Every bottle of e-liquid and every prefilled pod is built on two base liquids: vegetable glycerine (VG) and propylene glycol (PG). Nicotine and flavouring get the attention, but VG and PG decide how the whole thing behaves in your mouth and throat. Get the VG and PG ratio wrong for your device and you get dry hits, a weak throat hit, or a vape that feels harsher than it should. Get it right and the same e-liquid tastes better and lasts longer in the coil.
This guide covers what VG and PG actually are and what each one does. It walks through the ratios you'll see on UK shelves and how this connects to the prefilled pod kits and nic salts most adult vapers now use. We'll also cover PG sensitivity honestly, since a small number of people do react to it.
What is the VG and PG ratio and which one should you use
VG (vegetable glycerine) is a thick, mildly sweet liquid that produces bigger vapour clouds and a smoother, softer throat hit. PG (propylene glycol) is thin and virtually flavourless, and it carries flavour more efficiently while producing a sharper throat hit closer to a cigarette. The VG and PG ratio is simply the proportion of each in a bottle of e-liquid, written as VG/PG, for example 50/50 or 70/30.
For most adult vapers using a mouth to lung (MTL) pod kit or a prefilled pod system, a 50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG ratio is the standard and the safest starting point. It wicks reliably through the small ports in pod coils, carries flavour well, and gives a throat hit closer to smoking. Higher VG ratios such as 70/30 or 80/20 are built for sub-ohm and direct to lung (DTL) tanks with larger wicking channels, where bigger clouds and a softer hit are the goal. If you're using a UK prefilled pod kit or nic salt, you're almost certainly already on a 50/50 or 60/40 blend, and that's by design, not by accident.
What is VG in a vape juice VG and PG ratio
VG stands for vegetable glycerine, a clear, thick, mildly sweet liquid derived from plant oils, usually palm, soy or coconut. It's the same substance used in food, cosmetics and some medicines, one reason it's considered a workable base for inhalable products. In a vape juice, VG's job is mostly physical. Because it's viscous, it needs more heat to turn into vapour, and that heat produces bigger, denser clouds.
VG also softens the inhale. A high VG e-liquid feels smoother on the throat than a high PG one at the same nicotine strength, which is why cloud chasers and sub-ohm vapers who want big, soft-feeling vapour tend to run high VG blends, often 70/30 or 80/20 VG/PG. The trade-off is that VG doesn't carry flavour as cleanly as PG. Flavouring compounds dissolve and travel better in a thinner liquid, so pure high VG juices can taste slightly muted compared with a balanced blend, even when the flavour concentration is identical.
There's a practical side too. VG's thickness means it needs a coil with wider wicking channels to keep up, otherwise the cotton dries out faster than the liquid can replace it. That point matters more than most beginners realise, and we'll come back to it in the coil life section below.
What is PG in a vape juice VG and PG ratio
PG stands for propylene glycol, a thin, colourless, essentially odourless and flavourless liquid. It's used widely outside vaping too, in asthma inhalers, food flavourings, and fog machines at gigs and theatres, which again is part of why it was an early choice for e-liquid formulation. In a vape juice, PG is the main flavour carrier. Its thin consistency lets it dissolve flavouring compounds evenly and deliver them efficiently when heated, so PG-heavy or balanced e-liquids tend to taste sharper and truer to the flavour concept on the label.
PG is also what gives you that throat hit, the slight scratch at the back of the throat that many ex-smokers specifically look for because it echoes the sensation of a cigarette. A 100% PG or PG-dominant liquid produces a stronger, sharper hit than the same nicotine strength in a high VG blend. This is one reason PG-heavy or balanced ratios are common in MTL setups aimed at people switching from smoking, where that throat hit is part of the appeal rather than something to avoid.
Because PG is thin, it wicks fast through small coil ports, which is exactly what a pod kit coil needs. It also produces less vapour than VG at the same power, which suits MTL vaping, where you're drawing a smaller volume of vapour into the mouth first rather than straight to the lungs.
How VG and PG ratio changes throat hit, flavour and vapour
Put simply, the VG and PG ratio is a set of trade-offs, not a single "better or worse" scale. Every point you move toward PG, you generally gain throat hit and flavour clarity and lose some cloud volume. Every point you move toward VG, you gain vapour and smoothness and lose some flavour sharpness and throat hit strength.
