Welcome to our 2021 CBD Awards!

After dozens of brand and product reviews conducted this year, this is our chance to recognize those who truly outperformed the competition in the following categories:

• Best CBD Oil
• Best CBD Gummy
• Best CBD Topical
• Best CBD Capsules
• Best THC-Free Product
• Best CBG Product
• Best CBN Product
• Best Value
• Best Pet CBD
• Most Innovative
• Best Newcomer
• Best CBD Brand

As always, we promise to uphold real merit as the only currency here; no brand can buy their way onto this list with anything other than high-quality products and practices. 

Since the competition is thickening all the time as industry newbies swagger their way onto the scene while the titans wrestle for supremacy, we had to get a little technical in our ranking methodology to separate some razor-thin margins.

CBD Awards of 2021: Table of Contents

1. Our Ranking Criteria
2. Best CBD Brand
3. Best CBD Oil
4. Best CBD Gummy
5. Best CBD Topical
6. Best CBD Capsules
7. Best THC Free Hemp Product
8. Best CBG Product
9. Best CBN Product
10. Best Value
11. Best Pet CBD
12. Most Innovative
13. Best Newcomer

Our Ranking Criteria

In the case of individual brand reviews we conduct throughout the year, we use these criteria to provide each brand with an overall score out of 100 points.

Understandably, the more specific superlatives we’re doling out today require modified versions of these criteria, but the heart is very much the same.

To provide a few examples of the factors we borrowed from our brand review criteria, the products listed below are being recognized for their balanced and potent cannabinoid profiles, sustainability and quality of sourcing (organic?), overall value, extract availability (full-spectrum and broad-spectrum?), and more.

Alright, the host has babbled enough, the stage is set, and the nominees are fidgeting in their seats—let’s get to the awards!

Best CBD Brand: CBDistillery

Our most highly rated brand to date, CBDistillery earned an unprecedented 97.44 in our brand review because, to put it simply, they did everything right.

In every major review category, including product quality, transparency, value, brand value and more, CBDistillery has made massive strides in the five years since their inception to become the best.

Their products are expertly formulated, their sourcing and testing standards are top notch, they treat their customers with great care and respect, and they’ve been vocally opposed to CBD industry gimmicks and bad actors since before they were a big fish.

Want to see for yourself why CBDistillery is the best? Check out our favorite products of theirs here.

Best CBD Oil: Cornbread Hemp Whole Flower CBD Oil

Just when we thought we had the hemp industry giants settled perfectly into their rankings, in saunters relative newcomer Cornbread Hemp, unabashedly slamming their flower-only, full-spectrum, USDA Organic CBD oil on the table as if to say “deal with it” to the rest of the industry. 

After reviewing the brand, sampling the products, meeting the founder, and thoroughly poking through the fine print, we have verified that all of their lofty claims are actually true.

This is one of only two products we’ve ever reviewed to hit all of the “big three” quality indicators at once (flower only, organic, full-spectrum), and like many industry leaders pushing for stronger tinctures, this one provides 50mg/2mg of CBD/THC per serving.

Better yet, the Kentucky hemp farms that Cornbread Hemp partners with are rain-fed, and they sit on a massive limestone deposit that improves soil and water quality.

Best CBD Gummy: Five CBD Daily Buzz Gummies

Like most of their products, Five CBD boast a 5:1 CBD to supporting cannabinoid ratio along with unabashedly generous amounts of THC per serving.

Five CBD’s Daily Buzz gummies are especially potent, providing 25mg of CBD and 5mg of THC each.

Third-party lab reports attest to the strong synergy of supporting cannabinoids like CBN, CBG, and CBC, which approaches a combined 5mg per gummy.

As our team of testers personally experienced, the brand’s claim of “CBD you can feel” is accurate, as these gummies significantly boosted all the major benefits of CBD.

For all this, Five remains well under $0.10/mg for even the smallest size, which is an extremely strong value, gummies or otherwise.

