When you’re in the market for your first 510-thread battery or vaporizer, you know that you’re about to make an investment. Naturally, you’ll want to know how much you can expect to spend before you start shopping. When you buy a vape, though, you don’t just want to know how much the device itself costs. You also want to know what the recurring costs are and how long you can expect your vape to last. Once you know all of those things, you’ll have a very good idea of what your total vaping expenses will be over the long term.
It’s time to set your budget for vaping. In this guide, we’re going to help you to that from start to finish. Let’s begin with the most basic question on your list: How much can you expect to spend on your vaping device?
How Much Does a Vape Cost?
How much a vape costs depends partially on the type of device and partially on whether it’s intended for beginning, intermediate or advanced vapers. You can find plenty of vapes that cost less than $20, although the price can go up quickly from there if you’re looking for something that can provide more of a high-end vaping experience. We’ll provide some practical examples that can help you understand what your budget should be.
- Beginner Vape: Under $20 (CCELL® M3B, CCELL® Palm)
- Intermediate Vape: Under $40 (CCELL® Palm Pro, Hamilton Devices Cloak)
- High-End Vape: $50 and up (Hamilton Devices PS1, Hamilton Devices Starship)
- Dab Pen: $50 and up (Hamilton Devices Nomad)
- Disposable Vape (Empty): Under $10 (CCELL® Listo, CCELL® Flex)
Note: Pre-filled disposable vapes are also available online and in many dispensaries. These tend to cost around $40-50 each.
How Long Does a Vape Last?
Most vapes have permanent built-in batteries, and with this type of device, you can expect your vape to last until the battery no longer holds a charge. With most lithium-ion batteries, that’s about 300-500 charge cycles or roughly a year or two of usage depending on your personal vaping habits. The only exceptions to this rule are disposable vapes, which are extremely convenient but aren’t intended to be refilled once they’re empty. Depending on how you vape, though, a disposable vape may hold enough oil to last through several weeks of vaping.
Considering the average longevity of a vape, you should plan to replace your device after about one year if you have a refillable vape. If you have a disposable vape, you should plan to replace it after about a month depending on how much you use it.
How Much Do Vape Cartridges and Vape Oil Cost?
Empty vape cartridges cost about $4-5 each at Hamilton Devices. We carry the CCELL® brand, which is widely regarded as the best in the industry. Buying empty cartridges is a good way to save money if you buy vape oil in bulk. Bulk vape oil tends to cost around $150 per ounce depending on the source and quality, and a one-ounce container of oil can fill 28 one-gram cartridges. That works out to an effective price of just over $5 per cartridge, so you can save a massive amount of money over time compared to the cost of buying pre-filled cartridges.
Buying pre-filled vape cartridges is much more convenient than filling your own, but the convenience of pre-filled carts comes with a high long-term cost. On average, pre-filled carts cost around $30-50 each.
How Long Do Vape Cartridges Last?
There are two different types of vape cartridges, and they have different expected longevities because they’re designed for different use cases.
- Single-use cartridges are typically used by companies that package and sell pre-filled carts. This type of cartridge has a press-on mouthpiece that locks into place permanently, and any attempt to remove the mouthpiece will usually cause the cartridge to crack. This feature provides tamper resistance. A single-use cartridge lasts until it’s out of oil.
- Refillable cartridges are typically used by consumers who want to fill their own carts. This type of cartridge has a twist-on mouthpiece that you can remove whenever you like. You can continue refilling a cartridge until you’re no longer happy with the flavor. Most people find that they can use a refillable cartridge at least twice, but that depends on what type of oil you’re using and what your personal preferences for flavor are.
What Replacement Parts Does a Vaporizer Need?
In most cases, a simple 510-thread battery needs no replacement parts. As long as you keep it clean and exercise care when charging your vape, the cartridge is the only component you’ll ever need to replace. Just make sure that you clean the threading promptly using a cotton swab moistened with rubbing alcohol if a cartridge leaks. That’ll help to prevent oil from getting stuck in the threading or in the device’s airflow channel.
With some other types of vaporizers, though, it may be necessary to replace worn-out or broken parts occasionally. Here are a few examples of the replacement parts that your device may require.
- If you use any dab pen, you may require a new wax coil periodically. These cost $7.99 each.
- If you use any vaporizer with a glass bubbler or mouthpiece, you may need to replace that component if you break the glass. For example, a replacement mouthpiece for the Starship vaporizer costs $13.99.
- If you misplace your charger, you may need to buy a new one. We sell a 510-threaded charger for $2.50 that works with most stick-shaped batteries. Many vapes will charge with any USB cable that fits the port.
- Many vaporizers have silicone o-rings to provide airtight vapor paths. An o-ring may stretch or break. These are typically very inexpensive to replace. For example, we sell a replacement o-ring for the PS1 vaporizer for $2.99.
Wrapping Up: Vaping Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
As you’ve learned from reading this article, there’s no reason why you should ever have to spend a fortune on vaping. Basic devices cost less than $20, and you can buy bulk vape oil and fill your own cartridges for the equivalent of just a little over $5 per cartridge. You’ll spend a little more if you demand high-end performance or want your experience to be as convenient as it can possibly be, but that’s one of the greatest things about vaping – there’s something perfect available for you no matter what your requirements and ideal price point may be.