15 Best Weed Grinders to Buy in 2022

• 1. What is a weed grinder?
• 2. What to look for in a weed grinder
• 2. a. Manual vs. electric weed grinder
• 2. b. Materials
• 2. c. Number of compartments
• 2. d. The teeth
• 2. e. Size
• 2. f. Grip
• 2. g. The mesh screen
• 3. The 15 best weed grinders for 2022
• 3. a. Santa cruz shredder
• 3. b. Cali crusher og slick nonstick grinder
• 3. c. Potv grinder
• 3. d. Kannastör gr8tr v2 jar body grinder
• 3. e. Sharpstone hand crank grinder
• 3. f. Sackville & co. 3-tier gilded grinder
• 3. g. Magic flight finishing grinder
• 3. h. Tectonic9 herb grinder
• 3. i. Aerospaced by higher standards grinder
• 3. j. Høj klip grinder
• 3. k. Qubus grinder
• 3. l. Banana bros og otto
• 3. m. The brilliant cut grinder
• 3. n. Phoenician medium grinder
• 3. o. Space case grinder titanium
• 4. How to use a weed grinder?
• 5. Conclusion
• 6. Faq
• 6. a. Where to buy a weed grinder?
• 6. b. What size weed grinder should i get?
• 6. c. Can you put a weed grinder in the dishwasher?
• 6. d. Does weed lose potency after grinding?
• 6. e. How do you grind weed with your hands?

If your passion for weed has brought you at least to the rolling of your first joint or packing your first bowl, you know that breaking up bud with your fingers is hardly an option. Cannabis enthusiasts have long come up with a perfect solution for that, and it's called a weed grinder. These little contraptions range from the simplest and cheapest, practically throwaway models to more sophisticated and functional designs to real conversation pieces meant to wow your stoner friends.

Below you'll find our top 15 list of best weed grinders, but first, let's take a look at what types the modern market offers us. 

What is a Weed Grinder?

In its most basic form, a weed grinder is a small, handheld device that consists of two round pieces, each with a set of 'teeth' on the inside. When you place a chunk of bud between the pieces and rotate them in opposite directions, the teeth grind the flower into small crumbs which you can then spread evenly along a joint, put in a vaporizer, or use for cooking edibles.

Of course, human inventiveness has moved far beyond this basic design, and there are models with several compartments as well as electrically driven ones, and certainly, there's much variety in what materials cannabis grinders use and what sizes they have. So, let's go into some detail. 

What to Look for in a Weed Grinder

The manufacturers of weed grinders cater to every wallet, so you may start with a price that suits your budget. But what are the considerations beyond the price? Of course, a lot depends on what kind of a consumer you are – whether you smoke often or only occasionally, grind some herb just for yourself or regularly treat your friends. etc. We'll try to break down the types of marijuana grinders and give you tips as to how to choose one that'll be a perfect fit for you. 

Manual Vs. Electric Weed Grinder

When you hear 'electric weed grinder', don't picture some lumbering desktop contraption with a power cord. Modern electric grinders run on batteries and are quite portable. Having said that, they are better for stationary use while manual grinders are perfect to use on the go as most of them fit inside your pocket.

Materials

Whatever material you choose, make sure it's safe for humans as it'll come in direct contact with the herb that you'll consume by smoking, vaping, or eating. Your choice of material is basically limited to plastic/acrylic, stainless steel, and wood although there are some rare types, such as FastBuds' all-natural hemp grinder. Let's briefly look into the pros and cons of each type.

Stainless-Steel Grinders

Strong and durable, these grinders will serve you for many years because their teeth don't dull, break, or wear out. If you don't lose it or get tired of it, a steel herb grinder may last for your entire weed-smoking career.

Wooden Grinders

It's pretty much the same thing as stainless-steel grinders because the insert is made of steel and the wood is only on the outside. While steel ones can be sleek and stylish, a wooden marijuana grinder is a whole new game in terms of style. For this reason alone, they're usually also more expensive.

Plastic Grinders

Odds are that your very first cannabis grinder is a plastic one. There's nothing wrong with that as plastic/acrylic devices do their job just fine – until you drop and break them or their teeth get clogged with sticky stuff or become dull. On the plus side, plastic ones are very cheap.

Number of Compartments

Grinding the buds is just one thing that grinders can do. They can also catch and store weed crumbs and do the same for kief, aka trichomes, separately. Depending on that, we can classify them into those with one, two, or three compartments and two, three, and four pieces, respectively.

