When it comes to making cannabis infusions, the temperature is most of the battle. However, if you’re making cannabis infusions as your primary medicine, you may also want to consider cleanup, ease of use and quality of the end product when you start putting together all of the materials you need for your cannabis kitchen.
I just want to take a minute to say that I have never met a crockpot, oven or stovetop burner that can do what these three gadgets do.
I’ve temperature tested every slow cooker, burner, and oven I’ve ever owned and even on warm/a set temperature, the temperature of my oil invariably fluctuates. Beyond temperature, sometimes pushing the easy button is so nice. When you’re making medicine regularly (and when you love doing it), it’s nice to have gadgets that make the process easy and more fun.
Enter: the Magical Butter, the Levo and the Levo II.
These herbal infusers are great at holding a set temperature over long periods of time, which makes them ideal for cannabis infusions.
They’re VERY different machines and if you’re trying to decide which one to add to your bag of tricks, you’ll have to consider your needs:
- frequency of use
- the volume of material you’re infusing
- how much scratch is in your wallet
- types of infusions you’d like to make
Let’s break it down…
The Levo + Levo II
The Levo I and II are great countertop devices for making high quality small batch infusions.
If you don’t grow your own cannabis and buy it by the ounce (or less), or if you prefer to make small batches of deliciously infused oil, the Levo is perfect for you.
It uses an infusion method that doesn’t pulverize your herb, and dispenses your infused oil directly into a jar or container, making it the cleanest infusion method I’ve ever used.
Since the Levo gently infuses your oil or butter, it doesn’t whip in any air bubbles, increasing the shelf life of your oil. I compared the potency of this oil with the other oils I’ve made in Dazed + Infused and it was just as potent as any other method but had the best flavor.
And did I mention that the machine is completely beautiful and really well designed?
The Levo
The Levo I was a solid first attempt. The company still sells it at a lower price point of $149.99, but there were a few things that weren’t perfect about that model.
- It was a little tricky to get the last bit of oil out, so they added an extra silicon piece to help the oil drain more easily. Since everything is dishwasher friendly, this isn’t a huge deal. But there are already a lot of small-ish pieces and it makes the streamlined idea of what the Levo is (like a cannabis/herbal infusion Keurig) less of a reality since you have to handle the extra pieces. Again, not a huge deal and for the reduced price point, the OG Levo is a great value.
- Includes the “herb pod” which IMHO is way too small, unless you’re using very high potency herb. You can order the power pod and the herb press (which I’d highly highly recommend). I wouldn’t use this device without the power pod and herb press, so you’ll need to add a little more to your budget (a total of $15.99 right now) to make it a really worthwhile investment.
The Levo 1 is perfect for you if:
- you want a great gift to a friend or relative who wants to get into making their own infusions.
- you want a gadget for infusions and are on a budget.
- you’ll only be making small batches.
The Levo II
What I love about the folks at Levo was that they didn’t stop there. They redesigned their first gadget and
The Levo II is a significant upgrade to the original device and has a higher price tag to go along with it – $349.99
It’s a new gadget in my kitchen, so I can’t say anything about how well it holds up to long term or heavy use just yet, but the team at Levo is really on top of things and handles issues quickly.
The Levo II is perfect for you, if you:
- want to create the highest quality artisanal oils that will last for a long time, with the least amount of mess and the most control over temperature… the Levo was made for you.
- make small batches.
- don’t already have a decarboxylator.
- want an all in one device that takes plant material from wet, to decarboxylated to infused at the push of a button.
- are a baller and you like having the newest, coolest version of things. This is definitely the most technologically advanced device on the market right now and looks sooooooo dope on your countertop.
The Levo II comes with a power pod, but you’ll still need to add on the herb press if you want one. I personally wouldn’t use this machine without one because it’s what makes it so clean and easy to strain.
The Magical Butter MB2
On the other hand, the Magical Butter MB2 is great for processing a lot of material at one time and will do it for a long long time.
The MB2 has been a staple in my kitchen for well over 5 years. I know this thing like the back of my hand. It’s a simple device and my go to when I’m making enough medicine to share or when I’m making my own CBD oil. Because I go through a lot of CBD oil, I find that the MB2 is perfect for making a monthly batch with minimal cleanup.
Keep in mind that you can’t make small batches of infusions with the Magical Butter.
You’ll need at least 1/2 oz of cannabis and 2 cups of oil or butter to reach the minimum fill line.
You can process up to 3 ounces of cannabis in 5 cups of oil, so it handles large amounts of post-harvest trim like a champion.
