Structure & bud density
How the flower is built — whether buds are tight and well-formed or loose, fluffy, and airy.
Editorial standards · NYC · 21+
How we check
This is our methodology — a plain-language account of what a BudAbout “check” is, what it is not, how we rate, where our numbers come from, and how to correct us. We publish it so you can judge our work by a fixed standard, not by our word.
Checked ✓Inspected on camera. Never lab-tested by us.
Version 1 — last updated July 2026.
This page is general information, not legal or medical advice. BudAbout is for adults 21+, does not sell cannabis, and is not a dispensary. A licensed attorney should review this before you rely on it.
The check
What a “check” is
A check is an on-camera visual and sensory inspection of a real product — the things a careful buyer would look at if they could hold it in their hands.
When we check a product, we put it in front of a camera and go through it in plain sight. You don't just read our verdict — you watch the inspection happen. Every check looks at the same observable criteria, so one review can be compared honestly against another.
Trichome coverage
The frosting of resin heads visible across the bud, a signal of care and freshness in handling.
Trim quality
How cleanly the flower was trimmed — excess leaf, ragged cuts, or a clean, deliberate finish.
Color
The spread of greens, purples, oranges, and browns, and whether the color reads healthy or degraded.
Visible mold, pests & seeds
Any signs of mold, mildew, bugs, or stray seeds we can see on camera — the things you'd want caught before you buy.
Aroma
What the product smells like, described in plain sensory terms — earthy, citrus, gassy, floral — as a flavor and aroma note, never an effect.
The line we draw
What a check is NOT
A check is not a laboratory test. We do not measure cannabinoids. We do not measure contaminants. We have no lab, run no assays, and issue no certificates of analysis. Nothing on this site is a substitute for the regulated testing that licensed producers and the State require.
A visual and sensory inspection can catch a great deal — poor structure, weak trichomes, sloppy trim, off color, visible mold, pests, or seeds. It cannot see potency, pesticides, heavy metals, or microbial contamination. When we haven't verified something, we say so, and we never imply a check proves a product is safe or potent.
The scale
How we rate
We rate against structured criteria on an honest five-star scale. The stars grade what we can see and smell — appearance and aroma — not how a product will make anyone feel.
Excellent
Dense, well-cured, cleanly trimmed, generous trichome coverage, healthy color, distinct aroma, no visible flaws.
Strong
A clearly good product with one or two minor cosmetic knocks — slightly loose structure or uneven trim.
Fair
Serviceable but unremarkable: middling density, muted aroma, or trim that leaves something to be desired.
Weak
Noticeable issues — dry or degraded color, faint aroma, sloppy trim, or loose, larfy structure.
Avoid
Visible mold, pests, seeds, or condition problems we would not want anyone to buy.
Aroma is captured as flavor and scent tags — earthy, citrus, gassy, pine, floral. Those tags describe the product; they are never effect or health claims. We do not tell you a product will relax you, energize you, or treat anything, because that is not something a visual check can establish.
The numbers
Where THC & CBD figures come from
Any THC or CBD percentage you see on BudAbout is reported by the licensed producer — printed on the package or listed by the brand or dispensary. We pass it along, clearly labeled as producer-reported.
We do not verify these figures.We have not lab-tested them and cannot confirm them. Treat them as the manufacturer's claim, and rely on the certificate of analysis and testing that accompany a legal, regulated product from a licensed dispensary.
Producer-reported
Every potency number is labeled as the producer's claim — never a measurement made by us.
Real experience
Verified-purchase reviews
Ratings on BudAbout are tied to real accounts so a star grade reflects an actual product, not a drive-by opinion.
When shoppers rate a product, their rating is attached to their account. Tying a review to a real, accountable identity is how we keep ratings honest — it raises the cost of fake, duplicate, or brigaded reviews and gives weight to the people who actually bought and used the product.
We pair those consumer ratings with our own on-camera checks. The check is what we verified with our own eyes; the ratings are the lived experience of real shoppers. Together they give a fuller, more honest picture than either alone.
Where we stand
Independence & conflicts of interest
We do not sell cannabis and we are not a dispensary. We publish honest reviews and neighborhood shopping guides. Because we have no inventory to move, a good or bad rating costs us nothing — which is exactly what lets us be straight with you.
There is no paid placement. A brand cannot buy a check, a star, a ranking, or a spot in a guide. Nobody pays to be reviewed favorably, and no product earns a better grade for any reason other than what we observe on camera and what real shoppers report.
If that ever changes — if any relationship could reasonably be seen to affect our judgment — we will disclose it plainly on the page where it applies.
Fixing our mistakes
Corrections policy
We get things wrong sometimes. When we do, we want to know, and we fix it in the open.
Spot an error — a wrong figure, a misidentified product, an out-of-date detail? Email us at [email protected] and tell us what's wrong. Point us to the page and, where you can, the source.
When something is genuinely incorrect, we correct it and date the correction, so the record is transparent rather than quietly rewritten. We'd rather be corrected than be wrong.
Keeping it current
How often we update
This methodology is versioned and dated at the top of the page. We review it at least twice a year, and we revise it sooner whenever our process changes or the law shifts. Individual reviews are updated as we re-check products or as verified shoppers add ratings; a correction can update any page at any time.
New York's cannabis rules evolve, and so does our coverage. When the standard behind a rating changes, we update this page first, so what you read here always reflects how we work right now.
Buy only from licensed shops
For adults 21+. Buy cannabis only from a New York OCM-licensed dispensary — that's where the real testing, labeling, and consumer protections live.
BudAbout performs on-camera visual and sensory inspection and publishes consumer reviews and neighborhood guides only — we do not sell cannabis, we are not a dispensary, and we do not lab-test. THC and CBD figures shown are reported by the licensed producer and are not verified by us. Aroma and flavor descriptions only — no health, medical, or effect claims. Buy only from New York OCM-licensed dispensaries. This is general information, not legal or medical advice. For adults 21+.