Grinders are a vital accessory for any smoker. At Zamnesia, we stock a variety of high-quality grinders capable of milling through any herb. From rustic wooden models to flashy novelty items, we’re sure you’ll find the perfect weed grinder in our Headshop to add to your collection.
To browse our full collection, check out the subcategories above. For more information on why to use a grinder, how to clean one, and more, keep reading.
What is a cannabis grinder?
Whether you prefer to smoke, vaporize, or make edibles, a grinder allows you to break up your cannabis flowers before use. With your herb all nicely ground up, you can enjoy a better cannabis experience every time.
Now, not all weed grinders are equal. Just as with bongs, pipes, and other accessories, you can get all kinds of different grinders at different price points. They range from simple and cheap to elaborate, multi-chambered models.
How to use a weed grinder?
Pretty much all manual weed grinders, no matter how fancy, work by the same general principle. You start by placing some weed in a chamber with spiked teeth on the bottom and the lid. You then close the lid and turn it a few times, rendering the cannabis inside down to smaller pieces. Simple, but effective!
Although this is how a typical weed grinder works, you can also find electric grinders that are handy if you have loads of weed to grind and are not keen on using a manual one all day long (carpal tunnel, anyone?). Other cannabis grinders look like a miniature cheese grater: the so-called "card grinder". These types, however, are not as common.
Benefits of using a weed grinder
Now that you have a general idea of what a grinder is and how it works, you might be asking yourself, “But why would you want to grind up your weed in the first place?”. What makes ground weed so much better? Well, there are some good arguments:
- Better smoking, vaping, edibles experience
By grinding up your weed, you’re increasing the available surface area. This makes it easier for cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds to be released from the plant material when smoking, vaping, or making edibles. Said differently, grinding your weed allows you the best access to the good stuff in your weed.
Likewise, grinding your weed will help it burn/vape more evenly. You don’t want large chunks of weed in your cookies and brownies, either. For making edibles, finely ground weed will be much better.
Some grinders have a kief sieve. Every time you grind, you will collect and store highly concentrated trichomes at the bottom chamber of the grinder. These multi-chambered grinders are a little more expensive, but totally worth it.
- Grind to your desired size
How fine or coarse your weed will be depends on your method of intake and your personal preferences. If you’re planning on using a bong or pipe, you’ll generally want to leave your weed a little more coarse to avoid sucking any smaller pieces through the bowl.
If you want your weed finer, for instance when making edibles, all you need to do is grind a little longer. This way, you can grind your weed exactly like you want it for the most tailored cannabis experience.
Types of weed grinders
Although most weed grinders work in a similar fashion, they can differ in some important aspects. The main differences between them are the materials they are made of, how many parts they consist of, and whether the grinder is manual or electric. Let’s take a look at each of these types and their pros and cons.
Material: what is the cannabis grinder made from?
Material arguably plays the largest role in a weed grinder’s quality, as different types are much more efficient at milling than others.
Acrylic
Acrylic weed grinders are very common and usually inexpensive. They can do the job just fine, but rarely are they deemed the “best” option. Their biggest advantage is that they are cheap and come in lots of cool colours and designs. But to be honest, this is how far it goes when it comes to their pros. Most of them are made overseas and their quality is more often than not “meh”. They can be harder to grind with over time and are at risk of breaking more easily than other kinds.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| The cheapest grinders |
Not very sturdy |
| Colourful/fun |
Grinding ability degrades over time |
|
Not suited for tough pieces |
Wood
If you ask someone who uses a wooden grinder why they chose it, they will most likely respond with “I like the feel”. After that, it would have to be the aesthetic of these pieces. Wooden weed grinders are typically hand-made, which makes them relatively rare. These devices are very often streamlined and don’t come with a ton of chambers or extras.
A wooden grinder may look and feel nice, but their performance doesn’t match that of a sturdy metal grinder. On the other hand, a wooden one can make a great collectible. And, let’s be honest, when have you ever impressed your friends with a cheap acrylic grinder?
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Look & Feel |
Not suited for tough jobs |
| Natural |
Simple |
|
Difficult to clean |
Metal
Weed grinders made from metal are arguably the best types. They are sturdy enough to tear through even the densest of nugs. They can last long and don’t have the “cheap look” of acrylic ones. They feel satisfyingly weighty in the hands, hinting at their grinding prowess. If you’re shopping for a metal grinder, know that you will find both aluminium and titanium options. The latter is the sturdiest, but won’t come cheap. Most good 3-part and 4-part grinders featuring multiple compartments and kief filters are made from metal.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Sturdy |
Expensive |
| Will last a long time |
|
| Available as 2-part, 3-part, 4-part grinders |
|
Number of parts: how many chambers does the grinder have?
