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With their discreet, convenient, and nearly odorless characteristics… vape cartridges and all-in-one vapes aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, research shows it’s the second most popular product category in the US, capturing 23.6% of the total market share. 

So, if you’re an aspiring vape brand or looking to expand your existing SKUs to include vape carts or all-in-one devices, this is the guide for you. Here, we’ll answer the question “How to fill vape cartridges” to give you a foundation and the most common mistakes to avoid to help you scale successfully. 

Keep reading for our ultimate guide to filling vapes. 

Get to Know The Different Vape Cartridges

Before we understand how to fill a cartridge with a syringe or automated machines, let’s get familiar with the various types of carts first. In today’s cannabis market, you’ll find a variety of vape devices. The most popular include: 

• 510-thread cartridges: 510-thread cartridges are the most common and compatible with various batteries. However, brands may lose control over the temperatures at which consumers heat their oil. 
• Disposable or all-in-one vape pens: All-in-one or “disposable” devices are another popular product. These devices come with the oil pre-filled and an integrated battery. 

Beyond this, you’ll find varying cartridges or devices within each category. For instance, there are ceramic and metal atomizers to heat oil and varying mouthpieces or other characteristics that can make carts or all-in-one devices unique to one brand. 

Even more, as cannabis concentrates evolve, so does the type of oil that you’ll find in vape cartridges, too. From distillate to live resin, rosin to live rosin, every plant extract, and even every strain and phenotype of the strain or extraction method can affect the consistency of the product to fill the cart with. 

Next, we’ll discuss the importance of proper filling for consumer experience and brand success.

Why Proper Filling Matters

Filling your vape cartridge will directly impact two crucial factors affecting your brand’s success: customer retention or loyalty and your bottom line. Due to the precious nature of the cannabis extract you’re filling, operators need to minimize loss, preserve quality, and increase efficiency for filling carts or all-in-one devices.

If not done correctly, cart filling can affect the end-user’s experience and potentially negatively impact future sales. Accurate filling prevents leaks, ensures consistent dosing, and maintains the integrity of the oil’s chemical profile. 

Overfilling can lead to clogging and waste, while underfilling may result in customer complaints. Using the right equipment and techniques also helps prevent contamination and preserves the terpene profile, essential for flavor and effects. 

Moreover, precise filling practices demonstrate the utmost care and professionalism, building consumer trust. For cannabis brands, mastering this process is critical to standing out in a competitive market and maintaining a reputation for reliability and excellence.

To help, in this section, we’ll detail how to fill vape cartridges appropriately, meet consumer expectations, and improve output. 

What You Need to Know On How To Fill A Cart

Filling carts precisely and adequately is a particular art. In this section, we’ll provide tips to help you achieve that level of mastery. Keep reading as we guide you through filling a vape cartridge step-by-step and then cover the most common mistakes to avoid. 

1. Prepare to Fill Your Vape Cartridges 

First, you’ll want to prepare the vape cartridge or device for filling. Begin by inspecting each unit for any defects or damage. Next, you’ll clean the work area thoroughly and sanitize all surfaces and tools with isopropyl alcohol. 

Before you begin, prepare all the components like a chef and their mise en place. This includes organizing your filling equipment, including syringes or filling machines, and ensuring they are clean and calibrated. If applicable, pre-heat your cannabis oil to the recommended temperature for optimal viscosity. 

2. Filling Your Cartridge

Next is where the magic happens. It’s time to fill the cartridges with the extract using an automated filling machine. 

• Learn How To Fill A Cartridge With A Syringe Or Use A Dropper

Begin by filling the syringe or dropper with the extract. Insert the syringe or dropper tip into the cartridge’s fill port, ensuring it doesn’t touch the center post. Slowly dispense the oil along the inner wall of the cartridge, avoiding the central airflow tube. Fill to the recommended level, typically leaving a small air gap at the top. 

If using a syringe, maintain steady pressure to prevent bubbles. For droppers, count the drops carefully for consistent filling. Pause occasionally to allow the oil to settle and check the level. 

• Utilize an Automated Filling Machine 

If you’re filling carts commercially, using a syringe or a dropper is clearly inefficient. It opens your operation to human error, but it’s also incredibly time-consuming to individually fill carts by hand. Hence, there is an increase in automated filling machines, like Vape-Jet, that precisely and efficiently fill carts for facilities across the US. 

Vape-Jet offers operators an advanced user interface paired with cutting-edge software and a powerful central processing unit to automate cartridge filling. To fill cartridges, rather than using hand-eye coordination, the proprietary machine vision alignment system analyzes whole trays of vape cartridges, aligns the needle overhead, and precisely fills each one to the optimal level.

3. Reassembling 

Carefully reassemble the carts by attaching their mouthpiece or securing other parts of the device or cartridge. 

4. Prime the Vape Cart

On the consumer side, priming a vape cartridge after filling ensures optimal performance and prevents dry hits. To do so, first let the filled cartridge stand upright for up to 30 minutes, allowing the oil to saturate the wick thoroughly. Next, take a few dry pulls (inhaling without activating the battery) to draw oil into the coil. 

When ready to vape, begin with short, gentle puffs at a low voltage setting. This gradual approach helps avoid burning the wick and allows the heating element to warm up properly. 

As you use the cartridge, gradually increase puff duration and voltage if desired. Proper priming enhances flavor, prolongs cartridge life, and provides a smoother vaping experience from the first hit.

