If you’ve ever tried to cook with cannabis, you probably know that making edibles is synonymous with making a mess. It’s time-consuming too, leaving some people interested in starting their cars over their stoves: driving to a pot store is so much easier. But, as the marijuana culture evolves, more products are marketed to make its ingestion less hassle and more dazzle. One of these is the LEVO. It’s changing the way cannabis oil is created.

What is the LEVO?

The LEVO is an appliance that automates the traditional method of oil infusion. Its aim is to allow people to create homemade products and cannabis conceptions by infusing oil with flower in a quicker, more efficient manner. Of course, it’s not just for marijuana: it’s useful for the infusion of all sorts of herbs, both those that are psychoactive, and those that are boring (that means you, Clove). On their website, the LEVO describes itself as

“high quality infusion at home. LEVO automates the most effective method of oil and butter infusion by bringing together all of the pieces for you. It's simple, so there's no over-processing and no mess.”

Oil Infusion without the LEVO

Oil infusion without an appliance specifically designed to help often involves several pains in the butt (and in the bud). The main annoying factor is the time: in order to dissolve the cannabis into the oil, you’ll need to heat them together for several hours (but without scorching the pan – that’ll destroy the batch). You can do this with the crockpot your grandma gave you for your wedding (the one you said you wanted so you could make her kidney bean soup). But this takes up to three days of warming and waiting. You can use a double-boiler and heat it on low for eight hours. Or you can use a saucepan. The latter is most susceptible to burn. If you go that route, you need to stir it on a very consistent basis.

Once the oil is sufficiently infused, you must strain it to remove the excess plant material

Sometimes people are able to do this easily and other times they get oil all over their kitchen counter. So much for crying over spilled milk; now you’re crying over spilled milf.

The Story Behind the LEVO

According to its creators, the story behind the LEVO is a desire to give consumers more control over their creations with less mess and less uncertainty. Unlike traditional oil infusion – where you’ll typically make a large batch because the process is so lengthy – the LEVO allows small, more frequent productions. The LEVO came to be over the past few years in Colorado. Other things you might not know are from Colorado? Celestial Seasonings, Crocs, and Tim Allen.

Oil Infusion, Simplified

The way the LEVO works is easy: you add the herb and oil of your choice. You set the time and temperature (the LEVO website offers a chart to aid you in this step. You choose your herb (such as cannabis or rosemary) and oil (such as sunflower or olive) and it tells you how long to cook and at what temp).

The LEVO then dispenses your oil into the vessel you’re using (up to sixteen ounces at one time)

The LEVO can be used to infuse butter as well as oil. And, as an added bonus, the cleanup is minimal: remove the reservoir and toss it into your Maytag or Amana. You don’t have to do the dishes – you only have to do the dish!

The Flavor Factor

The greatness of the LEVO actually goes beyond cannabis: there’s more to it. And that more has to do with something each of us hold near and dear to our hearts: the taste of food. The LEVO provides better infusion of cannabis, sure, but it infuses flavor more proficiently too. And this isn’t only in regards to pot. You might infuse canola oil with pepper to create a spicier dinner dish. You might make a butter filled with rosemary. You might even ditch your mouth for your nose and create your own aromatherapy oils.

From Concept to Reality

According to LEVO, production has already begun, with units ready to ship by early 2017. The company is offering discounts for their first customers. For early buyers, the unit will cost $99.99. During the second round, it increases to $139.99. The final round involves the real retail price of $179.99.

The Benefits of Making Your Own Edibles

The benefits of using the LEVO are detailed above, but other benefits exist because of the perks homemade marijuana meals offer.

To begin, making your own edibles allows you to control your dosage

You might need cookies that are very potent or cupcakes with only a little zing. Homemade creating also gives you the power to choose your strain. This ability is highly valuable to anyone who is after very specific effects as different strains work to manage different ailments. The choice of strain isn’t the only thing that’s diversified: so are your food choices. Pot dispensaries have certainly upped their game in the edibles department and you can find almost anything you want…but not everywhere. If you want cannabis infused pasta or gluten-free muffins, you’ll have to search. Or you can search your kitchen instead. Anything in the pantry or the refrigerator is fair game. Homemade edibles allow you to consider your lifestyle too. Maybe you’re vegan or diabetic. Maybe you’re on a diet or allergic to lactose. Maybe you’re trying to cut down on sugar or still remember what happened the last time you ate bran – two hours before you took your middle seat on that airplane. Cooking cannabis at home takes this into account: it’s your pot, your way.