The use of herbal extracts has surged in popularity, finding application in a myriad of products such as supplements, skincare items, hair care products, cosmetics, and even mental health aids. At the heart of this process lies the distiller, a tool designed to extract phytochemicals from herbs. The resulting products encompass essential oils and hydrosols. Notably, essential oils consist of hydrophobic compounds (those that do not dissolve in water), while hydrosols comprise hydrophilic compounds (capable of dissolving in water).

Benefits of Essential Oils and Hydrosols

Distillation emerges as the predominant method for producing essential oils, accounting for over 90% of their total production. Additionally, hydrosols can solely be obtained through distillation, underscoring its significance in crafting herbal extracts. As detailed in Table 1, essential oils and hydrosols offer a wide array of uses, spanning skincare, hair care, body care, and mental well-being. Leveraging extracts sourced from natural herbs can contribute to a more youthful appearance, improved physical health, better sleep, and enhanced emotional wellness.

Table 1: Uses of hydrosols and essential oils

Notes: +: use as additives; ++: use as main components

Navigating Distiller Options

Amid the abundance of distillers available in the market, the question arises: How does one select the right one? An essential consideration in this endeavor is the distiller's size. Opting for the appropriate size can drastically simplify the distillation process, enhance convenience, and yield tailored outcomes. Within the offerings of LETIME, three distinct distiller sizes are available, namely the LT3G, LT3000, and KD5 models. The following chart presents a concise overview of their key characteristics, encompassing volume, product yield, portability, customer base, compatible herb types, intended products, and educational utility.

Right Accessories Can Help

1, Essential Oil and Hydrosol Separator

KD5 is a convenient hydrosol maker. It is not important to go with a separator and is recommended to keep the small amount of oil with hydrosol which can boost its potency.

For LT3000 and LT3G, you may choose the accessory kit.

EORS50 with a 50ml separator is recommended to go with LT3000.

EORS100 with a 100ml separator is recommended to go with LT3G.

2, Circulation Cooling in Condenser

KD5 has manual cooling so no circulation is provided because of its short distillation process.

LT3000 and LT3G condenser support both manual and circulation cooling.

Read our blog to see how to set up circulation cooling.

Both of EORS50 and EORS100 has the jack stand, silicon tubing and a valve which can help set up circulation. The rest you will need include a aquarium pump and a water bucket (larger than 7 gallons).