What Is a Penjamin (and Which One Should I Buy)?
You've heard it on TikTok. Maybe a friend said it. Maybe you saw it in a comment section and had to Google it. Whatever the path that brought you here, the answer is simpler than the word sounds. A penjamin is a cannabis vape pen with a slightly ridiculous, slightly genius nickname that stuck.
Here's everything you need to know about what a penjamin is, where the word came from, and how to find one that's actually worth carrying.
Penjamin Meaning: The Short Answer
A penjamin is cannabis slang for any weed pen, dab pen, or THC vape device. The term is a portmanteau of two words: "pen" (as in the pen-shaped device) and the name "Benjamin" (as in Benjamin Franklin, whose face appears on the hundred-dollar bill, symbolizing something of high value).
Put them together, and you get penjamin: a vape pen that deserves a proper name. If someone asks to hit your penjamin, they want a pull off your cannabis vape.
The word covers the full range of pen-style cannabis devices:
If it's small, pen-shaped, and runs on cannabis oil, it qualifies.
Where Did the Word 'Penjamin' Come From?
The penjamin origin traces back to September 2, 2019. That's when a user on X (then Twitter) named @youngfishgod posted:
"Just hit the penjamin franklin n I can't stop eating out of the fridge."
It was a single tweet. It got a hundred likes. Nobody paid it much attention at the time.
The word penjamin then quietly showed up on Urban Dictionary in January 2021, defined simply as "another name for a dab pen." At that point it was niche internet slang; the kind of term that circulates in cannabis communities without ever quite breaking through.
Then came Fulcrum.
In October 2022, YouTuber and streamer Fulcrum (real name Damen Luck) dropped the word into the video WAY TOO FADED AT BURGER KING, announcing he was headed to "double penjamin city" and about to "take his first smackington off the penjamin." The video got over 800,000 views. The penjamin slang spread.
By 2023, TikTok videos tagged #penjamin were racking up millions of views. The penjamin definition had escaped niche online culture and entered the mainstream cannabis vocabulary.
Why did the penjamin slang take off?
- It's funny.
- It's useful. Social media platforms regularly apply content moderation to posts using words like "weed," "THC," or "vape." Penjamin is a way to talk about cannabis vaping without tripping the algorithm.
What Does a Penjamin Actually Look Like?
A penjamin heats cannabis oil into vapor using a battery-powered heating element. You inhale through the mouthpiece, and the device produces vapor without combusting any plant material. No flame, no flower, minimal smell, and maximum portability.
Penjamins come in two main formats, and knowing the difference matters when you're buying one.
1. Disposable Penjamins
A disposable penjamin is a weed vape all-in-one device: the battery, the heating element, and the pre-filled cannabis oil are all built into a single pen-shaped body. You use it until it's empty, then throw it away. No charging, no refilling, no learning curve.
Disposables are the most common type people mean when they say penjamin, as they're small, grab-and-go, and require zero effort. The trade-off is cost over time: if you're vaping regularly, disposables get expensive.
2. 510-Thread Penjamins
A 510-thread penjamin is a two-part setup: a reusable 510 battery that screws onto a 510 cartridge (also called a vape cartridge) via the standard 510 thread connection. The battery recharges via USB and the 510 carts get swapped out when they're empty.
Most carts contain distillate, live resin, or other cannabis oil formulations. You can switch between strains and formulations by swapping carts. While you need a more upfront investment, they’re significantly cheaper long-run. Most experienced penjamin users end up on a 510 setup.
Penjamin Cart Pen Slang: The Extended Vocabulary
- Penjamin Franklin: using your penjamin's full formal name.
- Penjamin City: the state of being very high from a vape session. "Bro, I'm in Penjamin City" means the penjamin hit harder than expected.
- Double penjamin: either hitting the penjamin twice in quick succession, or the elevated state that results.
- Blinker: taking a draw that maxes out the penjamin's automatic cutoff (usually 8–10 seconds). Named for the light that blinks when the device shuts off to protect the battery. A blinker is considered an aggressive hit even by experienced users.
- Going to Penjamin City: the whole sequence: blinker → extremely high → Penjamin City. You don't want to go there on your first pull.
Penjamin vs. Dab Pen: What's the Difference?
People use penjamin and dab pen interchangeably sometimes, but they're not the same thing.
- A penjamin (the way the term is most commonly used) refers to a pre-filled oil cartridge vape. The oil is already in the cart when you buy it. You attach the cart to your 510 battery, or you pick up a disposable, and you're done. No loading, no tools, no mess.
- A dab pen is a device you load yourself with wax, shatter, budder, or other cannabis concentrates. The concentrate goes into a heating chamber, you close the device, and it vaporizes the material directly.
Dab pens give you more control over what you're consuming and often hit harder, but they require more knowledge, as you need to know how to pack a chamber, how to clean it, and how to handle concentrates.
Penjamins & The Discreet Vaping Connection
Here's the thing about penjamin: the word exists because cannabis users needed to talk about their vapes without setting off automated content filters on TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit. However, coded language has been part of how people discuss weed since long before social media.
- "Flower" instead of marijuana.
- "Session" instead of smoking.
- "Gas" for top-shelf product.
Penjamin is just the latest in a line of terms designed to let people communicate freely while keeping a low profile.
5 Popular Penjamin Pen Picks at Discreet Smoker
1. Yocan Kodo Star 510 Battery
One of the most popular penjamin batteries thanks to its compact size, adjustable voltage, OLED display, and compatibility with virtually any standard 510-thread cartridge. A great choice for beginners and experienced users alike.
2. Pulsar 510 DL 2.0 Pro Battery
A sleek variable-voltage 510 battery with preheat mode and USB-C charging. Perfect if you want a discreet penjamin that's easy to carry and customize.
3. Ooze Twist Slim Pen 2.0
A classic pen-style battery featuring adjustable voltage and universal 510 compatibility. Its familiar pen shape makes it exactly what many people picture when they hear the word "penjamin."
4. Yocan Orbit Concentrate Vaporizer
For users who want a concentrate-based penjamin rather than a cartridge setup. The Orbit uses terp pearls and a coil-free quartz cup for flavorful wax and concentrate sessions.
5. Puffco Pivot
A premium portable concentrate vaporizer featuring Puffco's signature 3D Chamber technology. Pocket-sized, easy to use, and ideal for users looking for a high-end dab pen experience.
This mix covers:
- 3 cartridge-style penjamins (510 batteries) that fit the slang most people mean.
- 2 dab pens for the section later explaining the difference between a penjamin and a dab pen.
Find Your New Favorite Penjamin at Discreet Smoker
At Discreet Smoker, we stock the hardware that makes any penjamin setup work:
- 510 Batteries: the reusable backbone of any 510-thread penjamin setup. Multiple voltage settings, USB charging, compatible with standard carts. Our selection runs from budget-friendly starters to premium variable-voltage devices.
- Oil & Wax Vaporizers: if you want something that handles both oil carts and concentrate material, this is your category.
- Dab Pens: for concentrate users who want to load their own material and get more out of each session.
- Full Vaporizer Collection: the complete range, from pocket-sized to desktop, from beginner to connoisseur.
Every order ships in plain packaging: no brand name, no product description on the outside. Orders over $69 qualify for free shipping. Your penjamin journey, kept discreet from start to finish.
For more cannabis gear guides and product explainers, browse our full cannabis guides collection.