Different Types of Vapes: Complete Guide for Your Go-To Vaping Device

Trying to find the ‘best vape’ is like trying to find the recipe for your mother-in-law’s secret spaghetti sauce. You can search and search, but it’s not going to be easy to find.

The following will give you an introduction to the different types of vape devices out there and what makes each of them unique.

There’s a high probability of being left out in the cold with your first purchase, which is why many first-time vapers end up feeling frustrated or buying the wrong first vape kit.

With so many different devices available, it can be challenging to decide which you should buy, and beginner vapers might not know where to begin. 

That’s why we’ve created this handy guide to help you find your perfect device – it’ll be easier than trying to recreate the sauce. 

What are the Components of a Vape Device?

A vaporizer is a device that continuously vaporizes either dry herbs or e-liquid to make inhalable vapors. 

The current market has tons of brands and types of vape devices for different vaping styles and vaping needs. Vaporizers have been growing fast, and now you can find them in various shapes, sizes, colors, and forms.

But despite their variations, some components of a vape device remain consistent throughout the different models.

The Tank (aka the Cartridge)

The vape tank is the part of the device that holds the e-juice. 

It’s not rocket science, really – you put the e-liquid in the tank when you want to vape, screw on your coil when ready to heat it, and then inhale it when you’re in the mood to vape.

The Atomizer (aka the Heater)

The atomizer is essentially the heating chamber of your vape, and it consists of a heating element that is wound up into an intricate series of wicks and coils. 

When the battery sends an electric pulse through the wire at the center of the wick-and-coil assembly inside your tank, the wick heats up, and the e-liquid vaporizes. The whole process happens within milliseconds.

After the e-liquid has vaporized, you can inhale the delicious vapor through your mouthpiece. 

The Battery (aka the Power)

The battery provides the power to operate the atomizer – this means you should carefully consider battery choice when looking for your ideal device. 

Some people choose rechargeable batteries, while others opt for disposables. 

It’s worth mentioning that disposables are often less expensive than reusable batteries, but they are also less environmentally friendly.

The Sensor (aka the Brain)

The sensor is the dispatcher of a vape and commands the battery to heat the atomizer and produce vapor.

How Many Types of Vapes Are There?

Vapes have become quite sophisticated with the introduction of new technologies to meet the needs of advanced vapers. 

As a result, vape devices have been classified into two main categories based on the vape substance: nicotine and cannabis. In addition to this distinction, many subtypes of devices are also available.

Nicotine Vapes

When it comes to smoking, some options don’t involve combustion. One of these is a nicotine vape – a handheld device that provides nicotine without the smoke.

These vaporizers can come with 0% nicotine e-liquids for those who want to quit the habit entirely. Otherwise, nicotine salt e-liquid can come with up to 5% nicotine for those who want to wean themselves off. 

In addition, the e-juice flavors range from traditional tobacco to dessert to flavorless, so you’re bound to satisfy whatever taste you might be craving.

The term “e-cigarette” is most often used to describe a small device that resembles a cigarette in size and shape. Here are a few different kinds of nicotine vapes.

1. E-cigarettes

For people wanting to quit smoking real cigarettes, e-cigarettes are a sleek, convenient, and sure-fire way to handle your nicotine craving. 

An e-cig is an ideal option for those constantly on the go, whether for work or play. 

It is a portable device, ready for use right out of the package, and these vape pens work with high-nicotine e-liquids, which will satisfy your cravings.

The e-cigarette works by heating the coil and the e-liquid, turning it into a vapor. Unlike tobacco cigarettes, there’s no combustion involved, so you get the satisfaction of smoking without any carcinogens. 

An e-cigarette can come as your standard vape pen but owning any device enhances the stealth vaping experience.

2. Pod Vapes

Pod vapes are similar to earlier e-cigarettes (like the cig-a-like), but they come packed with more features – and perform much better – than their predecessors. 

The negative connotations of vape culture are nowhere to be found with a vape pod mod as they are subtle and stealthy devices.

Pod systems are popular with beginners; they are a smaller device as well as affordable, easy to use, refillable, and rechargeable. 

A pod device offers auto-draw technology, which means they draw the vapor directly into your lungs for bigger and deeper draws. This results in a throat hit similar to smoking a traditional cigarette without the effort to draw vapor found with most sub-ohm tanks.

These characteristics make a pod vape one of the most practical starter kits on the market today. 

3. Box Mods

Box mods are bigger than other devices. They’re more powerful than their smaller counterparts (like a pod vape), yet they’re still portable enough to carry around at all times. 

A box mod requires cells to operate and often includes external batteries for longer battery life. This makes them quite a bit larger than other vape mods, but they still usually fit in the palm of your hand.

Various tanks are compatible with most box mods, and the main types are sub-ohm tanks and mouth-to-lung clearomizers. 

If you like long battery life and big vapor production, then these high-performance vapes might be exactly what you’re looking for.

4. Squonk Starter Kit

Squonk starter kits fall under the vape mod category of box mods. 

In their basic form, squonkers are mechanical mods featuring a bottom-feeding arrangement. It allows the user to replenish e-liquid straight into their dripper without requiring them to drip manually.

Squonk mods come with a wide variety of rebuildable dripping atomizers (RDAs) and sub-ohm tanks. They come as a single-battery box mod or a dual-battery box mod.

