Delta-8 THC Reviews: Best D8 Brands on the Market (2021) - LA Weekly (2023)

No two delta 8 THC products are made the same. There’s an evident demand for a smooth and legal high offered by this cannabinoid, as well as its many health benefits. There is new booming space in the cannabis industry, with lots of great companies and the same number of fly-by-night vendors.

Due to the lack of regulations, it’s the customer’s responsibility to do proper research and be aware of the risks of buying delta 8 THC online and locally near you.

In this article, we review the top 3 of the best delta 8 THC brands along with an all-around buyer’s guide for new consumers.

Best Delta 8 THC Brands Review (Top D8 Brands in 2021)

• Area52
• Finest Labs
• 3Chi

1. Area52

Area52 is a California-based brand that has already made big headlines in the delta 8 THC space. The company specializes in premium delta 8 THC extracts from organic hemp and obtained with supercritical CO2 extraction, which is the desired standard for cannabis extracts. The team at Area52 prides itself on making pure delta 8 THC distillate in traditional forms, including tinctures, edibles, and vape liquid.

The reason Area52 makes the best delta 8 THC products in our opinion is the effort they put in laboratory testing. Area52 products are tested for purity at all manufacturing stages, and each product comes with an up-to-date Certificate of Analysis (COA) that lists their strength, cannabinoid and terpene profile, and content analysis for heavy metals, pesticides, solvents, and mycotoxins.

While these products are priced a bit higher than the competition, the A-grade quality of ingredients in simple formulations and meticulous testing makes this brand the best delta 8 seller overall.

Products offered by Area52

• Delta 8 THC Tinctures
• Delta 8 THC Gummies
• Delta 8 THC Vape Cartridges

2. Finest Labs

Finest Labs is another young company that offers hemp-derived delta 8 THC extracts. The brand shares some common product types with Area52 — but in a bit lower potency.

This company makes the best delta 8 THC products for beginners — or for lightweight consumers with a low tolerance to delta 8 THC. The concentrations like 10 mg (gummies) or 500 mg (tinctures) make it easier to find your optimal dosage where you experience the health benefits without getting anxious.

Lower concentrations also translate into a lower cost per product. If you’re searching for an affordable brand that uses high-quality ingredients, you’ll be satisfied with the standards provided by Finest Labs.

Products offered by Finest Labs

• Delta 8 THC Tinctures
• Delta 8 THC Gummies
• Delta 8 THC Vape Cartridges

3. 3Chi

3Chi was one of the first companies to enter the delta 8 THC space. It’s also one of the most popular brands among d8 aficionados. 3Chi offers a broad range of delta 8 THC products, including tinctures, vape cartridges, gummies, flowers, and moonrocks.

Similar to Area52, 3Chi is very serious about lab-testing and overall transparency, which are their two biggest advantages. The company posts relevant and up-to-date certificates of analysis for all their products — including the results for purity and potency.

Products offered by 3Chi

• Delta 8 THC Tinctures
• Delta 8 THC Gummies
• Delta 8 THC Distillates
• Delta 8 THC Cartridges

How to Find a Reputable Delta 8 THC Brand

Finding a reputable delta 8 THC manufacturer isn’t easy these days, especially if this is your first time with such products. The lack of quality standards has created space for scammy companies to use low public awareness for their own profit. Below we highlight the most important research point for new delta 8 THC users.

1. Third-Party Testing (THE Most Important)

The best way to ensure the quality of any given product is to send it to a third-party laboratory for a content analysis.

Delta 8 THC producers should be particularly careful about testing their extracts. Unless delta 8 THC is extracted from marijuana (which may not be legal in your state), it needs to be converted from CBD first. This process calls for using toxic chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and zinc bromide. These chemicals should be purged, which requires high-tech equipment and a lot of skill to run the process correctly.

A third-party analysis looks into the product’s potency and purity. If the company succeeds in purifying their extracts, the certificate of analysis will show it.

A laboratory is considered “third-party” if it isn’t affiliated with the manufacturer. There are several such laboratories throughout the United States.

We recommend purchasing only from brands that publish relevant certificates of analysis.

2. Plenty of Positive User Reviews

User reviews can tell you quite a lot about the company’s reputation. Just remember these reviews should be posted on third-party websites, such as blogs, rankings, or expert opinions. There are already several communities of delta 8 THC users — you just need to look around forums and social media platforms.

