Delta 8 THC was the first psychotropic cannabinoid to overtake the mainstream hemp market. Its legal baggage is relatively mild compared to delta 9 THC, marijuana’s own dominant compound.
In 2024, you’ll find an incredible range of delta 8 products online. Your options may be slightly limited if you’re shopping at brick-and-mortar CBD or smoke shops—or at gas stations, but we wouldn’t recommend buying delta 8 that way, as it is. Navigating any selection can be a challenge.
Although delta 8 THC has similar effects to what you’d find at a dispensary, the high is typically subtler and more functional. This could be especially desirable to those who’ve had bad experiences with marijuana but are seeking a stripped-back psychotropic experience.
What are the best delta 8 brands?
Delta 8 products aren’t in short supply nowadays. Since hemp’s U.S. legalization in 2018, delta 8 disposables, carts, and edibles have become industry staples. While this gives users an abundance of options, it also means that gems are harder to spot.
We’ve taken a closer look at the delta 8 brands we’ve tried. These are a few of our favorites, but it’s not a complete list of every high-quality D8 company on the market.
All the brands we’re covering sell either delta 8 carts or disposables, though you’ll also find edibles (including delta 8 gummies), oils, and other popular products. There’s a little something for everyone.
Secret Nature CBD
Secret Nature is known for its artisan delta 8 vapes, pre-rolls, and extracts.
Founded by a team with over 20 years of experience in cannabis cultivation and product development, Secret Nature began as a premium CBD brand. They've since branched into delta 8, THCA, and even niche cannabinoids like THCV.
As is the company’s standard, Secret Nature’s D8-infused hemp bud is grown 100% organically.
What we love about Secret Nature:
- Rich, terpene-packed vapes
- Unique products (including D8-infused pre-rolls)
- Highly potent (vapes contain 90%+ D8)
- 100% organic
Canna River
Canna River is for the minimalists. Their vapes contain potent delta 8 distillate, with no mystery cannabinoids in sight.
What Canna River lacks in blends, it more than makes up for in quality. That’s not even accounting for their abundance of strain options: 18 per cart or disposable. Most lean in the sweeter, fruitier direction, but Green Crack and Purple Kush are available for users who prefer grassier strains.
If you’re looking for an affordable vape brand, Canna River is for you. Their delta 8 tinctures and gummies are also unlikely to break the bank. Other than delta 8, Canna River sells HHC carts and disposables, as well as CBD products.
What we love about Canna River:
- Cost-effective D8 products
- Huge strain range
- Sweet, fruity flavor
- Potent distillates (70%+ delta 8 THC)
Koi CBD
Koi’s delta 8 catalog is limited compared to others on this list—they lean more into THCA flower and CBD—but their D8 vapes and gummies are worth mentioning. We’d absolutely recommend them. Koi’s products are impressive in terms of potency, and we’re not complaining about their tasty, unique strain profiles, either.
Through the Koi Cares program, military members, medical professionals, first responders, and the financially disadvantaged can get 25% off their purchases.
What we love about Koi CBD:
- Tasty, robust vape strains
- Great vapor output
- Powerful effects
- Koi Cares and subscription savings
TRĒ House
TRĒ House concentrates on cannabinoid medleys as much as they do traditional D8 products, making them a great option for adventurous users. We’d also recommend their by-the-books delta 8 gummies and carts. Potent, reliable effects all around.
If you’re looking for delta 8 infused pre-rolls, TRĒ House is another company you may want to check out. Their Rainbow Runtz pre-rolled joints are a potent, perfectly rolled option. No air pockets getting in the way of your session.
What we love about TRĒ House:
- Creative blends, plus traditional D8
- High potency options (100 mg/piece gummies)
- Offers delta 8 infused pre-rolls
Exhale Wellness
Exhale Wellness is fantastic for heavy users seeking the convenience (and savings) of a delta 8 subscription. They stick to the basics but do it well: delta 8 carts and disposables inspired by classic weed strains, terpene-rich concentrates, infused bud, and edibles (gummies, capsules).
