Crafting cannabis butter is a storied tradition that has evolved over many generations. Many cannabis chefs have experience with infusing butter in a crockpot or even on the stovetop, but the modern cook has more options. The LEVO II is a second-generation oil infusion machine created to bring ease and efficiency to the process of crafting an herbal infusion.
Features
LEVO II is a sleek machine that fits right in alongside other high-end kitchen appliances, and it comes in five colors. It has three active settings: dry fresh herbs, decarboxylate cannabis using the activation feature, and infuse oil or butter. These features — and the entire unit itself — are easy to use and clean. The reservoir contains a ceramic-coated safe cup, a metal herb pod, and silicone accessories. All are dishwasher safe, Teflon-free, and non-toxic. Other accessories are also available on their website to make gummies and other fun treats with infusions.
This second-generation LEVO has improved the original interface system with more controls to further customize your herbal infusion experience. You can dial in the temperature down to the degree and the timer down to the minute, lock the unit, and easily cycle through the three settings using the digital screen interface. To dial in even further, you can connect to the LEVO app and monitor the infusion from any type of wifi-capable phone or mobile device. The LEVO II features are understated and useful, unlike some cannabis technology which can be overdeveloped for the sake of nuance. Instead, the unit stands apart because it is equal parts functional and sleek.
Infusing with the LEVO II
To test out the LEVO II, I infused vegan butter with dried lavender and a touch of Herbs de Provence. This felt like a most delightful pairing with local honey on a homemade biscuit as we shift into Spring. The process of infusing the butter was just as simple as the features imply. We packed the herbs loosely into the Power Pod, making sure to include the pod protector at the bottom and set it into the reservoir in its clearly labeled location. Then we put the LEVO stirrer into the middle of the reservoir and placed the cut-up butter into the chamber as well.
At this point in the process, the app was clutch. It prompted me to input the type of plant and carrier oil I’d be using, and then suggested a temperature range that would fit best for the combo. I set the temperature to 170°F, pressed the button with the ‘Play’ symbol, and let the machine do its work. It let out a very slight aroma, which can be handy when activating or infusing cannabis, and it did emit noise while it was in operation. The display screen changed to show that the infusion had completed after the set amount of time.
This is part of where the ease in functionality really comes into play. Just put a mason jar underneath the spout, and press the Dispense button to release the infusion into the jar. The reservoir is slightly tilted so that the oil or butter naturally goes towards the distribution straw. Since I used butter, which is thicker than oil, I did tip the unit towards the straw to get the last bit of my infusion. There is always a small carrier oil loss when making any herbal infusion; using the LEVO II I lost just 1-2 tablespoons of my butter.
Conclusion
LEVO expands on the current infusion technology with its second-generation unit. The LEVO II infusion machine is easy to use but that doesn’t mean it’s a simple product. The process can be customized in a variety of ways, and it can make more types of edibles than other infusion devices on the market. Alongside the app that provides temperature recommendations based on individual infusions and recipes from fellow LEVO users, this is a device that would be equally suitable for medical cannabis patients and professional chefs. Additionally, you can use a second Power Pod to increase potency. Also, the efficiency of the Activate cycle and tolerances of the device allow for extracting the maximum potency in THC from the herb in comparison to using traditional methods.
From now until April 20, enjoy a 20% off sitewide discount using the promo code LEVOGREEN and start your own journey as a cannabis chef!