Vapes · 4 min read
What is a weed cart? Carts, disposables and pens explained
A cart is a small tank of cannabis oil that screws onto a battery. Here is how carts, disposables and pens differ, and a quick quiz to find the one that fits you.
30-second quiz
Find your cart
Three questions, then we show you the vapes on our shelf that match.
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1. Do you already have a 510 battery?
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2. How do you want it to feel?
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3. How much does flavor matter?
Your match
A weed cart (short for cartridge) is a small tank of cannabis oil with a heating coil built in. On its own it does nothing: you screw it onto a battery, and the battery heats the oil into vapor. So yes, a cart is a vape — it is the part of the vape that holds the oil.
Cart vs disposable vs pen
- Cart — the oil tank only. It screws onto a reusable battery you buy once and keep. When the cart is empty you replace the cart, not the battery.
- Disposable or all-in-one — the battery and the oil come together, ready to use out of the box. Nothing to pair or set up. Some are rechargeable so you can finish the oil.
- Pen — what most people call the battery a cart screws onto, because of its shape. A “weed pen” can also mean an all-in-one.
- Pod — a cartridge made to click into one brand’s own battery. It will not fit a standard 510 battery.
What is a 510 thread?
510 is the standard screw size for carts and batteries. Almost every cart and battery on a dispensary shelf uses it, so a 510 cart fits a 510 battery regardless of brand. Some batteries use a small magnetic adapter that screws onto the cart first, then clicks in.
What sizes do carts come in?
Half-gram (0.5 g) and one-gram (1 g) carts are the common sizes; all-in-ones run from 1 g up to larger 2 g devices. For how long each size lasts, try the cart calculator; for what they cost here, see how much a dispensary cart costs.
What is in the oil?
Most carts hold either distillate (refined THC with terpenes added back for flavour) or live resin (extracted from fresh-frozen plants, so it keeps more of the plant’s own flavour). The difference is explained in live resin vs distillate. Every licensed New York product is lab tested, and the package carries a QR code that links to its results.
If a cart stops hitting, blinks or tastes burnt, the cart troubleshooter walks through the fixes. Browse carts, vapes and disposables in stock in Dryden, and order ahead for pick-up, the drive-thru or delivery.
Cannabis is for adults 21+. Please consume responsibly.
From the counter at Dryden Dispensary
What we tell people at the counter
“With a cartridge and a battery, you can customize your battery, get different voltages, different preheat settings, you can have a nice battery or a cheap battery, whatever you can afford.”
“Each product is going to have a QR code on the back or somewhere on the packaging that takes you to a full lab breakdown, which is going to let you know what's in the cart.”
Test yourself
Cart basics: 3 quick questions
Question 1 of 3
What does a cart need before you can use it?
A cart is just the oil tank. It screws onto a battery, which heats the oil. An all-in-one has the battery built in.
What is a 510 thread?
510 is the common screw fitting, so a 510 cart fits a 510 battery whatever the brand.
Which one comes ready to use straight out of the box?
An all-in-one (disposable) has the battery and the oil together. A cart or pod needs its battery.
Common questions
- What is a weed cart?
- A weed cart (cartridge) is a small tank of cannabis oil with a heating coil built in. It screws onto a battery, which heats the oil into vapor.
- Is a cart a vape?
- Yes. A cart is the part of a vape that holds the oil. Paired with a battery, it is a vape pen.
- What is the difference between a disposable and a cart?
- A cart is only the oil tank and needs a separate battery you keep and reuse. A disposable, or all-in-one, has the battery and the oil together and is ready to use out of the box.
- What is a 510 thread?
- 510 is the standard screw size used by most carts and batteries, so a 510 cart fits a 510 battery regardless of brand.
More on carts and vapes
- How long does a cart last? It depends on the size and how you use it. Put in your cart size and puffs a day, and the calculator gives you a rough number of days.
- Live resin vs distillate: what is the difference? Live resin keeps the flavour of the plant it came from; distillate is refined THC with flavour added back. Side by side, plus a quick quiz.
- Cart not working? Clogged, blinking, burnt and leaking fixes Most cart problems are a cold or clogged cart, a flat or badly connected battery, or too much heat. Tap your symptom for the fixes.
- How much is a dispensary cart? Real shelf prices from a licensed New York dispensary, by size and type, straight from our live menu.
- Shop carts, vapes & disposables Everything in stock today, with live prices. Order ahead for pick-up, the drive-thru or delivery.
Keep reading
- THC vs CBD — what the difference actually is Two cannabinoids from the same plant that do very different things. What each one is, why products list a ratio and how to read the label.
- New to cannabis? Start here A calm, jargon-free walkthrough for your very first visit — what to bring, how it’s sold and how to pick something you’ll actually enjoy.
- Indica vs. Sativa vs. Hybrid — and why we sort by feel instead The indica/sativa split is a useful starting point, but it isn’t the whole story. Here’s what the labels mean and why we organize the menu around the effect you want.
- Edibles dosing: start low, go slow Edibles are easy to love and easy to overdo. Here’s how dosing works, why they take so long to kick in and a simple plan for a comfortable experience.
Ready to browse?
Open seven days a week on Route 13 in Dryden, between Ithaca and Cortland. Walk in, order ahead for pick-up, use the drive-thru or have it delivered.