The number of parts a grinder consists of is another important criteria to consider. You will often come across 2, 3, and 4-part grinders:
A 2-part grinder is the simplest type. It has a chamber for your weed and a lid. These are simply used to shred your weed, and can be a bit messy.
A 3-part grinder has two chambers. The main “grinding chamber” has holes at the bottom. As your grind, your bud will fall through the holes into the bottom chamber. Larger pieces will stay in the top part, and you can collect your filtered, ground weed at the bottom. This gives you an overall better grinding result.
A 4-part grinder has 3 separate chambers. The difference to the 3-part grinder above is that it has a kief sieve above an additional chamber at the bottom. With these grinders, you can collect and store the kief separately in the bottom chamber for future use.
Electric vs manual: how is the weed grinder operated?
Whether you choose a manual or electric grinder will primarily come down to how much weed you need to grind, and how hard you want to work.
If you’re just grinding a few buds every now and then, you may do fine with a simple manual one. On the other hand, you don’t want to get sore arms grinding up a huge harvest. In such a case, consider an electric weed grinder.
Most of the time, electric weed grinders are similar to small coffee or herb mills. You fill the grinder with weed, push a button, and a sharp blade will shred it. Nifty!
Common manual grinders require you to turn the lid until your weed is sufficiently milled. This isn’t a big deal if you’re just grinding up enough for a smoke or two. Some manual weed grinders even come with a crank to make the job easier.
Cannabis grinder size and why it matters
Before you go and get a weed grinder, consider another important factor: size! Typically, they have a diameter of 4–6cm, but there are other sizes beyond that.
If you’re often on the go and want something small, portable, and unassuming, a smaller one (e.g. 4cm in diameter) may serve you well. But if you’re often grinding batches for smoking at parties, you may want a larger model that can hold more. In this case, go for a medium-sized one 5–6cm in diameter. These will also be good for using at home.
If you’re a very heavy smoker and/or you often need to grind large batches of cannabis, you can find XXL grinders with a diameter of 7–8cm.
Cannabis grinder teeth differences
The performance of your weed grinder will largely depend on the shape and material of the teeth. Better grinders have diamond-shaped teeth that do an excellent job shredding your weed. Some older grinders still have peg or nail-style teeth. Instead of really milling it, these “nails” tend to rip and crush weed. The pegs can also be difficult to clean.
The other thing to look for is how many teeth the grinder has. Then again, there is no general recommendation here. Most of the time, how sharp the teeth are and how they are cut will determine the efficacy of the device. Some manufacturers advertise “special cuts” for better performance.
Special features you can find in weed grinders
- Magnetic closing or airtight seal
Many grinders feature magnets so the lid stays safely on at all times. This isn’t just beneficial as you grind; some grinders also serve as storage containers. It can then be advantageous if the grinder also has an airtight seal. No “suspicious” smells will escape!
- Transparent tops or view windows
Not really essential, but these can be useful if you want to see your weed as you’re grinding along. Practical to reduce your chances of overgrinding.
You can find grinders in all kinds of fun shapes, from Poké Ball grinders to Star Wars BB-8 grinders and everything in between. Some grinders are designed with camouflage in mind. They won’t raise suspicion as they look like a toy, battery, lipstick, or some other regular everyday item. And, of course, all these novelty grinders make great stoner gifts!
Best way to clean your cannabis grinder
Like most other smoking tools and accessories, your weed grinder will get icky in time. It won’t take many uses before it’s covered in sticky resin, attracting dirt and bacteria. The accumulated ick won’t just hamper your grinder’s performance, but will likely spell a premature end for your grinder. It can also be a health hazard if you happen to grind your weed with a dirty, mouldy, and bacteria-laced grinder…
Here’s the best way to clean your grinder:
-
Disassemble your grinder and put all the parts on a clean desk or tray.
-
Using a toothbrush and a toothpick, coarsely clean and scrape the larger grinder pieces. But be careful if your grinder has a fine mesh!
-
As you go along, if you happen to collect kief that’s not old and mouldy, KEEP IT! This is also why you want a tray for cleaning your grinder!
-
Once you've brushed and scraped, place the grinder parts on a towel.
-
Use Purilizer Grinder Cleaner and spray all the parts, including the filters.
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Wait a minute or two for the cleaner to dissolve the nasty stuff.
-
Grab the toothbrush again and give all the parts, including the kief filters, a final scrub.
-
Rinse the parts under warm water.
-
Put the grinder pieces somewhere to dry.
-
Reassemble the grinder. It will work like new!
For more tips on how to clean your grinder, see our post about cleaning grinders.
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