A weed pen is a portable electronic device that allows you to consume cannabis by vaporizing it rather than smoking it. Weed pens usually vaporize herbal concentrates, which are potent oily or waxy extracts made from cannabis flowers. They come in a wide variety of forms, but they all have the same benefits.
- Oil and wax concentrates require little storage space. A single vape cartridge or silicone dab container holds enough material for several vaping sessions and eliminates the need to store a large quantity of flower.
- Concentrates don’t produce much of a smell when you use them, making a weed pen very discreet.
- Weed pens are very small, so you can easily carry one in your pocket or purse and bring it wherever you go.
- Concentrates are much more potent than flower. Depending on your tolerance level, you can reach your desired state in just a few puffs.
Considering all of those benefits, it’s no wonder that vaping is gradually overtaking smoking as the most popular way to use cannabis. So, if you’re a smoker and are thinking about switching to vaping, we’d like to welcome you to the ranks. Before you get started, though, you need a bit of basic information – and that’s what we’re going to provide in this guide.
Here’s everything that you need to know about weed pens. You’re going to learn about the different types of devices that are out there along with how to buy the right device for your needs and how to use and maintain it. By the time you’re done reading, you should feel very confident about buying and using your first vape.
What Are the Different Types of Weed Pens?
Weed pens fall into three main categories. Before you can understand what’s best for you, it’s important to understand what the three types are and what their pros and cons are. That’s where we’ll begin.
Vape Pens and 510-Thread Batteries
Vape pens – also known as 510-thread batteries – are the most common weed pens because they’re small, potent and very easy to use. On its own, a vape pen is just a battery. You complete the device by adding a cartridge, which holds the oil and vaporizes it. We manufacture the best empty vape cartridges at Rokin, and we also offer a selection of pre-filled cartridges for those who prefer a higher level of convenience.
Vape pens can also come in disposable form, and you’ll find those in our smoke shop as well. A disposable vape pen is already charged and filled with oil when you buy it, so you can simply remove it from the package and start vaping. A disposable vape doesn’t have a replaceable or refillable cartridge, though, so you’ll need to replace the entire device when it’s empty. Traditional vape pens, on the other hand, are rechargeable and have replaceable cartridges.
Dab Pens and Wax Pens
A dab pen differs from a wax pen in that it’s designed to vaporize waxy concentrates – which are solid at room temperature – rather than oil-based concentrates, which are liquid. Normally, you use a dab pen by placing your wax directly on your device’s heating element and inhaling through the mouthpiece.
Our Stinger dab pen, however, has a slightly different approach in that the heating element is on the bottom of the device rather than being directly under the mouthpiece. This type of dab pen is called an electric nectar collector. You use it by touching the heating element directly to the wax while inhaling through the mouthpiece.
Compared to a traditional dab pen, the Stinger offers two benefits. For one, it provides a much smoother experience because the heating element and mouthpiece are on opposite sides of the device. That gives the vapor more time to cool before it reaches your mouth. In addition, the Stinger has a built-in bubbler that provides an additional cooling effect by allowing the vapor to pass through a column of water before you inhale it.
The second major benefit of the Stinger is that, because the heating element faces down, it works with both wax and oil. Traditional dab pens, on the other hand, work with wax only.
Dry Herb Vaporizers
Shop Our Dry Herb Vaporizers Now
Dry herb vaporizers generally aren’t pen shaped, so they aren’t technically weed pens all. Nevertheless, they’re important parts of the vast tapestry of vaping and present an option that many cannabis aficionados find very compelling.
Rather than using an oil- or wax-based concentrate, a dry herb vaporizer works with ground flower. You use a dry herb vaporizer by packing the herbs in the oven and turning the device on. The oven becomes hot enough to cause the herbs to release their active compounds as vapor. The herbs don’t combust, though, so you don’t inhale smoke. Dry herb vaping is compelling for those who enjoy the tastes and scents of the traditional cannabis experience but don’t want to inhale smoke.
How to Buy the Right Weed Pen for Your Needs
Now that you understand what the different types of weed pens are, it’s time to dig into the particulars of choosing the right device for your needs. Buying your first vape pen ultimately comes down to knowing where you stand on three points.
Know Your Budget
How much is a weed pen? As you’ll see from browsing this site, the prices for vape pens vary widely and tend to range from well under $15 to upwards of $100. As you might imagine, you’re likely to get a device with more advanced capabilities if you spend more. However, you can expect the best vape pens to deliver consistent, reliable performance at any price point.
Know What You Want to Vape
When you buy a vape pen, your decision will be shaped in large part by the material that you want to vape, whether it’s oil, wax or both. One of the reasons why the Stinger is so popular because its unique design allows it to work with both wax and oil. We also offer a wax tank that allows many 510-thread batteries to work with wax-based concentrates.
In general, wax-based concentrates tend to be more potent than oils. However, dab pens that are designed for waxy concentrates are usually less portable than oil vape pens and are intended primarily for at-home use. Oils may not be quite as potent as waxes, but they’re still significantly more potent than flower – and most 510-thread batteries are designed for discreet vaping and can travel anywhere with you.
Know Your Sweet Spot on Size vs. Performance
There’s usually a direct relationship between the size of a vape pen and its performance. Smaller devices are more discreet and easier to carry in your pocket. Larger vapes, on the other hand, have longer battery life and may also offer more advanced features like adjustable settings and automatic preheating.