Mistakes to Avoid

Again, mastering the art of filling carts isn’t just about knowing what to do; it’s also about knowing what not to do. So, before you go, here are the top mistakes to avoid when learning how to fill a vape cartridge. 

Overfilling 

Overfilling is a critical mistake to avoid when filling vape cartridges, as it can lead to numerous issues affecting product quality and user experience. When a cartridge is overfilled, the excess oil can seep into the central airflow tube, causing clogging and impeding proper vapor production.

This not only wastes valuable product but also risks leakage, which can damage the battery or create a mess for the user. Overfilled cartridges may also experience pressure buildup as the oil heats, potentially causing the cartridge to crack or leak during use.

Furthermore, excess oil can flood the coil, leading to gurgling sounds, spit-back of hot oil into the user’s mouth, and uneven heating that affects flavor and potency. To prevent these issues, it is crucial to follow the manufacturer’s recommended fill line or leave adequate headspace (typically 2-3mm) at the top of the cartridge. 

Using the Incorrect Liquid

As we mentioned earlier, the consistency of the liquid or oil you use for filling carts will affect its efficacy. So, using an incorrect liquid with an undesirable consistency is a mistake you’ll want to avoid. Using the wrong liquid or consistency can cause the vape cart to clog or “spit” by losing material from the mouthpiece, frustrating the consumer. 

Can you fill a cart with a dab?

In general, extracts used for dabbing are not ideal for filling carts. Dabs are often thicker in consistency, allowing the consumer to pick them up on their metal dabbing tool and play on their rig of choice. This consistency is not ideal for filling a cart.

Not Priming

As a consumer, it’s always best to prime your vape cart or all-in-one vape device before using it. Again, as we explained, this helps enhance flavor, prolongs cartridge life, and provides a smoother vaping experience. If you believe your brand’s consumers are unaware of the benefits of priming, consider adding a blurb on your packaging or an insert to explain further. 

Ignoring Safety Precautions

In any job, ignoring safety precautions is always a mistake. Safety should also be the top priority when filling vape cartridges. Always work in a clean, well-ventilated area to minimize exposure to fumes. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment, including nitrile gloves and safety glasses, to prevent skin contact or accidental splashes. 

Lastly, be cautious of static electricity, which can ignite flammable terpenes; use proper grounding techniques when necessary. 

How Vape-Jet’s Automatic Cartridge Filling Machine Helps

From what you’ve learned here today, you can see why “how to fill a cartridge with a syringe” is an outdated inquiry for cannabis brands today. In the fast-paced and competitive market, brands must stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technology to stay ahead of the competition. 

Like those made by Vape-Jet, automatic cartridge-filling machines are ideal for learning how to fill vape cartridges efficiently and profitably. From fully automatic to semi-automatic vape filling and even dab dispensing capabilities, Vape-Jet is the premier source for AI—and tech-powered vape-filling solutions. 
Learn more about the Vape-Jet difference, or explore even more vape resources and education. Ready to get filling carts? Get in touch with our team to begin exploring Vape-Jet for your brand.

Few industries today are more exciting and ever-evolving than the current cannabis industry. From vape carts to pods, all-in-one devices to baller buckets, there’s a fresh product or twist on an old favorite nearly every time a consumer steps through a retailer’s door. 

So, what should you know about the most popular concentrate types for extractors or consumers? Consider this as your guide to all things concentrates. 

Here, we’ll cover all the basics of the best concentrate types, including live resin, rosin, wax, and budders. Keep reading to brush up on all the key differences, explore what’s new across the industry, or learn for the first time as a novice.

Getting To Know The Different Concentrate Types

At their core, concentrates refer to the extracted or “concentrated” oil from cannabis plants. The plant’s flowers are coated in trichomes, bulbous and resinous heads containing a concentrated amount of cannabis’ precious compounds – such as cannabinoids (like THC and CBD) and terpenes. This oil is extracted through various methods (which differ from concentrate types), resulting in varied end-products. Like the ones we’ll learn about next.

Types Of Concentrates

Concentrates provide consumers with a highly potent and premium product to enjoy. Various concentrate types allow consumers to pick and choose which best suits their unique preferences and routines.

Since the market shows no signs of slowing down, with the Brightfield Group, a cannabis analytics firm, projecting it to reach $3.2 billion in 2024 (up from $2.4 billion in 2022), it’s wise to learn as much as you can about extracts to capitalize on their growth. 

To catch you up or clue you in, here are four of the most popular concentrate types in 2024.

Live Resin

The term “live” can be used with resin or rosins and refers to the flower material used for extraction. Rather than using dry, cured flower material post-harvest, the material is immediately frozen, capturing the plant’s essence at the peak of its freshness, hence its “live” nature.

The resin classification simply notes that the concentrate was extracted using solvent-based versus solventless methods. Live resin is most commonly extracted with CO2 or a hydrocarbon blend. Rest assured, the solvents are purged before the end product to ensure the extract is safe. 

Live resins (and rosins) are most commonly strain-specific or made from one cannabis strain to provide the consumer with the purest form of enjoying the plant’s cannabinoids and terpenes.

Rosins

Conversely, rosins are solventless extracts that extract the trichomes from plant material using temperature and pressure. Rosin presses use heat to press flower material to separate and collect the oil from the flower without using solvents. 

Because some solvents are used with solvent-based methods (like butane and ethanol), they are considered harmful, but rosin is considered the cleanest concentrate type overall. 

Rosins can also be “live,” where the material is freshly frozen upon harvesting.

