Unlocking Culinary and Wellness Creations: The Power of the LEVO Machine
The LEVO machine is a kitchen appliance designed to automate herbal infusion, a process of transferring flavors, aromas, and beneficial compounds from botanicals into carrier liquids like oil, butter, or honey. This allows for the creation of various culinary, wellness, and skincare products without requiring solvents or additives. The machine aims to make infusion simple and clean, with many parts being dishwasher-safe.
The Three Core Cycles: Dry, Activate, and Infuse
Most LEVO models, such as the LEVO II and Lux, come with three cycles for comprehensive control over the infusion process.
- Dry Cycle: This cycle gently dries fresh herbs to remove moisture, which helps prolong the shelf life of infused products by preventing mold. A common setting is around 115°F for roughly 3 hours.
- Activate (Decarboxylation): The 'Activate' cycle, also known as decarboxylation, is used with certain medicinal herbs to make their chemical compounds bioavailable through heating. This process is crucial for unlocking the full effects of some botanicals. The typical default setting is 240°F for 30 minutes, and no liquid is added during this cycle.
- Infuse Cycle: This is where the primary infusion takes place. After the optional Dry or Activate cycles, a carrier liquid (oil, melted butter, etc.) is added to the reservoir with the herb pod. The machine gently heats and stirs the mixture at a user-defined time and temperature. This method helps maintain product shelf life by avoiding aeration. LEVO provides an online calculator to assist with setting parameters.
What Can You Make with a LEVO?
The LEVO machine's ability to infuse various botanicals into different carriers allows for a wide range of applications.
Culinary Uses:
- Infused Oils & Butters: Create flavored oils and compound butters for cooking, drizzling, or baking.
- Dressings & Sauces: Craft custom salad dressings, marinades, and sauces.
- Baked Goods & Edibles: Prepare the necessary infused ingredients for homemade edibles.
- Infused Honey & Syrups: Make flavored honeys for beverages or food.
Wellness & Skincare:
- Topicals & Salves: Create homemade balms, salves, and lotions with infused oils.
- Lip Balms & Body Butter: Produce natural lip balms and body butters.
- Hair Care: Make infused oils for scalp and hair treatments.
LEVO Model Comparison
LEVO offers different models like the LEVO II, LEVO Lux, and LEVO C, each designed for varying user needs.
| Feature | LEVO II+ | LEVO Lux | LEVO C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Home users, beginners, all-around use | Home users seeking premium features & aesthetics | Large batches, small business needs |
| Capacity | 16 oz (up to 19 oz) | 16 oz | 1 Liter (approx. 34 oz) |
| Herb Pod Size | Standard Power Pod (up to 1/2 oz) | Standard Power Pod (up to 1/2 oz) | Jumbo Pod (up to 1 oz) |
| Cycles | Dry, Activate, Infuse | Dry+, Activate, Infuse | Activate, Infuse |
| Dispensing | 1 Dispense Control | 3 Dispense Controls (for viscosity) | Standard pour-out mechanism |
| Key Feature | Great all-around performance, good odor control | Faster Dry+ cycle, metallic finishes | Quadruples the herb capacity for big batches |
Conclusion
A LEVO machine simplifies the herbal infusion process, providing users with a convenient way to create various infused products. Its automated drying, activating, and infusing cycles, along with precise controls, allow for consistent results. Whether for culinary purposes, wellness products, or skincare, the LEVO machine offers a user-friendly and clean method for working with botanicals.
For more details, visit the official LEVO Oil Infusion website.
