Best Rosin Presses for 2022

Hey cannabis fans! Now that you have an ACMPR license, what’s next after growing your first crop?

What is a rosin press?

A rosin press is an essential tool for any cannabis grower. The process of pressing the plant material creates a concentrated form of cannabis that can be used in many different ways. It has become more popular than ever with the increase in legalization across the United States, but it’s not always easy to figure out which type will work best for you and your needs. Read on to learn more about this innovative method of extracting cannabinoids from plants!

They simple to use and can create cannabis concentrates within minutes of pressing. Many presses will leave behind some contaminants, so it’s essential to choose one that has been designed with the purity of your oil in mind.

Mechanical rosin presses are typically three main parts:

1. heat source
2. compression plates
3. collection surface

Many rosin presses use an industrial heat source that has either a heating element or open flame. Other rosin presses rely on induction heating instead of direct contact with fire or electricity to create high degrees of temperature without the risk of combustion.

Each press uses different compression plates; some use two flat metal plates, and others use one or two circular plates that rotate when the rosin press is turned on.

The rosin press has a metal mesh in between the plates to keep your cannabis from getting damaged and ensure proper rosin extraction.

The third and final part is typically a large, round piece of parchment paper, which you can find at any kitchen supply store.

What is rosin?

Rosin is the new kid on the block when it comes to cannabis concentrates. It’s been steadily gaining popularity for both recreational and medical use, and not just because of its extreme potency. 

Rosin is a cannabis concentrate that you can make using a rosin press. It’s actually pretty easy to do – just put cannabis bud into a rosin press and turn the heat on. After a short time, you will then have cannabis oil that is ready for use in whatever way you prefer.

Why do ACMPR growers choose to make rosin?

The main reason that so many Canadian ACMPR growers are choosing to transform their bud into rosin is that the rosin extraction process is completely solventless. This means that no foreign substances are tainting your home-grown weed. It’s just pure bud. As with cannabis buds, the cannabis oil that you make at home using your homemade rosin press will always be 100% pure. There is no need to use nasty solvents like butane or carbon dioxide; instead, all you’ve got to do is heat up your cannabis bud in a rosin press and let the temperature-controlled plates transform it into cannabis oil.

The method of pressing cannabis flower into cannabis concentrates dates back centuries – to civilizations such as the Chinese who used hemp seeds for health purposes thousands of years ago. It was only during prohibition in North America that people began processing cannabis using solvents like BHO and CO2. The cannabis extracts that are created through cannabis presses are known as cannabis oil, cannabis tinctures, cannabis hash etc. depending on their consistency. However, they are all 100% cannabis concentrates which means that the only ‘contaminants’ you might have have been introduced to your cannabis bud during the growth process itself… rather than through any processing procedures!

In most cases, cannabis fans choose to vape their rosin oil rather than smoking it because vaping cannabis extracts releases less of the carcinogens associated with smoking or eating cannabis. Vaping also provides an instantaneous high so is far more enjoyable… as anyone who has ever suffered from paranoia after eating cannabis brownies will know! Of course, if you’re going to do any kind of cannabis extract at home then you’ll require cannabis rosin (or cannabis oil, cannabis tinctures etc.) press.

But producing rosin isn’t easy without the proper equipment, which is why we’ve created this guide to the best rosin presses in 2020 2021.

