How to Use the E-Liquid Calculator
This calculator works out exactly how much nicotine, VG, PG and flavor concentrate to combine to mix your own e-liquid at home, no guesswork whatsoever, no wasted base. Set your batch size and target strength, choose your VG/PG ratio, add as many flavors as you like, then enter your nicotine base details. The recipe updates instantly, in both mls and grams.
- Set your batch. Enter the total amount you want to make and your target nicotine strength in mg/ml.
- Pick your ratio. Drag the slider to set your VG/PG split (higher VG = thicker clouds, higher PG = stronger throat hit).
- Add your flavors. Add each flavor concentrate and the percentage you want. Use “Add flavor” for as many as your recipe needs.
- Enter your nicotine base. Type its strength and whether it’s VG or PG based, our calculator factors this into your ratio automatically.
- Mix & save. Read off the recipe (weighing in grams is the most accurate method) and save it so you can reload or share it next time.
Your Recipe
Mix This
| Ingredient | ml | g | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | — | — | 100% |
Weight-based mixing (grams) is the most accurate. Densities used: VG 1.261, PG 1.036, nicotine 1.01, flavor 1.036 g/ml. Flavor concentrate is assumed PG-based. Always confirm your nicotine base strength on the bottle.
Save & Load Recipes
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Mix
The only thing that ever put people off mixing their own juice was the maths, and the calculator above takes care of that. But there’s a difference between a mix that’s technically correct and one you actually enjoy vaping. A few pointers from years of doing this will get you to the second one faster.
VG and PG, and Why the Ratio Matters
Two liquids make up the bulk of any e-liquid: VG and PG. They’re not interchangeable, and the split between them changes everything about how the juice feels.
- VG is the thick, slightly sweet one. It gives you the big, soft clouds and an easy inhale. The trade-off is that it gums up coils faster and wicks slowly, so too much VG in the wrong tank gets you dry hits.
- PG is thin and almost tasteless on its own, but it carries flavor better and delivers that firmer throat hit most ex-smokers are after.
For most sub-ohm tanks I’d start at 70/30 VG/PG and only move off it if something bothers you. On a pod, or if you’ve just come off cigarettes, push the PG up — 50/50 feels a lot more like dragging on a cigarette. There’s no perfect number here. It’s your device and your throat. Our PG vs VG guide digs into it properly.
Nicotine Strength — Get This One Right
This is the setting people get wrong most often. Too low and you’ll puff all day and still want a cigarette. Too high and it bites the back of your throat. A rough guide to start from:
- 20-a-day smoker: 12–20mg, usually nic salts
- 10–15 a day: 6–12mg
- Light or social smoker: 3–6mg
- Sub-ohm, chasing clouds: 3mg is plenty
Salts go down smoother at higher strengths, which is why pods lean on them. Freebase suits the lower strengths in bigger setups. Still not sure? We wrote a whole guide on picking the right nicotine strength.
How Much Flavor?
Less than you’d think, usually. Total flavoring lands somewhere between 5% and 20%, and I’d start around 10%. A single concentrate might only want 5–8%; a proper layered recipe can climb to 15–20%. Piling more in doesn’t make it taste stronger — past a point it just goes muddy or harsh, and you’ve wasted good concentrate. Mix it light, let it steep, tweak the next batch. The calculator keeps a running total as you add each flavor, so you can see where you’re at.
Weigh It, Don’t Measure It
You can use syringes. I gave up on them. VG is so thick it clings to the barrel and your ratios drift a little with every pour. A cheap digital scale is more accurate and far less hassle — just zero it between each ingredient. That’s the reason the calculator gives you grams alongside ml; it uses the standard densities (VG 1.261, PG 1.036, nicotine 1.01) so the weights actually line up.
A Quick Word on Safety
Nicotine isn’t something to be casual with.
- Gloves on, especially with stronger base.
- Mix somewhere clean and aired out, not next to your dinner.
- Label everything — strength, ratio, flavor, date. You will forget otherwise.
- Keep it well out of reach of kids and pets. That one’s non-negotiable.
And don’t mix a huge batch you can’t get through — juice does turn, so it’s worth knowing how long e-liquid stays fresh first. Once you land on a recipe you love, save it in the calculator so you’re not redoing the maths every time. Want something ready-made instead? Here are our best vape juices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What VG/PG ratio should I use?
For most sub-ohm tanks, 70% VG / 30% PG is the safe bet — smooth, plenty of cloud, and it works almost everywhere. If you’re on a pod system or you’ve recently switched from smoking, go higher PG like 50/50 for a firmer throat hit and sharper flavor. It really comes down to your device and how you like to vape.
How much flavoring should I add to e-liquid?
Usually 5% to 20% in total, and around 10% is a sensible place to start. A single flavor might only need 5–8%, while a layered mix can reach 15–20%. Go easy at first — too much flavor tastes harsh or muddy, not stronger. Mix light, let it steep, then adjust.
How do I calculate nicotine strength when mixing e-liquid?
Take your target strength, divide by your base strength, then multiply by your batch size. So a 30ml batch at 3mg/ml from a 20mg/ml base needs (3 ÷ 20) × 30 = 4.5ml of base. The calculator works it out for you so you don’t have to.
Should I mix e-liquid by weight or by volume?
By weight, if you can. A digital scale in grams beats syringes because thick VG sticks to the barrel and skews your measurements. The calculator shows both ml and grams, using the standard densities (VG 1.261, PG 1.036, nicotine 1.01 g/ml).
Is it cheaper to mix your own e-liquid?
Much cheaper. Buy your VG, PG, nicotine and concentrates in bulk and the per-bottle cost drops well below pre-made juice, especially if you vape every day. The base ingredients cost a bit up front, but they pay for themselves within a few batches.