If you’re looking to balance potency with smooth, herbal flavor, Exhale Wellness gives you the best of both worlds.
What we love about Exhale Wellness:
- Rich, terpene-heavy products
- Great variety (includes gummies, capsules, and vapes)
- Potent and reliable effects
- Subscriptions and bundles
Cheef Botanicals
Vapers, hear us out: if you’re looking to branch into delta 8 gummies and oil, keep Cheef Botanicals on your radar. From taste and texture to effects, Cheef’s gummies are spot-on. They also round out their THCA carts with delta 8 THC.
Cheef Botanicals was founded in 2018 by health-conscious food industry experts looking to infuse CBD into all-natural, plant-based treats. The brand offers an assortment of hemp-derived cannabinoids, psychotropic and nonintoxicating alike.
What we love about Cheef Botanicals:
- High-potency gummies (50 mg/piece)
- Fantastic taste (multiple flavor options, including sours)
- Plant-based and cruelty-free
- Subscription savings
Hometown Hero
Hometown Hero sells premium delta 8 disposables, gummies, flower, capsules, and oil.
Not only do they craft some of the highest-quality delta 8 products on the market, but Hometown Hero also donates a part of its proceeds to charities like Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Operation Finally Home. The brand was launched in 2015 and sources their hemp from a small farm near Austin, right in the heart of Texas Wine Country.
Users looking to experiment beyond delta 8 can check out Hometown Hero’s HHC disposables, as well as their creative THC edibles.
What we love about Hometown Hero:
- Large delta 8 catalog (with variety)
- Clean hits and powerful effects
- Supports a good cause
- "Subscribe and save" program
Best delta 8 brands: FAQs
What are delta 8 THC products?
Delta 8 THC is one of over 100 phytocannabinoids, or cannabis derivatives that interact with the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). Hemp-derived delta 8 products are a popular alternative to marijuana and its dominant active compound, delta 9 THC.
The delta 8 cannabinoid is best known for its subtle, clear-headed effects, producing a functional high around half as intense as delta 9.
You won’t find much delta 8 THC in marijuana—or in hemp, surprisingly. That’s actually where there’s the least. Delta 8 is a minor cannabinoid in any type of cannabis, and unlike major byproducts (CBD and delta 9 THC), it’s not simple to extract. Brands use a semi-synthetic form to create vapes, edibles, and other products.
While not the primary target of anti-marijuana legislation, keep in mind that delta 8 THC isn’t legal everywhere. Side effects are still a risk, as well, despite its subdued effects. Adverse reactions just tend to be milder.
How do I choose the right delta 8 brand for me?
Here’s where any "best of” list gets complicated. One vaper’s perfect delta 8 brand could fall short for the next, depending on that user’s needs and what they’re willing to sacrifice.
To choose the right delta 8 brand for you, consider:
- Budget: The typical price of delta 8 products is all over the board. You can find decent disposables for as little as $15, while a luxury product could set you back $80 or more. How much are you willing to invest? Deals and promotions are worth exploring.
- Lab testing: This partly ties into price. We wouldn’t recommend buying delta 8 products with no certificate of analysis (COA) at all, but how important is full-panel testing to you? Brands who screen for a wide range of contaminants are often the priciest.
- Brick-and-mortar vs. online: While many delta 8 brands are only available online, other products can be found in smoke shops or brick-and-mortar locations.
- Subscriptions: Heavy delta 8 users may prefer brands with subscription programs. That way, you won’t need to place an order whenever you're low on product—and the savings aren’t bad, either.
- Shipping: Obviously, this only matters if you’re ordering online. How soon are you hoping to have your purchase in hand? Remember to factor shipping costs into your budget, too.
- Specialty and variety: Are you looking for one seller to cover all your delta 8 needs, or would you rather they specialize in a particular type of product (vapes, edibles, etc.)?
