Strength labels are the least helpful thing on a vape box. A number in milligrams per millilitre tells you the concentration of a liquid, not what you will absorb, and it says nothing at all about how much vapour a device produces per puff. The question people actually mean is: I smoke this much, what should I buy? This guide answers that in a way you can act on, and then explains why the first answer is only a starting point.
Why "20 mg" is not a dose
Two facts have to be separated before any comparison makes sense.
- Concentration is what the label states: 20 mg/mL, or 2 %. It describes the liquid.
- Dose is what you absorb, and it depends on how much vapour you draw per puff, how long each puff is, how many you take, and how efficiently your body takes the nicotine up.
A 20 mg/mL device used in short sips and the same 20 mg/mL device used in long, continuous draws are not the same experience, even though the box is identical. This is why the honest answer to "what strength for a pack a day" is a starting point rather than a prescription. Our absorption guide goes through the mechanics, and the strength guide covers how the available levels compare with each other.
A workable starting point
The table below uses one rough anchor: a typical cigarette delivers something in the region of 1 to 2 mg of nicotine to the smoker, and a typical puff on a 20 mg/mL disposable delivers a fraction of that — very roughly in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 mg absorbed, depending on device and draw. Treat these as starting points to adjust from, not as conversions.
| What you smoked | Reasonable starting strength | What to watch in the first week |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 a day | 10 mg/mL (1 %) or 0 mg if the habit is mostly the hand-to-mouth part | Whether you find yourself vaping constantly — if so, the strength is probably too low and the ritual is doing most of the work |
| 5–15 a day | 10–20 mg/mL (1–2 %) | Whether you feel satisfied after a few puffs or keep chasing the feeling |
| 15–25 a day | 20 mg/mL (2 %) — the EU maximum | Whether the first puff of the morning feels harsh or light-headed |
| 25+ a day | 20 mg/mL (2 %), used more often rather than stronger | Whether frequency alone closes the gap; if it does, do not look for a stronger liquid, because in the EU there is not one |
Note the direction of the last row. In the EU the ceiling is 20 mg/mL for nicotine-containing liquids, so a heavy smoker cannot buy their way past the cap. What changes at that point is how much vapour, how often — not the concentration.
The EU cap, and why it exists
Nicotine-containing e-liquids sold in the EU are limited to 20 mg/mL, refill containers to 10 mL, and tanks and cartridges to 2 mL of capacity. Those are product rules, and they apply regardless of what a device claims on its packaging. Where a product is advertised at a higher concentration, that product is not intended for the EU market — which is worth knowing when a listing looks unusually strong. The TPD explainer for Germany sets out the limits in full.
Practically, this means the highest-strength disposables sold here are all at the same ceiling. Differences between them come from device design — airflow, coil, flavour intensity — not from their nicotine number.
Salt or freebase changes the experience, not the number
Two liquids can both be labelled 20 mg/mL and feel nothing alike. Nicotine salt liquids are smoother at high concentrations, which is why they dominate disposables; freebase liquids have more throat hit at the same strength. If a strength feels right in one type and wrong in the other, the variable you changed was the chemistry, not the dose. The freebase versus salts comparison covers the difference properly.
Reading your own signals in the first week
Self-assessment beats any table, because you have information the table does not. Two sets of signals matter.
Signs the strength is too high
- The first puff of the day produces a head rush or a light, floaty feeling.
- You feel slightly nauseous, or lose your appetite, after vaping.
- You vape much less often than you smoked, because you do not want more.
- You get a headache or a restless, jittery feeling in the evening.
Signs the strength is too low
- You finish a device far faster than expected and still feel unsatisfied.
- You vape almost continuously and never get the "done" signal that ended a cigarette.
- You find yourself thinking about cigarettes rather than the device.
The wrong conclusion from the second list is to jump two levels. The right move is one step at a time, and often it is not the strength at all — it is the draw. Longer, slower draws from a device deliver more nicotine per puff without changing the label. The first-week expectations are covered in our switching guide.
If you want to end up at zero
Strength is also a dial you can turn deliberately, and doing it in the right order matters more than doing it quickly. The pattern that works for most people is to hold the frequency steady and reduce the concentration, rather than the other way around, because reducing frequency first is what causes the relapse. Our step-down plan sets out a schedule, tolerance explains why the target moves, and the 0 mg guide covers what a zero-nicotine product does and does not do for the habit. If you would rather remove the nicotine first and keep the ritual intact, our nicotine-free range is where to start.
Frequently asked questions
I smoked 20 a day — is 20 mg too strong for me?
Not necessarily, but it is at the top of the legal range, and some people at 20 cigarettes a day do better at 10 mg with more frequent use. Start at 20 mg only if you were a heavy, frequent smoker; otherwise begin at 10 mg and move up if you find yourself unsatisfied.
Can I mix strengths?
With refillable systems, yes — that is the standard way to fine-tune without buying new bottles. With sealed disposables, you cannot, which is one reason a refillable pod system is often the better choice if you intend to adjust.
Is a higher strength cheaper per puff?
Usually, because you take fewer puffs to reach the same point. That arithmetic is worked through in our cost-per-puff comparison.
Does the puff count on the box tell me anything about strength?
No. Puff counts describe capacity, not nicotine delivery, and they are measured under test conditions that are generous compared with real use. The puff count explainer covers how far the published number is from reality.
I feel nothing at 20 mg. Should I look for something stronger?
There is nothing stronger lawfully sold in the EU — our 2 % nicotine range sits at that ceiling. Change the draw and the frequency instead, and if that still does not work, the issue is more likely the device than the liquid.
For adults aged 18 and over. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance. This article is general information, not medical advice.
