Weed grinder: an invaluable part of the smoker’s toolkit that improves nearly every aspect of the smoking experience. It may seem like such a simple concept—a device that grinds bud to the perfect fluffy consistency—but it can take the mess out of grinding by hand, preserve the potency of your weed, make a nug last longer, and result in a smoother smoking experience overall.
With that in mind, you may think any herb grinder will do the job, but not all grinders are made equal. A good one lets you adjust the grind consistency, doubles as a storage container, and collects the sticky sweet pollen so that none of your weed’s potency is lost. Some more expensive models have added quirks that elevate the smoking experience even more, but you can grab a high-quality grinder that gets the job done at an accessible price.
Not sure where to start? This guide to the best weed grinders on the market has options that fit every budget and smoking style, including those with limited dexterity. Let’s jump in:
The 12 Best Weed Grinders of 2022
1. Overall Best Weed Grinder
Vessel Mill Grinder [Walnut]
The Vessel Mill Grinder comprises three interlocking pieces that were precision engineered to perfectly fit together to create a strong and effective product. We think the Vessel Mill Grinder is the Best Weed Grinder because of its unique design and powerful functionality, making it an easy choice to give it the ranking of the overall best grinder.
Handcrafted in California by experts in precision grinding technology, the Vessel Mill Grinder will prove its mettle with every use through long-lasting performance. Made from precision-engineered aluminum, so you can expect it to be efficient and durable while still lightweight and portable. Similarly, the magnetic lid ensures the top is secure and easy to open, and an included scraper for easy cleaning makes the Vessel Grinder a fantastic choice for anybody looking to up their weed grinder game.
Pros:
- Magnetic closure
- Kief catcher
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Small size is not always suitable for all situations
Brand: Vessel | Price: $39 | Material: Aluminum | Color Choices: 1
2. Runner Up for Overall Best Herb Grinder
Santa Cruz Shredder 3-Piece Grinder
The 3-Piece Santa Cruz Shredder also grabs a top spot for Best Weed Grinder, thanks to its patented tooth design that cuts herb from both directions, resulting in a perfect, fluffy grind every time. The Santa Cruz Shredder features a magnetic closure, knurled grip and comes at an accessible price point.
Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Designed to prevent cross-threading
- Grinds without much pressure
Cons
- No kief collection
Brand: Santa Cruz Shredder | Price: $65.00 | Material: Solid Aluminum | Color Choices: 4
3. Best Smart Weed Grinder
Banana Bros OG Otto
The Banana Bros OG Otto automatic herb grinder pen uses AI to mimic human hand grinding gestures. It automatically adjusts the speed, pressure, and direction to get the perfect grind every time. Plus, it’s designed to autofill cones to perfection, resulting in a smooth transition from bud to smoke.
Pros
- Grinds and packs up to 30 cones per charge
- Compatible with all cone sizes
- Sleek and portable
Cons
- Higher cost
Brand: Banana Bros | Price: $149.99 | Material: Aluminum | Color Choices: 1
4. Best Weed Grinder Card
Vsyndicate Caterpillar Nonstick Grinder Card
If you’re looking for an eye-catching, portable grinding experience, the Vsyndicate Grinder Cards are a perfect pick. These sturdy steel cards feature intricate wonderland-esque graphic designs and have a non-stick coating for a flawless grinding experience and easy clean-up.
Pros
- Unique graphic design options
- Includes carrying sleeve
- Fits in pocket or wallet
Cons
- Smaller grind capabilities (best for personal use)
Brand: Vsyndicate | Price: $7.99 | Material: Stainless Steel | Color Choices: 7
5. Best 3-Piece Herb Grinder
Grav Labs 3-Part Aluminum Grinder | 2.25 Inch
This Grav Labs 3-Part Aluminum Grinder is the perfect size for personal use and features a geometrically designed tooth pattern that shreds weed more efficiently and prevents cross-threading and clogging.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Multiple color option
- Magnetic closure
Cons
- Smaller grind capabilities (best for personal use)
Brand: Grav Labs | Price: $39.99 | Material: Aluminum | Color Choices: 5
6. Best 4-Piece Herb Grinder
Santa Cruz Shredder 4-Piece Grinder
The Santa Cruz Shredder 4-Piece herb grinder features Santa Cruz’s innovative tooth design that promises a perfect, fluffy grind. The anodized metal is resistant to scratching, cross-threading, and corrosion, so this grinder is built to last.
