Infusing cannabis flower with terpenes has become popular for enhancing flavor, aroma, and overall experience. Various companies offer products designed to infuse terpenes into cannabis, each with its own unique approach and set of advantages and disadvantages. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at some of the top options on the market, highlighting the pros and cons of each.
NEU Bags: A Balanced and Effective Terpene Infusion
NEU Bags by Terpene Belt Farms offer a straightforward and effective solution for infusing cannabis flower with terpenes. These mesh infusion bags are saturated with terpenes and designed to work seamlessly with whole flower buds. The process is straightforward: place a NEU Bag into a bag or bin with whole flower buds, and over the next 48 hours, the terpenes will naturally migrate from the bag to the flower. The result is a fully infused product without the need for complex machinery or additional materials.
Pros:
- Ease of Use: No additional materials or complex systems are required. Simply place the NEU Bag in with your flower, and let it work its magic.
- Low Cost: Compared to other methods, NEU Bags are extremely affordable, with no upfront equipment costs.
- Availability: Order NEU Bag delivered to your door in over 30 countries, no importation headaches.
- Real Cannabis Terpenes: NEU Bags feature real cannabis (hemp) terpenes, allowing you to infuse smell, flavor, and effect back into your flower.
- Scale: NEU Bag has no limitation on the amount of flower you can infuse simultaneously. 10s, 100s, or 1,000s of pounds can be infused with ease.
Cons:
- Time: NEU Bag takes a minimum of 48 hours to transfer its terpenes into your flower. The diffusion time can impact your existing workflows and make NEU Bag non-viable for some applications.
- Consistency: The diffusion process can be localized if you are not turning the material consistently during the initial 48-hour period, resulting in a non-uniform flavor profile.
TerpiFuse: Semi-Bulk Infusion with Limitations
TerpiFuse offers a bucket system designed for bulk infusion of cannabis flower. The system can handle up to 10 pounds of flower, making it suitable for larger batches. The process involves placing the flower into the bucket, where it infuses over 2-4 days.
Pros:
- Bulk Capability: The ability to infuse up to 10 pounds at once makes this system appealing for larger operations. While they promise to infuse 10lb of flower in a day, each bucket can hold a maximum of 2lb. So you would need to complete 5 different runs in order to get the 10 lb suggested.
- All-Inclusive Kit: TerpiFuse provides a complete kit, so there’s no need to purchase additional materials like bags or containers.
- Refills Available: The company offers terpene refills for their Jar and Bucket systems, ensuring continuous use without the need for complete replacement.
Cons:
- Limited Flavor Options: TerpiFuse offers only 19 flavors, mostly fruit-based. Custom flavors are available but at an extra cost.
- Botanical Terpene Only: TerpiFuse only offers Botanical terpenes for infusion. If you are interested in infusing real cannabis smell, flavor, and effect, this is not the system for you.
- Costly: At $400 for the bucket system, it’s a significant investment, especially considering the limited scalability.
- Time-Consuming: The infusion process takes several days, which might not be ideal for operations needing faster turnaround times.
The Box – Scalable but with a price
The Box is another system marketed for terpene infusion, with a . It focusesbility. It’s de and is for operations looking to infuse large quantities of flower at once.
Pros:
- Scalable: The Box system is designed to handle large volumes of cannabis flower, making it a good option for larger producers.
- Remediation: The Box promises to remediate bulk cannabis flower while infusing the buds with terpenes.
Cons:
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- Cost: The pricing for The Box system and the per infusion cost is relatively high for the majority of operators.
- Flower Overall Quality: The system adds moisture to the flower, which can cause it to darken and increase water content and moisture activity. This can negatively impact the overall quality of the cannabis flower.
Integra Boost – Reusable but Limited
Integra Boost’s Terpene Essentials packets are a simple solution for adding terpenes to small quantities of cannabis. These packets are reusable, making them an economical choice for those working with smaller batches.
Pros:
- Reusable: Each packet can be used up to three times, providing good value for money.
- Small Batch Friendly: Ideal for infusing up to 14g of cannabis flower, making it perfect for personal use or small-scale operations.
Cons:
- Limited Botanical Terpene Only Flavor Range: One isolated botanical terpene at a time. With only 7 isolated botanical terpene-specific flavors, Integra Boost doesn’t offer much variety nor infuse any terpene diversity into your flower.
