You’ve probably noticed more and more “vape pens” popping up at your local dispensary, online telemedicine platforms like Nugg & NuggMD, but what about cannabis vape cartridges? Maybe you don’t know exactly what they are or how to use them, but you’ve seen your pal puffing on what looks to be an “armored pen” like its oxygen.
Here’s the deal—the vaporizers you see today are portable electronic sticks that heat marijuana oil to a temperature just shy of combustion, emitting a smokeless “mist” without the tars, toxins and carbon produced and ingested when setting your herb aflame.
Vaporizers make vaping and smoking easy, discreet, and honestly quite a lot of fun (just don’t confuse cannabis vaporizers with e-cigarette vaporizer pens that function the same but use nicotine instead of THC).
After seeing celebs like rapper/weed icon Snoop Dogg, comedian Sarah Silverman, fighter Nate Diaz and others publicly sport these magic healing wands, you’re probably tempted to try one for yourself. You’re not alone. Even a third of Leafly reviews are related to medical or adult vaporizer use.
But what you might not realize is that the vape pens themselves aren’t the key. Yes, each comes with its own design, price, quality, durability, and “wow factor”; but in reality it’s the THC and/or CBD vape oil (also commonly referred to as cannabis e-juice or liquid concentrate) inside the detachable cartridge that produces the relaxing, healing effects.
These weed cartridges are typically created using a CO2 extraction method and can be replaced time and time again with any THC and/or CBD infused liquid.
Which brings us to the point of this article…
What are the best (and worst) vape cartridges available today?
We wish someone warned us which ones to try first and which ones to stay away from, but there’s just not much information out there on what makes one cartridge better than another. Maybe a random reddit thread here and there, a post in High Times or The Cannabist, but for the most part the topic of personal cannabis vaporizers is still an emerging trend with a lot to be discovered.
Plus, when something so small is priced so high you can’t really afford trial and error. We’re writing this post in hopes that prospective wax pen vape cartridge buyers like you find it useful prior to purchase.
Our first piece of advice for medical marijuana users—don’t listen to what the budtenders tell you. They’re job is to push products. They’re not pharmacists. Most of them don’t care about your medical needs and the cannabis industry just doesn’t have standards to make sure the people behind the counter know what they’re talking about.
In fact, most of us are frequently shocked how little they actually know. “This one’s the best” usually means “this is the one nobody’s buying and we really need to get rid of it.”
And you often can’t trust pricing as an indicator of quality; you may think expensive carts trump the rest in quality and potency, but they’re most likely only pricey because of fancy packaging and branding.
In this 2015-2017 breakdown, we’ll try to refrain from talking about qualities that are mainly subjective like smell and taste. They all smell and taste differently, but we know what you care about most are the THC concentration, vapor production, and ultimately the effects of the high, so we’ll mainly address these issues.
We’ve also updated this piece to include vape cartridges that became available to consumers in 2017.
In this brand spotlight, you'll discover:
[Click any of the section titles below to jump there]
We’ll go from worst to best so, even if you don’t have time to read this whole thing, you can click on a brand above and find out which one(s) to try and which to stay away from. When you do find one you’re interested in, check out the last section of this post to learn how you can get it delivered to your home (if you’re in California, that is).
O.pen
Don’t be fooled by the sleek packaging! You might be tempted to buy an O.pen pre-filled hash oil vape cartridge or O.Pen refill because they’re nice, colorful, and have a variety of vape cartridge strains in 250mg ($30-45) and 500mg ($50-65) sizes, but this is the least favorite brand we’ve tried.
And believe us, we wanted to think the first experience was a fluke, but then the second AND third marijuana oil cartridges ended in leakage too.
SEE ALSO: Full O-pen Vape Pen & Cartridges Review
Even when we followed the O.pen vape instructions and managed to get these things puffing, the burnt plastic taste was simply off-putting and unnatural. We imagine this product comes from a production line with little quality control and a company with little interest in the cannabis user. Still looking for O-pen vape cartridges for sale? Scroll or jump to the end of this article.
