What Are The Best Cannabis Concentrates?

With the increase in legal cannabis use, people have begun to notice that many different types of cannabis concentrates are out there. Let's talk about cannabis concentrates!

What Are Cannabis Concentrates?

Cannabis concentrates are a type of extract derived from cannabis plants.

These extracts can be consumed via smoking, vaporizing, or dabbing. They include waxes, oils, shatter, and other more concentrated forms of the plant's cannabinoids. All these strains can remain in their liquid form or have been extracted into solids.

People try to make cannabis concentrate products with as much THC as possible because it gives people that "head high" they desire while not containing any side effects like paranoia or tiredness.

The THC content in cannabis concentrates can be as high as 80-95%, while regular marijuana only contains around 10%.

In Colorado, cannabis oil containing THC is legal for up to 70%, while THC-free cannabis oil is legal for up to 35%. But in California, any percentage of THC is illegal.

So, what are the best cannabis concentrates? Let's take a look at what they are and their uses:

Shatter

This form is prime for dabbing. It is also a favorite option for those who want to avoid using butane hash oil or other more complicated methods.

Shatter can be made from flowers or hash, although most shatter comes from trimming off stems and seeds from buds before turning them into dry, compressed pieces of plant matter called "chunks.

Shatter is the most potent concentrate, followed by wax and then oils. It has a transparent appearance!

BHO or Butane Hash Oil

BHO or butane hash oil has been gaining popularity in the past few years due to its potency and ease of use.

It can be made by removing all cannabinoids from cannabis flowers and leaves with butane and then purging these gases out of the oil using various other types of solvent and heat methods.

This method requires pretty expensive lab equipment, so it is not something that would be done in your average household.

Wax

Wax is a popular option for those who want to experience cannabinoids without any of the high-inducing effects of THC.

It is made by extracting cannabinoids from cannabis and then cooling them down so that their concentration does not increase in a temperature-unstable way.

Instead, the cannabinoids are cooled to low enough temperatures that they do not become solid and can be pulled into specialty tools called "rigs."

Wax comes in many colors but always retains its light green or black shade when you heat it with heat elements such as candle heaters and blow dryers.

Crumble

This sandy, honeycomb-like substance looks exactly like the name says. A crumble is created when the wax extract is left to dry up.

This concentrate tends to crumble easily because the wax becomes brittle during the vacuuming process of BHO (butane hash oil).

Crumble is an excellent option for beginners as it's not too difficult to make. With suitable materials, you can turn out a product that doesn't cost much.

Crumble is also very easy on the lungs when consumed, producing smooth hits that are easy on the throat.

Diamonds

Diamonds are one of the most challenging kinds of cannabis concentrate, but with the proper tools, equipment, materials, and knowledge, they can be made from the comfort of your home.

Diamonds are one of the most potent forms of concentrate for professionals.

These concentrates are also the most expensive ones.

If you choose to go with diamonds, it's important to remember that everything relates to dosage once again and that you should only consume diamonds for medicinal purposes.

It's also not advisable to use diamonds for recreational purposes either, as the active ingredients are powerful and will leave many people very uncomfortable.

Diamonds come in various sizes, shapes, and potency levels, ranging from only small bits of resin that are best suited for oral consumption and medicating to large chunks of very potent resin called nuggets.

Kief

Those who grind their cannabis flower to smoke have plenty of kief on hand. It is because it collects in the cannabis grinder and falls to the bottom during the grinding process. Surprisingly, kief becomes a more potent compound than the flower itself.

Hash

Hash is one of the most potent extracts in the market, with a THC level of up to 90%.

It's made from trichomes, which are glands on the surface of the marijuana flower. It is available in both dry and oil forms.

Trichomes

Trichomes are tiny but outermost parts of your cannabis plant that contain most of the THC. The amount of trichomes is directly related to how potent it is and the cannabinoid levels.

Because trichomes are so tiny and light in color, many people choose to grind them up and then use hash oil extractions or solvent extracts to obtain the highest level of cannabinoids they can get. This process is called "dabbing."

Once you have the dabs, you can rub them on a joint – usually made from an edible – or use them in other ways.

Oils

Like wax, oils are made by heating cannabinoids to remove the heat-unstable compounds. They are usually made from flowers, hash, or a combination of both, and you can use them for cooking and sniffing because their vapors do not contain any psychoactive effects.

Oils are one of the less popular concentrates due to their lack of use with lighting methods like hash oil.

Still, they have some benefits, including being vaporized without combustion (marijuana doesn't burn).

BHO Bags

BHO bags are containers of different BHO or butane hash oil. These can be used to vaporize the hash so that you get the effects without the burning sensation associated with smoking it.

A few people claim that BHO bags are better than joints because they deliver a smoother, more enjoyable high that won't give you cough like other forms might, but this is up to personal preference.

Resin

The resin is made by extracting THC and other cannabinoids from cannabis flowers or even trimming the buds off after you have removed all stems, leaves, and seeds.

Unfortunately, the concentrates from this process are much more potent than butter because they contain a higher concentration of THC.

These concentrates are generally made in "shatter" form, although some people prefer to mix the concentrates with other extracts or concentrate on getting a different experience.

Budder

Budder is an extracted resin of cannabis that consumers often use for its excellent flavor and high potency. It is made by removing all of the THC from the flower or trims and then placing it in a sealed container that ages it for a few days until everything has been broken down into its more usable form – budder.

