How to Use a Grinder
In the smoking world, a grinder is an essential tool. You can’t smoke whole buds, and using scissors or your hands to break up the buds can result in an uneven bowl.
An even grind is key to packing the perfect bowl, and a herb grinder lets you do just that. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, a grinder enhances your smoking experience.
If you haven’t used a grinder before, this blog post is for you. In it, we’ll look at the benefits of using a cannabis grinder and how to use one!
Benefits of Grinders
Anyone who has used a grinder knows how useful it is. Here are some of the key benefits!
Even Grind
You can get uniformity in the size and texture of your ground herb. The consistency and smaller pieces ensure a larger surface area when you light your bowl or use it in a vape. It also allows for a more even burn that can give you a more balanced effect.
In addition, you’ll minimize the chances of unsmoked flower if you have an evenly packed bowl.
Kief
Most grinders have a mesh screen with a compartment at the bottom to catch kief as it falls off the nugs as you ground them up. Kief contains trichomes and is highly potent. You can sprinkle kief on top of bowls, mix it with joints, or make hash. Nothing’s wasted!
No Sticky Fingers
If you’ve handled cannabis with your hands, you might know how sticky it can get. If you break buds apart with your fingers, you’ll get sticky residue all over. More importantly, the potency of your bud will be reduced as this residue is where a lot of the THC is.
Efficiency
Breaking apart herb with your fingers or with scissors is time-consuming. Pop the bud into a grinder, twist a couple of times, and you’ve got perfectly ground bud in seconds!
Portability
Grinders are small, discreet, and portable. Even the smallest grinder can hold at least a gram of dry herb, and they are perfect for on-the-go use.
Types of Grinders
Not all grinders are created equal. You’ll have to decide between the features you want and the price.
Two-Piece Grinders
These are the most straightforward grinders containing only the grinding chamber and a lid.
Three-Piece Grinders
These contain a lid and two chambers. One for grinding and a bottom section to catch and store the ground herb.
Four-Piece Grinders
In addition to the lid, four-piece grinders have three chambers. One for grinding, one for catching the ground herb, and the kief chamber for catching kief through a mesh screen.
As mentioned earlier, kief falls off the ground herb as its processed. This is where the trichomes are, and kief is incredibly useful and potent. You can save kief which would otherwise be wasted and add it to your joints and bowls, or make hash with it.
Other Grinder Types
While most grinders can be operated by hand, there are some other quality pieces that you can check out.
Fully Automatic Grinders like the Cloudious9 The Auto9 are the epitome of grinding efficiency. Designed in California, this powerful electric grinder is battery-operated and rechargeable. Simply load your nug, hit a button, and you’ll have perfectly ground herb in seconds!
Reeling Handle Grinders such as the Aluminum Reeling Handle Grinder make it easier to grind your herb. Traditional grinders might not get through the toughest nug, but this reeling grinder can!
Lastly, some stash boxes and vaporizers have built-in grinders as an added feature.
How to Use a Grinder
Now, we’ll get into the thick of things. The grinding process is super easy!
Step 1: Add the Dry Herb
First, you remove the lid and break the nug into smaller chunks. Place the chunks on top of the teeth, and press the lid down firmly to get them in between.
Step 2: Get Grinding
Now that the cannabis is in between the teeth, you’re ready to grind. Hold the grinder by the bottom firmly and rotate the lid with the other hand. Try going both clockwise and counterclockwise to get the chunks of bud into smaller pieces.
Your herb is ready once you feel no resistance and the lid rotates easily.
Step 3: Give it a Tap
Tap your grinder against a hard surface to knock any remaining herb bits into the collection chamber.
Step 4: Remove the Ground Herb
Carefully unscrew the grinder and collect your ground herb for use. If you aren’t happy with the consistency of your herb, reposition any unground pieces and grind it again.
If you use a four-piece grinder, kief will also start collecting after a few uses. You can then begin collecting and adding it to your joints or bowls.
Step 5: Start Your Session
Now you’re ready for your smoke sesh!
Tips for Using a Grinder
The best grinders are metal ones. While plastic and wood grinders are available, aluminum, zinc, and stainless steel will give the best performance.
Clean your grinder regularly for optimal performance to remove any build-up residue and maximize its longevity. You can use isopropyl alcohol on metal grinders.
Also, when collecting kief, use a scraper to minimize damage to the mesh screen of the kief catcher.
Lastly, don’t overfill your grinder. It’ll be harder to grind and leave more residue in the grinder that can be difficult to clean up. If you want to grind a large amount for use, do so in batches.
Buy Grinders Online at Daily High Club
If you are now looking for a grinder, Daily High Club offers a wide selection of grinders for sale online! We have grinders of all sizes and top-quality automatic grinders for the most efficient way of getting perfectly ground herb. If you're looking for more guidance on how to pick a grinder, check out this article.