- Unclear Dosage: The company doesn’t specify how much terpene content can be added to the flower, which could lead to inconsistent results.
Cure-Egg – Strain-Specific but Pricey
The Cure-Egg by Peak Supply Co. offers a compact and convenient package of strain-specific flavors. However, it comes with a hefty price tag.
Pros:
- Strain-Specific Flavors: Tailored to specific cannabis strains.
- Convenient for Home Use: The compact size and ease of use make it a good option for consumers looking to infuse small quantities of flower at home.
Cons:
- Expensive: At $79 for a single Cure-Egg with one aroma flavor, it’s not the most cost-effective option on the market.
- Unclear Dosage: The company doesn’t specify how much terpene content should be added to the flower or exactly how the application should occur, which could lead to inconsistent results.
Terp It – Industrial-Grade but Prohibitively Expensive
Terp It offers an industrial-grade terpene infusion solution designed for large-scale operations. The system can infuse up to 10 pounds of flower per cycle.
Pros:
- High Capacity: With promises of handling large quantities of cannabis flower, the company seems to have designed a machine suitable for industrial operations.
- Speed: The terpene infusion process takes only a few hours, allowing for quick turnaround times.
Cons:
- Extremely Expensive: The cheapest machine starts at $110,000, making it inaccessible for most businesses.
- Lack of Information: Little information is available about the terpenes, formulations, or overall durability of their machines.
Spraying Cannabis Buds: Simple but Inaccurate
One of the simplest methods of adding terpenes to cannabis is by directly spraying the buds with terpene oil. While this method is easy to execute, it comes with significant drawbacks. One of the companies known for their terpene guns is Glue Machinery Corporation.
Pros:
- Simplicity: If you are doing with a basic sprayer, it requires no special equipment; just a spray bottle and terpene oil.
- Quick Application: Can be done quickly, making it convenient for small-scale or personal use.
Cons:
- Inaccuracy: It’s challenging to achieve an even distribution of terpenes across all buds, leading to inconsistencies in flavor and potency.
- Not built for scale: Results in a messy application process with terpene loss at each step in the process and doesn’t promote a scalable SOP.
The Bottom Line
The cannabis industry offers various methods for infusing terpenes into flower, each with its own set of advantages and challenges. For those looking for a reliable, consistent, and straightforward solution, NEU Bags stand out as a top choice, especially for small to medium operations. While other methods like TerpiFuse or The Box offer scalability, they come with significant trade-offs in terms of cost, flavor variety, or ethical considerations.
As the market continues to grow, it’s important to stay informed about the latest products and techniques to ensure you’re providing the best possible product to your customers. Whether you’re a small-scale producer or managing a large operation, choosing the right terpene infusion method is key to standing out in a crowded market.
FAQ
What Are the Best Terpene Infusion Solutions for Cannabis?
Several terpene infusion solutions are available for cannabis, each designed to enhance the aroma, flavor, and overall experience of the flower. From mesh bag systems like NEU Bags to large-scale methods like The Box, choosing the right way to infuse terpenes into your cannabis product depends on your operational needs, budget, and the results you want to achieve.
How Do NEU Bags Work for Terpene Infusions?
NEU Bags are an effective solution for terpene infusion. These mesh bags are infused with pure terpenes like myrcene, linalool, and limonene, which naturally enhance the flavor, aroma, and effects of your cannabis. Simply place the NEU Bag in a sealed container with your cannabis flower, and over 48 hours, the terpenes will transfer to the buds, creating a fresh, high-quality product with distinct aromas and flavors.
What Is the Cure-Egg and Is It Worth the Investment?
The Cure-Egg offers strain-specific terpene infusion solutions, focusing on creating distinct, strain-like aromas. It is small and convenient for home use, but it comes at a higher price.
Is Direct Spraying a Good Terpene Infusion Solution?
Direct spraying involves applying terpene oils directly to cannabis buds. While it’s one of the quickest ways to infuse terpenes, it’s also less precise than other methods.
Which Terpene Infusion Solution Should I Choose?
For most cannabis producers, NEU Bags provide the best balance of ease, cost, and quality. The NEU Bags deliver pure terpenes without expensive equipment. While other methods like TerpiFuse and The Box are scalable, they come with higher costs and longer infusion times. If you want a reliable, effective way to infuse terpenes into your cannabis flower, NEU Bags are the top choice.