It is a concentrate that has the consistency of butter, but then it is heated up to convert its contents – THC, cannabinoids, and terpenes – into a more solid substance. It can be used to make edibles or dabbed to get the same experience as smoking.

Bubble Hash

Most budders are made from bubble hash, so it makes sense that this form would be smoked more than other forms due to its strong flavor and potency.

Like other concentrates, this type can be vaporized without combustion using bubbler attachments. Instead, it's made using a solvent to extract the THC and other cannabinoids from your cannabis.

Still, it is different because this is a small-batch process and is not made under controlled laboratory conditions. Bubble hash has a greenish tint and a little resistance when touching it.

Resins, Shatter, and Rosin

Recreational cannabis users probably have not heard of rosin often, but they are popular with dabbers and are made using more heat than the other forms.

For example, BHO is made by using a solvent to extract all of the cannabinoids out of a flower or stem. Still, rosin is made under more controlled conditions, such as applying heat as you extract the cannabinoids out of the plant matter.

It allows you to get a higher concentration than if you were to remove it using only solvents to get concentrates.

Once you develop the rosin, you can use it with any joint or bong to get the same effects as smoking and then vaporize it to get the whole marijuana experience without combustion.

Ice and Salt Water Hash

Ice and saltwater hash are two kinds of extractions that involve using heat to extract cannabinoids from your cannabis buds. In this case, the word "hash" refers to a type of resin, not just the THC-based concentrate used for smoking.

These extracts are sometimes called rosin hashes because they have a similar color and consistency, but they take longer to make than BHO or bubble hash does.

Ice hash is usually brown or green and is made using ice and water to remove the cannabinoids. Saltwater hash usually has a darker shade of green, but it can be whatever color you want.

Edibles

Edibles are foods that contain cannabis-based ingredients such as butter, oil, or other extracts that have been heated up and mixed with other ingredients like coconut oil or gelatin.

The result is a foodstuff containing the psychoactive effects of cannabis without giving you the possibility of getting high because it takes much longer for edibles to kick in than smoking.

Edibles come in various flavors and consistencies – fat, energy, chocolate, and so on – but they can be made with any cannabis.

Cannabis Skins

Cannabis skins are another form that has not gained popularity among recreational consumers in recent years, but it still is essential to know.

Cannabis skins are created by soaking buds or even leaves in solvent extracts like BHO or bubble hash before pressing them into tobacco-like sheets that then can be smoked or made into edibles or other forms like hash oil.

Butter

Butter is the least potent type of cannabis concentrate because it retains all of the cannabinoids that are present in the plant matter.

Still, it gives you a smoother experience than smoking or vaporizing. You can cook with butter and use it in edibles without much fear of getting high because its effects are milder than most other forms used recreationally.

Raw Cannabis

Finally, you can use raw cannabis from buds, leaves, or flowers to get medical marijuana or even recreational cannabis – but only in states where it is legal.

Natural cannabis has a variety of uses, and it can be used to make edibles, topical ointments, and so on.

This form is a healthier way to consume your marijuana if you are a medical marijuana patient because you're not adding any chemicals or solvents that would otherwise alter the plant's natural properties.

How To Use Concentrates?

The extract you choose will depend on your needs and the desired effect. Once you have a product, you can use it in various ways, including dabbing, smoking, and vaporizing.

With so many different concentrates available, inexperienced consumers are not uncommon to get confused about how they should be used or misused.

Dabbing

Dabbing is done using an oil rig or water pipe with a blowtorch or other heating mechanism. The concentrate then gets placed on a hot surface called the nail.

You dab it onto the surface when it's hot enough to let off highly potent smoke. Some users prefer to place the concentration on a small piece of paper so they can dab it off more controlled manner.

Dabbing is becoming quite popular because of its efficiency, simplicity, and controllability.

However, it's usually not recommended for inexperienced smokers because it's a form of inhalation that needs more technique and control than smoking. Also, not everyone is a dabber, so you'll need to consider many things when planning on using this method.

Smoking

It is also done by smoking marijuana, but since the type of concentrate has been heated up, you will be inhaling very high levels of THC –more than what is found in regular cannabis flowers.

Vaporizing

This procedure involves inhaling vaporized cannabis extract through an oil rig or water pipe. This process is safer and healthier than smoking because there's no combustion, which means the product isn't being burned and released into the air in fine particles. The vapor from the extract can be inhaled easily and doesn't require much work on your end.

There are two main types of vaporizers – desktop vaporizers and portable vaporizers.

Desktop Vaporizers: These are usually used at home or outside by plugging them into an electrical outlet.

Since they're larger than portable models, they heat up faster, produce more vapor, and are usually more durable. However, they're not as mobile and can be pretty expensive.

Portable vaporizers are easy to transport and don't require electricity or anything else to work. For example, you could use it while camping or while traveling. The downside is that they take longer to heat up, and the vapor isn't as thick as the other vapes.

Final Takeaway

Marijuana concentrates have been getting more and more popular among consumers who are looking for products that are healthy and efficient.

Consumers use them to get quick results because they're usually more potent than dried flowers.

Always ensure that the strain you buy has been tested before coming to market. Also, the potency may vary, but there's still a chance it's not as good as you imagine it to be.

So, if you want to purchase the best quality marijuana product in a legal market, consider visiting a licensed dispensary rather than buying it from the black market because the cannabis sold on the black market is often low quality and may contain harmful chemicals and pesticides.