What Nicotine Strength Should a Beginner Use?

Getting your nicotine strength right is the difference between happily leaving cigarettes behind and giving up after a week. Too low and the cravings win; too high and every puff feels harsh. This guide makes the choice simple.

This is for adult smokers and ex-smokers looking to switch. If you don't smoke, you shouldn't start vaping.

How nicotine strength is measured

You'll see strength written two ways, and they mean the same thing:

• mg/ml (milligrams per millilitre), e.g. 10mg or 20mg.

• Percentage, e.g. 1.0% or 2.0%.

The conversion is easy: 10mg = 1.0%, 20mg = 2.0%. In the UK, the legal maximum for nicotine e-liquid is 20mg (2.0%).

Match the strength to your habit

A good starting point is how much you currently smoke:

• A pack a day (20+): start at 20mg nic salt.

• Around 10 to 20 a day: start at 10 to 20mg.

• Under 10 a day, or a social smoker: 5 to 10mg is usually plenty.

These are starting points. The real test is the first few days — read on.

Salts vs freebase changes the answer

The same number feels very different depending on the type of liquid. Nic salts are smooth even at 20mg, which is why they suit switchers. Freebase nicotine gives a harsher throat hit, so the same 20mg would feel rough — freebase is normally used at lower strengths (3 to 6mg) in bigger devices. We explain why in Nic salt vs freebase explained.

For a beginner on a small MTL or pod kit, nic salts are almost always the right call.

How to know if you've got it wrong

Your body will tell you within a day or two:

• Still craving cigarettes, feeling unsatisfied? Your strength is too low — step up.

• Harsh, coughy, headachey or slightly queasy? Too high — step down.

• Calm, satisfied, not reaching for a cigarette? You've nailed it.

It's worth keeping two strengths to hand at first so you can dial it in without a second shopping trip.

Stepping down over time

One of the quiet advantages of vaping is control. Once you're comfortably off cigarettes, many people gradually reduce their strength — 20mg to 10mg, then lower — over months, not days. There's no rush, and there's no need to chase zero unless you want to.

The bottom line

Start by matching your strength to your smoking habit, use nic salts on a small kit, and adjust within the first few days based on how you feel. If you're still choosing your device, our Beginner's Guide to Switching walks through the whole setup.