Dab Pens vs. Vape Pens: What’s the Difference?

With vaping being more popular than ever, portable vaporizers have become very common. The two most common terms to describe these vaporizers are “dab pens” and “vape pens,” but what’s the difference between them?

Here, we’ll compare dab pens vs. vape pens and help clear the air of any confusion between the two.

Let’s get started!

What are Dab Pens?

Dab pens, also known as wax pens or concentrate pens, are portable vaporization devices made for consuming multiple types of concentrates, like wax, shatter, crumble, and oil. They offer a discreet way to enjoy the intense effects and flavors of concentrates without the need for a traditional dab rig or another complicated setup. 

There are no torches and no mess; simply load your concentrate into the vaporization chamber or attach your threaded cartridge and let the device transform it into delicious vapor filled with cannabinoids.

Types of Dab Pens

There are three main types of dab pens: 510-threaded (cartridge) dab pens, disposable dab pens, and self-loading dab pens. Let’s take a closer look at each of them:

510-Threaded Dab Pens

These dab pens are only compatible with 510-threaded oil cartridges and consist of the pen itself, which includes a battery and atomizer. 510 cartridges contain a liquid THC oil that is thinner than concentrates like wax or shatter and more similar to “vape juice” found in e-cigarettes. The cartridge includes a mouthpiece at one end and a threaded connection at the other end for the battery.

Once you’re done with the vape cart, disconnect it from the battery and throw it away.

Disposable Dab Pens

Disposable dab pens are similar to cartridges, except you throw the whole thing away once you’re done with it. They come pre-filled with a specific amount of concentrate. Most of them don’t even have a power button and are instead activated as you take a draw.

They are often affordable, discreet, and incredibly convenient for on-the-go use. Still, they won’t offer the customization in concentrate choice and temperature control in other types of dab pens, and are less environmentally friendly.

Self-Loading Dab Pens

Self-loading dab pens, also known as refillable dab pens or wax pens, allow you to get your favorite concentrate from your local dispensary, like wax, budder, live resin, or live rosin, into the device. These pens are made for multiple uses, allowing you to choose different concentrates to vape.

They consist of a rechargeable battery, an atomizer, a mouthpiece, and a chamber where the concentrate is loaded. Atomizers, also called “coils” in this type of pen, can consist of quartz rod coils, quartz coils, or ceramic coils and act as the heating element in your dab pen, elevating your concentrate to vaporization temperatures.

In the long run, self-loading dab pens can be more cost-effective than disposable ones, and require a bit more work to use than with cartridge-based dab pens.

What are Vape Pens?

The term “vape pen” is used to mean either a dab pen (for THC) or a vape pen (for nicotine or “vape juice”). In this sense, all dab pens are vape pens, but not all vape pens are dab pens.

Most vape pens are electronic devices and might include features like temperature settings, long battery life, and multiple customization options.

Types of Vape Pens

Like dab pens, nicotine vape pens come in several types. Let’s take a closer look:

Disposable Vape Pens

Like disposable dab pens, disposable vape pens are single-use devices that come pre-filled with e-liquid and a charged battery, ready for you to take a draw. These vape pens are becoming increasingly common everywhere, sold in gas stations, grocery stores, and even vending machines.

Pod Style Vape Pens

Pod-style vape pens are characterized by their use of pods, which are small, interchangeable tanks that contain e-liquid or, in some cases, pre-filled cannabis oil.

They come in two varieties:

• Pre-filled Pod Systems: These pods come pre-filled with e-liquid or cannabis oil and are often discarded once empty.
• Refillable Pod Systems: These pods can be filled with e-liquid or cannabis oil over and over until the heating coil in the pod degrades.

Box Mods

Box mods are more advanced vape devices known for their boxy, rectangular shape and high performance, especially compared to smaller vape pens. Although they aren’t as portable, they have more customization options than standard vape pens, like multiple adjustable settings, allowing you to fine-tune your vaping session.

A Note on Dry Herb Vapes

While “vape pen” is sometimes used to refer to dry herb vaporizers, these types of vaporizers are different from all others discussed in this blog, featuring a different design to vaporize ground cannabis flower.

Dry herb vaporizers usually cannot be modified to vape cannabis concentrate. However, some vape pens are hybrid models, meaning you can use them to vape both wax concentrates and ground herb, but they will likely not be compatible with e-liquids.

Dab Pens vs. Vape Pens: Which is Right for You?

The right choice between a general vape pen and a specialized dab pen boils down to your own personal preference.

First, you have to decide whether to vape nicotine with a vape pen or cannabis concentrate with a dab pen. Once you decide that, look into each option's features and ease of use.

Want a lot of power, long battery life, and versatile customization options? Box mods might be great for you. Want a vaping experience perfect for beginners? Get a simple disposable cannabis vape pen. High-quality 510 threaded and self-loading pens are a great middle ground if you want to vape multiple kinds of concentrates and vape juices.

If you’re looking to score a new self-loading dab pen, box mod, or other dab pen, Daily High Club has your back! Check out our wide selection of dab pens available for sale online at get your vape on today.