It’s also messier than the Levo since you still have to strain the oil by hand, but it comes with a 190-micron filter and a silicon glove that makes processing and straining large quantities of oil very easy.
It helps contain the smell when you’re infusing oils, salves and tinctures and lights your room up like a disco party.
I’ve used the customer service once (because yeah… I did blow one up trying to make a super heady tincture at high altitude) and the Magical Butter customer service is incredible.
They have recently added a no heat button so you can make tinctures above 3000’ without ruining your machine. They’ve been very responsive and seem to adapt their product whenever a bunch of curious monkeys wants to try something new with it. Until the MB3 comes out, the MB2 will still be my cannabis processing workhorse.
You can read the in depth review of the MB2 here.
The Magical Butter is perfect for you, if you:
- buy in bulk or grow your own medicine and have a lot of material to turn into infusions at the end of the season or at the end of your cycle, the Magical Butter is perfect for you.
- want to make your own CBD oil for daily use. I’ll have a tutorial up for this very soon, but making large batches of CBD oil is so easy in the MB2 and if you’re using a lot of CBD oil and want to save money, this is my preferred way to do it.
- want to make salves, tinctures, sauces, and drinks right in the Magical Butter.
- Want to make sure you have a solid workhorse of a device. If you make a LOT of infusions, this thing will hold up.
- are on a budget and want to save money making edibles. This thing pays off itself so quickly, especially after using the discount code.
I hope that answered all of your questions. If you have more, pop them in the comments!
With love and cannabis infused gadget fun,
Corinne
With the new silicone insert sleeve for the Nova, one machine is all you need unless you are doing quantity.
Just bought it with the silicone sleeve. I don’t do high (ha!) volume, just buy an ounce here and there to infuse my oils and liquids, so this sounded perfect for me. I hope it works out. Can wait to get and try it out!
Corinne , I am considering purchasing a TCheck and Magical Butter Machine. I had a couple of questions:
First do you know much about the accuracy of a TCheck with Hemp?
Next you made a comment about living at a high elevation which I do. Is there something I should know about how this affects an infused oil and is that only in reference to using a MB2?
Hi Corinne,
I purchased the Nova for decarbing recently, based partially on your recommendation. And I love it!
The Nova now claims it can be used for infusion. Have you tried it? What do you think? How does it compare to the MB2 and Levo’s?
I’ll see if Corinne will write a post on Nova too!
-Fiona (Corinne’s Assistant)
I probably made about 10 batches in my LEVO ll and the lid broke. When I got around to reading the reviews that was a major complaint. The hinges broke off and dropped in my infusion material.
I will never buy a LEVO again.
Hi all,
I bought the Ardent on Corinne’s recommendation and love it. For Christmas last year I got a Levo one and absolutely wanted to love it. But it the oil would leak out and make a mess. I tried several times to use it and in the end had to fight the company to refund my money, which they did after several months of emails.
Oh no 🙁 Im glad they refunded you at the very least!
-Fiona (Corinne’s Assistant)
You did not talk about the Ardent
Maybe in a future post 🙂
-Fiona (Corinne’s Assistant)
I’ve had my Magical Butter Machine for a few years now. I also bought the gearbox and extra filters. I have been making tinctures to use for baking, cooking and just plain “spiking” drinks like coffee and Spiced Chai. I have found that with edibles, I get longer pain relief. I first started making caramels on the stove and began using them in most warm drinks. I have a great dispensary nearby where I’ve gotten some great ideas! Living in medical marijuana strategies me more options for pain. Thanks, Corrinne for your tips and recipes!
Hi Corinne, I’ve been getting your newsletters for a long time now. Congrats on your achievements.
I want to agree with most of what you’re saying about the MBM2 and Levo 1 and update you on a new ‘hack’ I’ve heard about. I bought the MBM2 first and was basically very happy with the entire process from learning curve to using different bases for infusion (I use MCT coconut oil & Everclear for my tinctures and salves). Having a 2 cup minimum was my big complaint so I bought the LEVO 1 to make smaller batches and experiment more. I immediately bought the POWER POD AND HERB PRESS for the same reasons you stated. I also bought a tcheck2 for testing. I found that I could run the LEVO 1 for a second time on the same material and the result was a stronger result verified by the tcheck2!
Here’s why IMO. The POWER POD doesn’t allow full contact with all the flower. After the first 2 hour run finished I would mix up the material in the POWER POD and run it again with the same oil/Everclear! The result was a darker, stronger product whether MCT oil or Everclear. The difference was anywhere from 10% to 25% stronger! This was confirmed when the tcheck2 arrived! Try it!
