I’m in the UK and want to try DIY mixing. Although I’ve found tons of good advice for recipes and flavour concentrates the one thing I haven’t found so far is which VG and PG bases are the best brands to buy and where to get them in the UK.
I thought about mixing my own liquid about 4 years ago when Liberty Flights were seen as the big name in DIY mixing but when I got their VG base it smelt and tasted so awful I gave up.
Now as things have moved on and improved so much I thought I’d try again. My recipes will be a 70/30 VG/PG mix and as the flavours are all PG I need to use a high proportion of VG base to get the mix right but don’t want another bad experience with bad tasting VG base spoiling a good recipe.
So far I’ve considered MakeMyVape, Vapable and Chefs Kitchen and am probably going to order from Chefs. Their VG base is USP/EP Grade Vegetable Glycerine with a purity of 99.8%.
We do get a lot of US brands on sale in the UK so there’s a good chance I can find any good brands from your side of the pond so if anyone has any better suggestions I’d be glad to hear them.
Congratulations on your beginning journey!!! I’m in the US so not a lot of help on UK things but I know there are some great folks here that are. Have you checked the Resource page on ELR for discounts? I always love a good discount.
Thank you for replying. Someone on POV forum kindly gave me a 10% code for Chefs Kitchen.
I found 2 recipes on here I’m going to start with. One is a recipe for Naked Lava Flow and the other is a recipe for Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream. I already vape the mint choc flavour which I buy in 60ml shortfill bottles. I was looking for a second nice flavour so I entered the things I like most into the search box on here and it came up with Lava Flow, I’m waiting to get a small bottle of the genuine liquid to try it first and if I like it I’ll have a go at the recipe.
I use a sub ohm tank and like using 3mg Nic and a 70/30 VG/PG ratio. I just need to wait to test out Lava Flow then I can order all my ingredients and get cooking.
Thank you all so much. From your replies I guess I’ll just buy the Chefs one as it sounds like it will be fine.
@ Brotherbob.
It’s funny you should mention that about testing. I came across a useful tip last night called the 5% test about testing each individual flavour in a 5% mix with some base and without nicotine to get a handle on the taste properties of each flavour which sounds like a really sensible idea. Might be a way of testing different brands and close alternatives to find out which ones might work best in a recipe.
The 5% rule is kind of obsolete now. You could use Some flavor at low percentages (below 1%) as a single flavor. Namely flavorah or baker flavors (gourmet). Flavour art coukd be used at 2 to 3 %, and then there are wonder flavours sc and some other flavour brands.
Hi Marylin and welcome,
I start SFT @5% much of the time. SFT though depends largely on the manufacturer and the individual flavor you’re working with. And as long as you’re aware of the various stronger SC and ultra concentrates, as we call them, you should be fine.
ELR’s recipe database maintains an average or ‘median’ percentage used in recipes for most flavors, which can be used in a pinch for a general idea.
I think you are approaching this properly.
Taking it slow and thoughtfully.
That could save you lots of time, energy and money.
I’m assuming you are already vaping.
So you don’t need advice on NOT buying every piece of gear you see. A skill I have not yet mastered. Also, you sound as if you are going to be content settling in on a couple flavors at a time, whereas I leave the house with 5 loaded rigs with 5 separate flavors and juggle them all day. I had to purchase a man purse. Don’t get caught in the trap.
Watch DIY or Die on YouTube. He’s great for learning.
Listen to people here, don’t let their valuable contributions go to waste. They are very knowledgeable and remarkably willing to help. Almost to the point of ridiculous. Good ridiculous.
Ask questions. Seems like figured this one out.
Learn this sight; calculating recipes, adapting and saving recipes, search tools, ABBREVIATIONS, flavor names, ratings, forums, FAQs, look up questions to see if the subject has been asked before as all the answers may already be up.
Buy more bottles.
I like heartland vapes and Amazon for that, you may need something different for the U.K.
Find mixers and personalities you like and “follow” them.
Get a few good recipes in the bag first, then get creative.
And take notes. And notes about notes. Figure out how you are going to file and store your notes.
Notes notes notes.
That’s it for now, good luck.
I’ve been using Chef’s Flavours for three years and they’ve been great. I only had one problem and they fixed it asap. However, I’ve never bought PG or VG from them. I just looked at it and at 15 pounds for 5 liters, you can’t go wrong. If it’s not very good then you’re not out a lot of money. I have also read many good things about Darkstar.
I knew I’d come to the right place. Thanks again everyone.
Yep, I started vaping in 2013 but until I got into sub-ohming I didn’t know what a truly good vape was. Now I run 2 rigs using Mesh Pro tanks and I’m chuffing away like a steam train and the flavour is mind blowing. I like to alternate my 2 rigs using my 2 favourite flavours. Although I’d settled on 1 I really love I still hadn’t found my second perfect flavour so I decided to have another look at DIY.
I found your site with about 115,000 recipes so I put some of my favourite flavours into the search box on your site (coconut, pineapple and cream) and it came up with a recipe for a Lava Flow which I’d never heard of.
I’ve spent the weekend doing loads of research. I’m used to forums so I know what a great source of knowledge they are and I’m near enough ready to start. Once all the stuff I’ve ordered arrives I’ll be able to produce my first batches in about a week or so.
Thanks for the Darkstar recommendations. Looks like they have the best reviews along with all your recommendations so I’ve chosen them for my VG and PG bases and buy all my flavours from Chefs.
Apologies if it’s been covered already, but have to say it before I lose my train of thought reading other replies…
Purity is not usually a factor (as most are USP grade, which requires a set level on its own).
With VG, the aspect that makes or breaks the taste (for many) is whether it’s soy based (which many find distasteful) or palm based.
Musim Mas is palm based. Most vendors won’t tell you this (though it never hurts to ask before buying), but most WILL tell you whether it’s palm based.
If they reply with “I’m not sure”, then I’d suggest avoiding them as a vendor (speaking across the board here). If they don’t know the difference in VG, I wouldn’t trust them for anything else (as to me, it implies they don’t vape, and their only ‘running a business’.)
