3 min read
PG/VG explained
Why the ratio on the bottle changes flavour, vapour and how long your coils last.
01Two carriers, two jobs
Propylene glycol (PG) is thin, carries flavour well and produces a firmer throat hit. Vegetable glycerine (VG) is thick, slightly sweet, and produces far more visible vapour.
Every e-liquid is a blend of the two, written as a ratio: 50/50 means equal parts, 30/70 means 30% PG and 70% VG.
02Matching ratio to coil
A 50/50 liquid is thin enough to wick reliably through the small openings of a high-resistance MTL coil. Put a thick 70% VG liquid through the same coil and it will struggle to keep up, which is what produces a burnt taste.
Sub-ohm coils have much larger wicking ports and are built for thicker liquid. A 70/30 or Max VG shortfill is the right choice there.
03The short version
Pod kit or MTL tank: choose 50/50. Sub-ohm tank or mod: choose 30/70 or higher VG.
If a liquid tastes muted, more PG will help. If you want more vapour, more VG will. Coil life is mostly a wicking problem, and wicking is mostly a ratio problem.