Wax

Wax refers to a concentrate type that is, no surprise, wax-like in consistency. It’s typically made with solvent-based extraction methods, like BHO, and has a soft, sticky texture that’s ideal for dab pens or dab rigs.

Budder

Again, like wax, budder refers to a concentrate’s end texture or consistency. It relates to concentrates that are more “buttery” or creamier versus other varying types, like shatter (which is translucent and pliable) or crumble (which is drier and more crumbly).  

The key to the budder’s unique texture is the whipping process. After the solvent is purged, the extract is whipped at a specific temperature. This agitation incorporates air and changes the consistency to a creamy, buttery texture.

How To Use Them 

As innovative as concentrates can be, so are the ways you can use them for consumption. Here are the top ways consumers today are using concentrate types.

Vape Pens or Devices

Piggybacking off of nicotine vape’s popularity are cannabis vapes. These vape devices, whether a 510 cart filled with concentrate, an all-in-one-device or a “disposable” vape, are the most popular with Gen Z and Millennial generations, who make up 70.8% of all vape pen sales based on data from Headset.

Dabs

Dabbing or dabs is the act of flash vaporizing cannabis concentrates with the use of a dab rig, an electronic rig, or a dab pen. With a dab rig, consumers light the “nail” or “banger” of the rig, and when heated to the desired temperature, drop the dab inside with a metal dabber tool and inhale through the rig’s mouthpiece. 

The e-rigs work similarly but heat up electronically rather than using a torch to light the nail or banger. Dab pens contain a removable mouthpiece, where you can place the concentrate or “dab” inside, above the heating apparatus, and upon activating the pen to heat, inhale the vapor through its mouthpiece.

Infused Flower

Some consumers will use concentrate types to infuse their flower by adding them to their bowls, joints, or pre-roll cones, increasing overall strength.

Advantages

Cannabis concentrates offer consumers a few unique advantages, hence their growth in sales and popularity. 

1. Higher potency: Concentrates often contain much higher levels of THC or CBD compared to flower, which can provide a stronger and more immediate effect.
2. Efficiency: Because of their potency, a smaller amount of concentrate is needed to achieve the desired effects, making it more efficient in consumption.
3. Variety of consumption methods: Concentrates can be consumed in various ways, such as dabbing, vaping, adding to edibles, or even infusing flower or pre-rolls.
4. Discretion: Concentrates can be more discreet due to less odor and the ability to consume smaller amounts.
5. Medical benefits: For medical users, the higher potency and rapid onset of effects can be particularly beneficial for managing certain conditions.

Extraction Methods

While we briefly discussed various extraction methods in our concentrate types sections, let’s dive deeper to understand each individually.

Solvent-based extractions

• Butane Hash Oil (BHO): Butane strips cannabinoids and terpenes from plant material. The resulting product can be purged of residual butane to create various concentrates, such as shatter, wax, and crumble.
• CO2 Extraction: This method uses carbon dioxide under high pressure and low temperature to extract cannabinoids. It is considered safe and produces a clean product, often used for vape cartridges and oils.
• Ethanol Extraction: Ethanol is another solvent used to strip cannabinoids and terpenes and is often used to create tinctures and edibles.

Solventless extractions

• Rosin Press: This involves applying heat and pressure to cannabis flower or hash to squeeze out the resin. This method is popular for its purity and simplicity, producing rosin.
• Dry Sifting: Using fine screens to separate trichomes from the plant material, dry sifting produces the resulting product, kief, which can be further pressed into hash.
• Ice Water Extraction (Bubble Hash): Involves agitating cannabis in ice water to separate trichomes, which are then filtered through screens of varying sizes to produce bubble hash.

Hydrocarbon Extraction

• A combination of hydrocarbons (e.g., butane and propane) can be used to extract cannabinoids and terpenes. The process is similar to BHO, resulting in products like live resin.

Distillation

• Involves heating the cannabis extract to separate cannabinoids by their boiling points. This method produces highly pure and potent distillate, often used in vape cartridges and edibles.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction

• Supercritical extraction uses supercritical fluids (e.g., supercritical CO2) to dissolve and extract cannabinoids. This advanced and precise method is often used for high-quality extracts.

Choosing Concentrates

Choosing which concentrate type is best for you, consumption-wise will be subjective, based on your unique tastes, preferences, and needs. A few factors that may weigh in on your decision include – 

1. Medical or recreational use: This can help determine what type of cannabinoids to seek out, i.e., higher concentrations of CBD for certain conditions or higher concentrations of THC for recreational or social use. 
2. How you’ll consume: If you don’t have a dab rig or any flower to infuse, you’ll want to choose an all-in-one device that includes the heating apparatus required to consume. 
3. Your skill level: If you’re new to consuming, it’s best to go low and slow with concentrate types due to their potency. Since dabs require rigs or e-devices that are pretty costly, it might be best to stick to vapes until you’re ready to upgrade. 
4. Budget: Concentrate types can vary significantly in cost from market to market, brand to brand, and type to type. Ultimately, choosing the concentrate type that’s best for you might come down to what you can afford. 

As for extractors, choosing the concentrates you produce will vary depending on the market in which you operate, the types of flower or strains you have access to, the equipment or extraction method you’ll use, and the type of end-product you plan to produce (dabs, versus carts, disposables, etc.).

Quality And Safety Considerations

When buying cannabis concentrates legally, the state’s testing requirements ensure the type is safe to consume. Every concentrate and cannabis product is subject to rigorous testing to ensure it is free of contaminants, pesticides, and other materials, like heavy metals, etc. 