Using a squonker is usually effortless and clean, but even for experienced vapers, the situation can swing between painful and pleasant, depending on the quality of your setup.

Cannabis Vapes

Battery-powered, CBD vapes are either smaller vape pens or larger desktop devices, depending on the vaping material. 

If you wish to have an easy-to-carry device, then a CBD or cannabis vape pen is an excellent choice. 

These devices are used for many botanical materials, including dry herb, concentrates, CBD, THC, and other botanicals. Here are a few different kinds.

1. THC and Weed Oil Pens

If you’re a fan of THC, then a weed pen is a must-have. Also referred to as a THC oil pen or a cannabis oil pen, these portable vaporizers have gained popularity over the last few years. 

Weed pens are small, battery-powered devices that convert concentrates into vapor. They contain an atomizer cartridge with a wick and a heating coil that heats the oil inside.

Just like nicotine vape pens were an evolution from cigarettes, weed pens are an evolution from those vape pens. Weed pens are made from two pieces of metal and look just like a pen – so they’re discreet – but they work a lot better than most vape pens.

When it comes to weed pens, the power of convenience is paramount.

2. CBD Vape Pens

There are numerous reasons why we prefer a refillable vape pen. The most common reason is the cost savings in comparison to cartridges. 

A refillable CBD vape pen can be filled with any e-juice, maximizing your options. Moreover, they have a rechargeable 510 thread battery.

Another reason for choosing a CBD device is if you’re sensitive to the PG in regular e-juices or want to avoid flavoring altogether. 

With some exceptions, these refillable vape pens use all-natural cotton, mesh, ceramic, or quartz wicks for coils, making them ideal for anyone with allergies to PG or plastic (some plastics are coated in metals like nickel).

CBD pens are great because these devices offer a more discreet experience when you’re out and about. 

The form-factor is also much more convenient than using a box mod with a tank, especially when all you want to do is take a quick hit. 

Now, we are not saying pen-style CBD vapes are as convenient as e-cigarettes, but they are certainly easier to carry around when you’re on the move.

3. Portable Dry Herb Vaporizer

Portable dry herb vaporizers are small, personal devices that heat marijuana to produce vapors. They’re designed for people who want to vaporize their marijuana without taking a hit from a traditional joint. 

Instead, these vaporizers gently heat herbs at precise temperatures for a soothing and aromatic experience.

4. Desktop Vaporizer

One of the first types of vaporizers was the desktop vaporizer. It’s most often powered by convection heating, which means that it can extract all the cannabinoids like CBD and THC from the flower. 

These self-contained dry herb chambers provide variable voltage and different temperatures that trigger vapor when heated.

It can be very intense when the desktop vaporizer is cranked up to its fullest capabilities – but there’s really no need to crank it up. Conveniently, users can adjust the settings to their desired level of intensity.

Conclusion

People vape for all sorts of reasons, so it’s helpful to understand the type of vaping experience you’re looking for when starting out. 

These days, there are so many different types of vape devices. Vape kits come as vape pens, pod mods, disposable vapes, mech mods, and more. 

Each vape kit has different features like one-click buttons, variable wattage, temperature control, adjustable airflow, multiple coil resistance, pre-filled pods, or puff counters. These variations allow you to customize your experience and pair your preferred e-juice with the best vapor output for you.

However, the first pain of vaping is realizing how many options there are and how much money you’ll spend trying them out. 

A beginner could go broke if they tried every kind of vape pen, pod system, mech mod, sub-ohm device, or disposable vape that looked interesting – and would still find themselves unsatisfied.

To guide you in your search for a solid and durable device, we have given you an overview of the different kinds of vapes to help narrow down your selection. 

We believe that getting rid of unpleasant experiences should always be rewarded with something fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Choose the Best Type of Vaping Device?

There is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” device when it comes to vapes. 

The best way to determine the right device for you is to ask yourself a series of questions and answer them honestly. Your answers will help you determine which combination of smoking accessories works best for you.

You might want to consider a few points when choosing your first device, namely: budget, portability, battery power, vaping substance, coils, tank capacity, and wattage output.

You can try out various vaping devices to know what suits best to your lifestyle, especially if you are a beginner in the vaping world.

How Can I Take Care of My Vape?

Roughly one in five vapes might break if dropped from a height of three feet. And many vaping mishaps aren’t fun. Vapes are expensive devices, and they deserve to be handled with care.

The most important thing you should remember is that vaping is different from smoking. Dry herbs or wax can damage heating elements and, over time, will cause short-circuiting and the device to stop working.

To avoid overheating, don’t leave your device in direct sunlight and ensure nothing nearby is causing it to overheat. While you’re at it, don’t forget to clean all the parts at least once a week (or more if you use it often).

When you take care of your device, you’ll enjoy a long and healthy relationship!

How Many Vape Puffs Equals a Cigarette?

Too many vapers, especially new vapers, don’t realize how long e-juice will last. If you use a strict ratio of ‘average puff number per milliliter,’ the vape juice will last for much longer.

One mL of e-juice is equivalent to about ten cigarettes which means you can cherish 100 vape puffs per mL. So, vaping 2 mL of vape juice is the same as smoking a single pack of cigarettes.