Now the ‘hack’. Obviously I thought about the MBM2 and the difference between the two machines all other things being equal. Just REMOVE the POWER POD and pour all the flower into the oil or Everclear! Before you put the magnet in you have to get a ‘filter’ to separate the used flower from the output medium used. Don’t want to run ‘dirty’ product through the exit hole. Now you have the same process as the MBM2 only gentler! Stirring gently with the magnet and not the spinning sharp blade of the MBM2.
One website is selling a Round French Press Filter that fits on the bottom of the container above the exit hole for about $12. Basically you have all the flower mixing with the medium used for the entire process (just like the MBM2) so all the terpenes & other cannabinoid goodies are released into your medium without being restricted by the POWER POD. It makes perfect sense! Packing that POD always bothered me. Plus I would save the 2 extra hours to do a 2nd run on the same material. I have more experimenting to do but I have tried it with just a tiny filter above the exit hole and the results are superior! I’m seriously considering buying that filter from that website for convenience as I am a handicapped senior. Saves me from rummaging around looking for the perfect fit.
Let me know what you think?
Also If I weren’t disabled I would’ve tried your Cannabis Counselor sessions but I learned how to make great & strong Cannabudder for Sugar Free brownies for diabetics instead! I try to help people with severe pain/spinal issues with my limited products. This stuff does a good job of helping peoples pain! I tried the CBD but it didn’t help the pain but it did help my anxiety! I use a company who gives veterans & the disabled a 60% off on their CBD product line. I use 25 mg caps 2 to 4 times a day for my anxiety. I use a vape pen for the other part of pain treatment, THC. Hopefully my state will expand its medical products to make it as affordable as the street’s better products.
Holy cow, thank you so much for sharing this trove of information!
-Fiona (Corinne’s Assistant)
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I bought the Levo about a year ago and used it about 5 times with no problems. About the 6th time, it leaked glycerin all inside the case and all over the counter. I ended up sending it back and it was replaced by Ardent. I’m just a little scared to use it again although I was very happy with the product results. It was a big investment. I usually use a crock pot now because I make very large batches of tincture, however, I recently bought the MB2 but haven’t used it yet.
As a side note, I purchased the TCheck about 1 1/2 years ago ( it took a year to get it ) but I’m still having a problem getting a reading no matter how hard I follow the instructions. I’m not sure if it’s me or the machine but I haven’t heard very good reviews for it so I’m considering returning it if that’s possible. It was also a very big investment and I really want it to work!
I love the new look of your website!
Thank you so much! -Fiona (Corinne’s Assistant)
Hi Corinne, I left a message recently but think it didn’t make its way through your spam filters. I have a question that I was hoping you could answer.
If I have buds that are around 20% CBD (or THC) and want to make oils that are around 20mg/ml, it would give me something similar to the oils I’ve purchased legally through my prescription. This would equate to around 30g of plant material per cup of oil.
Can the Magical Butter maker and Levo II make oils with these potencies? I’ve heard that either unit can (with the Levo potency hack as shown on YouTube), but I wanted to get your opinion because I trust it.
Thanks!
Hey,
Can the LEVO II do as well as the ardent nova/lift and the Magic Butter machine?
Can it decarb just as good as the Nova/Lift? (My instinct is I doubt it)
Can it infuse just as well as the Magic Butter? (also not assuming this would be true)
I am most interested in making the most potent and strongest oil. I am about to spend $300+ either way.
I don’t care if the magic butter is more work, if it is making stronger oil, and I don’t want the LEVO if it is a step behind in any category.
To be honest Sean, I’m still torn. I still use both and mix and match them depending how much I’m making. I will say that they both make high quality infusions, but I’d love to do some legit testing to see exactly which combo/machine does the best job.
I will say that the oil loss tends to be more with the magical butter, so I use the Levo power pod and herb press to get as much oil as possible out when I strain the oil. I’ve seen up to a 1/2 cup of oil loss after filtering through the bags that come with the MB2, and even when I’m using it to make high chai, that’s a bit much. I’ve used a cheesecloth/potato ricer combo that seemed to do well to strain small batches.
And about the Levo/Nova question, I think you’re right about the decarb, but it does get the job done. The thing is that we have the data from the nova and we don’t from the levo. So we know the nova is getting that 100% decarboxylation and the lift is probably doing a bit better than a toaster oven.
I’d say if you’re going to have enough plant material to make fairly large batches, go for the Nova/MB combo. If you’re going to be trying small amounts of different strains, the Levo is your best bet. I hope that helps!