As for quality, research online reviews, ask a trusted budtender, or try the product to see if it meets your requirements (e.g., aroma, potency, consistency, etc.).

Final Thoughts About Concentrate Types

As you can see, concentrate types are ever-evolving and aren’t a fleeting trend. Dabbing and vaping are two of the most popular consumption methods, and the product category is expected to continue to grow. That means if you’re an extractor, competition will only continue to grow, too. 

Optimizing your jar-filling and device-filling game will be crucial to standing out amongst the crowd with a premium, quality product and turning a profit by making your processes that much more efficient. 

Cut down on product losses, preserve concentrate terpenes and cannabinoids, and fill better with Vape-Jet. Learn more about our collection of products that support various concentrate types and leading extractors across the US.

Understanding decarboxylation and how it affects extracts is crucial to vape products’ overall quality and brand loyalty. In fact, a commonly asked question of our team is, “How much decarb loss can we expect with our live resin/rosin?” 

To answer, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to extracts and decarboxylation. Here, we’ll cover all the basics, like the definition of decarboxylation and how the process affects extracts. In addition, we’ll dive deep into what type of decarb loss to expect and how to maintain optimal environments for terpene preservation.  

So, next, let’s get into decarboxylating, a.k.a. decarbing. 

The Decarboxylation Process for Extracts 

Generally speaking, decarboxylation is a chemical reaction that removes a carboxylic acid group from a molecule. For cannabis extracts specifically, when THCa converts to THC upon applying heat, the carboxylic acid group transforms into CO2 gas. Put another way, each molecule of THCa that decarboxylates, degrades into one molecule of THC and one molecule of CO2 gas.

Most of these CO2 molecules bubble out of the extract naturally during the decarb process. However, some will remain in the extract solution and must be removed before filling cartridges, a process called degassing. To do so, extractors must manually agitate the solution to allow the dissolved CO2 to form bubbles and pop; degassing prevents what’s known as “champagne” cartridges—you know, the ones with “bubbly” inside. 

If not degassed after decarb, the oil can foam out of the cart when filling cartridges. This is due to the leftover CO2 bubbling out of solution since it’s naturally agitated while moving through the pump. 

How Decarboxylation Affects Extracts 

Of course, that’s just the underlying basics of decarboxylation for extracts. Beyond ensuring your extract is decarbed for efficient filling, optimal decarbing conditions are essential for ensuring customer satisfaction. 

As we mentioned previously, decarboxylation is the process responsible for changing THCa in an extract into THC. This is an especially crucial step for all-in-one vapes or vape cartridges, as THCa will crystallize if it is above 50% by weight. Once it’s crystalized, it will clog the vape, leaving it otherwise unusable. Likewise, if the oil is too hot or exposed to too much air during decarb, undesirable degradations and losses can occur to the terpenes creating a bland or burnt flavor when vaped; maintaining gentle heating and low oxygen exposure during decarb ensures a tasty vape experience for the consumer.

For Vape-Jet, formulations must be more than 90% decarboxylated to produce a suitable cartridge. If it is not decarbed enough, the heat required to thin the oil sufficiently to pump it into the vape will begin to decarb the oil inside the machine. This will create those bubbles of CO2 inside the cartridge, which cause spills and product loss, or undesirable “champagne” cartridges. All of which can affect an extractor’s bottom line and brand loyalty. 

What to Expect: Decarb Loss with Extracts 

Wondering what to expect from decarb loss with your brand’s extracts? We did the math for you, showing the theoretical maximum loss due to decarboxylation alone. For this part, we’ll assume we’re starting with 100% pure THCa isolate.  

Each mole (a quantity of stuff, not the cute burrowing animal) of THCa weighs 358.478 g, each mole of THC weighs 314.469 g, and each mole of CO2 weighs 44.009 g; the weight of THCa minus the weight of CO2 equals the weight of THC. The maximum theoretical loss due to decarboxylation can be calculated as follows:  

44.009 g CO2/358.478 g THCa = 12.3%

This means that if you completely decarb and degas pure THCa, you will have only THC left and it will weigh 12.3% less than when you started.

In reality, your starting extract destined for high-quality vape cartridges will have lots of other cannabinoids, terpenes, and everything else that makes a full-spectrum vape cartridge so desirable and command a premium price; luckily, most extracts come with a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for cannabinoids (a total terpene analysis will be nice to have too!).

Since extracts are predominantly THCa, we’ll go ahead and ignore the other cannabinoids for this next part, but it’s worth noting that THCa isn’t the only cannabinoid that can be decarboxylated.

Decarboxylation of THCa will never reach 100% without distilling the extract, so 90% of the theoretical maximum decarboxylation is a good target; put another way, shooting for 12.3% losses isn’t practical for full-spectrum vape cartridge oil formulations, we’re aiming for 11.07% decarb loss to CO2 (90% of the maximum) for live-resin, live-rosin, or any full-spectrum extract. 

To start, weigh your extract before decarboxylation and multiply that mass by the percentage of THCa to get the total starting amount of THCa; we’ll assume the starting COA says it contains 75% THCa by weight. Taking 11.07% of the total THCa content will give you the mass you’re targeting to lose to achieve 90% decarboxylation; after decarboxylation and degassing, weigh the extract again to get the finished mass. The difference between the starting mass and finished mass will be mostly due to CO2 leaving the extract. 

