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Invest in a great (and stylish) grinder, save a lot of herb, and consume your cannabis happily.
Sans a decent grinder, you might as well chop an entire gram in two, clumsily crumble one half with into a rolling paper with your sweaty fingers, then chuck the other half down the garbage disposal. What a waste. With a decent grinder, however, you're getting the best smoking (or baking, decarboxylating, etc.) experience. Those teeth will slice and dice the dry herb into a fluffy mound of powder, that mesh screen will sift out the chunks and preserve the extra-potent pollen, and that storage compartment will ensure not an eighth is wasted. No dirty smoke, no lost product.
You can seriously invest in this kind of accessory if you want, opting for a stainless steel grinder, or one with a brushed bronze exterior to place with pride on the coffee table amongst your other high-end weed accessories. You can also find some solid, inexpensive options made from zinc alloy with enough teeth and chambers to serve your purposes. The following 16 weed grinders—many of them with four pieces to grind bud, sift pollen, and store the results properly—each have their own strengths. One ought to suit your cannabis-consuming ways. Elevate them, even.
Now, we'll take the opportunity to pair this guide with an always-crucial reminder to smoke responsibly. We don't mean legally; we're no sticklers for the word of the law, especially when the law itself is outdated and unjustly enforced. Besides, with Joe Biden in the Oval Office, nationwide decriminalization isn't quite the pipe dream it once was. We mean, support grassroots legalization and social justice efforts in the cannabis industry, and buy from BIPOC-owned dispensaries or companies that give back to communities when possible. It's an easy choice to make. Do it for the culture.
Now, onto the grinders. These are the best, from budget-conscious to all class.
The grinder is nearly as big as the palm of your hand, great for when you have a considerable amount of bud and don't need to be discreet. A turn or two with the sharp teeth will make short work of your tightest nugs, nice and smooth. The only catch is that it doesn't come with a kief catcher.
Just because it's small and basic doesn't mean it's crap. This aluminum alloy grinder comes with four pieces—including a mesh screen to sift pollen from your weed and a catch tray—with grippy sides and a magnetic seal. It's basic, but sometimes, basic is all you need.
This grinder has a lotta happy customers. Makes sense. It grinds weed evenly and with precision, it's built like a tank, it has a pollen chamber and a sifting screen, it's pocket-portable, it has a strong magnetic closure, and it hovers at just the right price range. It's a workhorse that'll keep gliding through many a grind.
The large Tectonic9 leans to the Inspector Gadget side of things. You put the weed into the chamber and grind it up, standard procedure. But accessing it is what is pretty damn nifty: That silver dispenser flips up from underneath the grinder and fits over a hole (which you manually open and close). Tip, and freshly ground herb neatly falls out.
Kannastör's grinder is a mix-and-match marvel with extra storage options, two removable screens, and the option to break it down into a more portable size. Better yet, it comes with two interchangeable grater (hence the name) plates so you can pick your coarseness—fine or medium. Made with hardened aluminum in a matte design that looks real nice, it'll last you.
You get into spoil-yourself territory with the Santa Cruz Shredder. Known for its unique tooth design, it churns out perfectly ground, fluffy weed into a canister sealed with extra-strong magnets. You buy it once, then never have to worry about buying a grinder again. Choose from three diameters and a range of vibrant colors.
Here's where things get wild: a smart grinder. Eliminate user error altogether. The Otto automatically adjusts to the herb, sensing exactly what grind is required for the best results. Then, it funnels what it grinds directly into a paper cone for easy rolling (you can skip this step). Of course, then you're stuck with machine maintenance—charging, storage, cleaning, all that. Nevertheless, it's a cool gadget.
Higher Standards makes some tough grinders—all out of solid, aircraft-grade aluminum—but this one might be the most useful. At only 1.6 inches across, it's best for travel; and instead of a predictable design, it looks like it belongs to the engine of a 1961 Jaguar E-Type. Despite the small size, it is a full four-piece set, and the diamond-shaped teeth can pulverize weed into a fine powder.
Looking like a pharmacy bottle for medicine that may or may not be prescribed, the Medtainer is airtight, water-tight, and scent-trapping, with a grinder built into the cap. Handy.
The Gilded grinder wasn't built to be shoved into a junk drawer or lost under the couch. It glimmers, it is gold. Or rather, brushed brass. It's a statement grinder if we've ever seen one. Besides aluminum grinding teeth and a scraper, the catch compartment is impressively spacious.
For a more tactile option, get SharpStone's hand-crank grinder. A spin of the handle operates blades that chop up weed. The clear lid allows you to monitor the entire operation.
If you'd call your personal style modern and refined, then here's a grinder to match it. Made from hand-turned walnut wood with a solid aluminum core, it is an accessory worthy of top-grade flower. Furthermore, its grip is ergonomic, and it has a large basin to catch the debris. You'll proudly display it on the coffee table while you wait for the next session.
Speaking of unpredictable design. Zam's grinder philosophy is make it pocketable and make it modular—as well as make it graspable, magnetic, and load-bearing (as in, it'll store enough weed for a day out).
Ouid celebrates the brash, indiscreet nature of today's weed accessories with its arresting anodized aluminum, nesting-doll-like construction. Grinders ought to broadcast some personality, and this one is not too loud for that matter. (Imagine an iridescent one that really announces itself unapologetically). For yourself, or the marijuana enthusiast in your life.
Instead of aluminum or zinc alloy like most cheaper grinders, Iaso's grinder is constructed out of stainless steel. That means the canister and its teeth will last a lifetime of grinds. Iaso also uses a special labyrinth seal design intended to prevent annoying binding or sticking. It's a luxe option for sure.
Why move your wrists at all? Quant engineered an electric grinder, made from stainless steel, that blitzes through bud in 10 seconds, dispenses it neatly, and stores whatever's left over.