Throat hit isn't only about PG. Nicotine strength and whether the nicotine is freebase or salt-based both change how harsh or smooth a vape feels, and we'll unpack that later. But at a fixed nicotine strength, PG will always hit the throat harder than VG. That part of the equation is consistent across devices and brands.
Flavour perception is more device-dependent than people expect. A 50/50 e-liquid in a low-wattage MTL pod kit can taste more vivid than a 70/30 in a high-power sub-ohm tank, purely because coil, airflow and wattage all change how flavour compounds release. When someone says "PG tastes better", what they usually mean is that a thinner liquid vaporises more evenly at lower power, not that PG has some inherent flavour advantage.
Vapour volume is the most visually obvious difference. Two identical devices, same wattage, one loaded with 50/50 and one with 80/20 VG/PG, will produce noticeably different cloud sizes. The 80/20 looks like the vape you see exhaled in slow motion on social media. The 50/50 looks closer to a normal exhale, which is generally what MTL and pod kit users want, since large clouds aren't the point of a discreet, pocket-sized device.
Common VG and PG ratios in the UK vape market
You'll see four ratios repeatedly on UK shelves and in prefilled pods: 50/50, 60/40, 70/30 and 80/20, usually written as VG/PG, though a few brands write it the other way round, so it's worth checking.
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50/50 VG/P:.
The most balanced option and the default for nic salts and most prefilled pod kits sold in the UK. It wicks reliably in small pod coils and carries flavour cleanly, with a firm throat hit and no excessive vapour. If you're moving from smoking or from disposables, this is very likely what you're already vaping, whether you knew the ratio or not.
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60/40 VG/PG:
A slightly softer step up, still MTL-friendly, still fine in most pod coils rated 0.8 to 1.2 ohm, with a touch more vapour and a marginally smoother hit than 50/50. Some prefilled pod brands use this instead of straight 50/50 to round off the throat hit a little without moving into sub-ohm territory.
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70/30 VG/PG:
This is where things start needing a lower resistance coil, typically 0.4 to 0.6 ohm, and more airflow. Flavour is still reasonably strong but vapour output climbs noticeably. This ratio sits in the crossover zone between MTL and restricted DTL vaping, and it's less common in prefilled UK pod systems, more common in refillable e-liquid bottles aimed at intermediate users.
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80/20 VG/P:
Built for sub-ohm coils below 0.4 ohm and genuine DTL tanks. Maximum cloud, softest throat hit, and because TPD rules cap nicotine-containing e-liquid at 20mg/ml regardless of ratio, high VG juices are almost always sold at lower nicotine strengths (3mg or 6mg) since a strong hit at high VG with a big lungful of vapour would deliver far more nicotine per puff than the same strength in a small MTL draw.
Ratios like 100% VG or 90/10 exist but stay a minority interest, mostly used by DIY mixers or people with a specific PG sensitivity, and need very particular hardware to wick properly.
VG and PG ratio vs device type: MTL pod kits and sub ohm compared
The clearest way to think about VG and PG ratio is to match it to how the device is built to be used, not the other way round.
MTL pod kits, the kind most adult UK vapers now use since disposables were banned, draw vapour into the mouth first before you inhale it to the lungs, similar to drawing on a cigarette. These devices use higher resistance coils, usually 0.8 ohm and above, with narrow airflow and small wicking ports, built around 50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG. Push a thick 80/20 through one of these coils and the wicking channels can't feed the cotton fast enough, which leads to dry, burnt-tasting hits within days.
Sub-ohm and DTL devices work the opposite way. You draw vapour straight to the lungs in one motion, using low resistance coils below 0.6 ohm, wide airflow, and large wicking ports built to handle thick liquid, matched to 70/30 or 80/20 VG/PG. Run a thin 50/50 through a sub-ohm coil at high wattage and you risk flooding and a wet, gurgling vape, because the coil pulls liquid faster than a thin PG-heavy mix can be metered through ports designed for something thicker.
Neither type of device is "better," they're built for different goals. MTL suits people who want a cigarette-like habit and discreet vapour, which covers most adult smokers switching over and most disposable vape users moving to a reusable pod kit. Sub-ohm suits people chasing big clouds and softer hits, generally more experienced vapers.