The reason why we underline the importance of checking with third-party websites is because the reviews from independent sources often stay in contrast with what you can read on the brand’s website.

If you notice any of the following signs, it means the company sells low-quality products:

• Clear evidence of the company being dishonest
• No mentions of the company anywhere
• Too many negative reviews on third-party websites

3. Transparency

Reputable delta 8 THC manufacturers provide insight to as many details on their activities as possible. They also have a clear and to-the-point mission statement that relies on verifiable information rather than marketing buzz.

If a company doesn’t say anything about the source of their delta 8 THC, extraction methods, or testing practices, this is a red flag and a sign that you should look for delta 8 somewhere else.

4. Extraction Method

The extraction method is one of the most important factors for determining the quality of delta 8 THC products. The best way to produce delta 8 THC is to extract it straight from a mature marijuana plant. This method is free of any chemicals, but its use is restricted only to states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

The more common method involves extracting delta 8 THC from hemp by synthesizing it from CBD. It is legal on a federal level but requires the use of toxic chemicals.

The source of delta 8 products also tells you about their legal status, so it’s important to do your homework on the local marijuana regulations in your state to make sure you’re not crossing the law.

How Much Does Delta 8 THC Cost?

The price of delta 8 THC is usually estimated by checking the cost per milligram of delta 8 THC. This allows for an honest comparison between two different products.

A milligram of delta 8 THC is worth around $0.06 – $0.10 on average.

Here’s how different product types are generally priced:

• Distillate – $0.03–$0.07

• Gummies – $0.05 – $0.10

• Tinctures – $0.06 – $0.012

• Gummies – $0.05 – $0.10

Types of Delta 8 THC Products

The simplest form of delta 8 THC is a distillate — a thick, resinous, and concentrated liquid. This liquid can be then infused into tinctures, vape liquids, edibles, or capsules. Below we provide a brief overview of the most popular delta 8 THC product types:

1. Delta 8 THC Tinctures

This is a similar format to CBD tinctures, save for the fact that the main active ingredient is delta 8 THC. Tinctures contain a delta 8 distillate suspended in a carrier oil for an even distribution and higher bioavailability (cannabinoids are fat-soluble).

You can take a delta 8 THC tincture under the tongue and hold it there for up to one minute for the fastest-acting effects. They usually kick in within 45 minutes after ingestion — d8 tinctures start with a slight delay compared to CBD oil.

The potency of your tincture will determine the intensity of effects, so keep in mind to choose your product according to your tolerance. The potency of delta 8 THC tinctures ranges between 300–3000 mg of d8 per bottle.

2. Delta 8 THC Gummies

Gummies are the most enjoyable form of cannabis extracts. They can be infused with different cannabinoids, including delta 8 THC.

D8 gummies use the same fruity gummy base with a fixed dose of delta 8 THC in each piece.

Since the gummies need to be processed by the liver, the effects take more time to kick in than tinctures and vapes. For some users, they may become noticeable after as long as 2 hours.

3. Delta 8 THC Vapes (Distillates)

Vaping is the fastest method of delivering delta 8 THC to your system. That’s because vaporized delta 8 enters the bloodstream through the lung tissue. Most people experience the benefits of delta 8 THC vapes within 5–10 minutes from inhalation. However, these effects also last shorter — usually up to 4 hours.

Delta 8 THC vapes are made from a distillate, which is a concentrated form of this cannabinoid. The pure delta 8 THC syrup is then mixed with vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol to produce thick vapor.

How to Spot a Sketchy Delta 8 THC Company

The delta 8 THC has been a niche market until 2020. However, recent technological breakthroughs have revolutionized the efficacy of delta 8 extraction — creating a booming industry. But as with any booming market, there’s a lot of sub-par products sold by sketchy manufacturers. Many delta 8 brands use dangerous ingredients in their extracts, while others fail to purge the toxic chemicals from the final product.

