March 14, 2024

Disposables vs. Carts: The Differences You Need to Know

There is a growing movement of people who are moving away from smoking cannabis and toward alternatives like vaping. Yet, within the vaping universe, there are dozens, maybe even hundreds, of different devices now available. Your journey into vaping might suddenly be less straightforward than you thought.

To help clear the air, this article looks into the two most common formats: disposables vs. carts. Below, we review the pros and cons of each vaping system while outlining the fundamentals of both disposable vapes and vape carts. If you've ever had questions about which product is right for you, your answers are below.

What Is Vaping?

Man smokes new Vape Pod System, inhales and exhales vapor of electronic cigarette

In order to better understand the differences between dispos and carts, let’s first discuss what vaping is. Vaping is a method of consumption for cannabis and cannabinoid products that does not require combusting (burning) the plant material.

Instead, a vaporizer heats cannabis and cannabinoids to a temperature that turns its active compounds, including THC and CBD, into a vapor. As a consumer, you'll inhale vapor rather than smoke.

Vaping is considered to be a more health-conscious alternative to smoking cannabis because it reduces the risk of inhaling any fine-particulate or combusted plant material that's flying around inside every puff of smoke.

What Are Disposable Vapes?

As the name suggests, disposable vapes (also called vape pens) are devices designed for a more limited span of enjoyment. Once they are empty or the battery has died, they are meant to be tossed.

The device is always a closed-loop system containing a heating element, a battery, and the cannabis extract itself. Everything you need is contained within, and you won't need to purchase separate cartridges or pods. At their core, disposable vapes are a convenient, grab-and-go experience.

Non-Rechargeable vs. Rechargeable Disposable Vapes

Under the disposable vape category, you'll mostly find non-chargeable devices with a limited lifespan based on a single battery charge. Such limitations also determine the amount of product disposables can contain. The charge needs to outlast the contents, or else you're just throwing the product away when the battery inevitably dies.

But a handful of fully chargeable disposable vapes are out there, ensuring you'll never have to toss a still-full device just because the battery died mid-session.

Our vapes are all disposable vapes with rechargeable batteries. This feature allows us to pack more into each vape — like our 5-gram THC-A Liquid Diamond vape, which delivers upwards of around 3,000 puffs!

Pros and Cons of Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes- whether rechargeable or not- have a unique set of strengths and weaknesses...

Pros of Dispos

Convenience: Ready to enjoy
Ease of Vaping: Prefilled, easy to enjoy
Portability: Compact and lightweight design
Cost-Effective Initial Purchase: Generally cheaper upfront

Cons of Dispos

Disposable: Ends up in trash
Limited Lifespan: Done once the product runs out
Battery Life Limitations: For vape pens with non-rechargeable batteries, it must last the life of the product.

The upside of disposable vape pens is their undeniable convenience and simplicity. They come prefilled, charged, and ready to enjoy—no need to mess around with finding compatible cartridges or charging up before a session. Disposable vapes are also a cheaper upfront purchase compared with most rechargeable devices.

The downside of these disposable options is their design. Once the oil is spent (or the battery dies), it gets thrown away. This means it contributes to your overall waste output than rechargeable devices designed to work with vape carts.

What Are Vape Cartridges?

closeup of a vape cartridge with a cannabis bud beside it

Unlike disposable vapes, which combine everything into a single closed-loop system, this type of vaporizer has two parts: a rechargeable vape device and the vape cartridge (a cart or pod). The vape device contains the heating element and the battery, sold separately from vape cartridges, which contain the extract.

Instead of throwing out the entire system when the battery dies or the vape cart is empty, you only have to replace the vape cart. All of this means you should be able to get years of enjoyment from a single investment in the device.

Pros and Cons of Vape Cartridges

Pros of Carts

Reusable: Device is rechargeable, designed for long-term enjoyment
Cost-effective: Over the long run, you only need to buy new cartridges, not a new battery
Variety: Larger number of flavors and extracts available
Eco-Friendly: More environmentally friendly due to reusable and rechargeable battery

Cons of Carts

Maintenance: Regular cleaning and recharging of the device may be required
Battery degradation: Over time, the device itself may degrade
Compatibility: A growing number of cart and pod formats may not be compatible with the battery pack.

Vape carts are inherently better for the environment because only the cart is disposable, while the rest of the device is designed for long-term enjoyment. Yet, the initial sticker price may be higher than a disposable vape. Carts usually end up being cheaper over time because you are just replacing the cart.

On the flip side, vape cart systems naturally need a little more upkeep than disposable ones. You will definitely have to charge the device and may even need to clean it regularly. Finally, there are also dozens of different vape cart systems out there, so the vape cart you want might not be compatible with the device you already own.

Disposable vs Cart: Which Product Is Better?

Ultimately, your decision between disposable vs. cart vaporizers boils down to whether you value simplicity and convenience or longevity and eco-friendliness. But we'd also argue that your decision doesn't have to be so black and white. Somewhere between disposables and vape carts sits a third solution: disposable vapes that are rechargeable.

Takeaway: The Perfect Disposable Vape Does Exist

Our line of rechargeable disposable vapes rolls the advantages of both systems into one. They are simple to use, undeniably convenient, and longer-lasting thanks to the USB-C rechargeable functionality. The added benefit, of course, is substantially more extract in each product and no risk of running out of battery juice before you run out of puffs.

Our disposable yet rechargeable vapes give you the best of both worlds. From large format 5-gram vapes to more portable 2-gram vapes, you have a diverse cannabinoid landscape to explore.

So, happy exploring! Until then, keep your mind in mind.