T-Check Gives you a baseline but isn’t super accurate IME. But for the price its better than not having any test results.
Corinne..I think I love you!! But I really would like to see some test results on the infusion rate for the Levo 2. I currently use an instant pot for both decarb and infusion with pretty good results. But if I can make a better product with the LEvo 2 I’m willing to spend the coin. Thanks for the article, you’re amazing!
I would love some data too! I hope to put together something and have all of the devices tested side by side as soon as I can 🙂
I know how you feel about the Tcheck. I have had mine for quite some time and I also waited a year or so to get the darn thing. I may get a good reading now and then since I have talked to them A LOT!!!! I used to just strain with the Magic Butter Machine strainer but I found out (not in the dam instructions) You need to triple filter anything that you try to test. I end up taking a 1/4 cup and then straining it through a coffee filter then I heat it a little (to flow better) and filter it again through another coffee filter. You will get a good reading (possibly). The last time I could not get a reading from a tincture (very odd) so ended up just doing the math and hoping to be close in strength. After I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN they finally said we were having a glitch in the tincture reading. Well yah think MAYBE they should send a mass email to all customers about these things? I am now going to just test the flower with 99% isopropyl alcohol BEFORE I make infused anything so at least I know the starting point. grrrrrrrr
Ok, so I found out upon opening the Levo 2 box that it was much too small for what I need to do. Sent it back and got the Might Fast Herbal Infuser and Nova Decarb. Previously I was using the Instant Pot decarb and infusion method. Which I think works great, but it may damage the THC and Terpines with uneven temps. Both decarb and infusion set for 45 minutes on high pressure. The testing I’ve done with the T-check didn’t change at all regardless of which process I used. I would like to think it has more to do with the accuracy of the T-Check than anything. Sending results to the lab Today. I will let you know what I find out. Thanks for continuing to help us learn and explore!
Can’t wait to hear what you find out!
The only downfall to the Levo is its meant for very small infusions. Even some easy hacks you still can only put a small amount of herbs in there. I wanted that thing to work for me, its like the keurig of infusers, lol. And the potato ricer with cheese cloth hack works great for filtering after doing an infusion with the MB2 and is very cost effective. I usually do that first and then filter it though a 190 micron bag before storing, with almost zero oil loss. The bag the MB2 comes with makes you lose too much oil.
I’ve found the same. But I’m actually leaning more on my Levo all the time now that I don’t have mass quantities of cannabis materials because I’m living in a state with no home grow laws (insert booing and hissing). I like the small batch thing and it’s so much less mess and work. I think it’s hard for those of us who are used to making a ton at once get used to it, but for the regular home user who creates things for themselves, friends, and families, it really can be enough.
Hi Corinne, you need to move to Canada then! Four plants with no size or height restrictions per residence is allowed in most provinces at any given time. You can easily get 8 or 10 lbs. of dried flower per summer grow!
Hi Corinne and Chase. I just infused 30g of dried flower into one cup of MCT oil in my Levo II using the potency hack. That would be considered pretty potent, wouldn’t it?
Hi Chase, with the Levo potency hack I just infused 30 grams into a cup of oil, which I think is fairly potent. It seems to work well for that.
Yes the Levo is perfect for small quantities or when your attempting to do some micro-dosing. I really wish they made a bigger one.
Thanks for the rad review and feedback! I have been using a mb2 and ardent Lift for small batches, but my lift stopped working. The hack for infusion seems great, but can the Levo II decarb an oz at one time? Looks like the power pod max is 8g at a time?
If I were wanting to make oil for sublingual tinctures, how much oil would the Magical Butter Machine make using an ounce of flower? Thanks!
Hey Chris,
The maximum capacity for the Magical Butter Machine is 5 cups/1180 ml.
Adjust based on how much plant material you will be adding.
I hope this helps!
-Maddie (Team Wake + Bake)
Hi! I’ve seen differing reports about whether or not you need to decarb prior to using the MB2e. Some say yes, some say not necessary bc you are able to set the heat high enough to decarb and infuse at the same time. Do you know if this is true, or which way would reap better, more potent results? Thanks!
Hi Pinkie!
I would decarb before using the Magic Butter. It’s true that the temperature is what activates it, so it will activate some, but you’ll get better results and have more control over it decarbing beforehand.
Warmly,
Victoria (Team Wake + Bake)
I’ve had 2 levos break down on me.The app sucks,so I went back to the MB ..
can you give more info on this company that helps disabled vets