If you intend to smoke your medical cannabis, pulverizing it with your fingers and other ad hoc household tools each and every time can be annoying. Given that medical cannabis is usually a fairly long-term treatment in most of its applications, it can be quite handly and even enjoyable to have a quality weed grinder on hand.
Weed grinders, also known as herb grinders, marijuana grinders, or by other similar names, are small gadgets resembling the garlic grinder you might find in many kitchens that you can use for grinding up cannabis into a more manageable form that could be smoked easily.
While they come in a variety of different designs, most weed grinder models operate on similar principles. They can come with screens and compartments for helping you sift your cannabis as you grind as well as lid and compartment magnets to help them be a little more user-friendly.
However, not all weed grinders are built alike. Many of them are poorly built and quite a few have questionable designs that make them difficult to use. Here are a few things to look out for in your next weed grinder that may indicate better value for your money.
Materials
Because weed grinders work more or less the same way, materials can be a huge determinant of the price and value of a specific model.
Plastic/acrylic.
Generally speaking, plastic and acrylic weed grinders are the cheapest, most affordable grinders you can get. However, most generally represent poor value. These materials tend to be either too soft or too brittle, which means a stray stem can damage them quite easily. They also easily erode, causing particles of acrylic or plastic to contaminate your cannabis, and you don’t want to be inhaling those.
Metal
Stainless steel, aluminum, and titanium grinders are often preferred for long-term use, given their durability. Weed grinders with teeth made from softer materials like aluminum are more durable than plastic or acrylic, but they aren’t always necessarily the best value either. They can eventually wear down with time, producing a progressively less consistent grind with each use. Stainless steel and titanium are
Wood
While there are mass-produced wood grinders out there, these types of grinders are often handcrafted to some degree, making them a bit more expensive overall. However, many users like them because of the aesthetics and the overall experience of using wooden implements. If you like this experience, then these grinders may provide better value compared to one made from other materials that may be technically “better”. That said, stay away from grinders with wooden teeth, or those with painted or varnished chambers, as these can easily contaminate your medical cannabis with dangerous chemicals.
Ceramic
Ceramic grinders tend to be fairly durable and if the teeth are also ceramic, they tend to provide a smooth experience as well. But as with ceramic knives, chipping is often a concern, and ceramic-toothed grinders that aren’t constructed to good specs may become unusable after a while if you constantly overfill the grinding chamber.
Features
The other features of a weed grinder can also greatly contribute to the overall value they provide the user.
Form factor and aesthetics
Grinders should not only be a joy to use, but they should also be pleasing to look at as well. Thankfully, there is no shortage of grinders with different themes and form-factors available for virtually every user.
Ergonomics
A lot of the more interesting-looking grinders are not easy to use or hold on to. This can be a consideration if you’re taking medical cannabis for pain management or for any condition that prevents you from manipulating the grinder easily.
Teeth
More teeth made from more durable materials is almost always better. While there is no “magic” number, make sure the teeth aren’t too sparse in the grinding chamber.
Hole patterns
There is a popular consensus that circular hole patterns for multi-chambered weed grinder designs are the most efficient, with the least waste from weed getting trapped in-between parts,
Screens
Good quality screens are essential for ensuring you get consistent grinds. These should also be a removable and disposable part because these can wear out with heavy use. Generally speaking, if it’s not removable, that means that the grinder isn’t meant to last very long or is just badly designed.
Hopefully, we’ve cleared up a few questions you had on what makes a weed grinder good value for your money. Be sure to buy them from a reputable dealer so that you can get a great return policy and so that your choices are narrowed down to quality selections.
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