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Choosing The Best PG VG Ratio: A Detailed Guide

If you’re a new vaper or have recently made the switch from smoking to vaping, you might be wondering how to choose the best PG VG ratio for you. To make that decision easier, in this guide we will explain everything you need to know. We’ll talk you through what PG and VG are and how they can affect your vaping experience before ultimately helping you figure out which ratio matches your preferences best. In this guide, we will cover:

What is PG and VG?

  • Propylene Glycol (PG)
  • Vegetable Glycerine (VG)
  • Are PG and VG Safe For Consumption?

Understanding Your PG:VG Ratios

  • 50/50
  • High VG
  • Do Ratios Affect Nicotine Strength?

Which VG PG E-Liquid Is Best For You?

  • Vape Kits and VG PG Ratios

Closing Thoughts

What Is PG and VG?

PG and VG are very important ingredients in e-liquid. It can be hard to know what each one does, so let’s break it down:

Propylene Glycol (PG)

Propylene glycol (PG) is a thin, odourless and unflavoured liquid that is included in the ingredients of e-liquid. It is the main component that creates the 'throat hit' sensation when vaped. This ingredient is more prominent in vape juice designed for MTL (mouth-to-lung) vaping as the higher concentration delivers a stronger throat hit for a sensation close to smoking.

PG is a good choice if you are using a smaller e-cig so it wicks faster and won’t clog the coil.

Vegetable Glycerine (VG)

Vegetable Glycerine (VG) is also flavourless and odourless, however, it has a thicker consistency compared to PG. Also, a key ingredient in vape juice, it is designed to produce vapour when heated. The higher the VG level the thicker and bigger the clouds of vapour. This ingredient comes in higher concentrations in vape juice designed for cloud chasers, as these people usually want to produce as much vapour as possible.

VG is a great choice if you have a sub ohm e-cig and want to create lots of vapour. It is also well suited for those who want less throat hit when vaping.

Is PG and VG Safe For Consumption?

Both propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine are considered non-toxic, so they are safe for human consumption. These ingredients are also found in common cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical products where safety is paramount such as:

  • Pet foods
  • Hand creams and body creams
  • Toothpaste
  • Nicotine inhalers
  • Baked goods to increase moisture
  • Jelly

This list is not exhaustive, but should give you a good idea as to how common PG and VG is in our daily lives.

Understanding Your PG:VG Ratios

When vaping, the PG:VG ratio is one of the biggest factors to take into consideration when picking the right e-liquid. Both ingredients offer completely different characteristics so finding the right ratio to suit both the vape kit and technique is crucial to achieving the best vaping experience.

50/50 E-liquids

A 50/50 blend e-liquid is a balanced mix of both VG and PG. It is the most common and popular liquid amongst vapers, which comes as no surprise when you factor in its long list of great features:

  • Suitable for both MTL (mouth-to-lung) and DL (direct-lung) vapers
  • Even split throat hit
  • Suitable for higher nicotine levels
  • Even flavour
  • Even vapour amount
  • Ideal for new vapers
  • Available in many flavours

High VG E-liquids

High VG vape juices relate to those that include anything over 70% VG in the ingredients. This means that the liquid is thicker in consistency due to the higher volume of VG. There are different types of high VG liquids which we detail below:

80/20 (Max VG)

For the ultimate cloud chasers, 80/20 blends provide the thickest vapour production perfect for producing larger clouds. These liquids have plenty of features to consider:

  • Sweeter flavours
  • Smoothest vape with the least amount of throat hit
  • Maximum vapour production
  • Well suited for RDA’s
  • Best with lower nicotine strengths
  • Ideal for use with most sub-ohm e-cigs

70/30

The most popular high VG liquid, a 70/30 mix can be used with virtually any sub-ohm device for great clouds and smooth, sweet flavours. Reasons to choose 70/30 include:

  • Great when used with sub-ohm devices
  • Wide range of quality flavours
  • Thick vapour clouds
  • Smoother throat hit
  • Use high or low nicotine
  • Most popular in shortfill

Does Ratio Affect Nicotine Strength?

The required nicotine strength can differ depending on the PG:VG ratio. Choosing the right nicotine strength can be a difficult enough choice for new vapers, so when you also factor in the difference a PG:VG ratio can make, it’s important to have the facts.