Honorable Mention: CBDistillery Full-Spectrum CBD Gummies

Following closely behind is CBDistillery’s full-spectrum CBD gummies, which boast 30mg of CBD each and a clean ingredient list rife with natural and organic ingredients.

Exceeding 25mg/gummy is commonplace nowadays, but in addition to CBDistillery’s rock-solid pedigree and overall brand value, we chose this product because the supporting cannabinoid presence is still well above average (7:1 ratio of CBD to other cannabinoids).

Finally, at $60.00 for 900mg, these gummies offer a very solid value for the quality.

Best CBD Topical: Receptra Targeted Topical

Where many topical products in the CBD space suffer from puny CBD and/or supporting cannabinoid concentrations, Receptra’s targeted topical excels, and with a wealth of wellness-affirming ingredients to boot.

The 1.25oz tub delivers 400mg of CBD to be applied directly to problem areas for discomfort relief.

As mentioned, the ingredient list is also rife with health-boosting ingredients like jasmine, ylang-ylang, camphor oil, jojoba oil, arnica, organic vitamin E, and more.

In other words, this topical product literally checked every box we have, including ingredient quality, CBD/cannabinoid concentration, reliability (third-party testing), and value.

Honorable Mention: Cornbread Hemp Peppermint + Arnica CBD Balm

As mentioned in our comprehensive review, Cornbread Hemp is the only brand we’ve ever known to offer a CBD topical made with all-organic ingredients and nothing else, including zero preservatives of any kind.

Moreover, the Peppermint + Arnica CBD Balm we’re referring to, like all Cornbread Hemp’s products, is made with full-spectrum hemp, extracted exclusively from the hemp flower (versus the whole plant).

Despite the premium quality, Cornbread Hemp keeps prices reasonable for all their topicals, and we noticed moderate reduction in discomfort that lasted several hours after using the balm.

Best CBD Capsules: Elixinol

Featuring six highly targeted, expertly formulated CBD capsules, Elixinol’s capsule catalog is simply too good to beat at the moment.

The Everyday Daily Balance capsules use MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) “carrier” oil for greater therapeutic potential.

In addition, the best-selling formulation provides a cannabinoid-dense, full-spectrum hemp extract derived from plants grown in the USA.

At less than $0.07/mg for this conscientiously developed CBD capsule (and the five other formulations), the Everyday Balance capsule lands firmly in first for 2021.

Honorable Mention: CBDFX

A brand that has made particularly large strides in the CBD capsule department of late, CBDfx is bringing some nootropic-enhanced, cannabinoid-rich options to the table.

Particularly, their Morning Capsules are an excellent option for those of us looking for a pick-me-up that doesn’t produce jitters or anxiety.

These capsules are fortified with a 6:1 ratio of CBD to CBG as well as a generous terpene presence and caffeine.

The result is a sustainable boost in energy that doesn’t impede your focus or sense of calm.

As is required to make this list, the value is fairly competitive as well (under $0.07/mg).

Honorable Mention: CBDistillery

Though they aren’t out yet, if CBDistillery delivers on their promise of a “functional synergy” CBD capsule line that integrates Kava Root, Reishi, and Chaga mushrooms, and more, they will definitely be a contender for next year’s best CBD capsule award.

The Functional Synergy Unwind Mushroom Capsules look especially well-formulated, providing 5mg of CBN, 15mg of CBD, 300mg of Reishi mushroom extract, and 300mg of Chaga mushroom extract per capsule.

In addition to these and the Kava Root capsules, both of which target calm-promoting benefits, the Functional Synergy Focus Mushroom Capsules will use nootropics like Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps (more mushrooms!) for a sustained focus boost.

We’ll keep a close eye on this collection, sampling and reviewing as soon as possible to keep our readers up to date.

Best THC-Free Hemp Product: Joy Organics

Fortified with 100% organic ingredients and a well-rounded broad-spectrum hemp extract, the Organic Broad Spectrum CBD Tincture from Joy Organics (we like Tranquil Mint) will not be easily unseated from the top spot for THC-free products.

