Are you looking for the best grinder for your herb? This article will reveal the inside scoops on what to look for in a non-toxic, safe, and durable grinder. Don’t be fooled by cheap grinders at gas stations and hedge shops: they can be dangerous. When you buy a grinder online, you’ll save money compared to buying one in a store and you’ll also find the perfect grinder for you since there are so many more options available to you. This article will walk you through what is a grinder, what you should look for in a grinder, what you should avoid in a grinder, and the top 3 best grinders available right now online.
What is a Grinder
A grinder is a small device with teeth that you can use to grind up herb, tobacco, marijuana, and other small plant material. It can have 1, 2, or 3 compartments and it usually is made of wood, metal, or acrylic.
The Difference Between 1, 2, and 3 Compartment Grinders
Here is how the compartments work:
- 1 compartment grinders (also called two piece grinders) have only one compartment where the herb is placed, ground, and retrieved. Because of that, the ground herb might be of inconsistent size. Also, retrieving the ground herb from the single compartment can be a little difficult since the teeth are in your way.
- 2 compartment grinders (also called three piece grinders) have the same grinding compartment as the 1 compartment grinder and small holes in the bottom of one compartment that leads to the second compartment. The holes allow only certain sized herbs to fall through and, because of that, you get more evenly ground herb. Since all the herbs are in the second compartment when finished, retrieving the herb is much easier than with a 1 compartment grinder.
- 3 compartment grinders (also called four piece grinders) have an additional compartment where there is a fine screen that separates it from the 2nd compartment. This 3rd compartment is for pollen or, if you are grinding marijuana, kief.
You’ll want to buy a three compartment grinder just for the kief that’ll build up over time: its like a surprise present when you’ve run out of herb.
There is really no big price difference between 1, 2, and 3 compartment grinders. The biggest price difference is on the size of the grinder (measured in diameter) and the material.
Best Grinder Materials
Here is how the materials affect the grinder:
Acrylic Grinders
This is the cheapest material for a grinder. Often only costing a few bucks, acrylic grinders are good when you can’t find another grinder. They do not lost long and, after enough use, the teeth on acrylic grinders will break. Sometimes, small parts of acrylic will get into your herb if you aren’t careful. Bestgrinder.net highly recommends you stay away from acrylic grinders. Vaporizing, smoking, or ingesting herb with acrylic in it is dangerous!
Wood Grinders
This is a good looking material for grinders and, since they need to be carved, are usually only available in 1 compartment grinders. Watch out! Make sure the inside of the grinder is not finished. Paint or any other finishing can get in your herb. Raw wood works best. Also, the teeth on wood grinders are not as good as metal grinders and, sometimes, the teeth is nothing more than nails. I would stay away from wood grinders unless you have a Magic Flight Vaporizer; then, The Magic Flight Finishing Grinder is a great grinder for you.
Metal Grinders
Most metal herb grinder are made of aluminum and some say they are made of titanium. Don’t be fooled, it most likely will only be titanium coated because titanium is $6 per pound raw whereas aluminum is about $.75 per pound raw. Is aluminum safe? Yes. There are some rumors online about the dangers of titanium but those are false (click here to read about the myth). Metal grinders are your best bet and the ones recommended the most by bestgrinder.net.
Top 3 Weed and Herb Grinders
Without any further ado, here are the top 3 best grinders that you can find anywhere. Factors taken into the ratings were: quality of grinder, durability, price, and aesthetics.
#3 Best Grinder: Chromium Crusher 4 Piece Grinder
The Chromium Crusher is a heavy grinder.
The Chromium Crusher Zinc 2.5″ (~64mm) 4 piece grinder is a great grinder at $17.95 (click here for the latest and best price). Because it is made of Zinc, this grinder feels heavy and sturdy in your hands. It has really sharp teeth and is 24mm bigger in diameter than the other 2 grinders.
This grinder is great for grinding large or small amounts of herb at home. The weight makes it a little bulky to travel with. If you want a grinder that is great to leave on a table, this is the grinder for you.
#2 Best Grinder: Santa Cruz Shredder 4 Part Grinder (Reviews)
This grinder is perfect for MMJ patients.
The Santa Cruz Mini Shredder is a medical quality grinder perfect for medical marijuana patients. Out of all the grinders available on the market, the Santa Cruz grinder was specifically designed for heavy use with ease. The grinder’s teeth were specially designed to give the user the fluffiest herb possible. Instead of having sharp teeth, the Santa Cruz mini shredder uses a duller, star shaped design that allows herb to be cut several times. The extra cuts give you a much more consistent blend.
In addition to that, the Santa Cruz Mini Shredder has the best grip on any grinder I’ve ever used. No matter your age or the conditions of your joints, you’ll find using the Santa Cruz Shredder easy.
Especially for MMJ patients, the Santa Cruz Shredder is a ultrasonically cleansed grinder. What this means is that, unlike other grinders that were quickly washed (or sometimes not washed at all), the Santa Cruz Shredder was passed under high frequency sound waves that removed all impurities, contaminates, and residue from the grinder. I’ve received grinders in the mail with metal filing still inside the compartment! You’ll never have that problem with the Santa Cruz Shredder. With the shredder’s unique teeth design, there will never be any metal shards in your herb ever.
Other great features of the Santa Cruz Shredder is its: high quality magnet that is triple sealed into the lid (it will never fall out); lifetime guarantee; and redesigned threading.
At $49.00 for a 40mm grinder (click here to check latest prices), this grinder is on the expensive side (but not as expensive as the $140 Santa Cruz Jumbo shredder that is 102mm) however, given its quality and medical grade performance, this is a must have grinder if you are a MMJ patient. Also, because the grinder fluffs herb so well, this is my go to grinder for vaporizing.
#1 Best Grinder: Aerospaced Grinder 4 Piece (Reviews)
The Aerospaced Grinder is perfect in terms of size, weight, and price. Click here to read reviews.
The Aerospaced 4 piece grinder is a perfect grinder for anyone looking for a high quality entry level grinder. Priced at $17.77 (check latest prices), the Aerospaced grinder has high end features without the high end price.
Like most metal grinders, the Aerospaced grinder is made of CNC aluminum that has been anodized. This makes the grinder very light, smooth, and corrosion resistant. It features a fine pollen screen that is well integrated into the grinder.
The thing that makes the Aerospaced grinder better than the Chromium Crusher is that it is lightweight and comes with a carrying pouch. This allows you to carry your grinder in a backpack without having to worry about scratches or other damages. The fact that it is made of aluminum allows for easy transportation. The Chromium Crusher was just too heavy to take out of the house.
The Best Grinder is the Aerospaced Grinder 4 Piece
Bestgrinder.net highly recommends you buy an Aerospaced grinder. For the price, you are getting high end performance that you can carry around. You can’t go wrong when you buy the Aerospaced grinder. The best grinder for  MMJ patients is the Santa Cruz Shredder however since it is medical quality and was specifically designed for medical use.
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