3 big differences between vaping cartridges and raw concentrates

Vaping cannabis has become just as popular in recent years as rolling a blunt or pulling a bong. One reason for this is because there are so many different forms of vaporization of the compound. In addition, vaping cannabis offers a level of convenience that can hardly be beaten.

For people just starting out with the world of vaping cannabis products, some of the terminology can get confusing. This is especially the case when deciding whether it is best to use a vape pen or a wax pen. While a vape pen can be used with any 510 threaded cartridge, wax pens require that users have their own concentrates to use with the device. Here are some other important differences between steam cartridges and raw concentrates.

RELATED: 3 Differences Between Vaping Marijuana and Smoking it

Photo by Joegend / Getty Images

Vaping concentrates is messy

One of the biggest differences between vaping raw concentrates and vaping THC cartridges is the fact that cartridges are essentially plug and play. Once attached to the battery, users are ready to find the temperature that’s right for them and get hits from their device. Concentrates are a different story. In order to properly vaporize concentrates, users need to apply their concentrates directly into the pen itself, which if used improperly, can leave excess residue. Another downside is that sometimes the pen won’t burn the concentrates completely, leaving sticker residue that is difficult to clean.

Vaping cartridges mean the consumption of potentially harmful chemicals

While vaping THC cartridges is easier for many cannabis users, vaping concentrates has gained popularity for good reason. While the main ingredient in vape cartridges is THC distillate, there are numerous ingredients that are cut with ingredients like coconut oil and other potentially harmful ingredients like heavy metals. Vaping concentrates, on the other hand, offer consumers the opportunity to consume pure concentrates without any additives. The fact that the individual consumer adds the concentrate himself provides greater assurance that the product he is consuming is safer for consumption than potentially harmful cartridges.

Vaporizing concentrates require more maintenance

Because consumers who choose to vape concentrates instead of cartridges can use more sophisticated devices than those who vape cartridges, they often have to perform more maintenance than their counterparts that rely on single-use 510 thread vape pens. If they regularly use a wax stick for vaping concentrates, consumers should be aware that they will likely need to replace parts of their device such as the atomizer and coil. This can be a tricky process depending on the type of wax stick you have. Consumers who prefer to vape THC cartridges don’t have to worry about much maintenance on their devices as they can simply dispose of their pen and buy a new one as soon as it shows signs of deterioration.

RELATED: Should You Vape or Smoke Your Cannabis Flower?

While most people think that there isn’t much of a difference between vaping concentrates and THC cartridges, there are a few key features that help differentiate them from one another. This can make life easier if you want to find out if it would be wiser to buy a wax stick with the ability to vape concentrates or a cartridge-only vape pen.