You're suffering the same sticker shock I did when I first discovered vaporizers. Some vaporizers are indeed overpriced compared to the competition. At the same time, when you consider the prices of small pipes, whether wood, metal, or glass, and name brand bongs at the high end, vape prices don't seem so out of line, especially when you consider that the material and labor costs are usually higher with vapes.
Your $100 figure is a nice round one, but it doesn't quite reach the price of a $120 Vaporcannon, which is generally considered to be the starting point for a good, dependable electric vape backed by a good warranty. And although it is possible to vaporize with no more than a ceramic soldering iron element, that's a hit and miss method that won't satisfy most users.