Why UK nic salts and prefilled pods stick to balanced VG and PG ratios
If you've picked up a prefilled pod kit or a bottle of nic salt e-liquid in the UK, the odds are strong it's 50/50 or close to it. That's not marketing convention, it's a hardware and chemistry decision working together.
Prefilled pods use small, fixed coils, usually mesh, sealed inside a plastic pod with narrow wicking channels, because the whole pod has to stay compact enough to fit a slim device. A thick, high VG liquid can't wick fast enough through those channels, so brands stick to 50/50 or 60/40 to keep the pod performing consistently from first puff to last.
Nic salt e-liquid adds a second reason. Nicotine salts, formed by combining nicotine with an acid such as benzoic acid, absorb faster and feel smoother at higher strengths than the same strength of freebase nicotine. That's what makes 10mg and 20mg nic salts tolerable in a way 20mg freebase generally isn't. Because nic salts are usually vaped at higher strengths in low-power MTL devices, manufacturers pair them with balanced VG/PG ratios that keep flavour and throat hit consistent at low wattage, where a high VG liquid would struggle to vaporise properly. For more on how salts and freebase differ, see our piece on nic salts vs freebase nicotine.
There's also a practical shelf-life angle. Balanced ratios in sealed 2ml pods, the maximum capacity permitted under UK TPD rules, tend to stay stable and wick evenly for the pod's usable life, which is generally measured in days rather than weeks. Our guide to the 2ml and 10ml vape system in the UK explains why that capacity limit exists and how it shapes prefilled pod design more broadly.
VG and PG ratio and coil life: wicking, gunk and dry hits
Coil life is where VG and PG ratio stops being theoretical and starts costing you money, because the wrong ratio for your coil shortens how long it lasts before flavour drops off or the vape tastes burnt.
The mechanism is straightforward. A coil's wick, usually cotton, has to stay saturated with liquid to cool the heating element and carry flavour to the vapour. If the liquid is too thick for the wick's port size, the cotton can't resaturate fast enough between puffs, and you get dry hits, that harsh, burnt taste that ruins a pod or coil almost instantly. This is why an 80/20 VG/PG liquid in a 1.2 ohm MTL pod coil will often taste burnt within a day or two, even though the same liquid would run fine in a sub-ohm tank.
Go the other way and thin, high PG liquid in a wide-port sub-ohm coil can flood the coil, since the thin liquid pools faster than it vaporises, leading to gurgling, leaking, and liquid pulling straight into the mouth rather than as vapour. Neither failure is really about the coil being "bad." It's a mismatch between viscosity and port size.
There's also a slower, cumulative effect. VG, being sugar-derived, tends to leave more residue on a coil over repeated heating cycles than PG does, sometimes described as coil gunking or caramelisation. High VG users running higher wattages often notice coils needing replacement sooner than MTL users on balanced ratios, purely from residue building up on the mesh. This is a well-established pattern reported by vapers and retailers rather than a single controlled study, so treat it as a rule of thumb. If your coils are lasting a shorter time than expected, our guide on how mesh coil technology works in modern pod kits covers construction and lifespan in more detail.
VG and PG ratio, nicotine strength and nic salt vs freebase nicotine
VG and PG ratio and nicotine strength are separate variables, but they interact in ways worth understanding before you buy.
Nicotine strength is the mg/ml figure on the bottle, capped at 20mg/ml under UK TPD rules regardless of VG/PG ratio. Nicotine type, salt or freebase, is a separate chemical choice that affects how harsh or smooth that strength feels. VG/PG ratio is a third, separate variable affecting throat hit, flavour and vapour, on top of whatever the nicotine is doing.
Here's where it gets practical. A 20mg nic salt in a 50/50 blend, vaped through a low-wattage MTL pod, feels smooth because the salt formulation reduces harshness at high strength and the balanced ratio matches the low-power coil correctly. Put that same 20mg strength into a freebase, high VG e-liquid and vape it through a sub-ohm tank at high wattage, and it would likely be unpleasantly harsh, which is exactly why UK regulations and common sense both push high VG, sub-ohm-friendly liquids toward lower nicotine strengths, typically 3mg or 6mg.