• Rosin press with high-quality rosin plates will ensure that your product is safe for consumption and free from contaminants.
• Silica gel is used in rosin press systems because it can absorb rosin trichomes without burning, allowing the rosins to adhere to it through a combination of physical and chemical bonds.
• Releases rosin by squeezing cannabis flowers between heated metal plates, which causes the rosin crystals inside the plant material to melt and extract into the collection surface below. Once they’ve cooled, rosins are collected and can be used to make your rosin-infused cannabis products.
• Modern method of extracting rosins, but it isn’t without its drawbacks. When they extract rosins, many rosin presses leave behind contaminants like oil and plant material because the plates don’t generate enough heat to vaporize rosins completely.
• Rosin plates made of titanium or aluminum won’t leave behind any plant contaminants. Still, they can be more expensive and require some know-how to maintain and clean properly.
• Won’t release any cannabinoids until they’ve been decarboxylated. To decarboxylate rosins, place rosin extract in a rosin press or rosin bag and heat it in the oven at around 240°F for 20 minutes. If you want to ensure that your rosins have been appropriately decarboxylated, lab services are available to test them for you.
• More efficient way to extract rosins than rosin bags. Rosin bags typically have pressure requirements that are too low for even low-pressure rosin presses so that high-quality rosin presses will leave behind better quality rosins with fewer contaminants or plant material left in your product.
• Ensure that your rosins have been appropriately decarboxylated before they’re consumed. You can tell rosins have been decarboxylated if they’re a darker color than the rosins you chose to extract.
• If you don’t want contaminants left in your rosins or plant material, choose to invest in rosin presses that have rosin plates made of titanium or aluminum.
• Reliable rosin presses and high quality will be larger than rosin bags, making rosin presses more challenging to transport. When you’re deciding on rosin extraction methods, be sure to take rosins you want to produce into consideration, as rosin presses that produce rosins up to a gram or rosin bags will be smaller and lighter.
• Save you time and money because rosin plates don’t require rosin filters to remove contaminants, saving both time and money! Rosin bag systems often need rosin filters, so rosin presses are a better solution for people who want to get their cannabinoids without wasting cash on rosin filter purchases.

3 Awesome Rosin Press Essentials

RosinTech OC HotTpress Mini Electric Rosin Press

This electric rosin press is small but mighty. It can handle up to 5kg of flour at once, which should be enough for most home users who want to make their cannabis extracts quickly and efficiently. You can adjust the heat while it’s running on this model so that your cannabis extract does not get overheated. It is beneficial if you are trying to achieve a particular consistency in your cannabis oil.

The RosinTech OC HotTpress Mini Electric Rosin Press has a minimal footprint, making it perfect for anybody who doesn’t have much space at home to put their cannabis press potentially. It also comes with a set of color-changing lights on top of the machine, which will help you track the correct temperatures for different cannabis extracts.

Arctic Fox Auto-Flowering Feminized Cannabis Seeds

This cannabis seed variety is excellent if you want to grow your cannabis plant at home because it grows into a small cannabis plant that only reaches around 50cm in height! This plant will be pretty easy to succeed for cannabis fans who are not very experienced with cannabis growing. If you are worried about pest control, these cannabis seeds have been bred to be immune to common cannabis pests such as spider mites, whiteflies, and powdery mildew.

If you want to try out different varieties of cannabis when it comes to your rosin pressing, then the Arctic Fox is perfect for you! It has a THC content of between 16% and 18%, which means that the effects of smoking or vaping cannabis oil made from these cannabis seeds can be extreme… in both positive and negative ways depending on how much cannabis extract you smoke or vape!

Rosin Bags – 10 Pack

When cannabis rosin pressing, it’s always a good idea to think about how you will package and distribute your cannabis oil. For this purpose, many cannabis pressers transfer their pressed cannabis buds into mason jars or other types of air-tight containers. However, if you want something more professional, then rosin bags may be the answer.

Rosin bags are an easy way to store cannabis extracts without worrying about any contaminants entering your cannabis oil as it sits in storage waiting to be used. For those who plan on selling their cannabis oil at events such as cannabis expos, these bags can make life a whole lot easier when it comes to packaging cannabis oil.

Rosin bags are designed for cannabis extract producers to package their cannabis oil easily, efficiently, and sterilely! These rosin bags make it possible for cannabis concentrates like cannabis wax or shatter (or cannabis oil) to be packaged without the need for any complicated machines.

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How to Choose a Rosin Press

The rosin press you choose depends on a few things, like whether you’re looking for small yield for personal use or you need a commercial-grade press. For ACMPR purposes, we’ll be focusing on personal presses.

• Make sure to catch up on all the information you need on the different laws, such as MMPR, MMAR and ACMPR here, and make sure your license is renewed and up to date!

The first step in choosing your personal rosin press machine is deciding on the type. There are 5 main types of presses to choose from: manual, pneumatic, hydraulic, electric, and a DIY rosin press (more on this in a bit). 

You should also ask yourself, how often do I plan on using the press? You wouldn’t use the same machine for 12-hours-per-day pressing as you would for 3 hours per week. 

Things to Consider When Buying a Rosin Press

There are three important elements (other than the weed itself) involved in making rosin: heat, pressure, and time. This is the purest form of cannabis extract known to man, but the quality of the rosin press kit makes a huge impact on the quality of the finished product. 