Direct-lung vapers who use high VG e-liquid use more vape juice than MTL vapers, so the nicotine strength of their e-liquid can be lower. For example, a DL vaper using a 0.6% high VG vape juice with a strength of 0.6% can get the same amount of nicotine as an MTL vaper using a 1.2% strength 50/50 e-liquid. If you are switching to direct lung vaping it is important to remember this as sticking to the same e-liquid strength can deliver too much nicotine.

In short, if you prefer a higher nicotine level in your e-liquid, we recommend going for a 50/50 VG:PG blend with your choice of nicotine. If you prefer lower levels of nicotine, these are best suited with higher VG ratios.

Which PG:VG E-liquid Is Best For You?

When you know which PG:VG ratio is right for you, you enter a whole new level of vaping. Choosing the wrong ratio could put new vapers off, so it is important to know how to choose the best ratio for you. To make your decision, consider your personal preferences when it comes to the following vaping factors:

  • Taste: If taste is the main characteristic you are looking for, the safest option is 50/50 e-liquid. This is because it delivers a well-balanced vape with great flavour for both MTL and DL vaping. A high VG e-liquid would still deliver a nice, sweet flavour when sub-ohm vaping but with a low powered MTL vape the flavour will be minimal.
  • Throat Hit: With throat hit intensity, vapers who prefer a sharper kick should look towards an e-liquid with a higher PG. A strong throat hit is something that many ex-smokers crave, so it is important to consider. 50/50 blends can also offer a stronger throat hit than high VG without sacrificing flavour. 
  • Larger Clouds: Vapers who aim for huge clouds should opt for high VG blends as the higher the VG the bigger the cloud. 50/50 e-liquid can still produce a fair amount of vapour but compared to 80/20 or 70/30 vape juice it doesn’t compete.
  • Discreet Vaping: If you prefer less vapour production and more discreet vaping, high PG ratios are the best option. 50/50 blends are also a good option for discreet vaping if you don’t want to sacrifice a balance of flavour and throat hit.

Vape Kits And PG:VG Ratios

To get the most out of your vaping experience and to avoid having to replace your kit earlier than expected, it is important to consider how your e-liquid and e-cig work together. For example, high VG liquids should be avoided if you are using a smaller pen style device, as the coils can clog up and burn out quickly. It is also not as effective if you prefer more throat hit, as its main function is to produce vapour. Whereas high PG should be avoided if using a sub ohm e-cig, as it can irritate your throat due to the high power output. It is also best to get lower PG liquids If you don’t want as much throat hit when you vape.

Let’s take a look at the different e-liquid ratios and what type of kit you should be using with them:

50/50

A balanced 50/50 e-liquid can be used with virtually any vape kit. When used with more powerful devices like the TECC arc GTi, throat hit will increase, but it won’t be too harsh and with low powered devices the flavour and throat hit is still prominent.

 

Vape pod kits like the TECC Viga and Joyetech Widewick are great for use with 50/50 PG:VG e-liquid. The coils have smaller wicking holes and adapt well to the thinner, more evenly balanced mix. This helps stop the coils from burning out and maximise the life of your coil in-between changes.

High VG

The thicker consistency of high VG vape juice limits it to sub-ohm vaping on powerful kits like GeekVape Aegis Legend 2 as the larger wicking holes on the coil can absorb high VG well, whereas high resistance coils will struggle to wick high VG liquid. This can result in the coil burning out quickly and preventing the device from working properly.

You can also use high VG e-liquid with rebuildable tanks like RDA’s or RTA’s. Most experienced vapers who use this type of tank will always use a high VG liquid to get the best possible experience.

Closing Thoughts

If you prefer a vaping experience that provides you with the following: 

  • Higher nicotine strength 
  • Stronger throat hit 
  • Balanced flavour
  • MTL vaping using high resistance coils

It’s likely that you will prefer a 50:50 ratio. 

However, you should opt for a higher VG ratio if you look for the following: 

  • Large vapour clouds
  • Lower nicotine strength 
  • Direct-lung vaping using sub-ohm devices 
  • Using large shortfill bottles
  • Sweeter flavours

We hope this guide helps you find the perfect PG:VG ratio for you. Vaping can be a fun and satisfying experience, made even better when you know which ingredients work best with your preferences. Ultimately, if you’re new to vaping, we recommend a 50/50 blend to start you off but don’t be afraid to experiment with your e-liquid using the above information. 

If you’d like more information on E-Liquid as a whole, you can contact our friendly customer service team using our live chat function located in the bottom right corner of your screen who will be happy to help. Or, take a look at some more of our support pages:

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