So the ratio doesn't directly change how much nicotine you absorb, but it does shape how much vapour you draw in per puff, and vapour volume affects how quickly nicotine reaches you. A big lungful of 80/20 vapour at 6mg can deliver a comparable nicotine hit to a small MTL draw of 50/50 at 20mg, just delivered differently. If you're still working out what strength suits you, our full guide to nicotine strength in the UK walks through the maths in more detail, and our nicotine strength guide page is worth bookmarking as a quick reference.
PG sensitivity and allergy: what the VG and PG ratio can't fix
Most people vape PG-containing e-liquid without any issue, but a genuine minority don't tolerate it well, and it's worth being straight about that.
Reported symptoms range from mild to more noticeable. Milder sensitivity, described in industry sources as affecting somewhere around one in ten vapers to a lesser degree, shows up as a sore or dry throat, a persistent cough, or general airway irritation, usually within the first few uses of a new e-liquid. Less commonly, some vapers report chest tightness or headaches, though those can have other causes too, including dehydration, so they're harder to pin on PG specifically. True allergic-type reactions, such as rashes, hives, or burning around the mouth and nose, are reported far less often, cited by industry sources at around 2% of vapers. Severe sensitivity affecting daily comfort is estimated at roughly 1 to 2 people per 100.
If you suspect you're sensitive to PG, the usual first step people try is switching to a higher VG e-liquid, ideally 80/20 or above, since that reduces the proportion of PG significantly. Industry reporting cited at around 38% in one source suggests a meaningful share of people who try this find it resolves their symptoms, though tolerance varies and there's no guarantee. A small number of brands also offer PG-free formulations for people who don't tolerate PG at all.
None of this is medical advice, and this article can't diagnose what's causing any symptom you're experiencing. If you get persistent throat irritation, chest tightness, or any reaction that doesn't settle down after switching ratios, or if symptoms are severe, the sensible move is to stop using the product and speak to a pharmacist or GP rather than guessing. This is exactly the kind of "needs confirmation with a professional" situation no ratio chart can resolve for you.
VG and PG ratio in Vape Desires' prefilled pod kits and nic salt range
If you're browsing our prefilled pod kits or our nic salt e-liquids, you're looking at products built around MTL-friendly, coil-safe ratios rather than cloud-chasing high VG blends. That's consistent with the market pattern this article has laid out: pod hardware needs a thinner, balanced liquid to wick properly, and nic salts are formulated to be smooth at the higher strengths MTL vapers tend to prefer.
The exact VG/PG split varies by brand and product line, and we won't guess a precise figure for every SKU, since manufacturers do occasionally adjust formulations. Where a ratio isn't stated clearly on a product page, that needs confirmation with the manufacturer's current spec sheet rather than assumption, even though 50/50 or 60/40 is the likely answer for most of our prefilled pod and nic salt range.
Our Ultimate Salts range and wider e-liquid collection follow the same logic: products aimed at MTL pod users are kept at ratios that won't gunk up a small coil early or leave you with a weak throat hit. If you've recently switched from a disposable and you're not sure which prefilled pod kit fits your old habit, our disposable vape alternatives guide is a good next stop, since device choice matters just as much as ratio once you've settled on MTL as your style.
Troubleshooting VG and PG ratio issues: harsh throat, weak hit, gunky coil
A few common complaints trace straight back to a VG/PG ratio and device mismatch, and it's quicker to check the ratio than to assume the device is faulty.
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Vape feels harsher than expected:
Usually too much PG for the nicotine strength you're using, or a strength that's simply too high for you. Try a lower strength first, and if harshness persists, a higher VG blend, or checking whether you're on freebase rather than salt nicotine, is the next step.
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Throat hit feels weak or non-existent:
The opposite problem, often caused by too high a VG ratio for an MTL device, or a strength too low for your habit. A 50/50 or 60/40 nic salt at a slightly higher strength usually restores the hit ex-smokers are looking for.
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Coil tastes burnt within a day or two
Almost always a viscosity and port size mismatch, meaning the liquid is thicker than the coil can wick. Confirm the ratio matches the coil's resistance range, and check chain vaping or excessive wattage isn't outpacing the wick too.