Pros
- Lifetime warranty
- Collects kief
- Magnetic closure
Cons
- The screen may be harder to clean
Brand: Santa Cruz Shredder | Price: $79.99 | Material: Aluminum | Color Choices: 6
7. Best Weed Grinder Pen
Lonzen Rechargeable Electric Herb Grinder
This Lonzen Grinder Pen features super-sharp blades and a high-power battery that promises 500 uses or 30 days between charges. If you’re looking for a grinder pen that has a large capacity and stores and dispenses perfectly ground bud, here it is!
Pros
- Holds over 2-grams
- Safety shut-off when blades are exposed
- Ultra-portable
Cons
- Requires a unique tool to clean
Brand: Lonzen | Price: $39.99 | Material: Stainless Steel | Color Choices: 1
8. Best Herb Grinder for Vaping
Kannastor GR8TR V2 Grinder
With interchangeable parts for a custom grind, a high grinding capacity, and a kief collection chamber, what more could you need to grind weed for vaping? Maybe an extra chamber to store bud for multiple vaping sessions? This grinder has that too.
Pros:
- Add or remove chambers to customize the experience
- Ergonomic, modular design
- Magnetic closure
Cons:
- Multiple parts may make it more difficult to clean
Brand: Kannastor | Price: $53.99 | Material: Aluminum | Color Choices: 4
9. Best Multi-Purpose Grinder
Medtainer Storage Container with Grinder
Speaking of storage containers, the Medtainer has a pretty sizable one. If you’re looking for a place to store a few whole buds (with a grinder attached, of course), the Medtainer is where it’s at. This grinder is simple, functional, and great for a novice or frequent smoker.
Pros
- Affordable
- Air and water-tight storage chamber
Cons
- The plastic build may be harder to clean
Brand: Medtainer | Price: $15.99 | Material: Plastic | Color Choices: 1
10. Best Weed Grinder for Under $40.00
GrassCity Aluminum Herb Grinder
GrassCity’s 4-piece grinder is proof that you don’t have to sacrifice a smooth grinding experience to save a few bucks. This sturdy aluminum grinder has all the basics, plus diamond-shaped teeth that will tear through your bud with ease and a pollen screen to collect all the kief your heart desires.
Pros
- Magnetic closure
- Collects kief
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Random color selection
Brand: GrassCity | Price: $34.99 | Material: Aluminum | Color Choices: 1
11. Best for Under $30.00
Apothecarry Three Chamber Grinder
Another 4-piece aluminum grinder at an even better price. There are no bells and whistles, but if efficient grinding and kief collection are on your priority list, this grinder fits the bill.
Pros
- Durable material
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Not ergonomically designed for those with limited dexterity
Brand: Apothecarry | Price: $27.50 | Material: Aluminum | Color Choices: 1
12. Best for Under $20.00
Ondamota Herb Grinder Large 4 Piece 2.5
Here’s yet another affordable option, but this time with 33 blade-style teeth that shred bud with ease. It has a strong magnetic closure, pollen screen with a kief chamber, and comes with a little kief-scraping tool to make life easier.
Pros
- Groove designs for easy grip
- Easy to clean
- Unique color options
Cons
- Soft material increases the risk of flaking
Brand: Ondamota | Price: $19.99 | Material: Aluminum | Color Choices: 2
Why a Grinder?
Breaking down weed by hand is a sticky, tedious process, and it’s incredibly challenging to try to roll a joint with a pile of choppy, hand-ground bud. Grinders take the mess (and most of the work) out of the process, ensuring you don’t lose all the sticky trichomes to your fingertips. With the right grinder, you can get the perfect grind for any consumption method, whether you’re smoking bowls, rolling joints, or vaping dry herb.
