When you buy just about any pre-filled vape today – whether it’s a disposable vape or a device with pre-filled pods – you’re going to see “nicotine salt” somewhere on the box or on the list of ingredients. That’s a stark difference from cigarettes – which don’t list their ingredients at all – and nicotine replacement products, which typically use a different form of nicotine called nicotine polacrilex. So, what is nicotine salt, and why does it matter?
Here are the five key takeaways that you need to know.
- There are two types of nicotine used for vapes: freebase nicotine and nicotine salt. Learn more about salt nic juice vs. regular.
- Nicotine salt is an extracted or lab-created nicotine to which an acid has been added. The acid reduces the nicotine’s alkalinity.
- Because of the reduced alkalinity, nicotine salt is less bitter and harsh in the throat compared to freebase nicotine.
- This makes it possible to create e-liquids that have very high nicotine strengths but are still pleasant to use.
- Virtually all pre-filled vapes with high nicotine strengths use nicotine salt.
Let’s dig in and learn more.
Why Do Nicotine Salt Vapes Exist?
Nicotine salt e-liquid was invented in the mid-2010s. The reason why it was needed was because although many former smokers had already switched to vaping at that point, there were many others who had tried to switch but weren’t successful. That’s because:
- People typically want to use small, simple devices when they’re first switching to vaping.
- A small vape generates small clouds, so it needs to have a high nicotine strength in order to satisfy like a cigarette. Studies have determined that the appropriate strength for a vape of this type is about 50 mg/ml.
- Freebase nicotine e-liquid – which was all that was available before nicotine salt e-liquid – is only pleasant to use up to a maximum strength of about 18 mg/ml. Above that strength, people tend to experience harshness and throat irritation.
The reason why freebase nicotine causes throat irritation at high strengths is because of its alkalinity, and nicotine salt e-liquid resolves that issue because the added acid gives it a more neutral pH. Nicotine salt makes it possible for small vapes to reach the target strength of 50 mg/ml without the harshness, and millions more people have switched to vaping as a result.
Is Nicotine Salt Better than Freebase Nicotine?
Nicotine salt isn’t better than freebase nicotine – it’s just a different type, and it’s more appropriate than freebase nicotine for certain vaping scenarios. If you prefer smaller vaping devices like disposable vapes and many pod systems, chances are that you’ll be happiest if you use nicotine salt. With larger pod mods and vape mods, though, freebase nicotine is usually the right choice.
How Can You Tell if a Vape or E-Liquid Uses Nicotine Salt or Freebase?
When you buy bottled vape juice, it’s very easy to know what you’re getting because an e-liquid containing nicotine salt will always say so on the bottle. You can get a good idea of what you’re looking for by browsing the e-liquid offered on this site.
- Browse our selection of freebase nicotine e-liquid now.
- Browse our selection of nicotine salt e-liquid now.
In addition to having the word “Salt” somewhere on the vape juice’s label, you’ll also notice that nicotine salt e-liquid tends to be sold in much smaller bottle sizes. The typical bottle size for nic salt juice is 30 ml. Vape juice with freebase nicotine, on the other hand, is usually offered in sizes of 60 ml and larger.
There’s also a clear separation in nicotine strengths between nicotine salt and freebase nicotine e-liquid. If vape juice uses freebase nicotine, it’ll probably have a strength of 3 or 6 mg/ml. If it contains nicotine salt, the strength will be much higher. Nic salt vape juice usually ranges in strength from 20 to 50 mg/ml.
With pre-filled vapes, on the other hand, the type of nicotine often won’t be stated on the package because you can almost always assume you’re getting nicotine salt. We’ll explain that next.
With Pre-Filled Vapes, the Choice Between Nicotine Salt vs. Freebase Is Made for You
One of the reasons why so many people enjoy using pre-filled devices like disposable vapes is because of their convenience. Pre-filled vapes are convenient partially because they’re easy to use and require very little maintenance, and they’re also convenient because you don’t have to worry about little details like the type of nicotine that’s in the device – you just choose the flavor.