O-Pen vape cartridges = avoid, not worth the problems when better ones available.
American Flower
This one will get you high, but not very quickly. We had to power-hit it rapidly for ten minutes and only then did the cerebral lift-up kick in. There’s not that much vapor produced, so you feel like every hit comes up short. For some reason this one is priced at $40 for 500mg of vape pen hash oil, but we have no idea what reason justifies that price.
Their packaging isn’t even aesthetically pleasing. See for yourself; it’s freaking atrocious. Looks like it’s straight out of the Kirkland Swiss army knife handbook.
American Flower cartridges = don’t bother, unless the O-pen is your only other option. Then prep the lungs, suck down the entire cart and hope for the best.
Pure Vape
Pure Vape has the potential to be an amazing product. They kill it when it comes to taste, potency, and availability, but they’re not fooling anybody with their price point.
If you’re light on cash $40 for the 500mg cartridge and $50 for the 1200mg cartridge (a better deal) might not be worth it; you’re better off buying some wax or shatter to get more bang for your buck, unless you insist on vaping.
An average Pure Vape cartridge might last about four days, if you have the discipline of a Shaolin monk, but if you’re a regular toker this thing will give you two days of great tasting vapor, and two days of burnt hits. Instead, save those 40 or 50 bucks for one of the bad boys below.
Pure Vape cartridges = quality but short-lasting; not worth the price.
TetraLabs
TetraLabs does not mess around when it comes to quality. These cannabis oil cartridges contain pure liquid THC will get you really high, make your mouth water, and will last longer than most others on the market.
While more expensive than the previous cartridges, their strength, smoothness and effectiveness makes them worth the heftier $70 (1000mg) and $40 (500mg) price tags.
While they come in a variety of flavors, Classic, Crème Brûlée, Earl Grey, Pineapple and Spearmint, unfortunately they don’t come in a variety of strains because you only have one option…Mystery Hybrid.
Although labeled a hybrid strain, we wouldn’t recommend this cartridge if you’re trying to get stuff done. They definitely lean more towards the indica-dominant side of the spectrum, so if you’re looking for that deep body couch-lock then this is the vape cartridge for you.
Tetra Labs Gold cartridges = pricey but dank, almost too dank if you’re tryna function.
Eureka Vapor
Unlike the others on this list, Eureka oil vapor cartridges come in almost 20 popular indica, sativa and hybrid strains like Girl Scout Cookie, Super Silver Haze, and White Window for practically every condition or mood.
Not only is there something for everybody, each Eureka vapor cartridge tastes like what it’s supposed to as their extraction process produces only the purest and healthiest vapor.
SEE ALSO: Eureka Vape Cartridge Review
They’re fairly priced at $35 for 0.5g/500mg and $65 for 1g/1000mg, plus works like any standard 510-thread cartridge. Currently they’re only available in California and Colorado, so if you can legally buy medical marijuana and are lucky enough to find them, take advantage and enjoy! You won’t be sorry.
Eureka vape cartridges = great selection, effective, and affordable; a more balanced cartridge.
Honey Vape
Super potent, super high-quality with a bunch of great tasting strains like Skywalker OG, Blackberry, and Tangerine Dream to choose from.
In our eyes, Honey Vape could’ve taken the cake, but we like to medicate on-the-go and this cartridge slowed us down. Why?
When we first tried the Honey Vape cartridge we were ready to put it at the top of this list (meaning the absolute worst) marijuana cartridge available. We could barely get this thing to hit at all. We were sucking on it like a baby on a pacifier, our lips hurt and we were doing way too much of the work.
But we found the trick—you have to heat this stuff up beforehand until the liquid THC starts to flow and then, believe us, it runs like gold. After giving up on the concentrate and accidentally leaving it to fry in the sun, we discovered that the THC vape juice was swimming around more freely.
