Budder vs Wax vs Shatter vs Crumble: Which Is Better?

There really is nothing quite like a good ol’ cannabis concentrate to take your vaping or dabbing sessions up a notch.  Concentrates like budder, wax, shatter, and crumble all provide superior potency to flower and traditional vape oils, so that a little goes a much longer way. 

Now, if you’re new to the world of concentrates, you might be a bit overwhelmed by each type, wondering how much of a difference there really could be.  So, to clear things up, we’ll be comparing some of the most popular types of concentrates around at the moment, in order to see what each one best mees your daily hemp needs.

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Contender #1: Budder

You will find that all of these concentrate names usually come from what they look and feel like.  Case in point: budder, which has a clear butter-like consistency – that is, softened butter, which is rich, soft, and creamy, but not liquid.  The pale yellow color definitely adds to the effect.

Many people confuse budder with wax, and some will even tell you that budder encompasses various consistencies of wax along with badder.  The key thing to recognize is that budder is a bit thicker than badder, and slightly thinner than wax.  How’s this possible?  Because it has a higher terpene count, which keeps things loose, and the reason for the higher terpene count is a shorter concentration period that leads to a slightly lower potency than other concentrates, and also, a stronger flavor, as the terpenes are preserved by preventing them from getting too hot.

Budder Creation Process

Budder starts out like all of the concentrates we’re covering here.  Initially, a solvent is applied to the raw plant material, i.e. butane, which will be vacuumed out later.  This separates the desirable compounds from the plant, leaving behind an oily extract.  This extract gets concentrated through the application of heat, in order to reduce the consistency and offer a higher concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes per gram.

Basically, what makes budder stand out is that the hot concentrate is whipped while it cools.  Some companies may add a cooling agent at this time, to speed up the process and aerate the budder more effectively, but they must work fast to keep the end result smooth and creamy.  Budder, again, has a buttery consistency once whipped, and the reason why budder is different from badder is that budder is a bit more concentrated.

Budder Pros & Cons:

Pros:

• Compared to the other 3, budder is going to provide the best flavor, since it’s the least concentrated, and therefore has the most structurally intact and abundant terpenes (terpenes start to die off or degrade at higher temperatures).
• Budder is less sticky than wax, so it’s a bit easier to transfer to your dabbing device.
• Budder is a bit less concentrated than the other dabs we’re covering, making it less intense in terms of the effects you’ll get from the cannabinoids.

Cons:

• Budder, again, is less potent than the other concentrates, so higher-tolerance individuals may prefer one of the others.

Contender #2: Wax 

Next up on the potency scale is wax.  We already sort of covered some key things about wax, but to go into more detail, wax is thicker than budder, and more concentrated.  In fact, it’s thicker because it’s more concentrated.  This means that you will get a higher potency of the effects associated with cannabis, and you’ll still get a really nice, bold flavor.

Wax Creation Process

In fact, making wax is just like making budder.  The only difference is that the wax undergoes a longer concentration process, as it’s exposed to heat for longer to further concentrate and reduce the product.  From there, it’s whipped while it’s cooled, creating the classic wax-like consistency, and it’s slightly darker in color, too, because of this. 

Wax Pros & Cons:

Pros:

• Wax is more potent than budder, so you will get stronger effects.
• Wax retains a good deal of its terpene composition, so you will also get a concentrate that’s particularly flavorful.
• Wax is very versatile since it’s sort of in the middle of the concentrate spectrum, meaning it can accommodate a broader array of temperatures – one of many reasons why it’s incredibly popular compared to the others.
• Wax is sticky, but still relatively easy to work with when it comes to applying it to your dabbing device.

Cons:

• Wax is a little less flavorful than budder, because the higher temperature exposure slightly reduces the integrity of the terpenes.  

Contender #3: Shatter

Shatter is a unique extract that’s even more concentrated than the other two, getting its name from its glass-like appearance and consistency.  Like glass, it shatters into shards when broken up.  It has a translucent amber color that again speaks of the more intense concentration, and it’s not malleable.  Shatter is the most potent concentrate that we’ve covered so far, and by default, that means that its flavor is a bit more subdued than the former two.

Shatter Creation Process 

Shatter is produced, again, with the same process as the other concentrates, and this is where the use of butane rather than propane really makes a difference.  Propane would create a sugar-like consistency, while butane allows for a more glass-like texture because butane better preserves the terpenes in the plant when applied.  Shatter is concentrated more than the other two, so you have a higher amount of compounds per gram. 

The difference with shatter is that once you have your hot oil concentrate, it’s poured out into a tray in a thin layer, to produce what will become a sheet once it cools.  During this time, it’s vacuum-purged of any butane remnants, and that’s why shatter has surface bubbles.  What remains is a slab that’s ready to be portioned out.

Shatter Pros & Cons:

Pros:

• Shatter is stronger than wax and budder when it comes to its cannabinoid concentration, so you’ll get stronger effects from it.
• Shatter is easy to work with since it breaks apart without leaving a sticky or wet residue on your hands.
• Shatter is easier to portion out since you can break apart small pieces.

Cons:

• Shatter is going to have a more subdued flavor by comparison, as again, higher heat exposure means more terpene degradation.

Contender #4: Crumble

Finally, we have crumble, which looks something like crumbled up bits of honeycomb, in both color and texture.  Crumble is as concentrated as shatter, and so you’ll get the same level of potency and flavor, more or less.

Interestingly, the strain largely affects whether you’re going to end up with crumble or shatter.  Higher-potency strains in terms of THC content (like Do Si Dos, for instance) tend to do better in crumble than in shatter form, as the higher cannabinoid to terpene ratio impacts how much the extract can remain homogenized.  Even the specific composition of terpenes can determine whether a strain works best in shatter or crumble form, as each terpene has its own chemical properties that influence how it dries once extracted.

Crumble Creation Process

Crumble is made exactly like shatter, except once the oil concentrate is complete, what’s done to the concentrate makes all the difference.  Rather than pouring it into a tray and allowing it cool into a slab, it’s exposed to low heat and quickly agitated and/or whipped, so you get a crumbly texture.

Crumble Pros & Cons:

Pros:

• Crumble is higher in potency than both wax and budder, and it’s about as concentrated as shatter. 
• A lot of people love the honeycomb-like appearance of crumble.

Cons

• Shatter is going to have a more subdued flavor by comparison, as again, higher heat exposure means more terpene degradation.
• Crumble can be a bit messy and difficult to portion out.

Which Concentrate is Right for You?

The key takeaway is that crumble, shatter, wax, and budder all have their place in the dabbing world.  Each type of concentrate remains very popular for a reason, and as you can see, the differences are subtle, but each one is worth exploring.  We encourage you to try all four types, especially at Binoid, and simply see which strains and cannabinoids you prefer in wax, budder, crumble, or shatter form.

Concentrates like budder, wax, shatter, and crumble all provide superior potency to flower and traditional vape oils so that a little goes a much longer way. At Binoid, you can see the best and most potent concentrates that you should try. 

TO BUY THC CONCENTRATES CLICK HERE