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Trusted by millions in the cannabis and vaping industries
February 8, 2024
8 min to read

Different Types of Vapes You Should Know About

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Spyros Papamichail

The first thing to understand about different vapes is that there are two main categories of vapes.

  1. Nicotine vapes: handheld devices powered by lithium-ion batteries designed to mimic the sensation of smoking without combustion. Nicotine options are available from 0% up to 5%, with flavors ranging from tobacco to desserts to unflavored.
  2. Cannabis/CBD vapes: portable battery-powered or larger desktop devices powered either by batteries or electrical power supplies. These devices are used with CBD, THC, or other botanicals, from dry herb to concentrates.
  3. There are other substances that people vape. Like various herbs and vitamins; some daring souls choose to even vaporize coffee. Many of those products and activities are on the fringes, but the devices used are no different from nicotine or cannabis vapes—they're just different substances that happen to "work" in the devices.

    There's some overlap between cannabis and nicotine vapes, like the classic vape pen, which functions in both realms. This may explain why it's the most popular type of vape in existence.

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    ZLab ZColors

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    The ZColors are the base on which ZLab built its ecosystem approach. Part prefilled pods, part building blocks, the ZColors can be attached to various ZLab products. They are compatible with the ZLand power source (up to three can be connected) and the ZJoins heated tobacco device (can connect one). Available in 50 flavors and five strengths (including 0%).

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    Nicotine vapes

    While all nicotine vapes can be called “e-cigarettes”, that term is most commonly used for small devices that look similar to a cigarette in size and shape. But nicotine vapes don't stop there.

    Disposables

    These are the simplest vapes you'll find. Open the pack, and they're ready for immediate use. Once you're finished, you dispose of the device and use another. These are ideal devices for travel or for the busiest among us without the time to tinker with little gadgets. Disposables work great with high nicotine in providing a satisfying hit, which makes them work well as vapes to quit smoking by providing a quick entry into vaping.
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    5.0

    Elf Bar BC5000

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    The Elf Bar made a splash in the disposable market and has quickly become one of the most recognizable vapes out there. The BC5000 comes with a 650 mAh battery and a whopping 15 mL of 50 mg nicotine salt juice, good for 5000 puffs. With an ever-expanding catalog of flavors (42 and counting,) you’re guaranteed to find your all-day vape!

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    Pros

    • Small and convenient
    • Perfect for stealth vaping
    • Discreet
    • Affordable
    • Easy to use

    Cons

    • Single-use increases waste
    • Flavor output is average
    • No refilling

    Pod vapes

    Pod vapes are some of the most practical vaping devices available. A pod vape is usually a two-piece device, similar to an e-cigarette, with one piece being the battery and the other a replaceable and often refillable pod. Pod vapes are usually affordable and very easy to use while performing at a higher level than most traditional e-cigarettes. They are also a perfect fit for nicotine salt e-liquid, making them a very efficient vape for nicotine delivery.
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    5.0

    Geekvape Wenax H1

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    The Geekvape Wenax H1 is an MTL pod vape that’s all about versatility. It comes with two pod options and three power settings, making it a great fit for everything from mid-strength regular nicotine to higher-strength salts. The H1 is powered by a 1000 mAh battery that charges through Type-C, and its pods hold 2 mL of e-liquid.

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    Pros

    • Very easy to operate
    • Practical form factor
    • Refillable or replaceable pods
    • Button or draw-activated
    • Ideal for stealth vaping

    Cons

    • Quality and performance can vary greatly between devices
    • Low vapor
    • Frequent recharging of batteries

    Box mods

    Box mod kits are larger and more powerful vapes. The extra size usually means better performance and longer battery life, usually in the form of external vape batteries. Most box mods come with settings and features such as variable wattage or even temperature control. The included tanks can be mouth to lung clearomizers or direct lung sub ohm tanks.

    The most common configuration for a box mod starter kit would be a single-battery mod with variable wattage and temperature control capabilities, paired with a mid-range sub ohm tank.