2-Piece Weed Grinders

A two-piece weed grinder has just one compartment – the one where buds are ground. When you're done grinding them, you open it and tap the material out. Then it's basically 'lather, rinse, repeat'. Some of these grinders may have an additional very shallow compartment (with a lid) on top where you can put some leftovers that didn't fit in your joint.

3-Piece Weed Grinders

These have an additional compartment right below the main one. The crumbs fall through the holes in the bottom of the main compartment, allowing you to put another nugget on the teeth and continue grinding.

4-Piece Weed Grinders

The ground buds aren't just the course plant material but have also some finer stuff called kief. It consists of trichomes – tiny resin glands that give cannabis plants the signature frosty look and contain the bulk of cannabinoids. So, a four-piece grinder has a kief catcher that sifts the trichomes through a fine screen into a third, bottommost compartment. It takes many grinding cycles to fill this compartment, but when the job is done, you've got yourself some crazy-potent stuff to dab or vape.

The Teeth

The teeth are ultimately what makes or breaks your grinding experience. They can be diamond-shaped, pyramid-shaped, have a more sophisticated shape with four points... the list goes on. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to predict how they'll perform based on how they look or how many there are – you need to see them in action. The only thing you can rely on when buying a grinder is the teeth' sharpness. Also, don't forget that almost anything not made of steel will lose its edge with time, and teeth in plastic grinders can be broken when handling an especially tough bud.

Size

Choosing the right size of a grinder is mostly about how much you consume but also about the size of your pocket if you want to enjoy your smoke on the go. You may even have several grinders of different sizes – each for every occasion.

Big Weed Grinders

Those grinders that are more than 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter are considered big. They are very convenient to use but not the most convenient to carry around. Buy one if you're a heavy/medical user and mostly consume cannabis at home. Big grinders are also perfect for making edibles as you'll need to use up large amounts of buds in one go.

Medium Weed Grinders

This category includes the majority of grinders on the market. They vary in size from 2 to 3 inches (5-7.5 cm), and at least the smaller of them will fit conveniently in your pocket. With grinders of this size, you'll get enough weed to roll any kind of joint, spliff, or blunt.

Small Weed Grinders

These are great as souvenirs for your stoner buddies and when you want something ultimately portable and discreet to go with your one-hit pipe. They come in sizes smaller than 2 inches (5 cm).

Grip

The grip of a grinder determines how easy it is to rotate the pieces. It's essential when you're dealing with super dense buds or if you're an arthritic patient and your fingers ache. There are several ways to increase the grip, such as notching or knurls, so make sure you pay attention to this detail in the design.

The Mesh Screen

The mesh screen is an essential part of a 3-chamber grinder. It sieves the kief from your ground bud by letting it fall through into the bottommost compartment. The two most important characteristics are the number of threads per inch and whether it gets easily clogged or not. Anywhere from 40 to 60 threads per inch works fine for most purposes. The higher the number, the fewer impurities you'll get in your kief. As for the clogging (and the ease of cleaning), try to find some online reviews to this effect. 

The 15 Best Weed Grinders for 2022

1. Santa Cruz Shredder

Though not much to look at, Santa Cruz Shredder is vying for the title of the best grinder for weed ever. This Californian company has done good research on how such devices work and perfected every aspect of the grinding process – from the materials used to the shape of the teeth to the rare Earth magnets that hold the pieces together. As for this grinder's durability, it's underscored by a lifetime warranty that you get with your purchase. You won't find it hard to grind even the toughest bud as the four-point teeth stay sharp and cut both ways.

Grind Quality: Fluffy
Material: Solid Anodized Aluminum
Retail Price: $65-79

Pros:

• Shreds both ways smoothly and ensures a fluffy grind 
• Comes in different form factors and colors
• Is reliable and durable

Cons:

• Is a bit pricey
• Has a simple design

2. Cali Crusher OG Slick Nonstick Grinder

A very affordable model, Cali Crusher OG Slick Nonstick Grinder nevertheless consists of 4 pieces and has 3 compartments including a 'pollen' catcher. It has few teeth, but thanks to their clever positioning and their diamond shape, they break up buds pretty well. The aerospace aluminum used in this grinder can look quite stylish with either a slick or matte finish (whichever you prefer), and trichomes don't stick to it. Moreover, you'll get a kief catcher and a spatula to scrape off pollen. There are also quite a few colors to choose from, and the price as far as 4-piece grinders go is quite affordable.

