The two formats side by side
The difference between the two comes down to the battery. The CDC visual dictionary of vaping products, the federal glossary for vape hardware, defines both formats, and the table lines them up.
| Vape cartridge | Disposable | |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | A prefilled cartridge that attaches to a battery pen | One device with nothing to attach |
| Charging | The pen is rechargeable | Not rechargeable or refillable |
| Fit | Typically screws onto 510-thread batteries across brands | Nothing to match |
| Price, THC and stock | On the live menu | On the live menu |
If one column already matches how you shop, start on our vape aisle page, where the product list below the article shows live items from the menu of the store you have selected, with a switch to the other store.
What you carry out of the store on day one
A disposable goes home as one piece. There is nothing to pair with it and no second purchase to plan.
A cartridge can be only half of the setup, because the pen is typically a separate purchase. If you do not already own a pen that fits the cart, plan on buying one with it.
The oil inside is its own choice, and our guide to live resin, rosin and distillate walks through those three. If a cart or disposable lists terpenes on its label or listing, our guide to cannabis terpenes explains what those compounds are.
Reuse the battery or replace the whole device
With a cartridge, the battery pen is the part you keep. You charge it between carts, and when a cart is empty you screw a new one onto the same pen. So the choice mostly comes down to whether you want to own a pen:
- Pick a cartridge if you already own a battery pen, or want to buy one and keep it.
- Pick a disposable if you would rather not keep any hardware at all.
If you want to skip batteries altogether, our comparison of infused and regular pre-rolls covers two formats with no hardware to buy.
What the label and the rules tell you before you buy
The format does not change what a Connecticut package has to show. Before you buy either one, look for these:
- Two state symbols. Under the Connecticut cannabis labeling regulations, labels must carry a DCP-issued symbol that the package contains THC and a symbol that it is not safe or legal for people under twenty-one.
- Symbols you can see. Each label symbol must be unobscured and not less than one-half inch by one-half inch.
- A high-potency warning where it applies. A concentrate above thirty percent total THC must carry the warning: This is a high-potency cannabis product and may increase the risk of psychosis.
We prioritize products from licensed Connecticut cultivators and processors.
Questions shoppers ask about carts and disposables
Do pods work the same way as carts?
Not across brands. Pods are typically proprietary to specific brands and work only with their corresponding batteries, according to a 2025 paper in Chemical Research in Toxicology, so match the pod to the battery from its own brand.
Order your cart or disposable ahead for Derby or Hartford pickup
Our online ordering is open 24/7, so you can choose a cart or a disposable at any hour and pick it up in person. Open the Derby live menu or the Hartford live menu, and our Derby store page and Hartford store page cover each location.
Both stores accept cash and debit cards. If you are not sure a cart will fit the pen you own, call us at 860-420-BUDS (2837) before you order, or bring the pen to the counter in Derby or Hartford and ask. More format guides are on the Hi! People blog.