With increased cannabis legalization comes an increased demand for cannabis lab testing, and while more companies are popping up to specialize in this still-lacking arena, growers might still be looking for instant answers to their plants’ makeup with tool like THC testers — especially as consumers are increasingly interested in education that supports the products they purchase.
These six portable cannabis testing devices and products allow cultivators and processors to test their plant’s THC levels, terpene profiles, and other desirable compounds that make up the complete chemical profiles of in-demand strains on the market. If you want to take the benefits of cannabis testing and detailed data analysis to your farm, greenhouse or home, one of these six cannabis testers might be a great way to optimize your cultivation.
tCheck Potency Testing Plus ($399.99)
Ideal for anyone who dabbles in flower, oils, or concentrates, the tCheck Potency Testing Plus allows you to measure the levels of THC or CBD in butter, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and alcohol with a home use test. For flower and concentrates, the Plus kit tests for THCa and total cannabinoids in raw hemp, flower, trim, and winterized concentrates including shatter, crumble, diamonds, and other consistencies.
The main testing device that’s available in green, blue, black, and gray has the ability to run more than 1,000 tests with a 1 to 15-mg/ml testing range for infusions, 1 to 40 percent for flower, and 1 to 99 percent for concentrates. The device syncs with your smartphones and tablets to provide an easy-to-understand detection window and clear results in the app log where you can add notes.
Alpha-Cat 80 THC/CBD/HEMP Mini-Lab Test Kit ($699)
The Alpha-Cat Mini-Lab Cannabinoid Test Kit, which comes in a sturdy travel case for safe transportation, is more than a THC potency test machine with the inclusion of cannabinoid measuring rulers for CBD, THC, CBN, CBC, and THCV. Other features include an accurate scale to 0.001g, 80 centrifuge reaction test tubes, 20 TLC plates allowing up to 5 samples per plate, 100 micropipette tips, and everything required for farm, facility, or home THC testing with the exception of a heating element.
The full kit weighs in at less than one pound and comes with enough materials to perform 80 tests.
MyDx Analyzer 2.0 + CannaDx Sensor Kit: Grower’s Package ($1,099)
Coined as “your own personal lab in the palm of your hands,” the MyDx Analyzer + CannaDx Sensor Kit: Grower’s Package allows you to remove much of the “what if” from your cannabis facility. This THC potency tester provides analysis for quality, easily identifies chemical profiles, predicts the effects of specific strains, and provides immediate results from a portable, hand-held chemical analyzer.
The “Grower’s Package” adds 50 sample inserts or test strips and 2 CannaDx Sensor replacements to the standard MyDx (my diagnostic) Analyzer 2.0. Both products require the use of a Bluetooth- or WiFi-connected device such as an iPhone or Android device to view the results in 5 minutes or less.
GemmaCert Professional ($7,500)
GemmaCert Professional is ideal for easy in-house testing, helping you ensure your products are safe, consistent, and compliant when they leave your grow facility. This simple device allows you to test samples before beginning the formal testing process. The weed tester does much more than test THC potency, it reveals the contents of solventless and ethanol-based extracts, dry flower, and hemp materials. You’ll be able to test THC levels as low as 0.2 percent, help identify optimal harvest time, and perform a water activity analysis to predict mold growth.
Orange Photonics Lightlab 3 Cannabis Analyzer ($15,900)
The Orange Photonics Lightlab Cannabis 3 Cannabis Analyzer is touted as a lab-accurate and easy-to-use cannabis tester for cannabinoids and terpenes with the purchase of additional modules for Hemp, Minor Cannabinoids, and Terpenes. This device will analyze cannabinoid content in a thorough manner that aims to mimic laboratory standards, with testing that detects THC, THC-A, CBD, CBD-A, CBN, CBG, and CBG-A data without any technical expertise from the user. The Lablight relies on liquid chromatography and spectroscopy to provide affordable results in 10.5 minutes.
The machine will perform tests on numerous sample types including flower, biomass, young plants, concentrates, processed waste, tinctures, infused products, and edibles. Mobile monitoring allows users to analyze their results from start to finish through their smartphone.
Sage Analytics Profiler II Humboldt Special Edition (price not listed)
The Sage Analytics Profiler II Humboldt Special Edition is built for everyday cannabis potency testing that services flower growers and extractor processors alike. Utilizing a touchscreen that easily connects to ethernet, WiFi, and USB, the Profiler allows operators to measure the THC and CBD makeup of any product within seconds, all while ensuring the sample is preserved and safe.
The device is easily mobile and up-to-date on scientific data models. Data can be archived and accessed for future reference to fine-tune grow environments and other external factors. Sage does not list pricing for the Profiler II, so brands will have to reach out for a custom quote.
