A weed grinder is a popular tool among cannabis connoisseurs that prepares bud for smoking in bowls, joints or blunts. If you’ve ever broken up nugs by hand, you can see why it comes in handy. Due to the sticky nature of weed you can lose beneficial material on your fingers, or have a hard time breaking it up at all. While there are many ways and a variety of household items that will help grind up your weed, an actual grinder is definitely preferred. Let’s explore weed grinders, what they are, why you need one and how to use one once you’ve chosen which type is best for you.
What Is A Weed Grinder?
A weed grinder is a tool that breaks up pieces of weed into fluffy sift for rolling into joints, blunts or putting into a bowl or bong. They’re normally cylinder in shape, and typically short and stout. Most grinders are made out of anodized aluminum that helps keep the tool from flaking or deteriorating overtime.
Grinders also come equipped with a kief catcher that essentially catches the precious material that’s often stuck to your fingers after breaking up bud with your own hands. This makes the tool even more beneficial for regular smokers, as you’ll be treated to piles of kief in addition to getting ground up bud for bowls or joints. You can use the kief to place on future bowls, sprinkle in joints, press into hash or use for making edibles, too.
The top of the grinder is aligned with a number of spaced out and razor-sharp teeth to successfully grind up material. Same for the lid, which is usually magnetic to keep the top connected when you begin the motion to begin grinding.
Benefits of Grinders: Why I Need To Use a Cannabis Grinder?
By now you might be asking yourself…why use a tool when I can break up weed by myself? The answer is simple. A cannabis grinder makes the job a lot more simple, and clean too. Not only that, but grinders are relatively affordable and are even more cost-efficient when you think of the kief you’ll get back from using it.
If you’re still wary, here are just a few other benefits of using a weed grinder –
Grind more, faster. If you’re grinding up a large amount of weed for rolling multiple joints, blunts or preparing for a smoke session/party, then a grinder is highly recommended. You’ll be able to successfully break up far more material quicker by using a grinder versus using your hands.
Achieve an even end product. When bud pieces are inconsistently sized they'll burn or light unevenly too. By using a grinder you're ensured shredded marijuana material that is even in size and consistent for lighting. This is especially important when rolling joints or blunts, so they don’t stop burning once they hit a bigger piece left unground.
All about that kief. Like we’ve mentioned, when you use a grinder you’ll usually have a kief/pollen catcher that collects small particles packed with potency. When breaking up weed with your fingers you often break apart trichomes or cannabinoids and lose them completely to sticking on your fingers. With grinders, you’ll get more bang for your bud buck by keeping this precious material inside the chambers, and not lost forever.
Avoid contaminants. When using a grinder you’ll keep your bud as pure as pure can be. That’s because when you use your fingers or other tools to do so, you can transfer oil from your skin, dust or other particles you won’t want to be smoking.
Smoother smoking. When your cannabis material is finely ground you’ll achieve a smoother and more flavorful smoke session. The sifted buds are able to be packed more closely, increasing surface area and improving airflow overall. This leads to smooth and pure hits.
Higher heat exposure. Using a grinder can actually improve your high too. By releasing the inner compounds from buds and evenly spacing them in your bowl or joint, you’ll evenly heat them too. This will maximize the effects that are activated versus leaving unbroken buds in your bowl or joints.
How to Use a Weed Grinder?
Most grinders come in 2-chamber or 4-chamber styles. The main difference between the two sizes is a mesh screen for kief collection. This is present in a 4-chamber style.
Regardless, most grinders have the same components. A lid with teeth for grinding, and a chamber for the ground up material to fall into. From there a 4 part chamber grinder will have a screen below the collection chamber to sift kief for collection in the extra level underneath.
With either option and even more advanced grinders the way to use a grinder remains the same (even with an electric weed grinder). First, you’ll place your bud in the top chamber and close tightly. Most lids are magnetic to ensure a tight close. Then, you’ll start spinning. By moving the top lid portion back and forth, or round and round, the teeth inside will begin breaking up the bud into smaller pieces. Depending on the amount of weed you put in the grinder, it will normally take 5-10 spins for the weed to be successfully ground. No matter what, you’ll be able to feel when the job is complete when you no longer feel resistance from the nugs being broken up by the teeth.
In the chamber below the lid is where you’ll find your sifted bud ready to be rolled or put in a bowl. Simply open, and get packing or rolling.
Start grinding
Now that you know how and why you should use a grinder for your cannabis material, it’s time to upgrade your weed tools. When you hit the market in search of grinders you’ll come across a variety of options. All at different price points depending on their perks, features, size, etc. If you’re wondering which grinder you should choose, don’t fret. We’ve compiled a list of the 12 best herb grinders for you to use as your guide (link to article).
Once you begin grinding your weed material with a proper grinder, there’s no doubt you’ll ever return to your old ways. Unless of course, you lose or forget your grinder when you need it the most. In that case, again…no worries, we have our guide about how to grind weed without a grinder.
Overall, cannabis grinders make your elevation experience that much better. Not only do they make the task easier, but can enhance natural aromas and effects, too. So before you light up next, start grinding. You’ll be sure to feel and taste the difference.