How to buy disposable vape pens that don’t suck

The berry-forward ‘Dream’ vape pen from Efex.

Used to be that vaping required a giant, plug-in rig, but today, with the wonders of portable battery technology and mounting demand for anything that will get you lifted, your options for vaping on the go are basically endless. Portable dry herb vaporizers provide a whole-plant alternative to smoking, while other vapes use oils to deliver varying levels of THC, CBD, and terpenes straight to your face.

We’re big proponents of consuming trees the way mother nature intended, but carrying your stash isn’t always practical. For those looking to keep things discreet and easy, vapes with pre-filled oil cartridges are the perfect companion. They don’t smell like herb, they don’t require any setup (save for a charge if you’re using a refillable device like the Pax Era), and some of them are even kinda cute.

“Fucking with Mother Nature on this one might not be the smartest choice.”

Thing is, it’s not always clear what’s in those oils. Manufacturers in California are required by law to tell you how much THC and CBD goes into their products, but they’re less likely to disclose the presence of things like synthetic terpenes (you know, the stuff that makes things smell). In order to produce vapor, cannabis oil has to maintain a certain viscosity, which has led to the introduction of synthetic terpenes and other food-grade garbage in your vape.

Besito’s hexagonal vape pen comes in three, sativa-heavy flavors: grapefruit, mint, and blackberry.

Well, guess what? Fucking with Mother Nature on this one might not be the smartest choice. Concerns have been raised over the potential health risks associated with artificial additives.

Luckily there are other, less controversial ways to thin cannabis oil, like reintroducing the plant’s naturally occurring terpenes. Some vape makers, like Beboe proudly state that they use only “cannabis-derived” ingredients in their products. In fact, there are plenty of discreet and stylish options that don’t mess with the fakes stuff. You just might have to do some research to find them.

Beboe’s rose gold, ‘Inspired’ vape pen offers a THC-heavy Sativa blend.

We’re feeling Beboe’s rose gold ‘Inspired’ vape pen, which comes pre-loaded with a THC-heavy Sativa blend, but there’s a big market for all-natural and quite striking single-use vaporizers out there. Besito’s gold-tone hexagonal pen comes in three different flavor profiles (grapefruit, mint, and blackberry). Their oils are all Sativa-dominant hybrids and have higher levels of CBD (a ratio of 2:1 THC to CBD) for a less intense high. Alternately, if you’re looking for something that will take you off to dreamland, Efex is serving blueberries and moody gradients, with its Dream Pen. It offers a 5:1 THC to CBD “sleep-supporting blend” that is fruity as hell -- not that there’s anything wrong with that ;)

Caveat emptor: Disposable vapes are cute and convenient but they’re also hella wasteful. Recycling programs for vapes are basically unheard of in California due to heavy regulations. Thankfully, there are plenty of clean, reloadable devices on the market too. They may not be as slim or stylish as these beauties, but what have we learned about fucking with Mother Nature? Our current favorite, the Pax Era.