THE PROS AND CONS OF DAB PENS VERSUS WEED PENS

If you’re in a weed dispensary looking for easy-to-use cannabis vaporizers that are also portable, you’re probably looking at weed pens. 

Weed pens are an umbrella term for most handheld cannabis oil vaporizers. Underneath them, are two primary types: dab pens that are manually loaded with extracts, and weed vape pods that work with prefilled refined cannabis oil. 

Let’s discuss the differences between dab pens and weed pens, as well as the pros and cons of choosing dab pens versus prefilled weed pods and pens.

What is a dab pen?

First of all, a dab rig is a type of cannabis vaporizer that sits atop a table and is loaded with various types of cannabis extracts, or dabs. A dab pen is a handheld, electronic device that does this process with much less effort. It is also called a wax pen, or weed pen, though weed pen most often refers to a prefilled weed pod paired with a compatible battery system.

With dab pens/wax pens, you load your own concentrates. Some say wax pens are pens that vape wax and that dab pens are pens that replicate a dab’s effects. Truthfully, they are the same thing, and this is just a game of semantics. 

What is a weed pen?

Let’s get one thing straight: weed pens, dab pens, and wax pens are all terms used interchangeably, in a “you know what I mean” type of way. Dab pens, weed pens, and cannabis vapes are all umbrella terms that specific devices can be categorized under.

Some devices may apply to all terms, or only one. As far as this discussion goes, by definition, a dab pen is a type of weed pen, however, for comparison's sake, we’ll use weed pen to describe the combination of a weed pen battery and weed vape pod.

With weed pens, your cannabis vape extracts come in prefilled pods and cartridges. So essentially, when people say dab pen, they mean vaporizers that can be loaded with any consistency of a cannabis extract. When you say weed pen, you mean pens that vaporize liquid extracts, like live resin pods, cannabis-derived terpene pods, and live rosin pods.

The pros of using a dab pen versus a weed pen

Both dab pens and weed vapes are excellent ways to enjoy cannabis’ many benefits.

Some advantages dab pens have over traditional weed pens and pods include:

• You can use different types of concentrates
• Strain variety each session
• Temperature variability
• Potency

You can use different types of concentrates 

You load your own concentrates when using dab pens. With prefilled cannabis vape pens, you’re vaping whatever liquid oil is inside of the pods until they’re empty.

The advantage here is that there are many different textures of concentrates. Though they all have pretty similar highs in the end, the fact remains that you are offered a freedom of choice with dab pens that other weed vape pens and weed pods don’t offer.

Strain variety each session

Because you're loading your own concentrates with dab pens, they enable you to hit a bunch of different cannabis strains each time you session. You could vape Berry Pie live resin diamonds for your wake and bake, Lava Cake curated live resin for your afternoon delight, and Banana Cream live rosin jam for your evening wind-down.

With prefilled weed pens and weed vape pods, you are locked into that single strain and oil type until you finish or discard the weed pod you’re using.

Temperature variability

Dab pens typically have multiple temperature settings that allow you to adjust to whatever type of dabs you put in them. With weed pens, you’re usually working with one standard temperature or voltage, unless you purchase a newer weed pen battery with many different heating options.

Each cannabis concentrate has a different optimal temperature. Multiple temperature settings allow you to adjust to these different concentrates and enjoy the best possible experience from them.

Potency

You’re getting harder hits of concentrates out of a dab pen than you are from a weed vape. That’s because those dabs typically hit harder than refined cannabis oil.

The cons of using a dab pen versus a weed pen

Even with all of dab pens’ majesty, there are still some wins that weed vape pods and compatible batteries take over them.

The cons of choosing dab pens over weed pens include:

• Cleaning
• Carrying various products with you
• Battery life
• Some oil pens are disposable

Photo by Dip Devices on Unsplash.

Cleaning

Weed vapes definitely beat out dab pens when it comes to everyday maintenance.

You have to clean dab pens after each use, so that your flavor and experience aren’t distorted by old burnt oil tastes. With weed pods, you just hit them until you’re high then put them back into your pocket. You don’t need to carry cotton swabs or isopropyl alcohol to remove oil from the chambers with weed vapes.

Carrying various products 

With a dab pen, once you leave the house, you’ll need to carry a few accessories with you. You’ll need to carry your dab pen’s charger, as well as the concentrates you’ll load into them, and cleaning materials so that your pen’s chamber isn’t all gunked up and disgusting by the time you get home. 

Battery life 

It all depends on how frequently you use your dab pen; but generally, dab pen batteries die a lot sooner than traditional weed pods and 510-thread weed vape pens. 

Some weed pens are disposable 

Walk out the door with a dab pen, and you’ll have to make sure you don’t lose it all day. With weed vape pens, there are disposable options that can be tossed as soon as those pods empty. It’s a small issue, considering dab pens don’t take up too much space in your pocket, but it is still a win for the weed pen side of the argument.

Ultimately, choosing between a dab pen or a weed pen will depend on personal preference and your needs. For most cannabis consumers, they both do the trick. The subtle differences may make you lean towards one or the other.

Whether you’re loading a dab pen manually with concentrates, or simply attaching a weed pod to a weed pen battery, just make sure to only purchase extracts from well-renowned cannabis brands that produce high-quality products.

At STIIIZY, we only use premium flower for all of our cannabis products,  including our proprietary weed vape pods and weed pen battery system.