Grind Quality:  A bit coarse
Material: Aerospace aluminum
Retail Price: $36

Pros:

• Is portable with a diameter of 2.5 inches
• Has 3 compartments including a kief catcher
• Uses non-sticky material

Cons:

• The grind could be fluffier

3. POTV Grinder

For pot smokers on a budget, the four-piece grinder from the Planet of the Vapes (POTV) offers passable grind quality and full functionality for the lowest price possible. This grinder may seem lackluster to you in its design, but you get three chambers including a pollen catcher, and isn't it all that you really need? The material used in this device is aircraft-grade anodized aluminum, and it isn't as premium as it sounds. Rather, it means you can't clean it with isopropyl alcohol lest the coating peels off. Use warm water and detergent instead, and this grinder will serve you for years.

Grind Quality: Average
Material: Anodized Aluminum
Retail Price: $25

Pros:

• Low price as far as 4-piece devices go

Cons:

• No manufacturer guarantee
• You can't clean it with ISO alcohol

4. Kannastör GR8TR V2 Jar Body Grinder

This grinder is unique in that it offers you a chance to make a coarser grind for joints or a finer one for a vaporizer. You just choose one of the two available grinding plates to suit your needs. Thanks to its modular design, you can also install or remove its two screens and also put away all extras and leave only the essentials to make the device fit in your pocket. Of course, you might never need all those bells and whistles, and the price is rather steep, but at least, you can be sure that you're prepared for any situation. The material used here is hardened aluminum with a stylish matte surface.

Grind Quality: Fine & Fluffy
Material: Hardened aluminum
Retail Price: Up to $90

Pros:

• Make your own configuration from modules
• Smooth operation and fine grind
• Good storage capacity

Cons:

• Too large size for on-the-go use
• High price 

5. SharpStone Hand Crank Grinder

Though it looks pretty much like a miniature hand-crank coffee grinder, the SharpStone device is quite effective at breaking up cannabis buds to a desired consistency. It has even a transparent lid – to look through until you're satisfied with the quality of the grind. SharpStone may appeal to medical users, especially those with arthritic pain in their fingers, but would be cumbersome to carry around in your pocket. Well, you can take it with you if you want to – it has a discreet-looking pouch specifically for that – but this grinder would look the most appropriate in your kitchen cabinet.

Grind Quality: Consistent
Material: Anodized aluminum and plastic
Retail Price: $55

Pros:

• Easy, smooth action
• See-through top to monitor your progress

Cons:

• Compromised portability
• Eccentric design

6. Sackville & Co. 3-Tier Gilded Grinder

The Sackville grinder was created specifically for women pot smokers and would look like the most stylish accessory in the most expensive designer handbag. Its brushed-gold surface immediately catches the eye but leaves you completely in the dark about what exactly this shiny object might be. The words 'weed grinder' would probably be the last that'll come to your mind. The three-tier design means that there's a kief compartment with a screen, and the teeth that are shaped as diamonds and are as sharp as diamonds ensure a fluffy grind for the densest of buds. 

Grind Quality: Fine & Fluffy
Material: Brass and aluminum
Retail Price: $80

Pros:

• Slick and stylish looks
• Doesn't look like marijuana paraphernalia
• Ensures superb quality

Cons:

• High price
• Design is certainly not unisex

7. Magic Flight Finishing Grinder

This grinder is perfect for giving a final touch to the buds you have first broken up with a coarser grinder. While too fine a texture is something totally wrong for bongs and joints, it works great in conduction vaporizers, giving you more bang for your buck. Of course, you can't use Magic Flight as a standalone device so you'll need to spend extra money on another one. However, this initial investment will give you huge returns over time as the finer grind will maximize your vapor output and ultimately save you money.  

Grind Quality: Powdery
Material: Walnut
Retail Price: $40

Pros:

• Pulverizes your weed like no other
• Comes in three colors – walnut, maple, and cherry

Cons:

• You need a companion grinder for the initial coarser work

8. Tectonic9 Herb Grinder

The first battery-powered grinder on our list is also the most high-tech looking. What sets it apart from other electric devices (and gives it a slightly nerdy look) is a shiny silvery weed dispenser that is normally tucked away under the bottom but can be flipped up when needed and shake out some shredded bud into your joint through vibration. Unfortunately, this grinder has no chamber for kief, but on the plus side, it ensures a perfectly consistent and fluffy grind. With a diameter of 2.5 inches, Tectonic9 Herb Grinder is slightly on the large side but still portable.

