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A Guide to What Makes a Weed Grinder Great!

Last Updated: March 02, 2022By Jason Levin

Think you are getting the most out of your smoking experience? If you aren't using a weed grinder, you're not. For those completely new to the wonderful world of weed, a grinder is a handy little device for grinding up your herbs before you smoke them. If you want to get the most out of your smoking sessions, you will definitely want to pick yourself up a grinder. But how do you go about choosing your perfect grinder? This handy guide will explain!

Why You Should Use a Grinder

Surely you have noticed that there are times when you are smoking a bowl and just cannot get a good enough hit. This usually means one of two things: your pipe is clogged, or you didn't pack the bowl right. Packing the bowl incorrectly is a huge problem. If you do this, you could torch the bowl and waste your precious herbs! Using a grinder ensures that your bowl smokes evenly, optimizing your herb.

Producing a better smoking experience isn't the only reason to use a grinder. Grinders also help your weed last longer by producing way less waste than breaking up your nugs by hand. When you 'grind' by hand, it always leaves behind a small bit of shake and trichome crystals. These tiny bits almost always end up on your carpet or table. What a waste! Using a grinder ensures that every bit of shake and those precious trichomes stay safely encased and ready for whenever you need them!

How To Use a Grinder

Grinders are such simple contraptions to use, it's a wonder that everyone does not use them, to be perfectly honest. However, having a few questions is entirely understandable. It can be difficult to tell how to use one, just by looking at it. Consider this your crash course!

First, make sure that your grinder is clean because you don't want any unwanted debris and things interfering with the delicious taste of your smoke. Next, unscrew the top of your grinder so that you can see both sets of teeth on the lid and the top opening of the grinder. Following that, you will want to tear up your buds so that they will fit between both pieces. You don't need to tear them up too much, as this is what your grinder is supposed to do in the first place (not to mention you don't want to waste any of that kief). Try not to overfill your grinder; otherwise, it will not grind your herbs sufficiently.

Once you have done that, carefully screw the two ends together so that they act as a mortar and pestle. Slowly, your now freshly ground herb will make its way into the bottom chamber, where it will be ready to fulfill all of your smoking needs. Unscrew the top chamber from the bottom, and voila, you have freshly ground herb that is ready to smoke. As a trick, you can shake your grinder to make sure that you get all of the herbs from the top chamber to the bottom, and nothing is lost!

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What Types of Grinders are there?

Weed grinders come in many different sizes, and they're quite a few different types. There are small weed grinders, large weed grinders, plastic weed grinders, and automatic weed grinders that work similarly to a coffee grinder for weed. Some people prefer 3 part weed grinders, which have not only a chamber for your freshly ground herbs but a chamber for catching your kief (the crystals that come off the buds) as well. The kief is often used to make pressed hash or just to dust on top of a bowl as an extra treat. Your typical herb grinder comes in 4 different types of materials: plastic, metal, wood, and stone. Let's look at these and other types of grinders.  

Plastic Grinders

A plastic grinder is generally considered the lowest quality and usually only purchased when there is an immediate need for an inexpensive grinder. The teeth and body are usually made from plastic or the slightly more durable lucite. This low-cost option tends to wear out and break easily. Plastic grinders are not meant to last for a long time, but they do the job. Just be prepared to find plastic teeth in your weed if you are using one.

Metal Grinder

The metal grinder is by far the most popular choice for grinding up weed. This is because metal grinders are more durable than plastic grinders and are more adept at getting the job done. They are usually made from aluminum, which is easier to clean, more inexpensive, but also very strong. No matter how dense your buds are, those teeth are not breaking! Metal grinders are usually the ones that come with the multiple chambers, which are for storing your kief, making them more popular with veteran smokers.

Stone Grinder

A stone grinder is exactly what you think, that is, a grinder made from stone. The teeth are usually made from a sturdier stone or metal. Stone grinders are not the most popular, but it's hard to imagine why when you look at some of the beautiful and intricate patterns hand-carved into some of them. Because they make such great art pieces, they also make wonderful gifts.

Wooden Grinder

Like a stone grinder, the wooden option is more durable than plastic but not as heavy-duty as a metal grinder. The teeth are usually thinner and made from aluminum, making them stronger than a stone grinder. A wood grinder can be more difficult to clean as getting it wet causes the wood to warp, rendering your grinder useless.

Crank Grinder

A crank grinder is usually made from aluminum and is affixed with an aluminum crank grinder on the lid. When the user wants to grind up their herbs, they simply turn the crank and unscrew the grinder once their herbs have been sufficiently ground up. These types are better for people with arthritis since gripping the grinder to turn it can be challenging. The drawback of crank type grinders is that the cranks can break off pretty easily.

