How To Pick Your First Weed Grinder

Sticky fingers are the bane of a joint roller’s life. After handling that sweet, sweet bud – manually pulling it apart into smaller pieces – you may notice the sticky resin residue on your fingers. This sticky resin then makes handling your delicate rolling papers a little trickier. Although it’s only a minor issue, it’s easy to solve by investing in your first weed grinder. Say goodbye to sticky fingers and hello to perfectly rolled joints. So, let’s have a look at the options you have when contemplating which weed grinder will be perfect for you and your bud.

In spite of weed grinders being a relatively simple piece of smoking equipment, there are a few different designs to look at when deciding which one is the best grinder for you. The first factor to consider is the material from which your new grinder is made. The main choices will include metal grinders, wooden grinders, and plastic grinders. So let’s have a quick run through of the pros and cons of each of the different materials used and which one produces the best grinders for weed.

Wooden Weed Grinders

Aesthetically pleasing, environmentally sound, and economically viable, wooden grinders for weed have been a crowd favorite for many a year. But the lower price of wooden grinders for weed does hint that there may be a drawback or two too. The first drawback one may notice with the wood options is that the cutting teeth inside the grinder are not very sharp. In fact, these are usually blunt metal pins embedded into the wooden base, which can work loose over time. They will easily grind your dry buds, but the stickier your green, the stickier the turning motion of the wooden grinders. Over time, a stubborn buildup of resin on the wooden inside of the grinder will also start to hinder the twisting motion we need to grind our weed. However, they still look really cool, are nicely priced, and are a great choice for your first weed grinder, but you may need to replace your grinder sooner than you would with a more durable material.

Metal Weed Grinders

For most serious smokers, the best grinders for weed are constructed from metal. Nothing says “strength” quite like metal. There’s something very pleasing about holding a beautifully-crafted metal weed grinder for the first time. The ergonomic design feels solid, strong, and robust—like it can handle the stickiest bud you can find and still be ready to grind more and more without becoming tacky. Sure, the price has started to go up a little now, but if you treat your grinder well, it will be by your side for years to come. In addition to being solid, the teeth of the average metal weed grinder are definitely up to the job at hand. The teeth, as with the plastic weed grinders, are molded into the design and are very unlikely to snap off, giving you a smooth grind every time.

Kief Catchers

One more feature to bear in mind is whether or not the grinder has a kief compartment. Kief is the potent concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes that form on the weed buds and leaves. When we grind our buds, this fine powder is released, and the best weed grinders will be equipped with a special compartment designed to catch this powdery goodness. These compartments are seldom found on wooden weed grinders. Occasionally, you may find a plastic one with this feature, but they are very common and almost standard on the metal weed grinders. Kief compartments are found at the bottom of weed grinders, below a gauze that stops the larger pieces from entering. Over time, the kief will build up in the bottom compartment, and you can harvest this and add it to your joints as you see fit. If it’s a metal weed grinder with a kief compartment that you are looking for, then you can’t go wrong with this beautiful offering from Molino Glass.

Plastic Weed Grinders

Next up in our pursuit of the best weed grinders are those made from plastic, or acrylic. The most colorful option, plastic, has a few advantages over wooden grinders, and a downside or two too. Usually consisting of two parts—the base and the lid—these molded grinders are less likely to lose a tooth, as the conical teeth and the base are one solid piece. The teeth can still break, but they don’t come loose or wobbly. The smoother material also makes them a little easier to clean than their wooden counterparts too. But the big drawback with plastic is that these cheap weed grinders are a little delicate and they do not enjoy being dropped.

What weed grinders are the best?

So, now you know what to look out for when you are selecting your first weed grinder. All of the above materials will produce a weed grinder that will make your life easier, but some will last a little longer than others. For the ultimate in ease of grinding, many feel that the best weed grinders are the metal ones, especially those with a kief compartment. Whilst the natural wooden grinders are very cool and will do a good job, if you can stretch the budget, you will not be disappointed with a metal, kief-catching weed grinder.