To make sure that you’re producing the best rosin you possibly can, here are a few things to consider before buying your cannabis rosin press:

Rosin Press Type

If you’re looking for an affordable pressing solution for personal use, you can’t go wrong with a manual rosin press. These require very little space, but they do demand some manual labor on your part. They won’t get you a massive yield, but that’s OK for most ACMPR growers. 

In our opinion, using a hydraulic rosin press is the best way to press rosin, which is why we’ve included so many of these on the list. These are used for both personal and commercial pressing and lead to greater yields. They still utilize a hand pump for applying pressure, but hydraulic cylinders do most of the work.

A pneumatic rosin press is for Big League rosin production, requiring no physical effort on your part. They do, however, require an external air compressor for applying pressure. 

An electric rosin press is just as easy to use as a pneumatic, but it’s the better choice for personal use. It uses an electrical pump for applying pressure, so all you have to do is plug it in. Unfortunately, electric presses typically come with a hefty price tag. 

Max Capacity & Optimum Yield 

The maximum capacity of a rosin tech press varies from machine to machine, ranging anywhere from 3.5 grams for personal presses to an entire pound for commercial-grade. 

If you plan on pressing a lot of weed at once, look for a high max capacity. And whatever you do, try to only focus on rosin presses with a yield of 20% or more. A cheap rosin press might save you money initially, but what’s the point if you’re yielding just 10%?

Heat Plate Quality

Heat is a crucial element in rosin production, which is why you should always consider the quality of a machine’s rosin press plates. Most machines come with square plates, but narrower, rectangular rosin press heat plates lead to better yields and terpene profiles. 

Cost

The saying you get what you pay for applies here, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands. Whether you’re looking for the best rosin press under 1000 or staying under $500 is more your style, it’s possible to find an affordable rosin press that doesn’t skimp on quality. 

It’s normal to be tempted by cheap Chinese-made products, but try to focus on North American-made presses only. While a cheap press may get only a 10% yield, higher quality machines have yields up to 35%. 

Best Overall Rosin Press in Canada

If you’re looking for the best rosin press machine in Canada, you’ve come to the right place. The best rosin press machine operates at the optimal temp and pressure level for high yields while also retaining terpenes and flavours. Like the Hydraulic Jack Heat Press. 

6 Ton Hydraulic Jack Heat Press

Even though it’s designed for personal use, the Hydraulic Jack is a heavy-duty machine that is guaranteed to have a long working life. This is the best rosin press in Canada for too many reasons to even count, but mainly because of its powerful 6-ton hydraulic bottle jack. 

Another thing we love is that this is a low temp rosin press that maintains an ideal 200 degrees. And best of all, it can reach this temp in less than 5 minutes. That means no waiting around to press your bud, kief, or hash into pure rosin. 

Best Hydraulic Rosin Presses

More and more ACMPR growers are choosing hydraulic rosin presses over any other type. This is because they’re easy to use, portable, and quiet, but most importantly, they’re effective. 

12 Ton Hydraulic Heat Press Machine

The Hydraulic Heat Press Machine by Dabpress comes in two sizes, 10-ton and 12-ton, but the 12-ton model is best for higher yields – it’s even used for industrial pressing. Its plates are 4” x 7” and heat up quickly and evenly, and their rectangular shape is great for retaining flavours/terpenes. 

Dulytek DHP7 Hydraulic Heat Press Machine

The Dulytek DHP7 rosin press machine is equipped with 2″ x 6.5″ heat plates and a maximum pressing force up to 7 tons. It’s got a 14,000 PSI ram hydraulic jack that ensures successful pressing every time while using relatively low temperatures. 

The DHP7 is super easy to use, it even has a temperature control touchscreen and press timer. It’s also one of the most portable rosin presses on the list thanks to its ergonomic handle and lightweight design. 

Best Cheap and Affordable Rosin Presses Under $500

A high-quality rosin press doesn’t come cheap, and in most cases, a cheap rosin press produces low-quality rosin. But this isn’t always the case, and it’s possible to find a quality heat press under $500. 

Lightweight Heat Press Machine

The lightweight heat press machine by Taidda is compact, weighing less than 10 pounds, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in any way. The double heat plate is easy to operate – chances are you’ll figure it out without even needing to read the manual. 