Grind Quality: Fluffy
Material: Aluminum Alloy
Retail Price: $60

Pros:

• High-quality grind texture
• Long battery life
• Makes loading your joint or bowl easy

Cons:

• Small capacity
• No kief catcher

9. Aerospaced by Higher Standards Grinder

A rare find, Aerospaced by Higher Standards is extra small at just 1.6 inches in diameter but offers the full functionality of a 4-piece weed grinder. So, if you aren't an avid consumer but sifting out some kief is important to you, you'll find in this device everything you're looking for. Moreover, it offers compactness and portability for easy on-the-go use. Its diamond-shaped teeth are so sharp as to not just shred the toughest of buds but virtually pulverize them with an extra turn or two. Such a fine texture would be great for portable conduction vaporizers, so together they'll make an amazing traveling kit.

Grind Quality: Extra fine
Material: Aircraft-grade aluminum
Retail Price: $26

Pros:

• Great grinding quality
• Non-stick inner surface
• A kief compartment

Cons:

• Insufficient size for heavy users

10. HØJ KLIP Grinder

The HØJ KLIP device reimagines the very idea of what it means to grind buds. Unlike most other grinders that crush the herb, this one uses ingeniously designed blades to slice through your nuggets piece by piece. What you get as a result is the fluffy consistency of your smoke which burns smoother. Moreover, slicing keeps the trichomes intact instead of mangling them and they fall through the screen and into the kief catcher whole – like tiny vessels full of THC and terpenes. Opposing magnets suspend the moving parts midair, ensuring the smoothest turn possible, and you get several interchangeable disks that give you a finer grind for vaporizers or a coarser one for pipes. In short, there's a configuration for every occasion.

Grind Quality: Fine to Coarse
Material: Stainless steel
Retail Price: $200

Pros:

• Modular design
• Adaptable grind quality
• Lifetime warranty

Cons:

• Very expensive

11. Qubus Grinder

We're so used to the idea that a grinder should be round, but should it really? Qubus Grinder, which is shaped like a cube, is proof that it's always worthwhile to try new things. You'll immediately appreciate its easy grip that allows you to shred buds seemingly effortlessly. This device has three chambers, including a kief catcher with a changeable screen, and all the sections are held in place with powerful magnets making it a breeze to assemble and disassemble and preventing troubles with gummed-up threads. The teeth are many and grind your weed efficiently. The only fault we could find with this grinder is its relatively high price.

Grind Quality: Fluffy
Material: Unknown
Retail Price: From $100

Pros:

• Unique design
• Smell- and water-proof
• Lifetime warranty

Cons:

• Expensive

12. Banana Bros OG Otto

Let's go one step beyond a simple grind with Banana Bros OG Otto grinder which won't just break up your bud and leave you figuring out how to roll your first joint without making it flimsy and lopsided. If you have a ready-made king-size cone, just insert it into the bottom compartment, and your device will take care of the rest. Not just shredding the bud and 'spitting out' the result but also determining the quality of the grind depending on the situation. It's very gratifying to have such smart gadgets taking care of your stoner needs but requires some reciprocity, such as cleaning, charging the battery, and the rest of the maintenance.

Grind Quality: Varies depending on the smart algorithm
Material: Aluminium
Retail Price: $150

Pros:

• Intuitive use
• The pre-roll cone filler is totally removable
• The texture of the grind depends on what you need

Cons:

• High price
• Requires maintenance

13. The Brilliant Cut Grinder

This grinder is manufactured by a company called Grinders for Life, and this name says it all. Unparalleled in its robustness, The Brilliant Cut Grinder is made from 7075 aluminum used in aerospace, and its pieces are held together not by screwing on and off but by powerful magnets.  This makes the device much quicker to use, avoids the necessity to clean gummed-up threads, and removes the risk of cross-threading. By choosing the most expensive option, you get several grinding pieces for different grind textures – course, medium, and fine. If you can live without a kief catcher, this will be a perfect bud shredder for you.

Grind Quality: Coarse/Medium/Fine
Material: Aerospace 7075 Aluminum
Retail Price: $75-125

Pros:

• Robust and durable
• Threadless design
• Different plates for different grind qualities included

Cons:

• No kief catcher
• Expensive

14. Phoenician Medium Grinder

This large four-piece grinder stands out from the crowd thanks to its distinctive design – the convenience of your grip is ensured by prominent bumps on each section which give the whole thing a vaguely octagonal look. The teeth are extra sharp and slim so that they shear your buds rather than shred them, resulting in a coarse and not powdery grind. The ground-up bud conveniently falls through large holes, and some kief falls further through a screen that is removable and easy to clean. Good magnets ensure a quick and easy lock without all the inconvenience of threaded fastening.