Customer reviews are a good way to whittle down your list. Brands will make plenty of claims about their products, but they don’t always align with the typical user experience.
Are delta 8 products legal?
It depends on where you live. Not only is delta 8’s legality evolving, but it also varies extensively across the world.
Delta 8 THC is federally legal in the United States. According to the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp brands are allowed to sell delta 8 products containing under 0.3% delta THC by dry weight. Delta 9 is the dominant active cannabinoid in marijuana, and a Schedule I (soon to be Schedule III) controlled substance.
Beyond that, it gets tricky. States have the final say in which hemp products, if any, can be sold within their borders. Those with lax marijuana policies tend to be the harshest on hemp—especially psychotropic cannabinoids like delta 8 THC.
Don’t forget to check your state’s delta 8 and hemp policies before placing an order. It’s unclear just how strictly delta 8 bans are being enforced, but you may want to avoid taking that risk. Plus, most reputable delta 8 brands refuse to ship to areas that aren’t hemp-friendly, in or out of the United States.
Where can I find new delta 8 brands?
First, there’s the obvious: if you’re shopping online, a quick search engine query should pull up plenty of delta 8 brands. There’s no shortage of sellers these days.
Lists like this one can help you narrow down your options. Other than that, you can always check out recommendations from fellow delta 8 users. There’s incredible enthusiasm in the hemp sphere, with so many users eager to share their favorite brands and products.
Just make sure you see the full picture before placing an order. Even if a company has been recommended to you ten times over, it’s worth exploring the details (including whether their products are third-party lab tested) on your own. Impulse buying isn’t the way to go when you’re shopping for delta 8 products.
How is delta 8 THC made?
Although it’s a trace cannabinoid (i.e., tiny amounts are found in hemp), delta 8 THC isn’t cheap or easy to extract. Instead, brands looking to mass-manufacture products must create a semi-synthetic form in a lab. They don’t need to build this new cannabinoid from the ground up, either: it’s enough to isomerize CBD.
CBD and delta 8 are isomers. Crossover is slim when it comes to their effects, but the pair share key structural attributes. They have the same molecular building blocks and share a chemical formula (C21H30O2). All you need to do is rearrange these atoms to make one out of the other.
Isomerization isn’t always as effortless as it sounds on the surface. Chemical reactions can go wrong, and entire batches of extract might be scrapped.
There’s also no guarantee that the final product will be potent, or that delta 8 THC will be the only cannabinoid found in large quantities. Refining helps, but poor-quality extract can’t always be saved.
Which delta 8 brands get you the highest?
It depends on the person. COAs are useful here, but they can only tell you so much about a product’s actual strength.
Sure, extracts testing at 95% delta 8 THC will probably get you higher than those with 70% or less. Numbers just aren’t everything. You could respond better to certain formulations and feel powerful effects, regardless of the exact delta 8 concentration. Even your tolerance plays a role, and that can change over time.
Adding other cannabinoids or terpenes into the mix also affects potency. That’s where the famous entourage effect comes into play: how does delta 8 mingle with other compounds, and how do they bolster or subdue each other's effects? CBD has the potential to reduce THC’s intensity, for instance.
Based on our experience and customer feedback, Hometown Hero, Canna River, and Koi CBD all tend to do a great job, potency-wise. Actually, so do all the brands we’ve mentioned. It’s why they made the list.
Will delta 8 show up on a drug test?
Sadly, yes. Sticking to high-quality delta 8 brands won’t save you from a failed drug screening.
Hemp products low in delta 9 THC can absolutely trigger a false positive. Drug tests are looking for THC metabolites that can linger in the body for weeks post-consumption, not the raw cannabinoid. Both marijuana-derived delta 9 and hemp-derived delta 8 convert into THC-COOH after being processed by the liver.
If you want to enjoy hemp in the weeks leading up to a drug test, restrict yourself to CBD distillates. Even full- or broad-spectrum CBD products contain trace THC.