The main downside of choosing this device is that it’s small, which some people see as a positive feature, but it means that you won’t get a huge yield. It can handle between 1 and 3 nugs at a time depending on their size.

Best DIY Rosin Press Kit 

Many people say that you should steer clear of DIY rosin press machines, but we don’t feel this way at all. Yeah, hydraulic and electric presses come with more advanced features, but a DIY rosin press kit can be just as effective. 

3×7 Inch DIY Caged Heat Press Plates Kit

The 3” x 7” plates of the DIY rosin press from Dabpress are the perfect size for growers with high plant counts. The anodized aluminum is easy to clean and maintain, so you can expect to use this press for years down the road. 

There is just one flaw according to a few people, which is that “there is a temp differential of about 10 degrees lower than the gauge indicator reading.” If you end up choosing this kit, just be sure to keep a close eye on the temperature. 

Best Small Manual Rosin Presses

Owning a small rosin press won’t get you massive yields, but it will definitely keep you set on your personal supply of rosin. Manual presses do require a bit of work, but a lot of growers prefer the hands-on operation of a manual mini rosin press. 

Dulytek DM800 Personal Heat Press

The Dulytek DM800 isn’t just the best portable rosin press for personal use, but it’s also the best rosin press under 300. The 2” x 3” plates have a pressing force of up to 1,000 pounds, but the thing we love most about the DM800 is that it’s small enough to fit into a backpack.

What do you need a rosin press for?

To make rosin, of course. But more specifically, owning a rosin press allows ACMPR growers to transform their bud into something magical. Rosin is used by medical patients for so many reasons, especially for those who prefer not to smoke the weed they’ve grown. 

How does a rosin press work?

You already know about the three components required for pressing rosin – heat, pressure, and time – but now let’s focus on the actual process. Basically, it’s a balancing act between these three things, and only when they’re in perfect harmony can you produce high-quality rosin. 

Rosin presses work differently depending on the type, but typically two heat plates press down onto each other to create pressure. The weed is placed between the two plates, and with the combination of heat and pressure, cannabinoids are extracted. 

When a pure pressure rosin press gets too hot, this risks a loss of terpenes and potency. However, high temps are perfectly OK when greater pressure is applied. With the perfect balance between heat, pressure, and time, you’ll be able to produce potent sticky rosin.

• Read our article on Reverse Osmosis here.
• Check out our guide to the best books for growing marijuana here.
• And click here if you want to see what the best indoor grow kits are!

What temperature and pressure do you need to press rosin at?

There’s not necessarily a “magic number” for rosin press temperature or pressure, but there are a few rules to follow. The first is that high temperatures are a no-no unless you’re capable of delivering extremely high pressure. 

The best rosin press will keep temperatures between 150°F to 220°F. This leads to more flavours/terpenes and a honey-like consistency, but it also means a lower yield. 

High temps from 220°F to 250°F have a higher yield, but the consistency will be more sap-like and the flavours just don’t compare. Some presses go above 300°F, but this is only when high pressures can be applied, like with a commercial rosin press.

Ideal pressure has to do with the size of the press in pounds, like whether you’re using a 10-ton rosin press or a 20-ton rosin press kit. It also has to do with the surface area of the plates, like a 3×5 plate or a 2×4 rosin pre-press. 

For figuring out optimal pressure, you’ll just divide the pounds by the plate size. So imagine you’re using a 12-ton rosin press with plates that measure 3″ by 5″. Twelve tons is equivalent to 24,000 pounds, and 3×5 is 15 square inches. 

So divide 24,000 by 15, and you’ve got 1,600. The ideal pressure for your rosin press is 1,600 pounds per square inch (PSI).

Can you rosin press fresh bud?

Pressing fresh bud with a weed rosin press is possible, but it’s not recommended. This is because rosin extraction requires a certain humidity level for the best results, and fresh bud doesn’t meet that requirement. In other words, it contains way too much water. 

Conclusion

Back to the best rosin press in Canada, you really can’t go wrong with the Dabpress 6-Ton Hydraulic Jack Heat Press. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, durable, and has amazing reviews from its users. One reviewer even says that this is the “best press for the price hands down.”

If you’re new to pressing rosin but you’re ready to get started, feel free to reach out to our ACMPR Facebook group with all of your rosin-related questions.