An herb grinder is the most essential accessory that you need to have in your arsenal of smoking gear. A grinder is needed so you can get your flower to the perfect fluffy consistency for rolling a joint, packing a pipe or packing a bong bowl. Without one, you will end up with a joint that smokes unevenly and an unpleasant smoke sesh.
How To Use An Herb Grinder
Herb grinders are designed to be user-friendly. With a manual hand grinder, you remove the lid, press pieces of your herb into the toothed chamber and then push the lid back into place. Once you have the lid back on start twisting it back and forth to grind up your herbal material. The friction between the sharp teeth will chop your herbs into small fluffy pieces that will be perfect for rolling in a rolling paper or blunt wrap.
Many herb grinders have drop down holes that let the ground herb pieces to fall into a secondary compartment. When your grinding is done, unscrew the grinder so you can access the catch compartment with all the herbs. You can either transfer your herbs directly into a rolling paper or pipe or move them to a rolling tray to finish making your rolled creation.
For using an electric herb grinder, you would use it in much the same way as a coffee grinder, put your desired amount of herb into the grinding chamber, put the top on and push the power button to let it give you a quick fluffy grind. Electric herb grinders have a transparent viewing window on top so you can see the grinding action as it is happening and then you just turn the machine off once your herbs have reached your desired consistency.
Herb Grinder Types
As stated above, you can purchase either a manual hand grinder or an electric grinder but there are also many variations you should know about before making your decision.
Number of pieces - The number of pieces your grind can have ranges from as little as a 2-piece design all the way to 8 parts or more with some modular designs. The most simple and cost effective 2-piece consists of just a top and a bottom with shredding either on both parts. Grinders with more parts include extra compartments that provide added value like catch compartments and sifting screens.
Modular Grinders - These grinders include many different compartments and sifting screens that you can add on or take away depending on what you need from your grinder.
Electric Grinders - Available with a corded wall plug or as a portable electric grinder with a built-in rechargeable battery. With the plug version, you have a consistent power supply but you have to be near an electrical outlet to use. A battery powered portable model lets you take it with you wherever you go so you can grinder wherever you need to; grind in your favorite easy chair or out at a wilderness camp site.
Ceramic coated - These manual hand-operated herb grinders have a special ceramic coating on the surface of the grinder and keeps sticky pieces of herb from sticking to the grinder which means less cleaning for you.
Herb Grinder Materials
Most herb grinders are made with a lighter-weight aluminum which provides you with a strong, durable grinder but other options available include acrylic, wood and hemp.
Acrylic Grinders are the most affordable type of herb grinder. If you just need a grinder while you are traveling or don’t have much money to spend then acrylic could be a good option for you. Some include a magnet that holds the two grinder parts together while more basic acrylic grinders do not. These grinders are really lightweight and come in a variety of transparent color options.
Wood Grinders - Some wood grinders have really cool patterns while others are just a single wood type. Teeth for wood grinders can be carved directly into the grinder so they are made of wood themselves or some have metal pins inserted into the wood for a more solid and heavy duty grinding action. Most wood grinders consist of just 2 parts, a top and a bottom. Great for users who like a natural vibe.
Aluminum Grinders - These grinders are a great buy with CNC machined parts that fit together perfectly and have a very smooth grinding action. The shredding teeth are nice and sharp and provide an excellent grind consistency. Finished with an anodized paint or ceramic coating that doesn’t chip after years of use. If you buy an aluminum grinder you will never have to purchase another one for the rest of your life.
What Kind of Herb Grinder Do I Need?
Your grinder needs will depend on your unique situation. Are you constantly on the move and need something small and inexpensive? Or are you pretty settled and want something that provides a really high quality grind with all the possible features you could want from a grinder? If you are on the go a lot and are really budget-conscious then a cheap acrylic or hemp-based plastic grinder is probably the way to go. If you want something on the high end then you may want to consider something like the Kannstor GR8TR Modular Grinder.
The Best Herb Grinder Brands
While there are quite a few good brands of grinders around there are a few that stick from the pack in terms of great build quality and value.
Cali Crusher - American made herb grinders with a patented quick lock technology and radial cut blades.
SLX - Maker of the first non-stick ceramic coated herb grinder. Unlike other herb grinders, the entire surface area is coated in non-stick ceramic which comes in very handy when you are dealing with sticky herbal material.
Kannastor / RYOT - This brand backs their grinders with a limited lifetime warranty. All of their materials have a food and medical grade finish and every grinder is visually inspected by hand to ensure the highest quality guaranteed. Every design is tested for strength, functionality and performance.
Sharpstone - This brand is well known for their consistent quality and performance. Provides a smooth grind and perfectly machined parts. You can never go wrong buying a Sharpstone.
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