Examining The Differences Between Button And Buttonless Vape Batteries—Is One Better?

As vape products continue to account for a larger percentage of all cannabis sales, consumers and brands looking to expand into vaporizers need to consider all the available hardware options.

Some of the most common vape products on the market today are disposable cartridge-based systems. These devices offer unparalleled convenience and are extremely easy to use for even novice cannabis users.

While the cartridge itself in these systems can simply be tossed in the garbage after the extract inside has been completely vaporized, the best vape battery attachments can last for years. With a commitment like that, it’s essential to find high-quality hardware that best fits your unique needs.

To do that, you’ll need to compare the two most common varieties of batteries—the buttonless vape pen battery and the button-activated battery.

What Is A Vape Battery?

If you think of a vaporizer device as a car, then the battery functions as the engine. It provides the vaporizer’s heating element the necessary power to convert the cannabis extract into an inhalable vapor.  

These batteries come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, though the lion’s share have a long and skinny cylindrical appearance that gives the vaporizer its characteristically pen-like shape. The slim profile afforded by this shape allows consumers to easily transport their vaporizer in a pocket or purse.  

Regardless of shape, almost all vape batteries share a universal-sized female connection point, which gives users the option to mix and match cartridges on a single battery regardless of cartridge brand. In the industry, this is referred to as 510 thread.

Differentiating One Battery From Another

When looking for 510 thread batteries, whether you’re a consumer looking for a battery for use in your personal life or a brand investigating wholesale options, there are several important factors to consider. The first of which is mAH.

MAH stands for milliamp/hour, and we use it to measure the lifespan of a battery. Ultimately, this will determine how many hits in a vape pen on a single charge. As a general rule of thumb, the more mAH a battery has, the longer its battery will last. However, batteries with higher mAH tend to have a physically larger profile, so you’ll need to consider if you want to prioritize battery life or portability.

Additionally, you’ll need to consider the battery’s voltage, as this can significantly impact the flavor of the vapor your device produces. Voltage measures the device’s heat output. A high voltage indicates hotter temperatures. Higher voltages are needed for more viscous extracts and to produce thicker vape clouds, while lower voltages preserve more of the extract’s terpenes, accentuating its natural tastes.

Some vape batteries have variable voltages, allowing users to select their power output depending on which cartridge style is used. Other batteries have a static voltage, which can’t be adjusted.

Finally, you’ll need to decide if you prefer an auto-draw buttonless vape pen or a button-activated vape.

Button-Activated Batteries—Pros And Cons

Button-activated batteries require users to press a button in order to activate the device. Often, this involves pressing the power button a certain number of times to turn the device on, then subsequently pressing and holding the power button to engage the device’s heating element. Vapes with buttons generally give users more control over their vaping experience at the expense of convenience.

Pros Of Button-Activated Vape Pens:

• Button vapes allow users to activate the heating element before inhaling from the mouthpiece, which can make getting larger hits easier.
• Button vapes allow users to turn off their device completely when not in use.
• Most variable voltage batteries utilize button-activation technology.

Cons Of Button-Activated Vape Pens:

• The device may accidentally turn on during transportation.
• Button-activated vape pens tend to use more power than buttonless ones, which can reduce the overall battery life gleaned from a single charge.
• The less intuitive design may be more difficult to use for vaporizer novices.

Buttonless Batteries—Pros And Cons

Unlike button-activated vapes, a buttonless vape pen more accurately simulates the experience of analog smoking. Instead of pressing a button, users activate the device’s heating element with their own breath by simply inhaling from the mouthpiece.

Pros Of Buttonless Vape Pen Batteries:

• These devices are extremely simple to use, even for consumers who have no prior experience with vape products.  
• Because there’s no button, these batteries are less likely to activate in a pocket or handbag.
• Buttonless batteries typically use less power than button varieties, which can contribute to longer battery life.

Cons Of Buttonless Vape Pen Batteries:

• Buttonless vape batteries sometimes require priming, which involves taking a few small draws to get the coils hot.
• It can be difficult to get larger hits with buttonless vapes due to automatic cutoff features that shut down the device’s heating element after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

Ultimately, the choice between buttonless auto-draw batteries and button-activated batteries comes down to personal preference. That’s why S10 Labs provides customizable battery solutions in both button and buttonless form.

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