How to Refill a Vape Tank the Right Way

How to Refill a Vape Tank: The Quick Answer

Refilling a vape tank takes about two minutes once you know where the liquid goes and where it must not go. Here is the short version.

Whether you call it a vape, an e cig or a refillable vape pen, the steps are much the same. The rest of this guide covers each tank type in turn, what UK law says about tank and bottle sizes, which e cig liquid suits which device, and what to do when something leaks.

Check First: Is Your Vape Actually Refillable?

Not every vape is made to be refilled. Look at what you own before you open anything.

Refillable Tanks and Pods

A refillable vape has a small tank or pod with a fill port. You buy a bottle of e-liquid and pour it in yourself. If you can see a rubber plug, a sliding cap or a twist-off top, the maker meant it to be filled by hand. Every vape tank sold on its own works this way, and so do refillable vape pods sold as part of a kit. The OXVA NeXlim kit is one example. It opens at the mouthpiece, so you refill from the top without sliding the pod out.

Prefilled Pod Kits

A prefilled pod arrives full and sealed. It is built to be swapped for a new one, not poured into. Our Box of 5 prefilled pod kits and their replacement pods all work this way. If you are not sure which pod belongs to your device, the guide on which pods fit your kit shows how to match them.

Opening a sealed pod to fill it yourself is not what the maker designed it for. The coil inside is set up for the liquid it came with, and the pod may leak once the seal is broken. The simple rule is this: if there is no fill port, swap the pod and do not pour into it.

What You Need Before You Start

• A bottle of e-liquid (also called e cigarette liquid) that suits your device, more on that below
• A tissue or paper towel
• A clean, flat surface
• A spare coil or pod, in case the old one is worn out

Wash and dry your hands first. Switch the device off, then take the tank or pod off the battery so a spill cannot reach the contacts. Keep it upright while you work.

Starting from scratch with no tank at all? The refillable vape tanks range lists every tank we stock.

Refilling Step by Step

Do not wait until the tank is bone dry. Refill when the liquid drops to about the level of the holes in the coil. A coil that fires on empty cotton burns, and a burnt coil keeps its bad taste.

Most devices open in one of three ways. Find yours below.

Top-Fill Tanks

This is the most common design. A top fill vape tank has a cap that slides or twists open, so it is the easiest one to learn on.

1. Hold the tank upright and open the cap.
2. Look inside. You will see a tube running up the middle. That is the airflow tube. Keep liquid out of it.
3. Rest the bottle nozzle against the inside wall and let the liquid run down the side.
4. Fill slowly. If there is a max line, stop there. If not, leave a small air gap at the top. Some retailers suggest around 80 percent full.
5. Close the cap firmly, wipe off any drips and put the tank back on the battery.

Bottom-Fill Tanks

These open from the base. Turn the tank upside down and unscrew the bottom. You will see the coil and one or two small holes at the side.

1. Add liquid into the side holes only. Keep it off the top of the coil.
2. Screw the base back on gently. Over-tightening wears the seal.
3. Turn the tank the right way up, put it on the battery and wait five to ten minutes.

Pod Systems With a Fill Port

Small refillable pods fill through a port on the side or top. Some have a rubber plug that you pull out. Others use a sliding or snap-on cap. The steps match the top-fill steps above. Switch off, open the port, add liquid slowly, then close it fully.

Tilt the pod a little as you fill so air can escape and the liquid can settle. Do not fill to the brim. A pod holds only 2ml, so a few extra drops is a big share of it.

Brands do this differently, so check your own booklet. For example, the Hayati X4 pod kit uses a side-fill port on its 2ml pod.

The UK 2ml Tank Limit Explained

UK law caps a refillable vape tank or pod at 2ml. It also limits a bottle of nicotine e-liquid to 10ml and nicotine strength to 20mg/ml. These rules are set out on the GOV.UK vape rules page, which was last updated in August 2024.

That is why tanks sold here look small. A 2ml tank empties fast, so refilling a few times a day is normal and not a fault. A tank sold abroad as 4ml will have a 2ml version for the UK market.

You may also see 50ml bottles of e-liquid. These are shortfills, and they are sold with no nicotine in them. The 10ml limit applies to liquid that contains nicotine, which is why a shortfill comes with space to add a nicotine shot if you want one.

Anyone selling refillable kits wholesale has to follow the same limits, and our TPD guide for suppliers covers the wider rules for shops.

Why a New Coil or Pod Needs Time to Soak

A new coil is dry cotton. If you fire it before the cotton is soaked, it burns. Give it time and it works as it should.

