A grinder is a trusty tool that enables you to both refine your weed and save kief from your favourite bud but if you’re new to the cannabis game, you might be wondering how to use a weed grinder.

The legalization of weed has made recreational use more popular than ever, and with the rise in popularity comes a rise in newcomers as well.  Getting started in the world of weed can be a bit confusing and even daunting to some, especially considering all the tools that you need to get started.  

Luckily, we are here to help you ease that difficulty.  With that being said, there are several tools needed for an amazing session, one of the most notable of those tools is the infamous weed grinder. 

To help you hit the ground running, we have created an all-inclusive guide on the care, anatomy and usage of your weed grinder.  This guide will run you through the anatomy of a grinder, from the kief chamber to the grinding chamber and will show you how to use and care for your grinder both effectively and efficiently.  

At first glance, grinding your weed may not seem like that much of a complicated task, but believe me, there is more than meets the eye to grinding the perfect weed.  We also have a few tricks to the upkeep and maintenance of a grinder.  If you are looking forward to learning all about the secrets to grinding the perfect weed, keep on reading!

What is a Weed Grinder?

What is a Weed Grinder

In short, a grinder is a tool you can use to help refine your bud to a consistency which is suitable for smoking in a bowl or rolling in a joint.  Many weed grinders also possess extra compartments which are meant for the storage of kief.  

A high end grinder may have several compartments to filter the kief (aka trichomes) that is shed during the grinding session.  Through the process of grinding, your clusters of weed go through a lot of friction, loosening the kief stuck to it.  

Luckily, the kief is able to collect at the bottom of your grinder in a place called the kief chamber.  As the name suggests, the kief chamber safely collects all of the kief shed from the grinding and saves it for later use.  Many people enjoy sprinkling extra kief over their ground weed for an extra added pizzazz to their highs.

What is Kief?

Kief is a cannabis crystal that is found all over your bud. It is highly potent in THC and is the reason why your bud may feel sticky to the touch.  Since kief is so highly potent in THC it is important not to waste it as it can always be used later.

Kief is highly potent so a little goes a long way.

How to Grind Your Weed

So, first thing’s first, you need to get your hands on some dank weed.  If you are a newcomer on the scene, you might be a little confused about the preparation and getting everything ready for consumption.  No need to worry, we’ll guide you step by step through the whole process!  

Once you have your weed ready, you’ll notice that they come in large clusters that need to be ground into a finer consistency suitable for packing into a joint or bowl.  With that being said, this is where the grinder comes in.  It’s important to note that your weed grinder is probably one of the most important tools at your disposal, so naturally, it would make sense to teach you all about it.  Grinding weed is actually very simple and easy to do.  You will need a grinder and your herb of choice.

Steps: 

1) The first thing to do, is to separate your cluster of bud into slightly smaller pieces.  Once your bud has been separated into smaller clusters, you will want to remove the lid to the grinder and insert the pieces of bud into the grinding chamber between the teeth of the grinder. 

2) Once loaded, place the lid back onto the top of the grinder and begin rotating the lid clockwise and then counter clockwise, so the teeth in the grinding chamber are able to separate the clusters inside.  Do this for approximately 5-10 seconds or until the weed is ground to the consistency of your preference. 

3) Gently remove the lid from the grinding chamber to check if all the clusters have been separated.  If you find that not all of the clusters have been broken down, repeat step 2.

4) If you find that all of your weed has been ground, unscrew the grinding chamber to reveal the compartment below.  You should have a pile of finely ground herb which can now be used to smoke or craft joints.

How to Clean a Weed Grinder

As you get deeper into the weed game, you will notice that over time your weed grinder will eventually get dirty and full of sticky residue.  Even with top of the line equipment this is inevitable and will happen sooner or later if you do not properly maintain your equipment.  

The good news is, that sticky residue is just kief.  Kief is a byproduct of grinding weed which can be used to enhance your highs and add an extra kick to your sessions.  With that being said, we are going to show you how to make your grinder look and perform as good as new as well as salvage some of that precious kief.

A clean grinder is important for keeping your weed fresh, so be sure to clean it often!

Equipment

To get started, you will first need a few things to clean your grinder.  A small clean brush, a tray, a towel, a sharp pointed object and some rubbing alcohol or water.  If you would like to speed up the drying process it is also handy to keep a hair dryer ready.  

WARNING: If you are using a metal grinder, avoid using water as it will cause it to rust.

Steps:

1) The first step is to disassemble the grinder.  Remove the lid of the grinder, exposing the grinding chamber and unscrew the bottom, revealing the kief chamber. NOTE: Weed grinders come in all shapes and sizes, your grinder may have more compartments.  If so, follow the same procedure for each compartment. 

2) Over a tray or clean surface, you will then want to get your brush and sweep over the inner surfaces of the grinder, including the grinding chamber and the kief chamber.  Brushing the kief residue onto your tray.  The trick here is to be as thorough as possible so none of that precious kief goes to waste.

3) Next, lay all the pieces of the grinder out on a towel and spray/apply your alcohol solution or water onto each of the grinder compartments.  This will make all of the sticky parts a lot easier to clean off.

4) Once you have got the grinder compartments wet, use your sharp pointed object to pick out any excess pieces of residue stuck in the grinding chamber.  Ideally you will want to remove all of the sticky residue out of the grinder.  This residue is not for use.  Once everything is out, rinse all of the grinder compartments with hot water and wipe down to dry.   If you would like to speed up the drying process, you can use the hot air from a hair dryer on the grinder.

5) Congratulations! Now you have a perfectly clean grinder again! You also can store the kief you have cleaned out back into the kief chamber for later use.

Final Thoughts on How to Use a Weed Grinder

Congratulations, you now know the ins and outs of a grinder!  Now that you have all the tools and knowledge on how to use a  grinder more effectively and efficiently, we hope you can put it to use and enhance your experience with your favourite herb! 

Remember, it is important to go through your grinder and clean it every three to six months to maintain optimal performance of your equipment and to secure yourself a little bit of extra well deserved kief. 

If you don’t have a grinder and still want to prepare your bud for a joint or a bowl, here’s how to grind your weed without a grinder!

Enjoy!