How to Use a Weed Pen
Once you’ve purchased and received your weed pen, it’s time to use it. You can expect any good vaping device to include an instruction pamphlet, but you may find it helpful to have some basic pointers before you begin. Here’s how to use a weed pen.
How to Charge a Weed Pen
To charge a weed pen, connect it to your computer using the USB cable included in the box. You can also use a wall charger if your device has one. To know when the device is done charging, just watch the indicator light. The light will turn off, change color or switch from pulsing to solid when the device is fully charged.
If your weed pen blinks when you try to use it, it’s time to recharge the battery.
How to Set Up Weed Pen
- To prepare a 510-thread battery for use, simply connect a cartridge to the device’s threading. If you’re using an empty cartridge, learn how to fill it.
- To prepare a traditional dab pen, remove the device’s mouthpiece and put a rice-sized piece of wax directly on the heating coil. Replace the mouthpiece.
- To prepare the Stinger, place your oil or wax in front of you in a silicone or other heat-resistant container.
How to Hit a Weed Pen
- If you’re using a 510-thread battery without a fire button, puff gently on the cartridge’s mouthpiece to activate your device.
- If you’re using a 510-thread battery with a fire button, hold the fire button while you puff on the cartridge’s mouthpiece. Some weed pens with fire buttons also allow puff-activated firing.
- If you’re using a traditional dab pen, you need to melt the wax before you can start vaping. Either puff on the mouthpiece briefly a few times without inhaling or press the fire button a few times. When the wax is fully softened, you can take a deeper puff.
- If you’re using the Stinger, hold the fire button while touching the device’s ceramic tip to your oil or wax. Inhale through the mouthpiece while holding the fire button.
How to Maintain a Weed Pen
If you want your weed pen to deliver the best possible performance every time you use it, you need to maintain it properly. We’ll explain how to do that and how to troubleshoot the occasional problems that you might experience.
How to Clean a Weed Pen
- Clean the main body of your device with a soft, lint-free cloth.
- Clean your device’s threading using a cotton swab lightly moistened with rubbing alcohol. If a cartridge leaks, you can also clean the bottom of the cartridge in the same way.
- Clean removable non-electronic components such as the Stinger’s heating element by soaking them in rubbing alcohol for an hour or so. Rinse the components thoroughly and make sure that they’re completely dry before using them again.
What to Do if Your Weed Pen Tastes Burnt
- If your device has adjustable voltage, lower the power. This is usually done by clicking the fire button three times.
- If you’re using a vape cartridge that you filled yourself, always wait at least a half hour for the oil to absorb into the cartridge’s wick.
- If your weed pen tastes burnt intermittently, try waiting longer between puffs. Vape oil is very thick, and it takes a few seconds for the wick to refresh itself after each puff.
- If you’re using an electric nectar collector such as the Stinger, clean the heating element and bubbler regularly to maintain maximum flavor quality.
- If you’re using a traditional dab pen, make sure that the wax is fully softened before inhaling deeply.
What to Do if Your Weed Pen Isn’t Charging
- Replace the charging cable. When a weed pen isn’t charging, it’s usually because the cable is worn out or damaged.
- Try charging the device with another power source such as a different computer or a different USB port on the same computer.
- Make sure that your device’s charging port is clean. Use a toothpick to remove dust and lint.
What to Do if Your Weed Pen Isn’t Working
- Charge the battery.
- Make sure that your device is turned on. You can usually turn a weed pen on and off by pressing the fire button five times.
- Check for a leak under the cartridge. If the cartridge has leaked, clean the cartridge and the device’s threading as described above.
- If your weed pen still isn’t working, replace the cartridge.
Important Safety Considerations for Weed Pens
Using a weed pen has a few important safety considerations stemming partly from the fact that you’re using a device with a lithium-ion battery and partly from the potency of the material you’re inhaling. We’ll finish this guide with a few things that you should keep in mind when you vape.
Start Slowly when Using Concentrates for the First Time
One of the most important things to know about using a weed pen is that concentrates are much more potent than dry herbs. Many people find that they can reach their desired state with just a few puffs, so you probably don’t want to have a super-long session when you use a vape pen for the first time. Instead, start with a few puffs and wait a while to gauge how you feel. Most people report that the effects begin to set in after a few minutes and last at least a few hours.
Don’t Charge a Weed Pen with a Mobile Phone Charger
When you charge your vape pen, you should connect it to your computer or to a wall adapter that’s approved by the manufacturer. Don’t try to charge your device with the wall charger for your smartphone. Wall chargers for phones, tablets and computers use higher-amperage currents that could potentially cause a vape pen to overheat.
Keep Your Weed Pen Away from Hot Environments
Keeping your device away from extreme heat is one of the most important safety aspects of owning a weed pen because a lithium-ion battery can become unstable when it’s very hot. Don’t use your device in direct sunlight. Always avoid storing it in a hot car.
Puff Gently When Using a 510-Thread Battery or Disposable Vape
Most leaking or clogged vape cartridges happen because new vapers often puff on the cartridges as firmly as they would puff when smoking. When you use a weed pen, you should always use slow, gentle air pressure to prevent the cartridge from flooding.
Wrapping Up
Reading this comprehensive guide, you’ve learned all of the most important aspects of buying, using and maintaining a weed pen and should be well equipped to make your first purchase. View our selection of vape pens, dab pens and dry herb vaporizers now. If you have a question that isn’t answered here, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our experts are always happy to help newbies out, and we can’t wait to hear from you.
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