Home / Cannabis guides

What Is a Dab Pen? Dab Pen vs Weed Pen Explained

By Green Vault Editorial Team · Published 2026-09-30

A dab pen is a small, battery-powered vaporiser for cannabis concentrates such as wax, shatter, budder and rosin. You load a little concentrate into a heating chamber, and a coil or plate heats it until it turns to vapour. A THC vape pen, or weed pen, is different: it comes filled with cannabis oil in a cartridge or a sealed disposable. Green Vault does not sell dab pens or concentrates, but we do sell ready-to-use disposable THC vapes in our vapes collection.

What is a dab pen?

A dab pen is a portable vaporiser made for concentrates rather than oil or dried flower. It works like a small version of a dab rig: instead of heating a glass nail with a torch, it uses a battery to heat a small chamber.

Most dab pens have four parts:

1. Battery. Powers the heating element, usually with a button and sometimes with temperature settings.
2. Atomiser or heating chamber. Where the concentrate goes. It has a coil or plate made of quartz, ceramic or metal that heats up when you press the button.
3. Mouthpiece. Screws on top and lets you draw in the vapour.
4. Dab tool. A small metal pick used to scoop a small piece of concentrate into the chamber.

To use one, you place a small amount of concentrate on the coil or in the chamber, close it, press the button to heat, and inhale. When the concentrate is used up, you load more. That is the main difference from a weed pen: a dab pen is refilled by hand each time, while a weed pen is already filled.

What are wax, shatter, budder and rosin?

Wax, shatter, budder and rosin are cannabis concentrates, meaning products made by pulling the THC and aroma compounds out of the plant, leaving most of the plant material behind. They are usually much stronger than flower, which is why a tiny amount is used at a time.

• Wax. Soft, sticky and opaque, with a texture a bit like lip balm or candle wax.
• Shatter. Hard, glassy and see-through, and it snaps like toffee.
• Budder. Whipped until it is creamy and smooth, like butter.
• Rosin. Pressed from flower or hash using only heat and pressure, with no solvents.
• Live resin. Made from plants that were frozen straight after harvest rather than dried, to keep more of the fresh aroma.

Most concentrates other than rosin are made using a solvent, such as butane or CO2, which is then removed. The quality of the process matters, so where a concentrate comes from is an important question for anyone who uses them.

What is the difference between a dab pen and a weed pen?

The difference is what goes in them. A dab pen is loaded by hand with a solid or sticky concentrate, while a weed pen, also called a THC vape pen, uses a thin cannabis oil that comes pre-filled in a cartridge or a sealed disposable.

People search for "dab pen" when they mean a vape pen quite often. If what you want is something small you can take a puff from without loading or cleaning anything, a disposable THC vape is what you are looking for.

Does Green Vault sell dab pens in South Africa?

No. Green Vault does not sell dab pens, and we do not sell loose concentrates such as wax, shatter, budder or rosin. Our 1ml vape pens come pre-filled with rosin, ready to use. We also do not sell cannabis oils or CBD products.

What we do sell is two kinds of disposable THC vape:

• Disposable THC vape pens in strains such as Blue Dream, Jack Herer, Cookie Dough and Northern Lights. They come pre-filled and ready to use.
• Bhang Bar 2g Liquid Diamond disposable vapes in several flavours, including Durban Poison Berry, Strawberry Cough Sundae, Grape Ape, Banana OG and London Pound Cake.

Each product page shows the strain type and strength from our product data, and a live "Receive by" date before you pay.

THC vapes.

• IndicaBanana OG Bhang Bar 2g Liquid Diamond VapeR1250
• IndicaBlack Cherry Gelato Bhang Bar 2g Liquid Diamond VapeR1250
• HybridBlue Dream Disposable Vape PenR450
• SativaDurban Poison Berry Bhang Bar 2g Liquid Diamond VapeR1250
• IndicaGrape Ape Bhang Bar 2g Liquid Diamond VapeR1250
• IndicaLondon Pound Cake Bhang Bar 2g Liquid Diamond VapeR1250
• HybridSkunk Slushie Bhang Bar 2g Liquid Diamond VapeR1250
• SativaStrawberry Cough Sundae Bhang Bar 2g Liquid Diamond VapeR1250

Shop all THC vapes ›

Dab pen or disposable THC vape: which suits a beginner?

A disposable THC vape suits most beginners better. There is nothing to load, clean or charge up before your first puff, and it is easy to take one small puff, wait, and decide whether you want more.

Dab pens are mostly used by people who already use concentrates and want something smaller than a dab rig. Because concentrates are so strong, a single dab can be a lot for someone new to cannabis.

Tips for any vape:

• Take one small puff and wait 10 to 15 minutes before taking another.
• Keep it away from children and pets. Store it somewhere out of reach, not in a bag or car where it can get very hot.
• Use it in private. Public use of cannabis is still an offence in South Africa.
• Do not drive after using it.
• Do not open or refill a disposable. They are sealed for a reason and are not made to be refilled with wax or anything else.

What should you check before buying a dab pen in South Africa?

If you still want a dab pen, check the hardware and where your concentrates come from before you buy. Cheap hardware and concentrates from unknown sources are the most common problems.

• Chamber material. Quartz and ceramic chambers are common. Look for a pen where the chamber and coils can be replaced.
• Temperature control. Lower temperatures keep more flavour; very high heat can taste harsh.
• Spare parts. Make sure you can buy replacement coils or atomisers locally.
• Concentrate source. Know who made the concentrate and how. A seller who cannot tell you is a warning sign.
• The law. Buying and selling cannabis products is not covered by South Africa's private-use protection. Read our guide to whether weed is legal in South Africa and check the current position yourself.

How do you use a disposable THC vape pen?

A disposable THC vape pen is ready to use from the box. Most are draw-activated, so you just inhale gently from the mouthpiece.

1. Remove any packaging and the protective cap or sticker on the mouthpiece.
2. Take a slow, gentle puff of two or three seconds.
3. Wait 10 to 15 minutes before deciding whether to take another.
4. Store it upright, away from heat and out of reach of children.
5. When it is empty or the battery runs out, dispose of it responsibly as e-waste, not in a fire.

If you would like to compare vapes with flower and edibles, read THC vapes vs flower vs gummies, or our guide to the types of weed.

How does delivery of THC vapes work?

Green Vault is a members-only online store for adults 18 and over, based in Johannesburg. Orders placed before 2pm are dispatched the same day and usually arrive in 1 to 3 working days. You can choose door delivery or a Courier Guy PUDO locker, and we deliver across Johannesburg and Gauteng and to the rest of South Africa by courier. Parcels are sealed, plain and unbranded, and you pay by card at checkout. Register for free, then browse the full vapes collection.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical or legal advice. Cannabis regulations change; verify current South African law before purchasing. Adults 18+ only.