Now, the example calculation to break down the math a bit further. 

Example calculation: 

Starting extract mass: 1000g

THCa content from COA: 75%

Starting Mass of THCa: 1000g * 75% = 750g 

90% of maximum loss of CO2: 750g * 11.07% = 83.025g 

Finished extract mass target: 1000g – 83.025g = 916.975g 

Optimal Environments for Terpene Preservation 

Another factor to consider when producing an elite vape product is the preservation of terpenes. Terpene preservation is always a losing proposition; even the best genetics, best growing conditions, and most gentile extraction techniques will never result in a terpene profile that is precisely true-to-strain-as-grown inside a vape cartridge, but each step in the process offers the opportunity to at least prevent unneeded terpene loss and degradation. 

Decarboxylation will also affect the extract’s finishing terpene composition to varying degrees, depending on the temperature the process is performed at, the duration of the process, and using a lid vs. no lid. Aleks Zed at Hashtek is putting in the work to elevate everyone’s game with Open Source research into all things hash, and we were super stoked to see his results on this very topic. Please read his findings in full at Hashtek.ca for a deep dive into the crucial question of pressurized vs. atmospheric decarb (i.e. lid vs. no lid). 

TL;DR: terpenes are best preserved during decarboxylation with low temperatures and high pressures in the absence of oxygen. 

So, with all the care taken to grow, extract, and process your extract to preserve as much of those lovely terpenes as possible in preparation for making vape cartridges, you wouldn’t want your vape cartridge filler to foul all that hard work. Vape-Jet helps extractors retain their terp-forward extracts by providing optimal environments for terpene preservation, such as three independent heat zones and a nitrogen-pressurized fluid path for filling. The nitrogen pressure not only allows the heaters to operate at low temperature, but the nitrogen displaces oxygen from the reservoir; low temp and low oxygen are the keys to efficient vape cartridge filling, yielding high-quality flavor as true-to-strain-as-possible for the consumer. 

Vape-Jet: A Filling Solution for Premium Extracts 

In the competitive cannabis industry, standing out among the crowd is as crucial as decarbing. At Vape-Jet, it’s our mission to boost extractors’ success by providing expertly crafted, field-tested, and AI-powered vape-filling products for ground-breaking service and support.  
Take the first step towards revolutionizing your brand’s reputation through a renewed commitment to innovation. Explore Vape-Jet for your cannabis extracts and vape products

When a product offers consumers convenience, value, variety, and accessibility, it’s likely to become increasingly popular. In the modern era of cannabis, these products are disposable vapes. The vaporizing category is quickly evolving, with nearly every 510 cartridge brand, offering or exploring the possibility of offering a disposable vaporizer SKU. 

So, just why are single-use vape pens taking over the market and how can your brand pivot to meet demand? Keep reading to learn all the latest on disposable THC vapes, including the most recent sale statistics, the factors driving consumers to buy, tech advancements, and more.

Current Popularity Of Disposable Vapes

In legalized markets, it’s hard to go into public without seeing someone using their disposable vape. With most Americans living in a state with legal weed – and at least one dispensary in their counties – cannabis use continues to rise. As does the popularity of disposable vapes.  

From the most recent sale statistics, BDSA shows 32% of vape consumers reported using disposable vapes in the last six months, a 25% increase from spring 2020. Beyond that, 17% of the vape consumer group stated that they prefer disposable vapes, a 9% increase from spring 2020.

So, what’s driving the popularity and sales of disposable vapes? Let’s get into the minds of consumers, and review the reasons behind their purchases.

Why Are Disposable Vaporizers Popular?

If you’re not a regular vape consumer yourself, you might wonder – why are disposable vaporizers so popular? Luckily, the same recent research on vape consumers also explored the reasoning behind their purchases. The responses for the top factors were as follows – 

• Ease of use – 57%
• Portability/convenience – 41%
• Discreetness – 36%
• Taste/flavor options” – 28%

To understand each desire more in-depth, we’ll break them down next.

Convenience

Disposable vaporizers are an all-in-one device. With just a push of a button or a draw of the breath, consumers are just a moment away from the puffs they crave. Even more, disposable vaporizers are often compact, making them easier to carry and transport compared to 510 thread cartridges connected to a battery. 

Another convenient factor of single-use vape pens is that they require little to no maintenance. Some consumers may be done with the product before the device even needs charging. If not, charging is typically done with universal chargers, making it that much more convenient. Lastly, unlike vape batteries, disposable vaporizers won’t need periodic cleaning to ensure a good connection between the device and the cart.

Variety & Choice

Single-use vape pens also offer consumers variety and choice. Not just in strains, effects, or flavors, but extract types, too. Today, disposable vapes are compatible with a variety of extracts, such as distillate, live resin, and live rosin. This offers consumers a wide variety of quality, potencies, and prices. 

In addition to shopping for a variety of extract types, consumers can also choose from indica, sativa, or hybrid varieties, flavored or specialty terpene-infused varieties, and strain-specific varieties. These types of options offer consumers a wide variety of flavors and effects to choose from.

Accessibility

Disposable vapes are accessible in two different ways. For one, they’re widely produced, meaning you can find them across the US at adult-use or medical-use retail storefronts, or online, too. Secondly, their low odor and convenience make them highly accessible for consumers to use on the go. Since disposable THC vapes are compact and discrete, they’re easy for consumers to access and take a quick puff when they need it.

