How to Do the Melt Test
The star rating is based on how hash behaves when heated. Take a tiny piece (rice grain size), place it on a quartz banger, titanium nail, or clean piece of glass over a heat source, and watch what happens.
Full melt (5-6 star): Melts into a clean oil puddle with no residue. Bubbles, liquefies completely. Nothing left behind.
Half melt (3-4 star): Partially melts. Leaves some residue — darkened material, char, or a thin layer of unmelted plant matter. Bubbles but doesn't fully liquefy.
No melt (1-2 star): Burns rather than melts. Chars, leaves significant residue. More like smoking plant material than dabbing concentrate.
The melt test isn't perfect. Humidity, temperature, and sample size all affect results. But it's the standard the community uses, and it gives you a quick read on purity — which is really what the star system measures: how much of your hash is pure trichome resin vs. plant contamination.
The Rating Scale
1 Star — Cooking Grade
Appearance: Dark green, brown, or black. Visible plant material. Crumbly or powdery texture. Smells more like plant than resin.
Melt test: Burns, doesn't melt. Significant char and residue.
What it is: Mostly plant material with some trichomes mixed in. Typically from the 160μ+ bags, fan leaf material, or heavily over-agitated washes.
Use it for: Edibles only. Infuse into butter or coconut oil. Don't smoke this — it's harsh and tastes like burning plant.
2 Star — Low Quality
Appearance: Dark brown to tan. Less visible plant debris than 1-star but still not clean. Sandy or gritty texture.
Melt test: Barely melts. Mostly burns with heavy residue.
What it is: A mix of trichome heads, stalks, and plant matter. Common from the 120μ and 160μ bags on average genetics.
Use it for: Edibles, or press into rosin (the pressing filters out some plant material). Can be sprinkled on joints/bowls if you don't mind a harsher hit.
3 Star — Half Melt (Low)
Appearance: Light brown to tan. Mostly clean-looking with some darker specks. Slightly sandy texture.
Melt test: Partially melts. Noticeable bubbling. Leaves moderate residue.
What it is: Majority trichome material with some stalk contamination. The typical result from the 90μ and 45μ bags on decent genetics.
Use it for: Smoking in bowls, pressing into temple balls, pressing into rosin. Perfectly enjoyable — just not dab-grade.
4 Star — Half Melt (High)
Appearance: Golden brown to light tan. Minimal dark specks. Can be slightly greasy to the touch. Smells strongly of terpenes.
Melt test: Mostly melts. Good bubbling. Leaves light residue.
What it is: Mostly intact trichome heads with minimal contamination. A good result from the 73-90μ range on quality genetics.
Use it for: Smoking, dabbing (leaves some residue but tastes great), temple balls, pressing into excellent rosin. This is where most home hashers land with good technique and decent genetics.
5 Star — Full Melt
Appearance: Light golden, blonde, or cream. Greasy, sticky texture. Strong terpene aroma — smells like the best version of the strain it came from. Looks almost like wet sand when fresh.
Melt test: Melts almost completely. Clean bubbling into a liquid puddle. Very minimal residue.
What it is: Nearly pure trichome heads. The result of great genetics, proper technique, clean water, and good bags. Typically from the 73μ bag on proven washer strains.
Use it for: Dabbing. This is dab-grade hash. Can also be pressed into premium rosin. Don't waste this in edibles — smoke it and enjoy it.
6 Star — True Full Melt
Appearance: Blonde, white, or pale gold. Wet and greasy looking. Extremely sticky — hard to handle.
Smells incredible. If you squeeze it between your fingers, it greases out.
Melt test: Melts completely into a clear oil puddle. Zero residue. Looks like dab concentrate when melted.
What it is: Pure trichome heads with essentially zero contamination. Exceptionally rare. Requires elite genetics (proven washer strains), fresh frozen material, perfect technique, RO water, and proper drying. Most home hashers will never produce true 6-star — and that's fine.
Use it for: Dabbing. This is the pinnacle. Some people refuse to press 6-star into rosin because it's already perfect as-is. On the legal market, 6-star full melt commands $80-120+ per gram.
Realistic Expectations
Most home hashers with decent genetics and good technique will produce 3-4 star hash from their 73μ and 90μ bags. That's great hash. Smoke it proudly.
Getting to 5 star requires proven washer genetics, fresh frozen material, cold clean water, and consistent technique across multiple washes. It's achievable for dedicated home hashers.
6 star is the exception, not the goal. Even commercial operations using $50,000 in equipment don't consistently hit 6-star. Don't let Instagram full-melt posts make you feel like your 4-star hash is bad — those posts represent the absolute peak of the craft.
Every star grade has a use. 1-star makes great edibles. 3-star makes excellent temple balls.
4-star presses into beautiful rosin. Don't throw away lower grades — use them differently.
What Affects Your Star Rating
Genetics — the biggest factor. Check our strain guide.
Material freshness — fresh frozen > fresh trim > cured > old dried. See fresh frozen vs. dried.
Water quality — mineral-free water = cleaner hash. See Canadian water guide.
Agitation — gentle = cleaner hash, less plant material. See troubleshooting.
Temperature — keep below 4°C at all times. Cold = clean separation.
Drying — improper drying darkens and degrades hash. See drying guide.
Related Guides
→ Best Strains for Bubble Hash — genetics that hit 5+ stars
→ Troubleshooting Guide — fix problems that lower your grade
→ Yield Calculator — estimate yield before washing
→ Beginner's Guide — start with good habits