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Vape gurgles or leaks:
More common with high VG liquid in a low-resistance coil, or any liquid in a coil flooded from over-filling or vaping straight after a refill. Give it a minute to saturate properly before pulling hard on the device.
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Flavour tastes muted compared to befor:.
Could be a coil nearing the end of its life, temperature changes affecting a high VG liquid's thickness, or simply vaper's tongue, a temporary flavour fatigue some people get with a flavour they vape constantly. Switching flavours for a few days sometimes resets it.
VG and PG ratio FAQs
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What is VG in a VG and PG ratio blend?
VG is vegetable glycerine, a thick, slightly sweet plant-derived liquid that produces bigger vapour and a smoother throat hit. It carries flavour less efficiently than PG on its own, which is why pure VG e-liquids are less common than blended ones.
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What is PG in a VG and PG ratio blend?
PG is propylene glycol, a thin, flavourless liquid that carries flavour efficiently and produces a sharper throat hit. It's the main reason MTL and pod kit e-liquids include a meaningful PG percentage rather than going pure VG.
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What VG and PG ratio is best for beginners?
For most adult smokers switching over or vapers moving off disposables, 50/50 is the standard starting point, since it matches MTL pod kit coils and gives a throat hit closer to smoking. It's also what most prefilled pods and nic salts already come in, so beginners are usually on the right ratio without having to choose it themselves.
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Why does my vape feel harsh, and does the VG and PG ratio matter?
Ratio plays a part, since PG-heavy liquid hits the throat harder, but nicotine strength and nicotine type (salt vs freebase) usually matter more. If a vape feels too harsh, check the nicotine strength before assuming the ratio is the problem.
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Can I be allergic to PG in a VG and PG e-liquid?
A small minority of people are sensitive or, less commonly, allergic to PG, with symptoms ranging from throat irritation to, rarely, skin reactions. Switching to a higher VG ratio helps some people, but persistent or severe symptoms should be checked by a pharmacist or GP rather than self-diagnosed.
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What VG and PG ratio do UK prefilled pods use?
Most UK prefilled pod kits and nic salts sit at 50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG because pod coils have narrow wicking channels that need thinner liquid to work reliably. Exact figures vary by brand and product, and where it isn't stated on the listing, treat it as needing confirmation from the manufacturer's spec sheet.
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Does the VG and PG ratio affect nicotine strength?
Not directly, since nicotine strength is a separate figure capped at 20mg/ml under UK TPD rules. But ratio affects vapour volume per puff, and vapour volume affects how much nicotine you draw in, which is why high VG liquids are usually sold at lower strengths and MTL nic salts at higher ones.
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Is high VG or high PG better for flavour?
Neither is straightforwardly "better." PG carries flavour compounds more efficiently on paper, but real-world flavour perception depends heavily on the device, coil and wattage too. A well-matched 50/50 in an MTL pod kit can taste more vivid than an unmatched high VG liquid struggling in the wrong coil.
VG and PG ratio: compliance and safety for adult vapers
This guide is for adult vapers aged 18 and over. Vape products sold in the UK, including e-liquid and prefilled pods regardless of VG/PG ratio, are restricted to nicotine strengths of no more than 20mg/ml, tank and pod capacities of no more than 2ml, and nicotine-containing e-liquid bottle sizes of no more than 10ml, under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations. Nicotine-containing products must also be notified to the MHRA before sale. Nicotine is addictive, and vape products are intended for existing adult smokers and vapers, not as a guaranteed method to stop smoking. Nothing in this article should be read as a medical claim.
Reusable vape products, including refillable and prefilled pod kits, remain legal in the UK. Single-use disposable vapes are banned. Always use e-liquid and pods compatible with your specific device, since running the wrong ratio through the wrong coil isn't just a performance issue, it can affect how safely the coil operates. Charge devices only with a suitable USB power source, keep e-liquid and devices away from children and pets, and recycle pods, coils and batteries properly rather than through general waste, since they contain lithium batteries and residual e-liquid.
Where a specific compliance detail for an individual product isn't confirmed on the product listing, that detail should be confirmed with the supplier or checked against MHRA notification records before you rely on it. General questions about age verification, delivery and returns are covered on our FAQs page, separate from the product-specific ratio questions answered above.