We then plugged it into our vape pen, took one huge drag and, would you look at that, the thing absolutely RIPPED.
With up to 80% THC oil in each, we proceeded to get a mind-blowing creative high that lasted well over two hours (impressive for any THC cartridges our book).
SEE ALSO: In-Depth Honey Vape Cartridges Review
So if you don’t mind doing a little prep-work (like putting a blowdryer or flame to this thing) and paying $40 (0.5g), $75 (1g), or $110 (1.8g) for a CO2 oil cartridge, then Honey Vape is totally worth it. You won’t find this kind of quality and potency anywhere else.
Honey Vape cartridges = looks like honey, tastes like it too, and gets you very medicated so go try one of these cartridges now.
Kurvana (formerly Kure Botanicals)
There’s nothing more satisfying than a perfect tasting vapor hit. We’d probably buy these cannabis vape juices even if they didn’t contain active cannabinoids; they’re that good.
However, even though these cartridges taste better than any others we’ve tried, taste isn’t the determining factor for why we put Kurvana at numero uno.
They’re also extremely potent (67-70% THC), come in 11 delicious strains like Pineapple Express, Citron OG and Grapefruit Kush, and the presentation is pristine. Where other companies use fancy packaging to place a premium on price (a.k.a. rip you off), Kurvana uses its stylish packaging as the “wow factor.”
The only downside is they’re one of the most expensive 1g cartridges available, $75 each, but their .5g cartridges are a reasonable $40 a piece, putting them on-par with the Honey vape cartridge.
These embody everything you want in your weed oil cartridges: the intensely flavored strains taste awesome and hit smoothly while getting you high as a kite, and the beautifully crafted vial containers look attractive. Way to go Kurvana, you’ve done us right.
Kurvana vape cartridges = currently one of the best vape cartridge on the market, hands down.
Pax Era
Mostly known for their dried flower vapes, Pax has become a leading vape cartridge producer in 2017 due in part to their super sleek and stylish concentrates pen, the Pax Era. The pen’s thin, rectangular shape is unlike any other, making their cartridges, called “pods,” a high quality specialty item.
Surprisingly, Pax doesn’t make their own vape oil but partners with high quality cannabis companies, licensing their pod’s to different ones in each MMJ state.
Here in California, Bloom Farms produces the pods in a ton of organic strains, including ACDC, Silver Haze, Sour Diesel, White Kush and many more. Bloom Farm’s Pax Era Pods are on the expensive end, with 500mg (the only size available) cartridges costing around $60 a piece.
In addition to the pods’ lasting unexpectedly long, the pen itself heats to a perfect temperature so you’ll never have another harsh hit filled with burnt flavor. It not only looks futuristic, it also comes equipped with an app, allowing you to track your consumption and alter the temperature as needed.
Pax Era Pods = What these pods lack in affordability and diversity they make up for in quality, flavor and lasting ability. Worth the splurge.
FlavRX
The FlavRx takes pride in emphasizing the science behind the perfect dose, so it’s no surprise the company won “Best Vape Pen” at the 2016 HempCon in San Francisco. Now in 2017 they’ve become even popular. Every cartridge provides a quality high that’s full of natural flavor, tasting more like smoking flower than vaping concentrate.
Another amazing aspect of FlavRx cartridges? There are currently 24 strain-specific options to choose from, including favorites like Girl Scout Cookies, Green Crack, Blue Dream, Jack Herer and OG Kush, along with several more so you’ll never get bored.
Their cartridges come in two sizes: 500mg (0.5ml) and 1,000mg (1.0ml). The smaller will cost around $35 while the large will cost around $65, making these some of the more expensive options available.
If you’re more concerned with price than quality, these vape oil cartridges probably aren’t for you. But if you are willing to pay a bit more for better quality flavor and high, FlavRx might be your new favorite.
