When you visit a vape shop near you and look for your first vaping device, you’re going to see an enormous variety of products, but two types of vapes – disposable vapes and pod systems – are likely to stick out above the rest. They’re the most plentiful devices at most vape shops, and they’re also usually the types of devices that vape shop attendants are quickest to point out to new customers.

If you read online about the different types of vapes, you’re going to see that disposable vapes used to receive a lot of flak from the members of the vaping community. Experts usually suggested that beginners avoid buying disposable vapes because they offered fewer flavors than refillable devices and often cost more to own in the long run. Those things, however, aren’t as true today as they were in the past. Disposable vapes aren’t nearly as expensive as they used to be, and they’re also available in virtually all of the same flavors that you’d buy in bottled form.

So, does the conventional wisdom of the past – that you’ll always have the best possible experience with a refillable vaping device – still apply today, or are disposable devices actually the better way to vape? In this article, we’ll help you decide by explaining the primary strengths of disposable vapes and pod systems.

Disposable Vapes Are Less Expensive in Some Cases

When the first disposable vapes were introduced several years ago, they were just slightly less expensive than entry-level refillable devices and only lasted about a day at the most. They were really only useful as introductions to vaping because they were far too expensive for everyday use.

Today, though, disposable vapes offer substantially more e-liquid capacity than the devices of the past. While a first-generation disposable e-cigarette contained less than 1 ml of e-liquid, today’s disposable devices often have 15 ml of vape juice or more. Many models even have rechargeable batteries to ensure that you can use every drop of e-liquid before discarding the device.

Whether disposable vapes or pod systems will be more affordable for you will largely depend on your usage patterns. If you’re the type of person who vapes constantly throughout the day, you’ll probably find that it’s more affordable to own a refillable pod system. If you puff on your device only a few times before putting it down for a while, on the other hand, you’ll probably spend less with disposable vapes. Today’s high-capacity rechargeable disposable vapes provide as much nicotine as up to two cartons of cigarettes without the need to replace an expensive pod or atomizer coil every few days.

Pod Systems Have a Lower Environmental Impact

You’ve probably read that electronic waste is a serious issue around the world and that batteries are a major part of the problem. Batteries contain heavy metals that eventually leach into the soil and contaminate groundwater. That’s why you most likely have a few electronics and office supply stores in your area with collection boxes for used batteries. Unfortunately, though, those stores don’t accept disposable vapes. If you have an e-waste recycling center in your area, that facility probably doesn’t accept disposable vapes either.

Although disposable e-cigarettes are recyclable in theory, the fact is that almost no one takes them, and most devices are almost certainly going to end up in landfills. When you think about the many thousands of people around the world who are discarding disposable vapes every day, that’s a pretty massive amount of waste. Refillable vaping devices generally end up in landfills too, but at least they’re used for several months before that happens. If you want to vape in the way that’s best for the environment, you’ll definitely want to use a pod system or another refillable device.

Disposable Vapes Make Vaping as Easy as Smoking

The biggest selling point of disposable vapes is their simplicity. They’re the only vaping devices that are as simple and easy to use as tobacco cigarettes – easier, in fact, because there’s no need to carry a lighter. With a disposable vape, you can carry one small device in your pocket all day and take it out only when you need to puff on it. Although rechargeable disposable vapes do exist as we mentioned above, the majority of disposables require no maintenance at all; you just use them until their batteries die.

Some smokers are resistant about trying vaping – or have already tried vaping and weren’t able to switch successfully – because of the maintenance aspect of owning a refillable device. In addition to keeping the device charged and filled, you also have to replace the atomizer coil or pod every few days. Some devices have multiple pod or coil options, and you need to choose the one that provides the type of experience you want. You also have to choose the right e-liquid for your needs. Sweetened e-liquids taste great, but they also lead to reduced coil life and make maintaining your device even more challenging.

Smoking doesn’t involve maintaining a device or making all kinds of different product choices; you just choose your brand and go. If you want your vaping experience to be like that, you’ll definitely want to buy a disposable vape.

Pod Systems Make It Easier to Lower Your Nicotine Intake

For some people, the customization aspect of owning a refillable vaping device is an unnecessary annoyance. Others, though, love the fact that they can change every aspect of their vaping experience to suit their requirements perfectly. If you fall into that category, you’ll love the fact that using a refillable device gives you precise control over your nicotine intake. With disposable vapes, you typically only have two nicotine strengths to choose from at the most; some disposables are only available in one strength.

When you use a refillable device, on the other hand, you’ll buy bottled e-liquid. That gives you access to a much wider variety of nicotine strengths. You can even mix e-liquids with different nicotine levels to create your own custom strengths. Many people use vaping not just as a tool for quitting smoking, but also as a step toward eventually quitting nicotine entirely. When you use a refillable device, you can reduce your nicotine intake gradually, making the process as easy as it can be.