The Cheapest Way to Vape After the Vape Tax (We Did the Maths)
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Since the vape tax started on 1 October, one question keeps coming up in the shop and in our inbox: "What's actually the cheapest way to vape now?"
Fair question. The tax is £2.20 per 10ml, plus VAT, so about £2.64 per 10ml. It's charged on the liquid, not the device. That means it hits each kind of vape very differently. So we sat down with a calculator and worked it out properly.
Short answer: a refillable kit with bottled e-liquid is still the cheapest way to vape, by a mile. Here's the working.
How we worked it out
We took four common ways to vape and worked out the cost per ml today and once the tax is added. Then we priced up a typical week at 20ml, which is about what a regular pod kit user gets through.
Prices are typical examples, not exact shelf prices. Some of them are our own multibuys, and brands vary. The tax figures are exact, though. They're the same everywhere.
The numbers
| Type | Example price | Per ml now | Per ml with tax | 20ml a week, with tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100ml shortfill + 2 nic shots | £3.33 (3 for £10) + about £1 a shot | 4p | 31p | £6.17 |
| 10ml nic salts | 99p (10 for £9.99) | 10p | 36p | £7.28 |
| Big puff refill (2ml + 10ml) | about £6.99 | 58p | 85p | £16.93 |
| Prefilled pod (2ml) | about £3 a pod | £1.50 | £1.76 | £35.28 |
Over a year at 20ml a week, that's roughly:
- Shortfills: about £320
- Nic salts: about £380
- Big puff refills: about £880
- Prefilled pods: about £1,835
Same amount of vaping, and a difference of over £1,500 a year between the cheapest and the dearest.
The bit that surprises people
In percentage terms, shortfills get hit the hardest. They go from about 4p per ml to about 31p. That's a massive jump, and it's why you'll see headlines about shortfill prices going up six or seven times.
Prefilled pods barely move. About 53p on a £3 pod, so under 20%.
So you might think pods are the "safe" option now. They're not. Pods were already so expensive per ml that a small rise on top still leaves them miles behind. Bottled liquid gets a big rise and is still five times cheaper.
A quick note on shortfills vs nic salts
The comparison above isn't completely fair, and we'd rather be upfront about it. Shortfills are usually vaped at 3mg in a sub-ohm kit, and sub-ohm vapers tend to get through a lot more liquid. Often 50ml a week or more, not 20.
So if you vape shortfills, your weekly bill after the tax is probably more like £15 than £6. If you're open to it, switching to a pod kit with nic salts can actually work out cheaper. You use far less liquid for the same nicotine. You do lose the big clouds, so it's not for everyone, but it's worth a try.
Don't forget the kit
A refillable kit costs money up front, usually £15 to £30. You'll also need a new coil or pod every week or two, which is a couple of quid. None of that is taxed, though. Even with coils thrown in, you'll make the money back in the first few weeks if you're coming from prefilled pods.
So what should you do?
If you're on prefilled pods or a big puff vape: have a look at a refillable starter kit. Honestly, this is the single biggest saving you can make, tax or no tax. Pair it with nic salts in the same flavours you already like. Most of the big pod brands do bottled versions.
If you're on nic salts: you're already doing it the cheap way. Pick up a few months' worth while we're still selling pre-tax stock.
If you're on shortfills: stock up now. This is where pre-tax stock saves you the most. Our 100ml shortfills are still 3 for £10, and the tax alone on three bottles would be close to £80 once they're duty-paid.
Not sure which kit would suit you? Send us a message with what you vape now and we'll point you at something. You can also use the calculator on our Vape Tax 2026 page to see what the tax means for your own habits.
The Absolute Vape team
Figures based on the Vaping Products Duty of £2.20 per 10ml plus 20% VAT, applied to typical UK prices as of October 2026. Real prices vary by brand and will change as pre-tax stock sells out.
