The Pros & Cons of Using A Dehydrator For Weed

Should You Use A Dehydrator For Weed? Everything You Need To Know

While foods such as fruits and vegetables can benefit from the dehydrating process, cannabis buds are a different story. If you are considering using a dehydrator for weed curing, check out our guide to help you understand the benefits and drawbacks of this process. 

Why Growers Want To Use A Dehydrator For Weed

The process of drying cannabis involves removing moisture from the buds so that they can be properly cured and stored. The goal is to create consistent humidity, temperature, and airflow levels in order to produce the best possible quality product. 

Typically, after harvesting with a sharp pair of scissors, buds are hung to dry in a cool, dark room with good air circulation for about several days and up to a few weeks. During this time, the buds will naturally lose a significant amount of their moisture, enhancing the ability to smoke, vape, or cook with them.

The long drying process is a boon for first-time home growers who are often eager to test out their new crop after waiting months for growth and investing a great deal of time or money in the process. As such, many growers, excited to get their buds cured and ready to enjoy faster, consider using a dehydrator.

Because home growers don’t have the commercial setup or equipment specific to cannabis cultivation, their first thought is to use a common kitchen appliance like a dehydrator. And while the principle is the same as drying cannabis without a dehydrator, utilizing this kitchen appliance may or may not be the best choice.

What Type of Dehydrator For Weed Should I Use?

While the urge to pop buds into your kitchen top dehydrator is understandable, this may not be the best approach for a few reasons. First, standard kitchen dehydrators are designed to rapidly heat and circulate air at low temperatures (most models range between 95-165 degrees F).

However, the optimal drying temperature for cannabis is much lower – around 65 to 70 degrees F maximum. By putting cannabis buds in at high temperatures, you risk degrading the cannabinoid and terpene potency, reducing overall effects, taste, and smell.

The truth is that you’ll need a dehydrator designed explicitly for cannabis or, at the very least, a machine that can be set to lower temperatures. And fortunately, many devices on the market can handle the job, from large-scale industrial units to small countertop models. 

It is also important to find a device that will allow you to accurately monitor and control humidity levels as this will help ensure your buds are optimally cured. Too much or too little moisture can result in product spoilage, mold, and other issues that could compromise the quality of your harvest.

Finally, you should make sure that if you use a dehydrator, it is large enough, or the buds are small enough, to allow for proper air circulation, as this is essential in getting the best results.

To Dehydrate Or Not To Dehydrate Weed?

Ultimately, choosing to use a dehydrator for weed is yours. While you may achieve a faster drying time and more consistent results, it may also reduce the overall cannabinoid and terpene profile of your harvest. At the end of the day, you’ll have to decide which is more important to you – speed or potency. 

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