The current market is home to so many styles, functions, and unique devices that any new consumer is almost guaranteed to be overwhelmed by all the options available. Please review our basic guide about the various components and some popular accessories for vape pens, and familiarize yourself with some of the basics. Hopefully, once you have finished this guide, you will be ready to decide if a vape pen is the right choice for you, and which pen is most suited for your needs!
When choosing a vape pen or accompanying product, it is important to understand the characteristics of the product. Depending on what you would like to mainly use the vape pen for, there are many distinct types and designs that cater to different forms of consumption. Some vape pens are designed for dry herb, some are for concentrates, and some are even used for e-liquids containing CBD, nicotine, and more!
Some vape pen batteries allow for other external accessories to be used, meaning you can expand on the uses/functions of various models depending on how they are designed. Researching products and understanding their versatility is important in making sure you choose the vape pen products that are right for you.
What Are You Looking to do With Your Vape Pen?
Deciding what you plan to consume with your vape pen is particularly important. There are pens that are designed for consuming dry herb, and pens that are designed for legal concentrates, and there are even a few models that can be used for both!
Understanding what parts are necessary and how to properly operate the vape pen is also incredibly important as many are designed to handle solely dry herb or concentrate, not both.
If you are looking to use e-liquids or similar oils/extracts, then looking for a pen that is compatible with a tank and atomizer, or system with coils and wicks for heating the oil is probably the best option.
Vape pens for legal concentrates typically use a chamber rather than an enclosed tank, allowing the product to vaporize/burn through a different method. These chambers are usually designed to be easier to access and clean as the residue left behind by legal concentrates tends to be more resistant to cleaning/removal.
There are cases, like the Stache ConNectar, where a hot coil is introduced to the concentrate/e-liquid in a different manner. The ConNectar replicates the function of a nectar collector while using the vape pen battery to provide the energy/heat to allow consumption.
As for dry herb vape pens, finding a model that is associated with words like “convection” are most likely the best option as these designs provide heat more evenly to the chamber housing the dry herb. There are also models that use conduction heating, and even rarer cases that use the power of induction (magnetic heating) to vape product.
Heating Methods
Convection heating is what happens when heat is transferred into a space/chamber without any of the contained material being in direct contact with the heating element. A common example of convection heating is a standard oven. Heat is introduced to the internal chamber without anything needing direct contact to the hot coils/surface.
Convection vape pens typically take longer to heat up but are more efficient at vaping materials without wasting or burning any. They are also typically a tad bit more expensive than their conduction counterparts.
Conduction heating means that heat is being transferred directly to the material from the heating element. This means that the effect is much quicker, but it is also more likely that the material will burn and could be combusted and wasted before it can be inhaled. Burnt material can also be quite difficult to clean depending on how much has been burnt.
Induction is a newer method of heating that uses the power of magnets to produce heat. Though uncommon now, it is likely that more vape pens and e-rigs that use induction technology will begin to appear. This method leaves no chance for any unwanted combustion of material and wasted value.
Battery Life
Most of the vape pens available on the market today are powered by Lithium-Ion batteries, and a vast majority are built-in and rechargeable. Depending on how often you plan to use your vape pen, you may need to purchase a vaping device that has a larger or more powerful battery. Some attachments require more power to function properly, and some devices are not designed for regular use throughout the day and may have shorter battery life than what you need.
Most batteries in the market will have what is known as a "510 thread". This identifies the type of connection the battery uses when attaching to other components. Stache offers a variety of 510 thread options for customers to help meet their needs.
The Transparent slim battery from Stache is a 400mAh 510 thread battery that is perfect for the consumer on-the-go. Slightly stronger than the industry standard for batteries, allowing for longer battery life and better functionality. Not to mention the dual rod power injection that is more durable and promotes better energy transfer than basic wired models.
Stache also offers the skruit! A 650 mAh vape pen battery that has two 510 thread ports, allowing for a wider range of usable attachments, and the power necessary to back up a wide range of different styles and vapes.
It is important to understand what your specific needs require when choosing your vape battery. Some e-liquids also must factor in the output of the vape battery as well as the resistance of the coils being used, affecting how much flavor and vapor are produced. If you want to enjoy your experience with e-liquids understanding how these parts interact is key knowledge.
Understanding how much power you need and how often you plan to use your device will ultimately help you determine what battery suits you best. Some vape batteries, "mods" as they can be sometimes called, will sometimes have rechargeable lithium ion batteries that can be removed/replaced so that extra batteries can be taken to extend the amount of use you can get from your vape before needing to recharge.
How Hard is it to Maintain Your Vape Pen?
Maybe the most important thing to consider when choosing your vape pen device is how easy it is to use. Some models are incredibly simple: Screw a cartridge containing e-liquid or legal concentrate onto the battery, and inhale! However, there are also many vape pens with features like temperature presets, adjustable temperature and power output, and the ability to vape both dry herb as well as e-liquids and legal concentrates. These additional features usually mean that the device will be a bit more expensive and can take a more thorough understanding of the device to effectively use.
What Kind of Vape Pen is Best? What Vape Pen Accessories Work Best?
Just like the ease-of-use, the actual design and make-up of the vape pen is incredibly important when making your choice. Stainless steel and carbon fiber products tend to be on the higher cost side as they are typically more durable and easier to clean than their counterparts. However, some high-quality plastics that contain Pyrex glass and/or ceramic heating components can also be comparable and are not as costly.
When looking at vape pen models with coils or rods as heating elements, look for titanium or stainless steel paired with quartz rods as they are the most durable and have a better energy transfer. Avoid materials like silicon, or certain titanium alloy mixes that have low melting points as they can be potentially dangerous when mishandled or overused.
Knowing what capabilities you would like from your vape pen and how much you are willing to spend should help to narrow down the choices. Also, make sure that you are comfortable with the level of care your device may need to stay in proper working order. Many devices have small working parts that require maintenance on a regular basis, lest you risk burnt coils, burnt product, burnt flavor, or worse! Choosing a product made of high-quality materials can be pricey, but it usually ensures that the vape pen device should last longer and produce higher quality results for a longer period before needing extensive maintenance.
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