Do Bulky Buds Grind Your Gears? How to Use a Cannabis Grinder

If you want to get the most out of that fire kush that just came into your possession, then you will want to invest in a cannabis grinder. You will also want to learn how to use it properly.

If you plan to share, then your reputation and bragging rights hang in the balance of how you plan to smoke and how smooth is the toke. 

Grinders are one of those things you don't realize are a necessity until you get one. Then you'll wonder how you ever lived out your days without one. Taking the extra time to break up your weed by hand is now a thing of the past.

Keep learning to learn more about cannabis grinders, how they're used, and how they'll benefit your next smoke sesh.

What is a Cannabis Grinder?

So, what exactly is a Cannabis grinder? Well, to put it simply, it's a small (usually metal) container with little teeth that grind up your nugs perfectly.

They make all grinders with the following three components:

1. A chamber for grinding
2. The teeth that make the grinding possible
3. A lid to hold everything inside and to add to the compression of your nugs

Keeping this in mind, grinders also range in size. We refer the sizing "Two-piece", "three-piece", and "four-piece". This is regarding having a single chamber, two chambers, or three—respectively. 

The Two-piece single chamber weed grinders are small and can fit in the palm of your hand. They are made up of the "bowl" and the lid, which create a single chamber when combined. 

The Three-piece double chamber grinders are about the same size but sit taller. This is because, besides the bowl and the lid, there's another piece underneath the bowl. 

Now, there are also holes in the bowl so that while you're grinding, the grounds fall into the second chamber—also known as the collection chamber. 

The Four-piece triple chamber grinders have a small mesh screen in addition to the collection chamber. This created a third chamber that we like to call: the kief chamber.

So now, as you grind your nugs and the grounds fall through to the collection chamber, you will continue to grind further. What this process does is it helps to loosen up the tiny terpenes and other plant materials, causing them to fall through the mesh and collect at the very bottom. This pollen-like material is what we refer to as kief. 

Now that you know the cannabis grinder basics, let's move on.

Why Do I Need One?

Well, aside from the fact that you'll be able to sprinkle the ever-so valuable kief all over, there is a whole list of benefits that come with investing in a cannabis grinder. We can sum all of those benefits up into one word, more or less: potency. Let us elaborate:

Grinding your weed creates consistency in the break-up (or, grounds). This maximizes the surface area, allowing your weed to burn more efficiently. When your weed burns more efficiently and evenly, it also provides a nice smooth inhalation. 

Having even grounds also prevents canoeing if you're smoking a joint or blunt. If you don't know what canoeing is, it's when your joint or blunt burns unevenly, causing one side to burn down faster, leaving the other side in the shape of a canoe. 

Grinding also keeps your hands clean, which incidentally prevents the trichomes in your weed from rubbing off onto your skin. Why does this matter? Because the trichomes are delicate, and they also contribute to your weed's flavor and scent.

Using a grinder also helps to open up the flavors and scents of the different strains of marijuana. This is because they efficiently grind up the marijuana (rather than pulling it apart) while preserving those delicate trichomes. 

A grinder saves you time and money. Since it grinds up your nugs more evenly, creating a more potent profile, you end up using less. This means more weed for later!

How Do I Use It?

The cannabis grinder is self-explanatory in its usage. If you're new to the world of grinders or weed, then you're in good hands. Here's how to use your cannabis grinder step by step:

• Step 1: Break up your nug into smaller pieces. Take the lid of your grinder and load it up—but put nothing in the middle of the bowl! The middle of the bowl is the center of the carousel, so anything there won't get ground up. Stick to the outer rim. 
• Step 2: Put the lid back on and start grinding. Hold the bottom of your grinder with one hand using the other to turn the lid. You'll feel a little resistance at first, but keep grinding until all resistance is non existent.
• Step 3: Before removing the lid (or the bottom), give your grinder a tap against your hand or a hard surface. This will help loosen up your grounds and kief into their collection chambers.
• Step 4: Remove the grinding chamber(s) carefully and scoop out your freshly ground greens into your apparatus of choice. Just be careful not to damage the screen if you have a four-piece chamber!

See—it's that simple of a process! It'll take a few tries to a rhythm down, but once you start using a grinder, you'll never go back. Here are a few additional tips in addition to your instructions:

• If you can, purchase a grinder made of aluminum or zinc. They're better quality and last much longer
• Make sure the grinder you choose has a good amount of teeth and holes
• Don't overstuff your grinder—the grounds won't come out as fine and even
• Turn your grinder upside-down for a few rotations to ensure even grinding
• To help push that kief through the screen, try placing a (sanitized) coin or similar object in the collection chamber

If you can afford it, we highly recommended getting a four-piece grinder. You'll thank us later.

Get Your Grind On

Your cannabis grinder will be your new best friend. Or second best, next to your weed.

If you have any questions about cannabis grinders and other pieces and accessories, reach out to us. We'll be happy to answer all your questions about grinders and more.