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    4.5

    Geekvape Aegis M100 (Mini 2)

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    The sequel to the Aegis Mini is an IP68 rated mod that fires up to 100 watts and houses a 2500 mAh battery. It comes equipped with Geekvape’s Stable Output Buck-boost technology and introduces a handy lock switch that makes it safer to carry. The M100 houses a large color screen and comes in six color options.

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    Pros

    • Many options to choose from
    • Higher performance
    • Long-running internal or external batteries
    • Can be used with other tanks
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    Cons

    • Complicated
    • Too advanced for novices
    • Expensive
    • Not very pocket-friendly

    Regulated squonk starter kits

    These are the most advanced vapes on this list. Technically a sub-category of box mod starter kits, squonk setups have enough features to set them apart that are worthy of their own category. Squonkers provide a practical method for feeding your atomizer with e-liquid. A typical regulated squonk setup bundles a squonk capable box mod and a bottom-fed RDA. The mod houses a squeezable bottle that is connected to the atomizer deck through a shallow 510, practically functioning as an external tank section.

    Due to the bottle occupying the space where a battery would have been placed, a single battery squonk mod will have roughly the same size with a dual-battery box mod. As a result, most squonk kits come in single battery configuration, but dual-battery squonkers are available for those who don’t mind the extra bulk.

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    Vandy Vape Pulse V2 BF

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    The Pulse V2 is the latest squonk mod to come from the collaboration between Vandy Vape and Tony B. It is a 2×700 mod that fires up to 95 watts and features an innovative bottom-filling design. The Pulse V2 is compatible with the Vandy Vape app and comes in a variety of colors, including resin and carbon fiber designs.

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    Pros

    • Very high-performing devices
    • RDAs can be built to one’s needs
    • No need to drip
    • Increases liquid capacity
    • Turn non-tanks basically into tanks (extra liquid storage)
    • Freshly soaked wicks offer fresh flavor

    Cons

    • Complex; not for beginners
    • Small parts to keep up with and maintain
    • Required cleaning to ensure clean flavor performance

    Cannabis and CBD vapes

    These vaporizers come in various forms. Similar to smoking accessories like bongs, bubblers, bowls, and dab rigs, cannabis and CBD vapes are plentiful. Still, when it comes down to it, there are two main types: desktops and portables. Portables can be small to hardly pocketable but still portable, with desktops needing to be parked at your session station.

    Desktop vaporizers are typically the most efficient option for dry herb and wax. But if you’re on the go, there are solid portable and pen-style vapes that provide vaporization with all the benefits of the substance and none of the issues of smoke, either obnoxious odors or negative health effects from inhaling smoke.

    CBD vape pens

    A refillable CBD vape pen is any type of vape pen that can be filled with CBD e-juice. It usually has a tank that attaches to a rechargeable 510 thread battery. CBD pens come in a simple and convenient pen-style form factor and are generally smaller and lighter than the average mod and tank combo. Some of them are suitable for direct-lung vaping while others provide a tight mouth to lung draw.
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    4.5

    Avida Puff Full Spectrum CBD Pen

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    The Avida Puff Full Spectrum CBD pens contain Avida’s USA-grown and hemp-derived CBD distillate. Each rechargeable pen comes with 400 mg CBD and a variety of terpenes and cannabinoids, including up to 0.3% THC. Experience the benefits of the entourage effect in six all-natural terpenoid-based flavors with Avida’s discreet and super-stylish vape pens.

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    Pros

    • Small and convenient
    • Perfect for stealth medicating
    • Better bioavailability than tinctures
    • Discreet
    • Affordable

    Cons

    • Low power
    • Single-use
    • Low vapor

    Weed and THC oil pens

    A weed pen, or THC oil pen, is a relatively simple two-part electronic device used to vaporize THC/CBD oil or distillate. Every weed pen houses a small battery that heats your oil in an atomizer cartridge containing a wick and a heating coil, or just a ceramic coil. This heating process turns concentrates into vapor.

