The Rise of THC Oil Pod Vaporizers

G Pen Gio pre filled cartridges
Introduction

Pod vapes are some of the easiest ways to use THC or CBD. They come prepackaged and ready to use, so there is practically no preparation necessary besides keeping the battery charged up. There are two different types of pods available, proprietary pods and 510 cartridges.

Both come prefilled with THC or CBD oil, but there are differences between them that anyone interested in this type of vaping needs to consider. So keep reading to find out how they differ from each other, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and which one is the right one for you.

1

What Are THC/CBD Pods?

These are pods that have been filled with either THC or CBD vape oil and have a mouthpiece connected to them. They need to be attached to batteries before they can be used and using them is very easy since they are draw-activated. That means you can just inhale from the mouthpiece whenever you want, there is no need to turn the battery on or off. 

They are meant to be disposable so they cannot, and should not, be refilled. That means that you are limited to the strains provided by the manufacturer. However many manufacturers have a wide variety of strains from which to choose, and since there are a lot of different manufacturers, there is actually a lot of variety when it comes to the type of vape oil you want to use.

There is a lot of variety in CBD pods and cartridges alone since they offer elements that differentiate each cartridge. They can come in different concentrations, so you can choose how strong you want your CBD to be. Many manufacturers also offer CBD carts that come in a wide variety of flavors. You can get fruity flavors, minty flavors, sweet dessert-like flavors, and many more

2

Proprietary Pods vs 510 Cartridges

You can get prefilled cartridges in two different forms, proprietary pods, and 510 cartridges. 

Proprietary Pods

Proprietary pods are THC/CBD pods that can only be fitted to a  battery designed for that specific pod. That means the pod cannot fit on any other kind of battery and that the battery cannot be used with any other kind of pod. An example of this is the G Pen Gio (Review | Buy)

The advantage of this kind of setup is that proprietary pods and their batteries are very simple to use, you just slot the pod onto the battery and you’re done, there is no screwing in required like there is with 510 batteries. The disadvantage is that there is a narrower selection of oils from which to choose. Another is that the proprietary nature of the setup means that the pods are more expensive as well, though the batteries are usually pretty inexpensive.

510 Cartridges

kandypens 350 mah battery performance
The KandyPens 350 mAh battery is designed to work with cartridges that use high voltages.

These are Pre-Filled CBD Carts with a 510 threading, which means that they can connect to any battery with a 510 thread. Since there are a whole bunch of 510 batteries available, you will be spoiled for choice. There are pen style batteries where the cartridge attaches to the end, such as the KandyPens 350 mAh Battery (Review | Buy). There are also conceal batteries where the cartridge is inserted into the device, like the PCKT One Plus (Review | Buy). No matter what type of battery you choose, it will likely have variable voltage settings so that you can select the intensity of the vapor.

That is one of the advantages that 510 carts have over proprietary pods, another is that there are a much wider variety of 510 carts than there are proprietary pods. The main disadvantage to 510 carts is that assembling them takes a little longer because they need to be screwed onto the battery. Also, if the cartridge leaks, then the oil could coat the threads of the battery which could disrupt the connection between the two pieces.

Disposable Vape Pens

Another form in which you can purchase CBD cartridges—but not THC cartridges—is the disposable vape pen. Devices like the Choice CBD Vape Pen (Review | Buy) have the battery and mouthpiece as one complete device that never needs to be recharged much less refilled. They offer unparalleled convenience, but that comes at the expense of voltage and flavor selection.

3

Where Can I Buy THC/CBD Pods?

THC pods and cartridges can only be purchased from dispensaries in states where marijuana for recreational use has been legalized. CBD carts like Hemp Bombs 510 Cartridges (Review | Buy) can be purchased from brick and mortar and online stores. However, that is only if the CBD contains less than 1% of THC, if it does, then it can be bought and used anywhere in America.

4

Choose The Right Vendors

Be careful of where you buy your cartridges. Make sure that you only buy from certified vendors because they are sure to be selling legitimate cartridges. If you don’t, then you could end up with bootleg cartridges that could provide unpredictable and unwanted results. So stay safe and only buy your proprietary pods or 510 cartridges from authorized retailers.

Final Thoughts

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Prefilled pods are an easy and convenient way to use THC or CBD oil no matter which type you choose. However, 510 cartridges offer superior versatility because they come in a much wider variety of strains, flavors, and concentrations. Plus, they are much cheaper than proprietary pods. So, if you are interested in trying out prefilled pods, then 510 cartridges are the way to go, just make sure that you get a good battery to use with them.

Vaporizers mentioned on this article

TVG Team
TVG Team

TVG is a small team of cannabis and vaping enthusiasts that came together to create a vaping guide that's accessible for everyone. Over the past seven years, we have collectively tested hundreds of vapes for performance, build and vapor quality, as well as ease of use and overall value. We are also passionate about graphic design, videography & video editing, fitness, food & wine.

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