The Complete Guide to Cannabis Vaporizers and Cartridges

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If you’ve ever wondered why vaporizers are so popular, you probably think it has something to do with new technology marketing. Yes, marketing always influences the consumer appetite for industry developments. However, there are real advantages to vaporizers over traditional burning and smoking techniques to cannabis use. Let’s step through each part of the cannabis vaping market and industry.

What is a Vaporizer, and How does it Work?

A vaporizer is a fundamental tool that an individual holds and uses to enjoy cannabis or other natural products. Vaporizers were initially invented as a substitute for smoking cigarettes, but in the early 2000s, weed vaporizers entered the market and changed the game.

Your standard cannabis vape pens are made up of similar components. Each has an integral part of the vaping process. Here is a quick review of vape pens for weed or CBD vaporizers.

Mouthpiece

The mouthpiece is the only part that touches the skin. You pull the vapor out of the pen via the mouthpiece. This is highly self-explanatory. However, if you are thinking of developing your vaping product brand, the mouthpiece is a critical component. It needs to be smooth, comfortable, and easy to clean.

Battery

All vaporizers come equipped with a battery. These are usually at the bottom of the vape pen. Some vaporizers have lithium-Ion batteries that can be recharged or just for single use. Proper battery sizing and capacity are essential to a quality experience. The battery must deliver a constant voltage based on a preset current or adjustable current. Lithium-Ion batteries are perfect for this application as they are small, portable, and sustain a relatively stable voltage over extended usage.

Heating Element

Your CBD, THC or other oil in the vape pen becomes vapor via the heating element. This heating element heats the oil only to the temperature required to create evaporation, aka vapor. Vapor isn’t the same as steam coming off a pot of boing water. Oils will boil at a higher temperature as compared to their evaporation temperature. This lower temperature vaporization keeps the flavors, taste, and structures stable.

How Vaporization Benefits Over Smoking

The cannabis industry offers many methods to enjoy the experience of different bud strains. Whether it is tinctures, edibles, smoking, or otherwise, your choice depends on your needs and wants. The vaping pros and cons are different than the other methods and should be considered while making your choice. The closest thing to vaping is smoking weed. So, let’s compare the two. You’ll see that the vaping benefits outweigh the smoking benefits.

A cannabis vape pen or a CBD vaporizer pen differs from a joint or bong in how the cannabinoids are delivered to your bloodstream. Each enters via inhaling; however, the actual thing you breathe is different. One is vapor, and one is smoke. Does this make a difference? Yes, there is a clear difference, as explained below.

Ease of Use

The most significant difference between a joint and a cannabis vape pen is that the vaporizer doesn’t use a flame. The heat used to create the vapor must be controlled and highly regulated for a clean and efficient experience. Too much heat and the oil will burn. Too little heat, and the oil won’t vaporize. There is no heat control with a joint, and your bud may or may not be damaged by the flame.

Discreet

A CBD vaporizer pen isn’t a bong. These pens are small and discreet. They can be kept in a small box, bag, or drawer. Unlike a joint, you don’t need to worry about them being crushed when you sit down. Unlike a bong, you don’t need to worry about hiding it in a separate space. Vape pens fit in the palm of your hand.

Portable

Vape pens travel with you to any destination. However, when you want to smoke cannabis, you need more things. You need a lighter, rolling paper, your bud, or something else to enjoy the experience. This doesn’t lead to easy when traveling. Everything you need with a vape pen is organized and attached to that single cartridge.

Cleaner Experience

When you light up a joint, the physical plant is burning. This creates unnecessary additives to the smoke you inhale. In addition, the harmful byproducts caused by combustion during smoking enters your lungs as you breathe in the cannabinoids.

Vaping removes all harmful compounds from the experience caused by burning the weed. So, not only are you inhaling fewer toxic chemicals, but you are also getting a more decadent and cleaner THC/CBD experience.