    Previously, THC carts were only available in cannabis dispensaries. Today delta 8 carts are growing in popularity. They provide the physical and mentally stimulating effects of THC, but are derived from hemp instead of marijuana. That means they are more accessible to a wider range of people who previously didn't have access to cannabis products.

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    Kandypens Special-K

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    The Kandypens Special-K Black is a swanky and stealthy take on the classic weed pen design. It works as good as it looks, and it comes with two 1 mL tanks, temperature control battery with three heat settings, and several handy accessories. With a lifetime warranty on the battery, the Special-K Black is the pen to get!

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    Pros

    • Small and convenient
    • Personal use for small sessions
    • Perfect for stealth medicating or for recreational use
    • Discreet
    • Versatile
    • Low odor
    • Easy to use
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    Cons

    • Small batteries need more frequent charges
    • Lacking power
    • Required cleaning
    • Not very advanced but prices can be a bit high

    Portable cannabis vaporizers

    Portable dry herb vaporizers are small personal devices designed for vaporizing marijuana or legal high-CBD strains. They have an internal oven that heats up cannabis at precise temperatures to produce vapor.
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    Storz & Bickel Mighty

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    The Mighty is a portable device that vapes like a desktop unit. It has a very unique aesthetic, resembling a power tool more than a vaporizer. The Mighty is a bigger and better version of the popular Crafty. It does a great job at evenly baking your fine to medium ground herb to produce up to 15 puffs per session.

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    Pros

    • Small and convenient
    • Personal use for small sessions with others
    • Perfect for stealth medicating or for recreational use
    • Discreet
    • Versatile
    • Low odor
    • Easy to use

    Cons

    • Need to recharge battery
    • Typically have several parts to keep up with
    • Required cleaning

    Desktop vaporizers

    Some of the first vaporizers belong to this category. These devices are the powerhouse of all vapes. They work with convection and/or conduction heating, thoroughly and efficiently extracting cannabinoids from the flower. Desktops can be the most intense vapes, but they can also be dialed down to the most comfortable temperature the user wants. These vapes are self-contained heaters that bake dry herb at specific temperatures to produce vapor. The vapor is then inhaled using a tube called a whip, or using traditional vaporizer bags popularized by the most famous vaporizer: the Storz and Bickel Volcano.
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    Volcano Hybrid

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    The new Volcano Hybrid has a classic balloon and whip system with hybrid convection/conduction heating between 104° F – 446° F; operated by a digital display or through an Android app. The herb chamber holds 0.5 grams and heats in as little as 1 minute, making it the fastest and most user-friendly Volcano to date.

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    Pros & Cons

    • Small and convenient
    • Personal use for small sessions with others
    • Perfect for stealth medicating or for recreational use
    • Discreet
    • Versatile
    • Low odor
    • Easy to use
    • Need to recharge battery
    • Typically have several parts to keep up with
    • Required cleaning

    What type of a vape should you buy?

    This is a common question but rarely can it be answered for you. It will always be a personal choice. Most important are your needs, your budget, and your willingness to tinker with electronics. Furthermore, though it may seem shallow, you should really consider the look and size of the device. If a big bulky device doesn't fit your lifestyle, you can effectively rule out half of your options. Of course, the same is true if your budget isn't limited or you aren't concerned with pocketability.

    Bottom line: if you're interested in vaping as an alternative to smoking, there's a better chance than not there's a perfect device for you! Hopefully, this guide brought you a few steps closer to finding it.

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    Spyros Papamichail

    Vaping for: 9 years

    Favorite products:

    Favorite flavors: Sweet tobaccos, fruits

    Expertise in: Nicotine, beginner devices, advanced devices

    Spyros Papamichail

    Having quit smoking using vapes in 2016, I quickly developed somewhat of an obsession with all things vaping. I managed to turn my hobby into a full-time job, and I now work as the content manager here at Vaping360. In my free time you'll find me gaming on my PS5 or playing fetch with my dog, Buffy.

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