It’s become our annual tradition at Rolling Stone to test out everything we can, and offer some of our favorites — whether it’s a gift for a beloved stoner, or just something to help you get through your own family’s holiday. Here are our favorites.
There are plenty of portable flower vaporisers on the market now — i.e., pocket-sized devices that you fill with ground weed, which is then heated in a chamber, releasing cannabanoid vapors you inhale to get you high — but the one that stood out for us this year was the Davinci Miqro. Though it’s not much bigger than your palm, the gadget has heft, meaning it can take a beating — and it also has a removable (and replacable) battery, which makes it great for the outdoor adventurer. (Davinci Miqro, $199)
Back when Dosist was called Humblt, the company carved out a following by inventing an ingenious piece of weed tech — a disposable pen, shaped not unlike an o.b. tampon, that was filled with propiretary blends of cannabis oil that induced feelings like “calm,” “sleep” and “arouse.” Better yet, the pen vibrated after you inhaled the correct dose, making pacing yourself extremely easy. The only problem was, to get the high-end oil in the high-end piece meant a high-end price: $100 for 200 hits. So when they changed their name at the end of last year, they also introduced a smaller size, $40 for 50 hits, which means you can try out a few different formulations, without the commitment. (Avaliable in California and Florida; Dosist pens, $40-$100; Gift set of 200-hit pen and candle, $100)
For the longest time, edibles were difficult to navigate — not only was making them at home a pain, dosage was so hard to control that you’d never know what kind of high you were in for. Not so these days, with companies going all-out to measure exact amounts of TCH and CBD per piece, so consumers know exactly what they’re getting every time. The company 1906 goes one step further, adding in plant terpines — organic extracts from various herbs — to enhance moods like “love” “midnight” and “go.” Best part? They taste great. (Available in Colorado; $10–$42)
A couple years ago, stylist Jessica Cadmus noticed something funny when dealing with her high-end Manhattan cutstomers. Even though many of them consumed weed — and had the most luxe weed accessories on the market — they kept their paraphernalia in cheap pencil cases or hotel toiletry bags, tossed directly into their Hermès purses and Dior coats. So she designed the Rogue Paq, a leather (or vegan leather) case with smell-proof compartments — including a removable center piece — fit to be pulled out in any environment, which her clients immediately embraced. (Available online; $225-$325)
No longer is simple marijuana enough — now smokers want bud they can consume both easily and ethically. That’s where Lowell Herb Co. comes in. It’s farmed responsibly along the California coast — all organic fertilizer, no synthetic pesticides, workers paid a living wage — and comes in an adorable pack of pre-rolls. Their blends can burn a little quickly, but that makes them perfect for a pass-around at a holiday party. (Available in California; $40-50)
Released late last year, Grow Your Own: Understanding, Cultivating, and Enjoying Cannabis is a perfect present for all cannabis lovers — even if they’re not planning on starting a garden anytime soon. The full-color, photo-illustrated book explains everything from the history of marijuana, to what individual cannabanoids and terpines do, to the different ways to consume pot — and yes, a detailed explanation of all the ways to grow it. (Available in bookstores and online; $26.95)
There’s a reason that the Pax Era looks a whole lot like the nicotine-vape sensation Juul, since they were developed by the same company. While Juul — which spun off into its own company in 2017 — has faced increasing criticism for allegedly targeting teens, the Era has been praised by people across the cannabis industry for offering an affordable and consistant oil vape battery. Of course, Pax is just the hardware creator. The software — i.e., the weed oil that is vaped — comes in pods from individual growers, licenced by such high-end brands as Bloom Farms and Oregrown, with the selection varying in each state. (Battery available online, $29; Pods available in various legal states with varying prices.)
Kiva Confections made a name for themselves by creating some of the most saught-after edibles in California: chocolate bars so delicious that people probably would have scrambled to find them even if they didn’t contain 100 mg of THC. This fall, they released Camino, a tasty new gummy that packs a reletively small punch — just 5 mg of THC. But by combinding terpines (organic compounds that give marijuana strains their individual effects) and natural flavors like pinapple and pear, you can eat a few to build the desired effect. Just watch out — you don’t want to look down and see you’ve accidentally eaten the whole bag. (Available in California, Arizona, Nevada and Illinois; $18-25)
There’s been a real resurgence in the bong this year, and our favorite is the Hexagon from Canadian company BRNT. All of their products are worth noting — from the marbled concrete pipe and ashtray to their walnut rolling tray — but their bong stands out as perhaps their best creation. Made from ceramic, the downstem and bowl are both removable, which means you can stick it in the freezer for smoother hits, and then into the dishwasher for an easy cleanup. When the inlaws come over, you can pass it off as a vase — but honestly, aren’t we a little past hiding? (Available online, $180)
When developing their first line of oil pens, White Fox decided to go in a rather, uh, sexy direction. The brand — which started with cannabis tinctures in 2007 — combined THC and CBD with herbs like saffron, cardamum and valerian walichi root to produce some of the most complex flavors on the vape market. Though there are only three, each one has a purpose: one is an aphrodesiac for women, onefor men, and the last is made for sleep. And while we can’t guarantee that they will increase “stamina and sensual sensitivity,” or “enhance the lucid dream state,” as the packaging promises, we can confidently say they will get you thoroughly yet comfortably stoned. (Available in California, $42-65)