Disposable Vaporizer Tech Advancements

Like any product, over the years, disposable vapes have undergone technological advancements. For consumers, that means some single-use vape pens have improved their heating elements, temperature controls, or other mechanics for improved experiences. Now, many disposable vaporizers feature automatic draws, offer longer battery life, universal charging capabilities, etc. 

For operators, how disposable vaporizers are filled has advanced greatly since their emergence on the scene. That includes the implementation of fully automatic (or semi-automatic) vape cartridges and disposable vape filling machines. These advanced machines, like the Vape-Jet, take the manual labor out of filing individual carts, highly optimizing their operations. 

These advancements allow operators to – 

1. Save time without a loading jig – Vape-Jet’s machine vision alignment system can automatically fill carts as shipped in vertically packaged foam trays. Simply unbox the cartridges, place the foam tray into the Vape-Jet, and start filling.
2. Fill precisely – Operators can reduce product loss and protect customer satisfaction, by preventing overfilling, and underfilling with Vape-Jet’s pharmaceutical pump and software-based guided calibration procedures. 
3. Preserve product – As you may or may not know, cannabis plant compounds are delicate and can be volatile. Technological advancements like the 3 individual heat zones and a nitrogen-pressurized fluid path found in Vape-Jet can help preserve the precious parts of the extract, consumers desire and demand. 
4. Adapt to product types – Remember when we mentioned how many varying types of extract products are found in disposable vapes? Advancing equipment like Vape-Jet, allows operations to adapt to these ever-evolving extracts with built-in configuration profiles and flexible automation. 
5. Automatically and quickly clean – The Vape-Jet’s advanced cleaning wizard will get the machine clean, and dry for a new batch with a few clicks. The full cleanup process takes less than 10 minutes and is almost entirely automated.

Altogether, disposable vape-filling machines like Vape-Jet provide the industry with an advancement for efficient manufacturing while helping to provide a quality experience for the consumer.

Who Uses Single-Use Vape Pens?

To answer the question, “Who uses single-use vape pens?” number-wise, an exponentially growing group. A recent analysis of 17 national studies showed that past-month use of cannabis vaping increased 5-fold from 1.6% in 2013–2016 to 8.4% in 2019–2020. 

When it comes to which consumer audiences use single-use vape pens, a clear trend is becoming evident. According to recent data from Headset, the younger cannabis community prefers disposable vaporizers to those of other ages. The data reports that Gen Z and Millennials make up 62.8% of all US cannabis sales and 70.8% of all vape pen sales.

Disposable vaporizers are also popular among beginner consumers. This is due to their straightforward design, simplicity of use, and the fact that they require no additional equipment to operate. 

On the flip side, because disposable vapes cause high amounts of waste, consumers who don’t prioritize sustainability are big users of the products. More sustainable-conscious consumers will opt for a pod system to reduce their overall amount of waste.

Final Thoughts On Why Disposable Vapes Are Taking Over The Market

With advancements across all industries, it’s easy to see – consumers desire technologically advanced, convenient, and accessible products. Hence the popularity of disposable THC vapes. However, when it comes to their disposable vape products – they also desire a quality and flavor-forward experience. 

To succeed in the highly competitive market of cannabis, brands should take their vape-filling game seriously. Especially considering the type of equipment they use, or the quality of it, can affect their vape’s end-result in flavor and potency. 

Explore Vape-Jet’s fully automatic or semi-automatic disposable vape-filling machine or our entire collection of automated equipment for advanced extractors. Learn more about the Vape-Jet team or dive even deeper into disposable vaporizer education with more blogs now.

For any manufacturer, efficiency and efficacy are the names of the game. To master these and produce a quality product to edge out your competitors, you’ve got to be on top of your game. Or in the cannabis concentrates industry, you’ve got to level up your filling game to continue to play – and win. 

Simply put, the machine you choose can make or break your productivity. So, how can you sift through the market’s current options today and make the right decisions for your business?  

This guide is a good start. Here we’ll dive deeper into the factors you should consider for selecting a semi-automatic dab jar filling machine. So, strap in and hold on tight – let’s get into all the basics you need to know for choosing your next best cannabis extract dispensing machine.

Key Considerations When Automating With a Dab Dispenser

With any big investment, there will be a set of factors to consider. For the Dab Dispenser, here are the crucial considerations to review for your operation:

1. Quality Control & Compliance 

Reduce steps in your operation’s process and ensure compliance with Vape Jet’s Dab Dispenser. The Dab Dispenser has an integrated scale that does a weight check for every jar during the filling process, saving you the manual labor required to weight-check products when using competitor models. 

2. Accuracy 

Ask yourself; do you have room for error when it comes to profits? One of the factors you should explore most in-depth when searching for a semi-automatic jar-filling machine is accuracy. For instance, the Vape-Jet Dab Dispenser  is the only machine with NTEP-certified, digitally recorded, and verifiable weight and accuracy data for each jar. 

3. Temperature

Thanks to the machine’s nitrogen-pressurized fluid path, many concentrates require zero heat application and can fill at room temperature, or with gentle heat applied to the reservoir and pump body.

If needed, the versatility of the Dab Dispenser comes through with two independent, digitally-controlled heat zones for the reservoir and pump body.

4. Materials 

Don’t let your dab dispenser hold you back when it comes to the type of extracts it can handle. The Vape-Jet Dab Dispenser seamlessly dispenses badder, butter, sauce, jam/jelly, and most extracts with crystals under 3mm swimming in terpenes.

