You are currently viewing 10 Questions to Ask Before Purchasing Cannabis Distillation Equipment

Surging in popularity, distillate has quickly become a hot commodity amongst today’s consumers in the cannabis community.  Distillates are sought after partially due to their extremely high purity, which makes them excellent for creating vape pens, but also because they can be odorless and virtually flavorless, making them the best form of THC to use when creating edible products or lotions and topicals. With such a spike in popularity, a growing number of distillate machine manufacturers continue to surface. In this blog, we list 10 questions to ask before purchasing cannabis distillation equipment.

With many manufacturers now promising to deliver the best machine on the market, how do you decide which one to invest in?  Which one will reliably produce distillate of the highest quality and potency?  Which one really operates at the throughput rates that you need? Which one comes with on-site installation, training, and ongoing service when you need it?  Most importantly, which one is the best use of your investment dollars and most closely delivers on your desired goals? 

Beware of False and/or Misleading Claims of Cannabis Distillation Equipment.

When it comes to marketing distillation machines, the truth of the matter is there’s not a lot of truth to the matter.  As billions of dollars keep pouring into the cannabis market, companies can afford to spend money on expensive marketing tactics… designed to mislead prospective buyers into a purchase.   Something as simple as quoting the machine’s throughput rate is a common tactic, conveniently worded to mislead buyers.  Many manufacturers are quoting very high throughput rates, but what they forget to tell you is that those rates aren’t based on optimal processing of cannabis oil. Two small words, seemingly insignificant, are making or breaking companies seeking to do cannabis distillation: application dependent. 

They’re most likely quoting a different product for throughput, such as lavender oil, or simply stating the maximum rate at which fluid can be fed into the system.  To the untrained eye, the buyer is reading throughput rates that blow them away… but in reality, their investment dollars are blown away once in the lab with throughput rates that are a third (sometimes even less) of what was advertised. 

It’s important to know the right questions to ask before purchasing a distillation machine. 

 Checklist of Questions to Consider: 

  1. Can I see a demo of the machine processing cannabis crude oil in action? 
  2. What throughput rate I should expect to process cannabis crude oil?
  3. Do you offer on-site installation at my facility?
  4. Do you offer in-person/hands-on training with SOPs for the machine I buy?
  5. Do you also provide training on how best to prepare my crude for optimal distillation?
  6. Can you provide me with references? Any existing customers using this machine that I can speak with? 
  7. How long have you been in the business, and are you practitioners, as well?  
  8. What happens if I have questions or issues with my machine after purchase?
  9. What happens if a part on my machine breaks?  
  10. What are typical yields, and what purity/potency of cannabinoids should I expect to produce, on average?

Root Sciences is here to help you distill the facts.

Through expert performance, reliability, and insight, the equipment and services provided by Root Sciences are widely recognized as some of the most trusted solutions available in the industry. Our staff can assist your operation with complete facility design and equipment selection.

For Root Sciences, the sale is just the beginning, and we aim to nurture a long-term partnership with all of our clients. After equipment is delivered and installed, our training and after-sales support are where the long-term value is added.

Depending on the distillation equipment you select, Root Sciences’ throughput rates consistently range between 4 liters to 400 liters (per 8-hour shift) when processing cannabis crude oil, and you have the ability to see a real demo of the machines in action at their facility in Washington state. Practitioners themselves for over a decade, Root Sciences has real, hands-on experience from production processing to consumer. Once you make a purchase, Root Sciences travels directly to your facility where their team of expert technicians perform on-site installation and hands-on training for your team, specifically tailored to get the best use out of your purchased equipment.  Expect years of reliable, efficient cannabinoid distillation achieving 90%+ cannabinoid content with best-in-class after sales support. 

For more information, contact our team at (206) 452-1130.