FlavRX = Rich, natural flavor of smoking flower with the potent high of concentrates.
Read on to learn how to order cannabis delivery online from top dispensaries in your area. We guarantee you they carry some (if not all) of these products.
How to Get Vape Products Delivered in Under an Hour
Where can you find THC vape oil for sale online? While you can’t buy it or other vape pen cartridges wholesale directly from the companies that make them, or buy them outside of your designated state, you can find a variety of vape refills, dab cartridges, wax cartridges, BHO cartridges, CBD vape pen cartridges, hash oil cartridges and more for sale just by using any device with an internet connection!
Keep in mind though, this service is only available in California for now.
Visit Nugg, the leading online cannabis marketplace, to find a competitive list of the vape cartridges you want, and have them delivered to your door! Put in your address or zip code and/or use the search bar to hunt for brands and vape products using key search words like “vaporizer” and “cartridges.”
See which medical marijuana dispensaries near you carry these awesome (or not so awesome) products, compare pricing, and order hassle-free without ever talking to a live person. Instant gratification here you come!
So there you have it. The best and worst vape cartridges of 2015 & 2016, and much more to come in 2017.
We’ll update this page regularly with new cartridge additions, so visit us again to learn about new cartridge brands & products.
View Comments (59)
I find it interesting that you refer to the pure vape as expensive at $30/.5. Here in LA this is far and away the cheapest cartridge available. The alpine oil is nice and a little cheaper at $50/gram but it just doesn't last long, and the refillable cartridges seem to be a big pain.
I'd love to know where you can get cheaper cartridges than $30!!!!
hhc in van nuys..most oil cartridges 1/2grams 25..2 for 45..bloom..up..pure all available
if you're looking for the best vapor oil out there vegan Buddha first place winner in the Cannabis Cup this year that took place in Jamaica instead of Amsterdam I know the name is kind of out there but the medicine is grown fully vegan meaning the soil and fertilizer does not have animal products in it check it out they're hard to get but they're the best in the world
I'm surprised by what I have read so for with the comparison of cartridges and pens. The quality of the oil, how it was extracted, its purity and % of THC to CBD are all major game changers when it comes to being able to "compare". Pure Vape is awesome!!!
The best cartridges, zero leaking, Co2 extracted so no toxic anything- I would recommend anyone wanting the purest medicine with a lots of options, sativa, indica and hybrid... to try Pure Vape! Love it!
You'd laugh at what I'm paying for 1 Pure cartridge: $50 and feel like a lottery winner if I can get that!
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I recently discovered Kure botanicals but haven't got a chance to try their vapes yet. Their cartridges look legit but I guess I'm a sucker for nice packaging haha! I'm excited try their vapes soon.
I agree with the reviews on Pure Vape and Honey Vape. Pure Vapes are not the best, but they are a great value, they're on the cheaper end of the vape spectrum. I thought Honey Vapes sucked at first too because my cartridge wasn't pulling through any vapor. The manufacturer does recommend pre-heating the cartridge first which sucks but not a big deal. The taste and smell is amazing though and they are high potency, something like 70%+ I think.
Hey Ramon, thanks for the comment and recommendation to pre-heat the Honey Vape cartridges, we'll have to give that a try!
Glad to hear it all worked out for you in the end, but we feel your pain, cartridges can be a messy and inconsistent product, that's why the brand is everything! I had a recent "power-toke" experience that ended poorly like yours, guess you can't win 'em all...
Thank you for your wonderful review. I have to agree with you hands down that Kure is the best.....I was a weed expert for over 30 years and could tell you the best and the worst and then I switched over to vape cartridges and basically had the same exact issues you had with almost all the bad ones you commented on - once I tried the Kure, I never went back to anything else - I even switched dispensaries when mine stopped selling it. It's all I buy and it's so worth high! But your review on the Honey Vape has piqued my interest - I might try that one for kicks....and the Tetris Gold ones are really potent like you said - you become part of the couch your sitting on once you take a few hits off their product! But the main reason I like the Kure product is that you get high but you don't loose focus.....it's totally different to smoking bud and I'm thankful science has invented this way because, in my humble opinion, it's the purest way to get high.
