Walk into any vape shop in Toronto and the e-liquid wall can be bewildering: row after row of 30 mL bottles, most of them in either 10 mg/mL or 20 mg/mL nicotine salt. Both strengths are legal in Canada — 20 mg/mL is the federal cap — but they are not interchangeable. This guide explains what nicotine salt e-liquid is, how the two strengths differ in practice, and which one fits your setup.
What nicotine salt e-liquid is
Nicotine salt (often shortened to nic salt) is a formulation of nicotine that stays smooth at higher strengths. That smoothness is why it dominates the bottled e-liquid market for refillable pod systems: a 20 mg/mL salt feels considerably less harsh than 20 mg/mL of older freebase nicotine would. Almost all bottled salts in Canada come in 30 mL bottles, and they are designed for low-wattage pod devices — not high-powered sub-ohm tanks, where the same strength would be overwhelming.
10 mg/mL vs 20 mg/mL: the practical differences
- 20 mg/mL is the standard strength for bottled nic salts in Canada, and the widest selection lives here. Dinner Lady 30 mL in 20 mg, Banana Bang salt 20 mg, and Drip'n 20 mg are typical examples. If you use a low-wattage pod system and want the full-strength option the market is built around, this is it.
- 10 mg/mL is the lighter option — half the nicotine per puff. We carry it in lines like Flavour Beast salt 10 mg/30 mL and Salted OMC salt 10 mg/30 mL. It suits vapers who find 20 mg too strong, prefer a gentler throat hit, or simply want less nicotine in each puff while keeping the same flavours and device.
Browse the full e-liquids category to compare strengths across brands.
How to choose between them
Start with your device. Nic salts belong in refillable pod systems — small, low-wattage devices with higher-resistance coils. If that is your setup, the choice between 10 and 20 mg comes down to preference and tolerance, not hardware.
A few factual considerations:
- Throat hit: 20 mg delivers a firmer throat hit than 10 mg in the same device. If 20 mg feels harsh, 10 mg is the straightforward fix — no device change required.
- Consumption: lower strength often means slightly more frequent puffing to reach the same satisfaction. Neither is more economical in any absolute sense; it depends on your habits.
- Flavour selection: 20 mg has the broadest flavour range on most shelves, including ours. The 10 mg shelf is smaller but growing — Flavour Beast and Salted are two lines that stock it.
- Flavour accuracy: both strengths use the same flavourings, so a flavour you like at 20 mg tastes the same at 10 mg, just with less throat hit.
What about freebase?
You will also see freebase e-liquids on our shelves — typically 3 mg or 6 mg in 60 mL bottles, like Apple Drop 3 mg or Dr. Fog 6 mg. Freebase is the older formulation and pairs with higher-wattage devices. It is a different lane from nic salts, not a step up or down: salts for pods, freebase for more powerful kits. If you are unsure which lane your device is in, ask us in store and we will check.
Nicotine strength, plainly stated
Canadian law caps nicotine in vaping products at 20 mg/mL — you will not find anything stronger on a legal Canadian shelf, and any bottle labelled above that is either mislabelled or non-compliant. Within the legal range, 10 and 20 mg salts are simply two points on the same scale. There is no health claim to make about either; pick the strength that feels right in your device.
Who this guide is for
Adult vapers using (or considering) a refillable pod system who want to understand the strength options before buying a bottle. If you are currently on disposables at 20 mg/mL and thinking about switching to a refillable pod, 20 mg salts will feel familiar; 10 mg is there if you want to go lighter.
Where to buy nic salt e-liquid in Toronto
Aroma Vapes stocks nic salt e-liquids in both 10 mg and 20 mg at 3733 Lawrence Avenue East, Scarborough — open daily 10 AM to 11 PM — and online at aromarush.ca with Canada-wide shipping. For adults 19+.
Nicotine Salt E-Liquids in Canada: 10mg vs 20mg — How to Choose