If you’re new to the stoner community, you may see the words “kief” and “hash” floating around. We’re here to demystify these weed products for you and compare them to each other as well as regular marijuana. Here’s what you need to know about kief vs hash vs weed so you can decide which one to put in your cute bong.
Photo: Unsplash
What is Hash Weed?
Hash, also called hashish is a concentrated form of marijuana made from sticky resins which is another phrase for trichomes.
Trichomes, which you shouldn’t mistake for mold, are glittery hair-like structures that contain cannabinoids and terpenes.
Yes, the trichomes contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the compound that makes you high. Since hash (and hash oil) is made from trichomes, its THC content can range from 15%-60%. However, hash oil could go up to 90%.
Hash can be made by removing and isolating the trichomes from the weed and compressing it into a block. In order to make hash, you’ll make kief first, which we’ll get into later.
Next, you’re probably wondering what hash looks like. In its solid form, it can vary in color from black to dark brown and even red. In its liquid form, hash oil, you can expect a golden color.
If you’re curious about how to use hash, we have good news. There are so many ways you can use hash.
You can:
- Try dabbing
- Add it to your blunt
- Smoke it in your bong
- Snoke it in your pipe
- Brew some tea
- Add it to your next cup of coffee
- Add it to your next batch of edibles
- Use it to make cannabutter
Whichever way you choose to use hash, brace yourself for a powerful high.
What is Kief?
Kief, also a cannabis concentrate is a powder that is pretty potent in THC. Therefore, kief can get you higher than weed.
If you’re curious about how potent kief is, Save on Cannabis’ YouTube video says it can go up to 50% THC concentration, while the typical weed strain is between 10% and 20%.
However, kief is believed to give you a less powerful high than hash.
In terms of appearance, Save on Cannabis says, this powder can be green, brown, or yellow.
Chances are you’ve seen kief before too.
Kief refers to the trichomes when they’ve been broken off the plant. Therefore when you ground up your bud, you’ve made kief. However, a purer extraction would be better.
Save on Cannabis says the best way to get kief at home is to use a multi-chamber herb grinder. Just make sure, it has at least four layers of ultra-fine mesh.
In addition to that, you can take kief and convert to hashish using a pollen press.
So, you’re probably wondering how you can use kief. Well, you can:
- Sprinkle it in your bong or blunt.
- Add it a bowl of weed otherwise known as “crowning a bowl”
- Add it to vape chambers
- Make hash
- Make press rosin
- Create moonrocks
- Infuse it in cannabutter
- Add it to your edibles
- Brew some kief tea
- Add it your coffee
Hash vs Kief
Before we could compare hash and kief, we had to establish some basic facts.
First let’s look at the similarities, Both hash and kief are:
- Concentrated and potent forms of cannabis filled with trichomes.
- Relatively easy to make at home with the right equipment.
- Used in a variety of ways including smoking or consuming with food.
- Able to increase your risk of side effects such as anxiety due to their potency.
However, there are some key differences. As Save on Cannabis points out:
- Kief takes less time to make than hash.
- Hash tends to give you a more potent high.
- Kief is more affordable than hash.
- Kief is more suitable for a less experienced stoner since it is less potent.
Hash vs Kief vs Weed
If you want to see how hash, kief and weed measure up side by side, check out our handy table below.
| Hash | Kief | Weed | |
| Potency | 15%-60% Even up to 90% is possible. | 50% | 10-20% |
| Appearance | Green, red, dark brown or black block (solid) or a golden liquid. | Yellow, green or brown powder. | Clumpy and brownish green in color |
| Uses | Can be vaped, smoked or used in food and drinks. Can be dabbed. | Can be vaped, smoked, or used in food and drinks. Can be dabbed. | Can be vaped, smoked, or used in food and drinks. May be dabbed. |
| Level for Stoners | Expert (Experienced) | Intermediate | Beginner (if the THC is low) |
Takeaway
In the kief vs hash debate, the winner depends on the individual stoner. While both forms of weed are potent and can be used in many different ways, you may prefer one high over the other. If you’re less experienced, getting high from kief may be much easier for you to handle than getting your high from hash. That’s because hash tends to be more potent. In addition to that, even though you can make either product at home, you should be able to find them at your local dispensary. Remember, you can opt for either of them or stick to regular weed if you want. The choice is yours.
