How Much Do Vapes Cost? Good vs. Bad

That's the million-dollar question (or, you know, more like the $20 to $100 question). Whether you're new to vaping or a pro looking to upgrade, we'll break down everything you need to know about vape prices and contributing factors.

From the variables impacting the budget-friendly options to the ones impacting the premium selections, the cost of a vape really depends on what goes into it. Higher-quality oils, better hardware, and rigorous safety testing all contribute to a higher price tag. But does spending more always mean getting a better product- not always, and let's learn why. Understanding what drives vape pricing helps you make an informed decision and get the  best value for your money.

Here's the key factors impacting what vapes cost:

• oil quality
• potency
• flavor
• total grams
• safety
• hardware

Oil Quality Impacts Price the Most:

When we talk quality, we're talking about how good/pure the flavor is, how nice the effects are, and how safe it is; let's dive into understanding those aspects for a deeper understanding.

With flavor, if you want real  authentic cannabis flavor , you can't mimic that with terpenes; you'll need a higher quality extract like rosin or live resin as we use, and even then, there's ok live resin and exceptional live resin separated by the quality of the genetics and process in making the live resin (we're bar none). If you're ok with  fruit or terpene-flavored vapes , you'll save money but still find a range from exceptional flavor to harsh cough-syrup vibes.

With effects, there's a range from happy and in-flow to being in a foggy-dysfunctional-weed-coma. Some methods, like solvent-based distillation, are cheaper but strip away many plant cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavinoids, leaving a lower-spectrum oil with a lower-grade high. Premium options like  our real live resin vapes preserve a fuller spectrum, delivering richer authentic flavor and effects. Better quality also helps avoid the anxiety and next-day-weed-fog common from cheaper vape inputs.

With safety, it comes down to purity and transparency. Some extraction methods and/or companies extracting, leave behind solvents or other adverse compounds like toxins, molds, and heavy metals. Testing every batch of oil before it goes into a vape is key- this is something we're commited to, but many companies skip to cut costs and keep the vape price lower. A  well-made vape , like ours, should have no mystery additives or questionable unlabeled byproducts.

Higher Potency Means Higher Price:

Consumers seek high potency, driving up demand and prices. However, the relationship between potency percentage and oil quality varies widely. Potency can come from naturally potent genetics or through distillation, which removes non-intoxicating compounds, increasing THC concentration.

THC—whether Delta-8, Delta-9, or THCp—can be extracted directly from the plant or synthesized. We use plant-derived, non-synthetic THC, which retains a fuller spectrum of beneficial compounds for a better, more balanced effect and a safer product. While synthetic THC isn’t inherently unsafe, it introduces more variables, especially when companies cut corners on testing to reduce costs, potentially compromising product safety. It also ends up having a lower spectrum, which impacts the quality of the effect negatively.

How it Affects Flavor:

As we covered above, the flavor range is stark, from cheap to expensive vapes. Variables here include both the quality of flavor and whether an authentic cannabis for fruity flavor is desired.

There's no right or wrong between wanting either, and separately, we would make a case why both are great as  fruity ones like our Hi-Lites pods offer a discreet public option where cannabis smell is not allowed.

Size matters:
The industry has gotten a bit out of control, following the lead of the nicotine vape industry. Vape tanks keep getting bigger, but that’s not a good thing. The hardware fails after a certain number of puffs, typically around 2-3 grams, leading to burnt oil, the vape stopping heating/working, or oil shooting up through the mouthpiece. No bueno.

From our expertise in the space—including extensive conversations with all the leading hardware manufacturers (yes, we know them all; it’s a little big industry)—2 grams is the max you want for a disposable vape or Pod and  3 grams is the max for vape carts. You'll mostly see ranges from 0.5 grams up to 6 grams, but we advise against going that big.

If the vape fails after 2 grams, which it usually does, the extra product you paid for goes to waste, making it a gamble. You'll also typically find sketchier oil in bigger vapes, as those companies know most of the hardware will fail and are still willing to sell it—so what other corners are they cutting?

Safety of Hardware & Ingredients:

On hardware, you have both safety and durability considerations. Carts can leak, oxidizing the oil and degrading quality. Carts are often made with cheap metals and poor ceramics that can leach contaminants, while bad heating elements cause clogs or harsh burnt hits. Pods improve on carts but come with proprietary systems.

Safety in vape hardware is often overlooked for profit, not always, but often. We don't want this article to come off as a scare-fest that all cheap options are bad, but we do want to emphasize the likelihood that it does go up.

Our  value vape brand, Hi-Lites , is made to be cheap but still maintains our quality and safety standards. This means we still use better ingredients and hardware but also means while our price is low at $12.50, it's still not the  cheapest you'll find because to do so, we'd have to cut corners around safety and quality. We aren't willing to cut.

Disposables are the riskiest because they are the costliest to produce and where shortcuts happen most. Their subject to the same issues as the other types of hardware.

On ingredients, this is where you spend and where safety is crucial. We speak to this above, but some oils contain synthetic THC or fillers, affecting safety, potency, purity, and effects. Cutting agents, artificial terpenes, or poorly refined distillates can make a product harsher or less effective. Always choose full-spectrum, well-tested oil  like ours for the best experience.