Electric Grinder

For the ultimate in ease and low maintenance, you cannot do better than an electric grinder. An electric grinder is not set up like a manually operated one; instead, it is more like a coffee grinder. Electric grinders are easy to use, but you must keep it clean; otherwise, you will clog it, and break it, then you are back to manual!

Where can I Buy a Weed Grinder?

You can buy a weed grinder pretty much anywhere nowadays, especially if you live in a place where cannabis is legal. Any head shop or dispensary that you go into should have a considerable selection of them. Sometimes you can even find them in gas stations and tobacco shops, though they will be advertised as "tobacco use only." We know the real truth!

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Like many other things these days, a lot of people prefer to buy their weed grinders online, and who can blame them? Not only is it affordable, but it's also discreet! Most online headshops understand the need for discretion and offer discreet packaging that doesn't reveal the name or the contents of the box on the package. Different online headshops include dankstop.com, 420bigbuds, Grasscity, and Smoke Cartel.

If you are not interested in purchasing from an online headshop, you can also find plenty of other online retailers that sell quality weed grinders. Hey, some people don't want one of those sites showing up in their search history or on a bank statement. You can even find pretty decent grinders on Amazon.com by using this search term "weed grinder amazon." You will likely find hundreds of great results.

How Much is a Weed Grinder?

Weed grinders can vary greatly when it comes to pricing. Cheap weed grinders can go as low as a few dollars, with some of the most expensive ones costing upwards of $70. When it comes to the cost, a cool weed grinder does not have to cost you an arm and a leg! You can find a lot of great grinders for sale for less than $20 from any online retailer.

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The amount that you want to spend on a grinder depends on your personal needs. If you are looking for a small grinder, one that will simply do the job of grinding up your herb, then you are going to end up spending around ten or fifteen dollars. If you are looking for a state-of-the-art contraption that will grind your herb into the finest, most pristine powder (with a state of the art kief catcher, of course), you might end up spending more. You don't need to do this, however.  If this is your first grinder, consider getting a simple single chamber grinder for your herb. After all, you don't want to be overwhelmed!

What is the Best Weed Grinder?

"Best grinder" is a relative term, as what people think is best depends on their own preference, of course. Here are some grinders that we think you will love based on a variety of needs.

Electric Smart Herb and Spice Grinder - OTTO by Banana Bros with Pollen Catcher

For the best electric grinder that money can buy, look no further than the smart herb and spice grinder with pollen catcher by Banana Bros. This state-of-the-art electric grinder simulates the finesse of hand grinding, acting more like a mill than a grinder. This grinder is guaranteed to help you pack the best cone joints you've ever smoked. You'll likely never want to go back to rolling joints by hand. The pollen catcher ensures that every bit of delicious kief is successfully captured to be used how you see fit.

Official Pokeball Herb Grinder (Large) 2.7 Inches - With BONUS Scraper Tool - Anime Gifts - Cool Grinders For Herb & Spice With Catcher - 3 Part Grinder

This decorative metal grinder is perfect for the anime fan in your life, or perhaps yourself. It's a three-part herb grinder made from high-quality zinc alloy and aluminum and comes with a free scraping tool, perfect for scraping and loading kief bowls.

Kozo Wood Stash Box Combo Kit with Aluminium 2.5" Herb Grinder, Rolling Tray, Locking Smell Proof Jar with Airtight Seal and a Lock With Keys.

This wooden stash box kit makes the perfect gift for a friend (or the ideal gift for yourself)! It comes with everything you need with a grinder, a rolling tray, and a smell-proof stash jar. Best of all, the stash box locks, so you can keep out nosey or greedy roommates or prevent your children from getting into your stash.

iRainy [5 Piece] Spice Herb Grinder with Pollen Catcher, 2.1 Inch, Metal Black

Are you looking for something that will grind up herb practically into dust, ensuring the smoothest smoke? You will love this 5-part herb grinder. It comes with two extra chambers, ensuring your herbs come out extra fine and extra tasty! The bottom chamber features a kief catcher and scraping tool.

Which type of grinder is the best?

If you are looking for a simple answer, opt for a metal grinder. Many people prefer a standard aluminum three-chamber grinder for grinding homegrown weed. It is durable, easy to clean, not incredibly noticeable, and easy to transport. It also has a magnetic lid, which helps keep the grinder tightly closed. The last thing you want is all of your precious buds spilling out after you're done grinding.

Of course, the best grinder is a personal decision. What's perfect for someone else might not be ideal for you. That's why it's important to do your research. Shop around and read what others have to say about the grinder you have in mind. Remember, there's nothing wrong with having more than one grinder, so don't be afraid to try as many as you can. A little work and you are sure to find the right one!

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