This tincture comes in four concentrations (450mg, 900mg, 1350mg, and 2250mg) and flavors (Tranquil Mint, Unflavored, Summer Lemon, and Blood Orange).

And at less than $0.08/mg for even the smaller sizes, customers don’t have to pay outlandish prices to access this 0.0% THC, all-organic tincture.

Better yet, the brand’s gummies are broad spectrum as well, if that’s your preference. 

Runner Up: Social CBD

Also sporting both broad-spectrum and CBD isolate product categories is Social CBD, whose Blood Orange Broad Spectrum CBD Drops are our favorite THC-free offering from the brand.

They’re tested for potency and safety, competitively priced, and we love the flavor. 

Overall, the THC-free selection at Social CBD is vast, including tinctures enhanced with cinnamon, acai berry, pomegranate tea, and other wellness-affirming ingredients as well as topicals and gummies.

Even their isolate oils are available with lemon ginger, peppermint, or lavender, which provide an excellent accent while staying out of the way in terms of unwanted synergies between cannabinoids.

Best CBG Product: CBDistillery

Where most of the competition still has no option at all or a bare-bones CBG isolate, CBDistillery has given this wellness-affirming cannabinoid much more care and attention.

Specifically, the brand’s Daytime Synergy CBG + CBD tincture is the best product we’ve yet to see in the CBG department for a couple reasons.

First, this tincture (which comes in 1000mg or 2000mg concentrations) provides a 1:1 ratio of full-spectrum CBD to CBG, creating an excellent opportunity for synergistic benefits. 

At under $0.08 per milligram (and under $0.07/mg for the higher concentration), we also recognize the solid value, considering CBG and other “minor cannabinoids” are generally more expensive to manufacture in such quantities. 

Runner Up: CBDfx

In the case of CBDfx, we’re inclined to recognize two products that bring out the wellness-boosting properties of CBG without skimping on other botanicals: their CBD + CBG Oil Wellness Tincture and their CBD + CBG Morning Capsules.

The tincture provides a 2:1 ratio of CBD to CBG, and is enhanced by curcumin, coenzyme Q10, and a healthy dose of terpenes. 

The price point is a bit steeper ($0.12/mg+ for lowest concentration), but considering the impressive ingredient list, not steep enough to knock this product out of contention.

As for the capsules, we’ve already mentioned them—the morning capsules contain a 6:1 ratio of CBD to CBG, caffeine, and terpenes. 

Runner Up: Social CBD

Though we don’t normally invest a second glance into isolate products, the relative scarcity of CBG products and the high-integrity testing and sourcing standards of Social CBD compel us to shout out their Social Naturals CBG Oil Drops.

It’s especially difficult to isolate CBG, which is only produced by a small portion of the hemp plant, which is another reason we appreciate this product.

If you are looking for a super accurate indicator of the effects of CBG alone, and/or if you are unable to try broad-spectrum or full-spectrum products for whatever reason, you still have this tincture as an option.

Social Naturals CBG Drops are made with no artificial flavors or sugar, and having squeaked under the $0.08/mg bar, they’re relatively affordable as well.

Best CBN: CBDistillery 

Get 40% off with code CBNWINNER on all Sleep Synergy products from CBDistillery!

Cannabinol (CBN) finds itself in a similar vein as CBG, and once again, CBDistillery is there to give some well-merited attention to this often skirted compound with their Sleep Synergy CBN + CBD tincture.

This time, it’s a 1:3 ratio of CBN to CBD (available in 150mg/450mg and 300mg/900mg concentrations), but the same high-quality full-spectrum CBD delivers plenty of supporting cannabinoids and terpenes.

As with all their products, CBDistillery backs this tincture up with industry-leading lab testing, sourcing, and manufacturing standards.

