not opposites, but finding a bottle that is both takes a little homework. Grabbing whatever costs least is a poor plan: The Atlantic has reported that some e-cigarette flavorings may carry harmful additives, a concern this guide ties to lower-quality liquids in particular.
The five checks below run in a deliberate order. Settle what you want inside the bottle first, and only then look at what it costs.
Start with the flavor
Taste comes before any talk of how e-juice is made. Nearly anything you can think of has been turned into a vape flavor, and most of it falls into a few families:
- Fruit
- Food
- Dessert
- Beer, wine and cocktail
- Tobacco blends
A tobacco blend is a familiar place to begin for adults who already know that taste. Most people grow more adventurous with time and move on to stranger, more exotic profiles.
Settle on a nicotine strength
Strength is the second decision. E-juice is sold in a range of nicotine levels, which fall roughly into three bands:
- Low: 6mg and below
- Medium: 9mg to 16mg
- High: 18+mg
Which band fits depends on how much nicotine you are already used to. The concentration matters in both directions. Too little and you end up reaching for the device constantly; too much and you can run into unwanted effects such as headaches.
Check the base
Every e-juice is built on Propylene Glycol (PG), Vegetable Glycerol (VG) or a blend of both, and the ratio shapes how the liquid tastes and how good it seems. A common mix from many makers is 40% PG to 60% VG.
- PG-heavy: bolder flavor, thinner vapor
- VG-heavy: quieter flavor, very large clouds
Then compare prices
With flavor, strength and base decided, cost becomes a fair comparison between like and like. Look at local shops and at online sellers. Retailers that sell bundled juice packages or run deals tend to stretch a budget furthest.
Sample before you commit
The sheer count of flavors and bases can be a lot to take in, more so for someone new to vaping, so try a juice before buying a large bottle of it. Local shops usually let customers test a few liquids. Online stores often sell small bottles grouped into test packs at a reduced cost, which does the same job.
The short version
Flavor, nicotine level, base ratio, price and a trial run: weigh those five and an inexpensive e-juice does not have to be a gamble.