I vape a lot of weed, and I expect a lot out of my herb grinders. My collection has grown to over 100 grinders and continues to grow. I’m even privately beta-testing several upcoming grinders.
While I certainly have my favorites, I thoroughly enjoy testing and comparing weed grinders and understanding their differences.
I’ve put together this list of my methods and grinder expectations to help you better understand my grinder reviews and recommendations. Click Here to see my Best Grinder Page
Table of Contents
#1 Priority – Give me a Good Grind Consistency
The first one is pretty easy to achieve. The grinder needs to work.
I need my herb grinder to take my nug and break it into a not-quite-powder sized consistency.
The grind should all be the same. There should be no chunks that are obviously larger than the rest. Both vaporizers and smoking devices benefit greatly from a consistent grind.
I don’t care about Fine, Medium, or Coarse grinds – those are personal preference – I only care about consistency.
Most grinders will pass this test while clean, but more than half fail while the grinder is dirty.
#2 Time Between Cleaning / Required Maintenance
My ideal grinder is one that requires no regular maintenance and no cleaning. The closest I have found to this experience is the Brilliant Cut grinder and the Santa Cruz Shredder.
A weed grinder should never fail me, and I should never be forced to clean my weed grinder.
– Spoiled As Fuck by the Brilliant Cut
While everyone loves a clean grinder and the clean grinder experience, very few grinders continue to operate once they’re caked with months worth of THC.
I push my grinders as hard as I can UNTIL THEY FAIL or until I am convinced THEY WILL NOT FAIL.
#3 Interface & Experience
Numbers 1 and 2 filter out all the non-working grinders. Going beyond the basics, it comes down to the grinding experience and how the herb grinder integrates into my rituals and habits.
I vape a lot of weed and I may open my grinder 30 times per day or more. Little seconds here or there and little extra steps and complications stand out as inconveniences, while easier-to-use grinders are highlighted as more efficient.
Grinders have been around for a long time, and the basic twist and threaded aluminum grinder can absolutely be enough – Santa Cruz Shredder is the KING of the standard weed grinder.
My Best Weed Grinder page compares all of the best herb grinders. Both Aluminum and Stainless steel grinders are included in my comparison.
Weed Grinder Rating Categories
My master spreadsheet of comparisons ranks all the grinders across a list of categories. An explanation of these ranking categories can be found below. The individual grinder ratings are on my review pages.
| Grinder Ranking Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Ranking | This is my 1-10 score of the grinder. |
| Avg Ranking | This score is the calculated 1-10 average of all other scores. |
| Time Between Cleanings | I want a grinder that doesn’t fail when it gets dirty. I like grinders that can go a long time between cleanings. |
| Grind Consistency | Consistency is important. I want a uniform grind. |
| Grind Fluff | Fluffy means unmangled and natural. The less mangling and manipulation, the better. |
| Ease of Use | A good weed grinder needs to be easy to grind and easy to open and close, too. |
| Grind Speed & Efficiency | Efficiency is more important than speed, but a good grinder should be fast. Fastest isn’t the goal, though. |
| Joy of Use | Does using this grinder make me happy? Does holding it bring joy? Some grinders bring irrational happiness. |
| Travel | Is the grinder small enough to take on the go? Is it easy to carry, hold, and tuck away? |
| Durability | Grinders are an investment. Are the teeth and threads durable enough to last a decade? |
| Maintenance | How easy is this grinder to clean? Minimal maintenance is preferred over multiple-piece cleaning processes. |
| AirTightness | Vape users store leftover weed in their grinder for the next sesh. Airtight grinders help the herb stay fresher, longer. |
| Versatility | Can its grind be adjusted by flipping it upside down, or by half-grinding? Some grinders can offer a variety of grind consistency with a few simple tricks. Others can’t. |
See my weed grinder reviews to find individual grinder ratings.
Interesting information over here.
Totally agree with you, A grinder is a device that breaks up the cannabis flower into smaller pieces, which makes it easier to vape. There are many different types of grinders on the market, but they all serve the same purpose.