Benefits of a Weed Grinder
Kief
- “Kief” refers to the sticky pollen found on fresh cannabis flower. When collected in large amounts, it is highly potent and can be used as a form of unrefined cannabis concentrate. A grinder with a kief catcher will “sift” this pollen away from the ground bud. You can add it right back to your bowl or joint on the spot, or you can save it for a rainy day or special occasion. Kief can be used to crown a bowl, twax a joint, add potency to cannabis-infused baked goods, or make old-school cannabis hash.
Consistency
- If you hand-roll your joints, you know that the consistency of your ground bud has everything to do with how it rolls and how it smokes. A good grinder doesn’t precisely “grind” weed; instead, it slices it to a perfect, fluffy consistency. Even if you pack a bowl or a vape, a finely ground, fluffy bowl smokes more evenly than a hand-ground, choppy bowl.
Less = More
- Finally, a grinder can help you get more out of your bud, and it does this in a couple of ways. First, you won’t lose all of your sticky pollen to your fingertips. More importantly, though, you’ll get a more even burn and a cloud of smoother smoke—no more joints that burn up too quickly or bowls that smolder but never hit quite right.
What to look for in an Herb Grinder
1. Manual Vs. Electric Weed Grinder
The most critical distinction is choosing between an electric and manual grinder. The difference is precisely what it seems—one is battery powered while the other relies on you to do the grinding.
A Short Guide to Manual Weed Grinders:
- Weed Grinder Card:
-
- A weed grinder card is much like a cheese grater but is the size of a credit card. You “grind” the bud against the card, and it sifts through the grate. These grinders produce a rougher grind, but they fit in a wallet and are easy to clean.
- Grinder Pen
-
- A grinder pen is a pen-shaped device that works like any 2 or 3 chamber grinder. It does not catch kief but does allow you to “dispense” the ground bud directly into your smoking device.
- 2-Piece Herb Grinder:
-
- A 2-piece grinder is the most basic model. It’s composed of just a top and bottom lid that both have teeth, and the weed goes into and comes out of the same chamber.
- 3-Piece Bud Grinder:
-
- A 3-piece grinder has three pieces (the lid counts as a piece) but only two chambers. Like a 2-piece grinder, it has top and bottom teeth, but the weed is collected in a separate chamber below. This grinder doesn’t collect kief, but it is easy to clean.
- 4-Piece Cannabis Grinder:
-
- A 4-piece grinder has the same build as a 3-piece grinder but with one additional chamber. Just below the area where the weed accumulates is another chamber separated by a fine mesh screen that allows only kief to sift through.
- 5-Piece Grinder:
-
- A 5-piece grinder includes one additional chamber separated by a mesh screen. This grinder collects roughly ground bud in one chamber, “shake” consistency bud in the next, and kief in the bottom.
A Short Guide On Electric Weed Grinders:
- Electric weed grinders can offer many of the bells and whistles we mentioned above, but they take the work out of manual grinding. If you choose to go this route, look for a sophisticated electric grinder that offers some protection against “over-grinding” the bud so that you don’t end up with a powdery consistency. Also, consider the charge time, the battery’s life expectancy, and the grinder’s weed capacity.
Choosing a grinder is a matter of preference and intended use. Electric grinders are convenient, speedy grinding devices, but they won’t be much help if the battery runs out while you’re on the go. Manual grinders vary a lot from model to model, but a four or 5-piece model can give you ultimate control over your grinding experience. Alternatively, a 2 or 3 piece grinder will get the job done and be much easier to clean.
While searching for the perfect grinder, you may also encounter other options, like grinders with a hand crank (suitable for limited dexterity but prone to clogging) or grinders with interchangeable chambers for a custom grind. Some things that we believe to be non-negotiable are the use of high-quality materials that won’t flake and the addition of a magnetic seal that keeps the top from falling off and prevents you from losing weed.
2. Material Matters
Weed grinders can be made from various materials, including plastics, metals, and even wood. While there’s no “superior” grinder material, each material has its unique benefits and drawbacks. The material affects its efficiency, durability, cost, and difficulty to clean. Here’s a quick rundown on the most common grinder materials:
-
Plastic Weed Grinder
- A plastic weed grinder will almost always be the most affordable type of grinder, and they usually get the job done, but with a few drawbacks. They are much less rigid and won’t grind large buds as quickly. With too much force, the teeth can break. Still, they can be easier to clean since you don’t have to worry about them rusting or tarnishing.
