If you’re new to cannabis, you may have a few questions about grinders and how to use one. Grinders can be purchased at almost any smoke store or head shop, or you can order one online from a variety of retail outlets. They can be as simple as a grinding card (like a cheese grater for cannabis) or a more complex multi-chamber device. In this tutorial, we’re going to teach you how to use the most common type of cannabis grinder: a 4-piece grinder with a kief catcher.

But first, let’s go over the basics.

Why Use a Grinder?

Many smokers choose to make the investment of buying into a grinder for its many benefits. Grinders are strictly for use with dry herbs, since dry herbs must be separated to allow for better combustion.

Many smokers may start off by picking herbs apart instead of fully grinding them, which could reduce potency as the pollen and plant matter can often stick to their fingers.

By completely grinding herbs, you can sprinkle your dry herbs into your bowl with full potency, and pack them tighter to allow for increased airflow and better control over how fast your bowl will burn.

Styles of Grinders

The most common style of grinder is the multi-piece grinder, which uses several pieces that connect to create an area for grinding and storing.  Many smokers find these grinders to be the most useful for the extra storing space, which can vary depending on size and diameter.  These grinders usually have a top grinding space with many teeth that can be twisted to fully grind herbs, and small holes that allow for the herbs to drop down to the storing space.  Some grinders have an automated style of grinding that will grind herbs with the simple press of a button, while shredder cards are similar to a cheese grater better for quick on-the-go use.

Grinder Pieces and Pollen Catchers

Grinders with multiple pieces often have a separate chamber with a thin metal net that catches only the tiniest of pollen. This pollen is often particularly potent, and smokers will usually collect the build up to sprinkle on top of their usual bowl of dry herbs.  

Piece grinders can have anywhere from 2-5 pieces, and the more pieces you have, the more you can cultivate the most potent flecks. It’s considered good practice to include a small coin in the main storage section of a grinder to help push pollen down into the catch.
With such a wide variety of grinders available, it all comes down to how you want to grind your herbs and what kind of an investment is best for you. Smoke Cartel and Kraken Grinders keep a variety of grinders in stock to help keep your options open and to ensure that you’re making the most of your seshes!

What Is a Grinder and Why Do I Need One for Cannabis?

As you might have guessed, a grinder is the tool you use to break your cannabis up into small bits for smoother-hitting bowls or for wrapping in rolling papers and blunt wraps. There are a number of ways to grind cannabis if you don’t have a grinder, but grinders speed up the process and offer perks like kief catchers.

A kief catcher refers to the bottom chamber below the screen that gathers all the potent crystal kief knocked off the buds in the grinding process. You can scoop the kief out and add it to the top of your bowl, or use it later to press your own hash or cook edibles.

Above the screen, you’ll find the grinding chamber with “teeth,” or the blades that do all the work. The lid of the grinder attaches to this part, and metal grinders typically have a magnet to help keep things secure as you grind.

How to Use a Marijuana Grinder

Step 1: Take off the top lid. Use your fingers to break bigger buds up and place them in between the grinder’s teeth. Don’t bother putting any bud in the direct center–this is where the magnet pivots, so nothing in the center will get shredded.

Step 2: Replace the top of the grinder and give it about 10 rotations, until all the bud has fallen through the holes. You can remove the top and tap it against the grinder’s side to help loosen up any sticky pieces stuck in the teeth.

Step 3:Unscrew the chamber with the teeth to find the basket layer holding all your freshly ground cannabis. Load it into your pipe, joint, or blunt and enjoy!

Step 4: Once you’ve collected some kief in the bottom chamber, scrape some out with a piece of paper or the scraping tool provided (not all grinder purchases will include one, but they’re definitely handy). Again, you can sprinkle kief onto a bowl to make it more potent, or save it for something else. Be careful with metal scrapers, as they can scrape aluminum particulates along with your kief!

Some people like to put a weight in the kief chamber to help knock resin from the screen into the bottom dish. A cleaned penny or nickel works perfectly for this.

How to Clean a Sticky Grinder

One day, you’ll have used your grinder so often that it will become sticky with kiefy resin. The threading on the sides where pieces screw together will become gummy, making it difficult (or impossible) to twist open. Avoid having your grinder lock up on you by keeping it clean; here are a few tips for keeping things running smoothly.

• Rub the sticky grinder parts with isopropyl alcohol and salt. This is a go-to cleaning method for pipes and bongs, but it works just as well for getting rid of the stickiness on grinder pieces.
• Use a small brush (e.g. a stiff-bristled paintbrush, or a clean beard brush or toothbrush) to knock kief loose from the screen.
• Freezing your grinder makes it harder for kief to stick to surfaces. Consider putting your grinder in the freezer before cleaning up the kiefy mess if it’s being particularly stubborn.
• For really irredeemably sticky grinders, sometimes it’s best to just replace the thing altogether, especially if it’s a cheap grinder.