In order to ‘use’ marijuana, it needs to be broken up — whether you use a vaporizer, roll it into a cigarette (or joint) or smoke a bowl.
You can break it up with your hands but that can get messy and if you use scissors, they can get sticky and then your task becomes that much harder. Enter the grinder — a useful tool to those who wish to partake in the consumption of cannabis so here’s a look into what good and bad about certain types of grinders.
You can break it up with your hands but that can get messy and if you use scissors, they can get sticky and then your task becomes that much harder. Enter the grinder — a useful tool to those who wish to partake in the consumption of cannabis so here’s a look into what good and bad about certain types of grinders.
Metal grinders. The good — it’s the most common and cost-effective of the bunch. Now while some people prefer one-chamber metal grinders, the three-chamber variety both busts up the product and catches the kief in the bottom. Impossible to break, good for travel and the opaque design is a plus — providing a little privacy of your activities. The bad — after some time, kief catches in the moving parts and gums up the works. If you use a toothpick, business card, or other flat/pointed object to scrape the moving parts and screen. For deeper cleaning, you’ll have to bathe the whole thing in isopropyl alcohol, which can be a hassle.
Plastic grinders. The good — it’s cheap and light, that’s it. The bad — they have tendency to break instantly, shedding the little plastic pyramid-shaped grinding implements into your pot. As cheaply made as they are cost effective — weed falls out everywhere as soon as you open it.
Electric herb grinders. The good — screw-on plastic cap can hold a gram or two without spilling. Battery operated grinding action means no repetitive strain injury from twisting chambers around. Looks vaguely like a flashlight so somewhat subtle to carry around. The bad — more of a gimmick than anything. They’re cheaply constructed and no self-respecting smoker actually uses them.
Coffee grinders. The good — super fast; just pop in the product, press the button, whiz it around and you’ve got nice, fluffy product that’s ready for whatever application you have in mind. Plus, if anyone asks, it’s a coffee grinder because it’s actually a coffee grinder. The bad — a little bit expensive, not portable, needs to be plugged in and makes a distinct sound when you use it.
Credit cards. The good — it’s cheap, slim and extremely portable. Plenty of cannabis companies are embracing these as business cards so you may even be able to find one for free plus it’s not a big deal if you misplace it. The bad — somewhat fussy. It takes a little while to figure out the best method and works best for dense, well-cured buds. Little bits can stick in the holes, leaving crumbs in your wallet.