-
Wood Weed Grinder
- Wood grinders are sturdy and practical and often come with intricately carved designs. The downside is that wooden grinders are less hygienic and more challenging to clean.
-
Aluminum Weed Grinder
- The quality of aluminum grinders varies quite a bit, but they can be an efficient and cost-conscious option. If you decide to go this route, look for high-quality aluminum, such as anodized aluminum. As a bonus, aluminum is one of the most accessible metals to clean.
-
Steel/Titanium Grinder
- Stainless steel and titanium grinders are generally more costly than their non-metal counterparts, but they are incredibly durable and reliable. These metals are much harder than aluminum, so grinders made from titanium or steel don’t wear out and usually have sharp teeth that make grinding a breeze.
3. The Teeth
The teeth of your grinder are, after all, doing most of the work, so they need to be considered. There are many good options, but you should avoid anything made of cheap materials that may flake into your weed. Plus, soft metals and plastics are prone to cross-threading, and dull teeth mean that grinding will require much more force.
4. Size
It may go without saying, but the size of your grinder affects its portability and how much weed you can grind at a time. We won’t go into much detail here, but consider how you plan to use your grinder when choosing a size.
5. Grip
The grip comfort of your grinder matters, especially if you grind a lot of weed. Some grinders have a ridged grip, silicone sleeve, or other quirks that make them easier to handle. Size also impacts grip comfort, and you may find that smaller grinders are more challenging to handle and use than larger grinders with an excellent gripping surface.
6. Quality
The quality of your grinder is easily one of the most important considerations to make, especially since the quality of different materials can vary greatly. For instance, one made from high-quality acrylic will outperform a herb grinder made from low-grade aluminum, which might even leave metal shavings in your weed. Stick to established brands and avoid cheap knock-off products, and you should be fine.
How to Use a Weed Grinder
The way you use a weed grinder depends on your model, but the basic idea is simple. First, break the nugs down into pieces that will fit in between your grinder’s teeth and place them into the grinding chamber. Place the lid on top and then twist it back and forth to grind the teeth against the bud.
If you’re using a 2-piece grinder, take off the lid and dump the ground flower from the same chamber where you loaded it. The ground bud will collect in the chambers below if you’re using a grinder with additional chambers.
Keep in mind that a grinder needs to be cleaned regularly to perform consistently. An uncleaned grinder will get sticky, which will make it harder to twist. Plus, weed will stick to the teeth and be more difficult to remove. Use a cotton swab and alcohol to rub-down the inner surfaces and between the teeth for basic cleaning.
Which Brand Is The Best?
The weed grinder market is varied, and there is no one superior brand. Still, not all grinders are created equal, and it’s essential to find the right brand that works for you. The best grinder brand is the one that uses high-quality materials and works within your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to buy a weed grinder?
- You can buy grinders online and in some stores, like tobacco shops or head shops. Usually, buying online is the better option since you get a better overview of the grinder’s specs and other users’ reviews.
Does weed lose potency after grinding?
- Grinding weed protects it from losing potency compared to breaking it down by hand. Potent trichomes may stick to fingers or surfaces but generally won’t adhere to a metal grinder.
What size weed grinder should I get?
- For personal use (grinding about a gram at a time), a 2-3 inch grinder is plenty. If you want to grind more significant amounts, you may look for a 4-inch grinder or larger.
Can you put a weed grinder in the dishwasher?
- Some grinders may survive the dishwasher (save for wood and some plastic models), but it’s not exactly an effective cleaning method. Weed leaves a sticky residue behind that may not simply wash off. Plus, some metals will rust if not properly dried after being washed with water. Instead, clean it with a cotton swab and alcohol.
Conclusion
An herb grinder can indeed elevate your cannabis experience, but the grinder market is expansive and can be challenging to navigate for first-time buyers. Even if you consider yourself an experienced smoker, grinder manufacturers are constantly improving technologies that make a weed grinder more useful than ever.
Luckily, there are options for new and experienced smokers that fit every budget. If you’re dreaming of fluffy bud, smooth tokes, and a low-maintenance grinding experience, we hope that our list of the market’s best weed grinders guides you to the grinder of your dreams.
Table of contents