Grind Quality: Coarse
Material: Medical-grade anodized aluminum
Retail Price: $90

Pros:

• Attractive design
• Easy grip
• Removable kief screen for easy cleaning

Cons:

• Too coarse a grind for conductive vaporizers
• Expensive

15. Space Case Grinder Titanium

If you're like the majority of smokers out there, you don't need all the bells and whistles that come with premium grinders and a two-piece model maybe be the right thing for you. On the other hand, why not enjoy the simple process of shredding your bud in style? Space Case Grinder Titanium offers you exactly this kind of experience. This hockey puck of a device is large and feels heavy in your hands as it's made of high-quality anodized aluminum and given a titanium coating (or so the manufacturer says). Both the grinding and the storing of your buds happen in the same compartment, but it's sufficiently spacious to hold enough bud for even the heaviest smoker. The pieces are securely held in place by magnets.

Grind Quality: Normal
Material: Anodized aluminum
Retail Price: $120

Pros:

• Stylish glossy-black design
• Convenient grip
• Comfortably weighty

Cons:

• No separate storage chamber and kief catcher
• Too large to carry around

How to Use a Weed Grinder?

The grinding compartment consists of two pieces that are held together by a tight fit, a threaded fastening, or a magnet that sits in the center of each piece. So, open this compartment and place a nugget on the bottom teeth, just not quite in the center. Push it a little onto the teeth so that it doesn't fall off and put the upper part back on. You may need to use some force to crush the bud.

Then just start twisting the pieces back and forth. When the turning gets smooth, your ground-up bud is fine and fluffy enough for filling a bowl or a joint. That's it for the most simple 2-piece devices as you'll just have to tap the stuff out and maybe clean out the last crumbs from between the teeth with a toothpick or something.

With more sophisticated devices, you'll be getting your stuff from the bottom compartment to where it has fallen from the grinding chamber. Finally, if you have a 4-piece grinder, there'll be also some kief in the kief-catcher. You'll probably collect enough of it over several grinding sessions.

Conclusion

We've tried our best to share with you our experience with cannabis grinders: what to consider when buying them, how to use them, and how to choose one that best fits your consumption style. The offer on today's market is staggering, but you needn't be overwhelmed by it. Our top 15 list is a great starting point that'll help you decide on a grinder of the most suitable shape, size, and functionality. Buying the best grinder for weed has never been easier. Good luck with your choice! 

FAQ

Where to buy a weed grinder?

You can buy a weed grinder either online (see our all-organic grinder made out of hemp) and in brick-and-mortar head shops and grow shops that cater specifically to cannabis smokers and marijuana growers. However, even tobacco shops often sell quite good grinders for smoking.

What size weed grinder should I get?

For most users, a medium-sized grinder (2-3 inches in diameter) will do the job just fine. Choose a bigger one if you're a heavy smoker, often treat your friends, or need to grind large amounts of bud to make edibles. Get a smaller one for extra portability and discreetness.

Can you put a weed grinder in the dishwasher?

You can do that, but keep in mind a few considerations. Some cheapest models use a coating of paint that may peel in the dishwasher. The same with varnish. If there's a design on the lid of your grinder, it may also wash off. The wood in wooden grinders may absorb the soapy water and sustain permanent damage. And don't forget that cannabis resin is notoriously hard to wash off with water (even with the aid of a detergent), so your grinder may remain not as clean as you hoped. 

Does weed lose potency after grinding?

The potency of weed stays the same when you grind it. However, some trichomes may be lost in the process as some of them will be stuck to the grinder's teeth and other surfaces, and trichomes contain the most amount of cannabinoids. And if you plan to store ground buds for long periods of time, think better of it – the grinding process increases the surface of contact with air, and that will make THC degrade faster.

How do you grind weed with your hands?

Although it's a terrible way to grind weed, you can take your buds apart with your hands. Just tear off little pieces one at a time and throw away the sticks. If the buds are overdried, simply crumbling them between your thumb and your forefinger will be easy. However, overdried buds aren't the best kind of smoke because they tend to be harsh and their flavor bland.