What products do delta 8 brands sell?
Delta 8 THC products are extremely popular, coming in all shapes and sizes:
- Delta 8 carts: Delta 8 vape carts are compatible with 510 thread batteries, including basic stick batteries available at just about any smoke shop. Charge the power source, screw in the cart, and vape.
- Delta 8 oil: Brands can suspend potent delta 8 extracts in a carrier oil (MCT coconut, hemp seed, etc.). Delta 8 oils are intended to be taken orally, whether sublingually, on the tongue, or in food.
- Delta 8 disposables: All-in-one disposables have a built-in battery. Most are rechargeable (usually via USB-C), and some delta 8 disposables even have a pre-heat setting.
- Delta 8 edibles: Gummies might come to mind first, but brands are getting more experimental. Delta 8 drinks, chocolate bars, and even lollipops are available online and through some in-person sellers.
- Delta 8 capsules: Delta 8 capsules and softgels are a flavorless alternative to edibles. Like candies, capsules must be digested by the stomach before taking effect.
- Delta 8 flower: Even expert cultivators can’t breed bud rich in delta 8 THC. To produce delta 8 flower, standard hemp is harvested and sprayed with distillate.
- Delta 8 tinctures: They look alike, but delta 8 tinctures and oils aren’t the same product. Tinctures are an alcohol-based extract that can also be taken orally.
- Delta 8 topicals: Delta 8 salves don’t enter the bloodstream. They won’t get you high and aren’t as popular as CBD topicals, which are more likely to relieve local inflammation.
What are the safest delta 8 brands?
The delta 8 landscape is rocky. Even in the United States, hemp is an unregulated industry, and brands aren’t legally required to have their products third-party tested. Consumers need to personally check the COA of whichever D8 vape or edible they’re buying.
To find the safest delta 8 brands, make sure you’re looking at:
- Third-party testing results: Verify that each COA is up to date (batch numbers line up) and from a legitimate third-party lab. COAs range anywhere from simple potency tests to extensive full-panel screenings (which test for microbials, mycotoxins, residual solvents, etc.).
- Customer feedback: Have severe adverse reactions been reported? A few bad reviews aren’t worth panicking over, but if you notice a trend, be wary. Don’t limit your search to the brand’s website, either. These reviews are often filtered and won’t provide a genuine snapshot of the user experience.
All the delta 8 brands we’ve featured use third-party testing. You’ll find results on each seller’s website, generally in the sidebar or header. Others link to COAs in every product’s description.
Which delta 8 brand is best for beginners?
We’d recommend that beginners try brands that stick to the basics. While many D8 products are cannabinoid cocktails, others contain almost entirely delta 8 THC. Starting with simple distillates makes it easier to gauge your body’s response to delta 8 specifically, without other compounds muddying the effects.
Canna River is one of our favorites for beginners. Their products are potent (so start slowly), but their delta 8 vapes are to-the-point and don’t include a barrage of other ingredients. They’re also affordable compared to many high-quality brands, meaning there’s a lower upfront investment. It's less of a loss if it turns out that Delta 8 isn’t for you.
Exhale Wellness is another brand with a great variety of beginner-friendly options. Unlike Canna River, however, their vapes are pricier and have more of a traditional herbal flavor. It’s a subtle, terpene-centered approach, rather than one inspired by your favorite dessert. Whether that’s appealing depends on the newcomer.
Do I need a medical card to buy delta 8?
No. At least in the U.S., hemp-derived delta 8 products are legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. Delta 8 isn't a controlled substance, and you don’t need a physician's go-ahead to buy products.
You won’t need a medical card to shop with any of the delta 8 companies we’ve mentioned. Whether or not they ship to your state depends on the location’s hemp policies, not whether the buyer is a medical patient.
Vaping360 Staff
Related articles
Why Is Your Ooze Pen Blinking (and How to Fix It)
What Do Nicotine Pouches Feel Like? Why I Gave ZYN a Spin