THC Pen vs Cart: What's the Difference? | Pop's Cannabis

Short answer

A THC pen is the battery and housing. A cart, short for cartridge, is the tank that holds cannabis oil, plus the coil and mouthpiece. The pen supplies power. The cart holds the product. Most pens sold as vape pens have a 510 threaded socket. Most carts sold alone screw onto that thread. A disposable pen seals both parts into one unit and gets tossed when the oil runs out.

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The two parts, named

• Pen (battery): a rechargeable cell from 350 mAh to 1,200 mAh, a button or draw sensor, a threaded socket, and a voltage setting.
• Cart (cartridge): a reservoir that holds 0.5 g or 1 g of oil, a cotton or ceramic coil, an air path, and a mouthpiece. Carts have a 510 thread or a magnetic adapter.

How they attach

The 510 thread is the common standard. It measures about 7 mm across with a 0.5 mm pitch. Any 510 cart fits any 510 battery. Some brands use proprietary magnetic connectors, so their carts fit only their own batteries. Check the connector before you buy.

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Disposable pens

A disposable pen holds a battery, a cart, and oil in one sealed shell. You cannot swap the cart. Puff counts are fixed. The upside is no assembly and no cleaning. The downside is that the whole unit becomes waste and the battery is not reused.

Cannabis Pen vs Cart Cost: Which Is Cheaper Per Milligram?

What sits inside a cart

Oil type changes the hit and the price. Distillate is refined THC with added terpenes. Live resin is extracted from fresh frozen plant and keeps more plant compounds. THC levels in concentrates run high. NIDA reports concentrates at 60% THC or more, against 12% to 25% in dried flower.

Voltage

Most batteries run 2.5 V to 4.8 V. Low voltage, 2.5 V to 3.2 V, gives more flavor and less vapor. High voltage, 4.0 V and up, gives bigger clouds and a harsher hit. High heat can scorch the coil and turn oil dark.

Cost math

A 1 g cart at $30 runs $30 per gram. A $20 battery used across 20 carts adds $1 per cart. In most shops, carts cost less per gram than disposables because you pay for the battery one time.

Safety

In 2019, CDC labs found vitamin E acetate in lung fluid samples from patients with EVALI, a lung injury tied to THC vaping. Vitamin E acetate is a thickener added to some black market carts. CDC advises against buying carts from unregulated sources and against adding any substance to vape products. FDA has not approved any cannabis product for vaping.

Storage

Keep carts upright, at room temperature, out of direct sun. Heat thins oil and causes leaks. Cold makes oil thick and slows wicking. A clogged cart can be cleared with a short dry pull or a few seconds of preheat at low voltage.

Quick comparison

• Pen: hardware, reusable, $10 to $40.
• Cart: oil, consumed, $20 to $60 per gram by state and oil type.
• Disposable: both parts in one shell, not refillable.