How Vape-Jet’s Dab Dispenser Works

Why tell you when a video is worth 1,000 words – or, approximately 16 seconds of your time? To quickly illustrate just how simple the Vape-Jet semi-automatic dab jar filling machine is to use, here are the basic steps to operate it – 

1. Load reservoir
2. Pressurize with nitrogen
3. Select profile
4. Prime pump
5. Start filling

Of course, there’s nothing simple about what makes the Vape-Jet Dab Dispenser so elite. So, next, let’s cover why the leading extract companies choose Vape-Jet by covering its advantages, features, and reviews.

Why You Should Use the Dab Dispenser

Who doesn’t love dabs with benefits? The Vape-Jet Dab Dispenser is the most advanced of its kind. To get more specific, here are Vape-Jet’s most talked about advantages and features that fuel the productivity of extractors across the US.

Advantages

Beyond its features that will optimize your operations as a whole (we’ll get into those next), the Dab Dispenser is backed by industry-leading support and service. The machine comes with a one-year warranty and SLA that includes access to a team of dedicated product support technicians. This helps operators minimize downtime with quick response times, live video support, and overnighted parts.

Even better? Your employees will be happier, too. Any time you replace a manual process with automation, you not only increase efficiency but also improve the experience for those working by freeing up your team to focus and excel at the difficult and interesting tasks that need a human touch.. As found by our Pilot Program, the Dab Dispenser pilots have been cranking out jars and having a great time doing it.

“The Dab Dispenser helps reduce the amount of burnout that the packagers feel from sitting there and repetitively gramming by hand,” Joy Kintz from Sugar Tree Farms explains.

Features

The Vape-Jet Dab Dispenser comes equipped with a software-integrated scale and improves precision dispensing via its pharmaceutical pump. By integrating weighing during the dispensing process, operators save valuable time by removing a secondary workflow. 

As for speed, a toolless reservoir supports quicker changeovers and as a whole, the Dab Dispenser has minimal maintenance, avoiding any downtime. To be more technical, here’s a list of Vape-Jet’s most notable features – 

• An integrated NTEP Class II scale for maximizing yield and authorizing legal-for-trade dispensing.
• A nitrogen-pressurized fluid path that protects products from oxidation and degradation,  helping to maintain extract quality and consistency.
• Dynamic color-changing LEDs that help operators maintain optimal speed and consistent fills. 
• A touch-screen interface that customizes dispense parameters lets you review and track dispense reports and access remote support for seamless operation. 
• Auto-calibration helps ensure the pump consistency stays stable even as the material changes
• Ludicrous Mode allows you to turn the scale off, saving time per dispense cycle for the fastest possible throughput without weighing each jar.

The NitroKnife

The NitroKnife works flawlessly to separate the extract from the Dab Dispenser’s nozzle for touchless dispensing. 

It does so through a puff of nitrogen that offers high-precision and repeatable cutting, resulting in unrivaled dispense accuracy. Reducing touch points and operator variability boosts throughput, allowing your operation to make the process much more efficient by removing the need for manual scraping.

Reviews

But don’t just take it from our team of industry experts; we know who you really care to hear Vape-Jet praise from; our customers. Here are just a few words from some of the best. 

“The Dab Dispenser is not boring, like gramming by hand. It’s like I’m playing a video game. I don’t have to listen to podcasts or music to keep my day interesting.” -Dab Dispenser Pilot 

“We understood that starting small wasn’t an option in today’s competitive market. By investing in advanced equipment like the Vape-Jet, we could ensure consistent quality and meet consumer expectations.”  -Joy Kintz, General Manager – Sessions

“For the good majority of our strains, [the Dab Dispenser] is freakin’ perfect.” -Dario Flynn, Extractor Expert – Dab Factory

Take Control Of Your Filling Process Today

Say goodbye to hand gramming concentrates and take control of your filling process once and for all. It’s likely that your biggest competitors already have or will soon. 

So get the best for your best cannabis concentrates. 

Explore Vape-Jet’s Dab Dispenser more in-depth, or get in touch with our team to ask specific questions about your formulations. We’re always down to help. Our team is passionate about elevating the industry, one dab product at a time. 

Learn more about the automated gramming machine and cannabis cartridge and device filling machines you need to optimize operations with Vape-Jet. 

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin,Twitter,YouTube.

The cannabis industry is one of the most competitive and difficult to navigate and scale efficiently. The plant itself is incredibly complex, as are its extracts, which are increasing in popularity among the market’s growing group of consumers. 

Today, one of the biggest challenges for extractors, vape cart and all-in-one device manufacturers is maintaining efficient operations. Many of these operations still use manual labor to fill the carts, one by one, with staff working robotically side-by-side.

This can lead to an increase in human error and issues that risk environmental contamination, etc. Hence the emergence and growth of cartridge filling machines for sale to produce high-quality cannabis products. 

Of course, not all cartridge filling machines for sale can be treated equally, and some can even cause more issues. This means selecting the right vape cartridge filling machine for sale for efficient operations to seamlessly scale is crucial.

Is your operation seeking to improve efficiency or your filling cart capabilities? This is the guide for you. Keep reading for tips on selecting the best cartridge filling machine for sale for your operation.

Best Cartridge Filling Machine For Sale

Why mess around with the rest, when we can get started with the best? In today’s industry, Vape-Jet offers the smartest cartridge filling machines for sale and other machines to improve efficiency and quality, including –

1. The Vape-Jet – a fully automatic vape cart filling machine. 
2. The Jet Fueler – a semi-automatic cartridge filler machine. 
3. The Dab Dispenser – a semi-automatic jar filling machine. 
4. Squish-o-Matic 1000 – a cartridge capping machine.
5. Drop Tank – a reservoir pre-heater.