Kurvana #1a - Spliffin #1b - 71O Kingpen #2a - Honeyvape #2b - Heavy Hitters #3 - Absolute Extracts #4 - Eureka and many others ---- based on potency, value, vape quality and the standard, Bionic Bee is another gem
Here in WA we have lots of MJ shops. One near me looks like a spa. It's that nice. But they couldn't answer my newbie question on cartridges. "Why do you have this huge TV monitor with all your options, but when I ask for a cartridge, you pull out a shoe box like it's their dog-crap MJ option?" All they have is Jackpot. I'm no connoisseur but I doubt many people will give that a high rating.
My point is this is just the info I was looking for! Now I need to find who carries it.
Pls do more reviews on cartridges. Where can I see other ratings on cartridges?
Eugene, Oregon checking in.
First, I have to give thumbs up to the phrase describing packaging "like a Kirkland Swiss Army knife". Funny!
Locally, we mainly have cartridges by Golden Xtrx and CO2 Company (a dumb generic-sounding brand name, if you ask me). I've only tried CO2 so far but am really happy with the result. Nice vapor, good taste, reasonable draw (but it's a lot more effort than needed with a volcano-style table top whip), and good range of strain choices. Cost is $40 for 1 gram of approximately 58% thc oil. Another nice thing is their weed is all organically grown.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful article with us. I would recommend others to read this great content.
... I somehow stumbled upon this post in search for a decent bulletin about vape pens/quality/etc., and found this thread. TBH I am a budtender and NOT ALL budtenders out there will lie to you. There are a verrrry small number of them (1%) who will give you their honest opinion about the products they sell. I will tell you right now that MOST (80-90%) of these cartridges contain FORMALDEHYDE (propylene-glycol), or some other sort of glycerin/glycol base additive for flavoring (not talking terpenes here) that is CARCINOGENIC when heat is applied. Heat alters the composition of the molecular structure and renders it VERY dangerous for your lungs. I'm no chemist/doctor etc., so don't take my word for it. I just do my research. From what I know so far, the "Kure" brand, or now "Kurvana", does contain small amounts of P.G. in their products to get that good ol' flavor in. So does "Delta 9" (in very high amounts~600mg to be exact). Another is the "Americanna" brand, then known as "The Trusted American Brand". If you flip these carts upside down you will find that the oil contained in these carts will move. Like a motherfucking bubble level. STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM THOSE. Ask for "glycol-free"/"solvent-less"/Organic. Also, many budtenders are oblivious to the fact, or will be plain out too scared to tell you the truth, in fear they will lose their job in this fucked up economy. My favs so far have been the "Alpine Live-Resin" and "Pure-Vape" carts. These oils WILL NOT move when you flip them upside down. The Alpine Live-Resin carts do have the terpenes reintroduced bc of the process it takes to get the oil that sappy. This is why I put Pure-Vape at #1. Fucking natural. All natural terps in their carts. They are also strain specific so you will have a nice variety to choose from. I DO NOT WORK FOR PURE-VAPE nor am I endorsed by any company or stupid secret group or some bullshit like that. Just an honest budtender who enjoys seeing people medicate NATURALLY. ~1
badseed987: propylene glycol is NOT FORMALDEHYDE. Propylene glycol is used in some vape juice. Educate yourself and stop the misinformation. That out of the way, in AZ, Timeless produces a THC distillate cart of over 85% pure THC, with real cannabis terpines making up most of the remainder. And, if you don't store them mouthpiece down in a hot area, they won't leak, either. And, they do 'em in Sativa, Indica and 1:1 THC: CBD varieties. Priced a little higher, but their products have work flawlessly for me.