Different Types of Cannabis Cartridges

There isn’t one type of cannabis cartridge. Instead, there are many types, and it can be hard to pick the best cannabis cartridge pen for your needs. Most cannabis cartridges are 510 cartridges. The 510 refers to the screw threading at the bottom of the cartridge for attaching a battery. However, there are differences in the cannabis contents. Here is a quick breakdown of the top-rated CBD and THC cartridges for sale on the market.

Engineered Cartridges Include:

Prefilled: Prefilled cartridges come with the cannabis liquid already inside.
Refillable: Refillable pens are multi-use and last depending on the quality of the build.
Disposable: Disposable pens are made for single use only.

Cannabis Oils Included:

Live Resin:

Live resin cannabis cartridges contain high levels of pure terpenes that give the original strain a more nuanced taste profile. Each bud, when harvested, is frozen, thus preserving the natural state of the oils. The plant is then processed as usual, but the extraction process preserves more of the natural cannabinoids and terpenes due to the freezing.

Distillate

Unlike the live resin, a distillate is a clean product without any additives. A distillate cannabis cartridge would be sold as a single cannabis ingredient. Traditionally, this would be CBD or THC. Distillates are highly refined, allowing for the cleanest experience with the fewest unnecessary ingredients.

Full-Spectrum

A full-spectrum cannabis cartridge contains all the molecules of the cannabis strain used. This means that nothing is filtered, and you can experience the authentic taste of each strain. These cartridges tend to be the most expensive but reflect the higher quality product.

CO2

CO2 cannabis cartridges are distillate cartridge that uses CO2 to separate the target cannabinoid from the rest of the strains’ compounds. However, CO2 doesn’t deliver a clean product. To many, this is an advantage because they are getting a little mixture of natural compounds from the cannabis strain not filtered out by the CO2. If absolute purity isn’t a concern, non-toxic CO2 cartridges are a good choice.

Terpene-Infused

Terpene-infused cannabis cartridges use a base strain oil and add terpenes for smoothness. Terpene is the aromatic oil secreted from the plant. These cartridges have added terpenes to cut down on the harshness of some strains. As a result, they tend to be highly aromatic and very smooth. However, they aren’t as popular because of the strong flavor and the additives.

Cut/Uncut Oil

Not all oil is pure. When naturally extracted, cannabis oil will degrade over time. To counteract this detrimental but natural process, many manufacturers cut the cannabis oil with another oil to enhance the product’s shelf-life. However, these are not advised for consumer use as the additives aren’t fully regulated or proven safe for human consumption.

What’s the Best Way to Choose a Vaporizer or Cartridge?

Not all vaporizers and cartridges are made equal. So when you are looking for the best cheap vape pen for weed or a cheap marijuana vaporizer in stores near me, don’t just grab the first thing you see on the shelf. Instead, take a moment to consider your options and the concerns below.

What are the esthetics?

Your eye will always gravitate to a vaporizer that looks better than one that looks terrible. Plus, you will end up using one you like better rather than one cheap. People care about the look of their accessories. So, make sure you want the design and color.

What are the ingredients?

If you are buying something that is prefilled, make sure you know what is in the oil. Don’t ever ingest something before reading the label. It could contain harmful products to extend the shelf life or cannabis components you aren’t interested in. If you want 100% CBD, make sure you get a cartridge that isn’t full-spectrum.

What is the brand?

Is the brand familiar? Is it a cheap knockoff of something else? Buy from a brand and manufacturer you can trust. Quality production with vaporizers is critical to the heating elements. Poorly built vapes won’t regulate the heat properly, giving you a less than exceptional cannabis experience.

What is the utility?

Do you want something that you can refill? Do you have your own vape liquid/oil? Can the temperature be adjusted as needed if you alter the oil type? Think about what you are looking for in the immediate and future cannabis vaping experiences to get the best product for your needs.

Bottom Line

When looking for quality vaping products, there are plenty of options and too many choices. Remember to always focus on your needs as a user or your clients’ needs as a brand manager. If you are unsure of a particular type of function, it’s worth trying multiple types and cartridges to find what works best for you.

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