Delta 8 THC can be extracted using the following methods:

• • Extract Delta 8 THC directly from marijuana – this is the safest method of making delta 8 THC, but unfortunately, it’s not legal on a federal level. It can be performed only in places that have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

• Synthesize delta 8 THC from delta 9 THC – this is another safe extraction method, but similar to the above, it is also illegal in most states, as it uses delta 9 THC as the base.
• Convert CBD into Delta 9 THC, and then synthesize Delta 8 from it – this method is legal on a federal level, but it also offers the lowest efficacy because it involves a large amount of hemp biomass. It also uses toxic chemicals in order to produce large quantities of delta 8 THC.

Since these chemicals are difficult to purge from the final product, it’s important that the manufacturer sends every batch for a content analysis to a third-[party laboratory.

Like we said, there are many low-quality, deceitful companies on the market.

After thoroughly researching the American delta 8 THC space, we’ve compiled a black list of companies, which is an anti-ranking of delta 8 products. We’ve put them into 3 categories:

1. Scammers – never order from them
2. Companies that don’t publish third-party reports – avoid such vendors
3. Companies that test potency, but don’t test for contaminants – you’re buying at your own risk

Companies That Don’t Publish Third-Party Lab Reports – Avoid Such Vendors

Some companies haven’t been caught lying in any way, but they don’t publish any lab reports for their extracts or don’t keep them updated. Many companies don’t take laboratory testing seriously and often provide only one certificate of analysis. This is wrong on many levels; each single batch should be tested and certified.

Moreover, some companies provide certificates from in-house laboratories, meaning they are affiliated with the manufacturer.

Companies That Test Potency, But Don’t Test for Contaminants

Some companies publish up-to-date certificates of analysis, but they only test the potency of delta 8 THC. The lab-reports don’t contain results for contaminants, so there’s no guarantee these products are safe.

Delta 8 THC FAQ

If you’re new to delta 8 THC, then you probably have many questions, and it’s understandable. So, let us clear the air surrounding the most common delta 8 questions.

Is Delta 8 THC Legal?

The federal government effectively legalized hemp under the 2018 farm bill. All hemp-derived products are legal as long as they contain no more than 0.3% of delta 9 THC. This includes cannabinoids, terpenes, and all other compounds in hemp plants. So as long as your delta 8 product comes from hemp, it is considered legal.

That being said, the following states have explicitly banned delta 8 THC:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Rhode Island
• Utah

Can Delta 8 THC Get You High?

Yes, although the high from delta-8 THC is much lower than that of delta 9 THC, as stated by the National Cancer Institute. Delta 8 THC users report feeling a clear-headed, less anxious, and more relaxing high.

Can Delta 8 THC Make You Fail a Drug Test?

Yes, most standard drug tests don’t differentiate between delta 8 THC and delta 9 THC.

What Are the Benefits of Delta 8 THC?

In short, delta 8 THC has remarkable anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, and anti-anxiety properties.

How Do You Consume Delta 8 THC?

The most popular delta 8 THC products are tinctures, vapes, and edibles. Vaping offers the fastest way to enjoy the effects of delta 8, while edibles take longer to kick in, but they also have a longer duration.

Bottom Line: What Are the Best Delta 8 THC Products in 2021?

For many people, delta 8 THC is an appealing alternative to delta 9 THC, allowing them to reap similar benefits, but with a much lower risk of getting anxious and paranoid. Most users describe the high provided by delta 8 as very soothing, clear-headed, and elevating. The effects can be energizing or sedating depending on the dose and the additional ingredients, such as the other cannabinoids and terpenes.

According to the studies on the effects of delta 8 THC, its psychoactive effects are milder than those of the standard version. Aside from the less psychoactive high, delta 8 THC may also relieve anxiety, pain, inflammation, and nausea. It can also significantly increase appetite; some users report a stronger case of the munchies after delta 8.

Thanks to recent scientific breakthroughs, delta 8 THC is legal on a federal level. However, synthesizing delta 8 THC from CBD requires a lot of skill and expensive equipment — so not every company can afford to make high-quality delta 8 THC extracts.

If you don’t want to fall victim to scammers, make sure you follow the tips from this article. Only purchase from transparent manufacturers who can provide relevant and up-to-date certificates of analysis from third-party laboratories.

If you’ve never tried delta 8 THC and you’re searching for a trustworthy vendor, we recommend brands like Area52, Finest Labs, and 3Chi. We’ve had top-notch experience with all three brands and appreciate their commitment to quality and laboratory testing.

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