Virtually all of the disposable vapes and other pre-filled vapes on the market use nicotine salt, and that’s because they have high nicotine strengths. The most common nicotine strength for disposable vapes is 50 mg/ml. Although “low-nicotine” disposable vapes do exist, they typically have a strength around 20 mg/ml – which is still above the 18 mg/ml threshold described above.
Disposable vapes are definitely getting bigger and more powerful as time goes by, though, and it’s possible that there will one day be a demand for vapes with very low nicotine strengths in the 3-6 mg/ml range. If that happens, disposable vapes with freebase nicotine may become a thing.
For now, though, you can expect to get nicotine salt every time you buy a disposable vape.
With Refillable Vapes, Choose Your Nicotine Type Based on Your Device’s Size
If you have a refillable vape, you’ll need to choose your own e-liquid – and that involves choosing both the flavor and the nicotine strength. Obviously, when one type of e-liquid has a maximum strength of 6 mg/ml – and the other type starts at 20 mg/ml – you’ll be in for a pretty bad experience if you pick the wrong type of nicotine.
If you’re switching from disposables to a refillable device, you probably already have an idea of what you need. If this is your first vape, though, you might need a little advice – and we’re going to help you with that here.
It all comes down to the size of your device. The smaller your vape is, the higher your nicotine strength needs to be in order for you to have a satisfying experience.
- The smallest refillable vapes are typically pod systems. Devices like the Voopoo Vrizz and the Ply Rock x Limitless Mod Co Pulse fall into this category. They’re designed to produce smaller clouds and will typically work best with nicotine salt.
- Larger refillable vapes like pod mods and vape mods are designed to produce larger clouds, and they’ll typically work best with freebase nicotine. Some of the devices in this category include the Geekvape Aegis Solo 3 and the Vaporesso Armour G.
Still not sure what type of nicotine your device needs? Look at the size of the mouthpiece and airflow vents. If your vape has a mouthpiece that’s small like a cigarette filter – and it has a single small air intake adjustable with a sliding tab – it’s probably designed for nicotine salt. Vapes with large mouthpieces and big intake vents are designed for freebase nicotine.
Is Nicotine Salt More Satisfying Than Freebase Nicotine?
Nicotine salt isn’t inherently more satisfying and doesn’t provide a stronger nicotine hit than freebase nicotine. In fact, freebase nicotine is the type that’s more readily absorbed by the body, but that's not particularly important given the vast difference in nicotine strengths between these types of vape juice.
These are the two primary factors that influence how much nicotine you get per puff when you vape.
- The nicotine strength of the e-liquid. When you see a strength like 50 mg/ml, it means that the e-liquid contains 50 mg of nicotine per ml.
- The volume of vapor that your device produces per puff. Inhaling a bigger cloud means that you’re inhaling more e-liquid, which naturally means you’ll get more nicotine.
Because the volume of vapor per puff is such an important factor in nicotine absorption from vaping, there’s no need to worry that you’ll have an unsatisfying experience with a lower nicotine strength in the range of 3-6 mg/ml as long as you’re using a vaping device designed for freebase nicotine. Modern vape mods and pod mods produce such large clouds that they essentially cancel out the difference in nicotine strength.
How to Tell if You’re Using the Wrong Type of Nicotine
Let’s suppose that you’ve already bought your first vape and bottle of e-liquid, and you’re concerned that the type of nicotine you’ve purchased might not be right for you. As we bring this guide to a close, let’s discuss how you can tell if you’re using the wrong type of nicotine for your needs. Ultimately, it all comes down to nicotine strength.
- If you’re getting too little nicotine, you’ll find it virtually impossible to switch to vaping successfully because you won’t feel satisfied even if you vape constantly.
- If you’re getting too much nicotine, you might not be able to vape at all because you’ll find the experience completely unpleasant. You’ll probably experience an overwhelming level of throat hit that makes you cough.