Many in the industry agree that the Vape-Jet is the most advanced cartridge filling machines. So, next, let’s dive deeper into its unique capabilities to support efficient operations.

Vape-Jet Vape Cartridge and Device Filling Machine

The Vape-Jet is one of the most advanced fully automatic machines to fill vape cartridges and all-in-one devices. It fills between 5,000 and 10,000 units per shift with the lowest labor inputs of any machine on the market. 

Unlike other machines that fill carts based on predetermined x- and y-coordinates, Vape-Jet uses its advanced software platform and machine vision system to identify the ideal needle placement on 510 cartridges, all-in-one devices, and more.

The Jet Fueler, on the other hand, is an advanced semi-automatic machine that fills 510 cartridges and all-in-one devices. It fills between 5000 and 9000 units per shift and has an easy-to-clean design that won’t clog up like repeater syringes or error-prone check-valve systems.

Pros And Cons of Vape-Jet Cartridge Filling Machine

With any purchase or decision made, there are bound to be pros and cons. For Vape-Jet cartridge filling machines, here are advantages and potential drawbacks to consider –

Are you still unsure if a fully automatic cartridge filling machine is for you? Use this guide to compare varying types of machines, to consider the advantages and disadvantages for yourself.

Vape-Jet Customer Reviews

There’s nothing like word-of-mouth from your peers or real-world feedback to help you make a purchasing decision. Here are just a few things we’re hearing from our customers about how the Vape-Jet machine works and how our company supports their business: 

“One of the things I’ve been super impressed about is not only have you guys had our back with our facility, but you’ve gone above and beyond to communicate with AVD,” -Dario Flynn, Sessions

“All of our touch points with Vape-Jet as a company have been above and beyond what we’ve experienced with any equipment supplier in this industry.” -Alex Sukos, Meli Group 

“The Vape-Jet has been a huge asset in our lab, it’s almost like a team member.”- Larry Decristofaro, Proper

Don’t just take our customers’ word for it; call our crew directly, and we’ll be happy to discuss how Vape-Jet can support your specific operations.

Other Types Of Cartridge Filling Machines

Of course, when investing in equipment to fill cartridges and vape pens, it’s always best to do your research. To help, we’ve compiled a list alternative cartridge filling machines features to compare against Vape-Jet products.

Fully Automatic Filling Machines

In comparison to other automatic filling machines on the market, Vape-Jet offers more advanced technology at a better value. It also minimizes labor more effectively and increases throughput.

Other fully automatic filling machines limit your business potential with the restrictions of rigid automation. Filling machines designed to fill only a single type of hardware or style per loading jig can create delays (anywhere from days to months) when transitioning to something new.

Semi-Automatic Filling Machines

When compared to semi-automatic filling machines or cartridge filling guns made by other companies, it is clear how sophisticated the Jet Fueler is.  

The Jet Fueler is equipped with a fluid path made entirely from fluoropolymers, Viton, borosilicate glass, stainless steel, and ceramic that ensures your oil and products only touch the highest quality and safest materials available for the utmost quality.

Manual Filling Machines

Overall, manual filling machines are only viable in today’s industry as a cost-effective or temporary solution for startups and small-scale operations.

Need more help comparing other brands to Vape-Jet? We’ve got you covered with a complete breakdown of the most important differences to review.

Factors To Consider When Choosing A Cartridge Filling Machine For Sale

So, in the end, how can you answer the question, “Which Kind of Cart Filling Machine Should I Consider?” there are a few key factors that can help make that decision.

The Scale Of Your Operation

The first factor to consider is the scale of your operation. Does your facility produce enough extract to justify the need to fill more carts quickly? Will you need to expand your operations and scale over time? Also review the time it takes for employees to manually fill cartridges and compare the cost savings for labor, etc.

What Type Of Products You’re Filling

One of the biggest problems with automatic and manual cartridge filling is the consistency of the extracts and the vape product you’re filling. 

If the vape hardware you’re filling isn’t standard or if you plan to offer other products in the future, having a machine like Vape-Jet that can automatically identify where to fill and adjust accordingly is highly beneficial. 

As for live resin and live rosin, these extracts are thicker and much harder for most common machines to handle filling, which is a definite factor to consider.

Budget

Since you’re in the cannabis industry, you know better than most that sometimes it all comes down to the price of what you can buy within your budget. 

However, when filling carts more efficiently, investing in the right machine can help you increase profits and scale exponentially. While other filling machines may hold you back or create more costly issues, investing in your facility today can pay off for your company tomorrow.

Have more questions about selecting the right cartridge filler for your operation? Or on how our customer service and product support work? Before you buy, check out our complete FAQ section for the most common questions and answers.

Summing It Up: Why Buy From Vape-Jet

Now that you’ve learned more about cartridge filling machines for sale, you’re can make the best informed decision. 

So, if your operation is ready to take efficiency to the next level with the reliable support you need to succeed, there’s no better cartridge and device filling machine to choose than a Vape-Jet. 

Our crew is dedicated to providing industry-leading service and support for your vape cart filling operations while continually improving upon our technology to grow with you. Have questions? We’re here to help!

Get in touch, or call us directly, and stay tuned for more guides to increasing efficiency in the modern world of weed.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, YouTube.