This Versatile Infusion Machine Changes the Homemade Edibles Game
Article written by
Mike ReddyContent Strategist
Content reviewed by
Meagan MorrisDirector of Content and SEO
This post contains affiliate links, and Leafwell may receive a commission on anything purchased by clicking on a link in the article. That said, we only review products we’ve personally — and thoroughly — tested.
I’m utterly helpless in the kitchen. That’s not something I’m proud of, but it makes me uniquely qualified to review kitchen appliances because, if I can get them to work properly, odds are anyone can.
That’s essentially how I stumbled upon LĒVO and their best-selling herbal infusion machine, the LĒVO II.
While searching for an uncomplicated, cost-effective foray into making homemade cannabis edibles, this machine just kept popping up. And after reading dozens of reviews praising how easy the device is to use and clean, I knew I had to put it to the test.
The folks at LĒVO were kind enough to send me one of their LĒVO II infusion machines for this review, but my gummies speak for themselves: This product works. It makes homemade infusions a breeze and will likely save you money along the way.
Why You Should Make Your Own Infusions
The popularity of smoking cannabis isn’t lost on me, but for some, the thought of inhaling anything is an immediate non-starter.
I get it. It can be intimidating, it’s not very discreet, and although smoking cannabis isn’t the same as smoking tobacco, an ominous cloud of taboo looms over the idea of combusting anything.
For health reasons, others simply can’t smoke even if they want to.
But that still begs the question: Why bother making tinctures and edibles? Why not stick with what’s readily available at dispensaries?
After putting the LĒVO II through its paces, here’s the main takeaway: The opportunity to create innovative infused foods you’ll never find on dispensary shelves — and save money while doing it — is just too enticing to pass up.
Cost Savings
Edibles aren’t cheap. At least they’re not in Illinois, where I’m from. In fact, the biggest factor that has prevented me from incorporating more edibles into my wellness routine is their lofty price tag.
For context, a typical pack of gummies with 100 mg of total THC costs about $30 at my local dispensary.
With a $30 eighth of cannabis flower, I whipped up some infused oil in the LĒVO II and made my own gummies. I only needed a fraction of that oil to make a batch of gummies containing a whopping 320 mg of total THC.
And when I say “a fraction of that oil,” I mean I used less than half of the oil I infused with that eighth.
Even if we factored in the costs of the gummy mix and the sour gummy sugar I used, there’s just no denying the cost-effectiveness of homemade over dispensary-bought edibles in the long run (bonus points if you grow your own flower, too).
Recipe Versatility
I used MCT oil to make my gummies, but the variety of oils you can work with in these infusion machines is mind-blowing.
Whether you want to turn butter into infused cannabutter or olive oil into infused olive oil, the entire process is simple and feels familiar.
Infusion times and temperatures will vary (MCT oil infusions take five hours at 170 degrees Fahrenheit, for example). Thankfully, LĒVO has a helpful time and temperature calculator that takes the guesswork out of it.
I wasn’t able to test all of these, but the LĒVO II oil infuser is built to handle herbal infusions in the following mediums:
- Almond oil
- Avocado oil
- Butter
- Canola oil
- Coconut oil
- Corn oil
- Ghee
- Glycerin
- Grapeseed oil
- Honey
- MCT oil
- Milk
- Olive oil
- Sesame oil
It’s worth mentioning that this product isn’t meant for making cannabis edibles exclusively. There’s no limit to the clever creations you can make by infusing dry or fresh herbs with your favorite cooking oils.
Have you ever tried rosemary-infused olive oil? Thank me later.
How Does the LĒVO II Work?
Making infusions with the LĒVO II couldn’t be more straightforward. Let’s say, for example, you wanted to make cannabis butter, aka cannabutter. Here’s what that entire process looks like.
Step 1: The Activation Cycle
Anyone even vaguely familiar with making edibles knows that the first step is to decarboxylate your cannabis flower.
For those unfamiliar, decarboxylation is a fancy word that means introducing heat to cause a chemical reaction that “activates” the cannabinoids in the flower.
There are many methods for decarboxylating flower, and the LĒVO II has an activation cycle that takes just 30 minutes.
Simply pack your coarse-ground flower into the included power pod and run the “ACTIVATE” cycle (which has a default setting of 240 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes).
Voila! You now have decarboxylated flower.
Step 2: The Infusion Cycle
With the activation cycle finished, it’s time to move on to the infusion cycle. If you completed Step 1 with the LĒVO II, you can leave the activated flower in the same power pod for infusion.
Before you decide how much oil, butter, etc., to infuse, I highly recommend exploring the Cannabutter Ratio Calculator from Cannabutter Digest. This nifty tool will give you an idea of how potent your overall infusion should be.
Once you’ve decided, this step will look different depending on the oil in which you’re infusing your flower, so let’s stick with butter for our cannabis butter example. Butter calls for a five-hour infusion cycle at 170 degrees Fahrenheit in the LĒVO II.
Set it, forget it, and you can press the big dispense button in five hours to collect your liquid cannabutter.
Step 3: Cooking and Baking
This step is self-explanatory. Use your newly infused oils to turn your favorite baked goods and meals into crafty edible creations (such as a purple sweet potato pie).
Pro tip: Use the Cannabutter Ratio Calculator to estimate how potent your edibles will be. Do the math first, and cut your infused oil with regular oil for better dosage control. And as always, start low and go slow.
The Good, the Bad, and the Tasty
The Good
- The LĒVO II oil infuser delivers on all its promises and is so easy to use and clean that even I can do it.
- I thoroughly enjoyed making infusions with the LĒVO II, and my wallet will enjoy it much more than regular visits to the dispensary.
- If you’re not interested in edibles, infusing cooking oils with fresh herbs will elevate your culinary game.
The Bad
- If discretion is a deciding factor, this kitchen appliance — and maybe making homemade edibles generally — might not be for you. My apartment definitely smelled like cannabis while testing this machine.
The Tasty
- If you want to make homemade infusions with LĒVO products, you can save 10% on orders over $100 with our affiliate promo code LEAFWELLFRIEND10.
The Bottom Line
If you told me a week ago that I’d be making gummies — and they’d taste good — I wouldn’t’ve believed you. But thanks to the LĒVO II, I did, and they do.
In my quest to learn about making edibles, it’s an understatement to say I ended up with far more than I bargained for. It’s hard to imagine an at-home cannabis infusion process getting more straightforward than it is with this machine.
The door to a world of gourmet edibles has been unlocked, and the LĒVO II is one appliance on my kitchen counter that won’t be gathering dust.