This matters most the first time you fill a vape tank. If you can see the small holes on the coil head, put one or two drops of e-liquid onto the cotton before you fill the tank. Then fill, close up and wait five to ten minutes before the first puff. Check the booklet for your device too, as some makers give their own wait time.

Coils wear out. If you need a new one, our spare coil heads cover most popular tank brands.

Leaks, Gurgling and Flooded Tanks: What Went Wrong

Most problems after a refill come from a short list of causes. A leaking vape tank is the one people ask about most, so the table starts there.

If a tank keeps leaking after you have fitted new seals, the tank itself may be cracked or damaged. At that point a replacement is cheaper than the liquid you keep losing.

Cleaning Your Tank Before You Change Flavour

A tank holds on to the last flavour you used. If you want to switch, clean it first, or the two will mix.

1. Take the tank apart and tip out any liquid left inside.
2. Rinse the parts under warm water. Use a drop of mild washing-up liquid if the glass feels sticky.
3. Leave the parts to dry fully. A damp tank gives weak flavour and can spit.
4. Fit a fresh coil if you can, since the old one keeps some of the old flavour.

Many shops suggest a clean about once a week if you vape every day. Keep the coil head out of the rinse unless your maker says it is safe.

Nic Salt or Shortfill: Which Liquid Suits Your Tank

Small pod kits and low-power tanks suit nic salt, usually sold in 10ml bottles and mixed 50/50. Bigger sub-ohm tanks suit a higher VG liquid, often a 50ml shortfill. Look at the label on your device or the booklet to see which range it is built for.

If the term is new to you, our guide on what nic salts are explains them in plain words. Because a 2ml tank empties quickly, buying nic salts in bulk keeps the cost per bottle down if you refill every day.

Keep your bottles closed, upright and away from heat and sunlight. UK nicotine liquid must come in child-resistant, tamper-evident packaging, so leave the cap on and store it out of reach of children.

Refillable Kits That Make Refilling Easy

Choosing a kit mainly because refilling is simple, and you would rather buy vape refills in a bottle than swap pods? These use 2ml pods, which is the UK limit.

• The Luxe Q refillable pod kit is the simplest of the group. It has no screen and no power settings. You breathe in and it fires. Two mesh pods are in the box.
• The Xros 2 vape kit adds a choice. Fire it with the button or just breathe in. It also comes with two pods.
• The NeXlim and the Hayati X4, both covered above, add adjustable airflow for a tighter or looser draw.

A shop that stocks these kits wholesale will be asked how to refill a vape tank at the till almost every day. A printed copy of the steps above, handed over with each kit, saves a lot of questions. Anyone planning a bulk order of kits should add the matching spare pods too, since a 2ml pod runs out quickly.

Still Wondering About Refilling?

How do you refill a vape pod?

Switch it off, open the fill port, and add e-liquid slowly down the side. Stop below the top and close the port fully. Wait about five minutes before you vape. This works for any refillable pod with a fill port. A sealed prefilled pod has no port, so it gets swapped instead.

Can you refill a prefilled pod, such as a Vuse pod?

It is not recommended. Prefilled pods, Vuse included, are sealed and built to be swapped, not poured into. Opening one breaks the seal, and the coil is set up for the liquid it came with. If you want to refill, pick a kit with a fill port on the pod or tank.

How do you refill a vape pen?

A refillable vape pen follows the same steps as any top-fill tank. Switch it off, open the top cap, and add e-liquid down the side, away from the centre tube. Close it firmly and wait about five minutes. Our refillable vape pens are listed in one place.

How often should you change a vape pod or coil?

It depends on how much you vape. Many UK shops suggest every one to three weeks. Change it sooner if the flavour fades or you taste burnt cotton. Your maker may give its own advice, so check the booklet for your device as well.

Can you use any e-liquid in any vape pen?

No. Small pod kits suit nic salt or 50/50 liquid. Big sub-ohm tanks suit high VG liquid, such as our 50ml shortfill bottles. Thick liquid can clog a small coil, and thin liquid can leak from a big tank. Check the label or booklet for the range your device is built for.

How do you change flavour in a vape tank?

Empty the tank, rinse it with warm water and let it dry fully before you add the new flavour. A fresh coil gives the cleanest result, because the old one holds on to the last flavour. Do not top up over old liquid, or the flavours will mix.

Why is my vape tank leaking after I refill it?

The usual causes are overfilling, a cap that is not fully closed, or a worn rubber seal. Wipe the tank, check the seals and fill a little lower next time. If it keeps leaking with new seals, the tank itself may be damaged.