As expected, the value dips a bit in this category, but CBDistillery still sneaks under the $0.09/mg bar (when you count both CBD/CBN) with this tincture.

Runner Up: Green Roads

Pharmacist-led Green Roads, who earned 94/100 on our brand review for their expertly developed formulations (and more), comes closely behind CBDistillery with their Sweet Sleep CBD Oil.

Included in each serving of this 750mg tincture are 22.5mg of CBD, 2.5mg of CBN, and another 2.5mg of melatonin.

The hemp extract is broad spectrum, offering the THC-weary crowd an option for a hangover-free sleep aid. 

At $89.99 for 750mg, it’s slightly more expensive than CBDistillery, but still very much in the running on the value side, considering the quality and density of this pharmacist-made tincture.

Best Value: Lazarus Naturals

Even a polite “it was close” is out of the question here, since Lazarus Naturals continues to absolutely run away with it in the value department.

To provide some context, the 1,500mg concentration of their Classic High Potency CBD Oil Tincture costs $40 ($0.03/mg), where most high-profile competitors like CBDistillery compete around the $80-100 range for the same amount of product (and those brands we still consider affordable).

Of course, anyone can charge half the price for a terrible product, so we’ve thoroughly vetted Lazarus Naturals on multiple occasions with careful attention to detecting corner-cutting, and we simply couldn’t find any.

Going even further than other well-rated brands, Lazarus Naturals owns their own farms in Central Oregon, grows their own organic hemp, and keeps up with full-panel third-party testing.

Their product catalog is filled with targeted formulations and a broad range of concentrations and extracts, and after personally testing their products, we can confirm the high standard of quality.

Best Pet CBD: Honest Paws

We can say without any exaggeration that pet CBD brand Honest Paws actually holds higher sourcing, testing, and formulation standards than the majority of for-human CBD brands out there.

These standards are detailed more extensively in our Honest Paws review, where the brand received just under a 90/100, but here’s a quick list of the highlights:

• Third-party tested, QR codes on packaging
• Lots of organic ingredients, few preservatives
• CO2 hemp extraction
• Hemp sourced from Colorado under USDA National Organic Program
• Various targeted formulations (mobility, relief, calm, etc.)

Aside from a couple of dings for more logistical items, Honest Paws is one of the most upstanding brands we’ve seen. 

Most Innovative: Elixinol

In their own way, Elixinol have proven their mettle as the most innovative CBD brand of 2021.

The perfectly targeted and botanically enhanced capsule selection alone was enough to propel Elixinol into consideration for first, especially after their rapid reset liposome product is taken into account. 

Building upon the well-established CBD oil tincture, this cutting-edge delivery system allows for a significantly higher absorption rate (of the CBD) by the body using microscopic droplets that transport the CBD more efficiently.

Honorable Mention: CBDistillery

As an industry frontrunner constantly trading elbows with the top brands, it wasn’t super easy to separate CBDistillery’s highly potent CBD products from these close competitors. 

However, one particularly impressive outlier is the Synergy Collection, which includes gummies, tinctures, and soon, capsules enhanced with CBD, CBG, and more.

Best Newcomer: Cornbread Hemp

It’s very rare for a newer and/or smaller brand to score above the low 80s on our brand review system, but Cornbread Hemp received a highly merited 92 for several reasons.

First, the Kentucky-based brand has made zero compromises in their product quality, including sourcing, processing, and formulation standards.

They offer several formulations boasting extremely clean ingredients, including an all-organic CBD topical with zero preservatives.

All of their exclusively full-spectrum CBD products are from the hemp flower only and USDA organic, two extremely strong quality signals.

Beyond product quality, many newer brands falter in our review system because they don’t prioritize philanthropy and/or community involvement early on, but Cornbread has already been contributing to local marijuana advocacy groups, a fund to help black business owners recover from the pandemic, and more.

Finally, as we mentioned in our Cornbread review, we were floored by the customer service—within less than a minute, we were connected to co-founder Jim Higdon himself.