Best Herb Grinders and Grinder Brands Review for 2018

A nice overview of the best grinders for 2018.

Grinders are an essential tool for any dry herb enthusiast. They allow the user to quickly and efficiently pick apart and sort their dry herb materials. They are also very simple to operate and typically come in many different shapes, sizes, and styles. With the high popularity of grinders, it is easy to see why there are so many companies looking to cash in on this market. The huge number of options leads many consumers to wonder what is the best herb grinder for them? Some companies simply focus on making a bright, colorful, or aesthetically pleasing grinder, while other companies choose function over form. There are distinct differences between them, and both types of grinders, as well as their various variations, will be discussed. Ultimately, once we examine all of the advantages and disadvantages you should be able to choose the best herb grinder for your specific needs.

When choosing a grinder in the lower price range it might seem favorable to choose the simple metal ones. Typically something two stage, with a nice color or fun picture on the top. However, this may not be ideal compared to purchasing something silicone or acrylic in this lower end range. While a cheap low-end metal grinder may seem like the sturdier option, it is quite the opposite. I actually find silicone and acrylic to be the best herb grinders in the low-end category. Cheap metal tends to be soft, which means that over time parts of it will warp, scrape, and eventually splinter off into your ground material. This means that the user could be exposed to these metal splinters over time. Acrylic and silicone grinders, on the other hand, do not splinter or taint the users ground herbal materials. This being said cheap metal grinders are still a favorite of many consumers because despite these defects they can “get the job done” for quite some time.

Silicone and acrylic grinders can look a little bit funky compared to traditional grinders, and this is the cause of reservations for many people. Silicone grinders, for example, look almost like a pocket-sized missile made of silicone, the most popular company being Chube. Despite the odd shape, this design is actually very well thought out. Silicone grinders are long and tubular, because of the way in which they are meant to be used.

To use a silicone tube-shaped grinder, like the Chube silicone grinder, first, you remove the cap from the tube and place your herbal material on the inside in order to prepare for grinding. Then replace the cap on the Chube tube and pull the small plug from its top. Next, place the tube between your hands and roll it back and forth in the same manner you would a lump of Play-Doh in order to make a snake. Then remove the cap after a few seconds of this motion, and you will notice your dry herbal material will now be ground. These grinders are able to grind in this manner because the silicone tube is lined with small knobs which work to chew and pull your dry herbal materials apart. Silicone grinders tend to also act as good storage for those who enjoy outdoor activities, due to the fact that silicone holds in smell fairly well and also because it is very durable and hard to damage.

Best Herb Grinders in the Low-End Price Range

Acrylic grinders, such as Medtainer, have also become a more popular, affordable, option than many metal grinders due to their smell proof storage which is much larger than the average cheap metal grinder, as well as the fact that they will not splinter. Medtainers do work in a more similar manner to your average single stage grinder, making them more accessible to people wary about alternative grinder materials. The Medtainer adds a level of convenience by providing a travel-friendly storage container that doubles as an effective grinder. This convenience leads many to consider the Medtainer the best herb grinder in its price range. 

The top of the Medtainer comes off similar to a child-proof pill bottle making the seal very secure, Then you must just remove the storage container and place your dry herbal materials in the bottom of the grinder on top of the teeth. Next, place the storage container back on top of the dry herb materials and begin grinding, when finished, remove the storage and dump the now fully ground dry herb materials into the storage portion. It really is simple and was one of the first in its space, but now competitors are starting to develop similar offerings.

Best Herb Grinders in the Mid-Range

When considering a metal grinder it is important to look for something made from a harder metal that is produced by a reputable company, there are many options in this range so it comes down to mainly a choice of which design the user likes the most as well as how much the user is willing to spend. Good companies to look into for medium range grinders are American Grinder, Sabertooth, Sharpstone, and Aerospaced. Aerospaced is the best herb grinder option in the medium price range category due to the fact that it is machined from one solid piece of metal, instead of multiple separate pieces of metal pressure fitted together. This being said, it is only the best due to durability and its function is relatively similar to the other options in this price range. All of these grinders will work relatively similarly.

These grinders are what is called a three stage or four-part grinder. This is because they all house three separate compartments and break down into four pieces. The top compartment is where you place your fresh dry herb materials to await grinding. Then replace the lid and twist the top until all of the dry herbal materials have been ground down through the holes in the top stage. Next, you unscrew the grinder in the middle where your freshly ground dry herbal materials will be awaiting you. Below this chamber is a third and final chamber used for catching fine pollen particles. The simplicity and functionality of 3 stage (four-part) grinders is what has made them so popular but gain it is important to get one made from quality metals.

Best Herb Grinders in the High-End Price Range

When looking into high-end grinders it is important to understand that all options are more than adequate but it becomes more important to find the grinder that more specifically meets your needs. For example, the three most popular high-end grinders are the Cali Crusher, SLX, and GR8TR Grinder. All three grinders have their advantages, while still utilizing the three-stage system. These are considered by many to be the best herb grinders on the market.

For the consumer in the market for a high-end grinder, the best herb grinder will truly come down to the very specific needs of the individual.  You basically have the choice between the grinder that provides the best texture ground herb, the least problems with sticking, or the most features. The Cali Crusher has a special tooth pattern which is said to break the dry herbal materials into more ideal portions, as well as preserving the integrity of the materials and fluffing the material all at the same time. This is said to allow for a more ideal experience. The SLX is ceramic non-stick coated which prevents the grinder from ever sticking and comes with a lifetime warranty. Trust me, when you're dealing with very high-quality dry herbs, it is helpful to have a non-stick grinder like SLS. It also has an ideal thread pattern that doesn't allow cross threading, and lift out pollen tray for convenience. The GR8TR grinder allows for a little more customization, providing the user with different teeth patterns, alternative configurations, and multiple pollen screens.

Each of these grinders would be a great selection, however, they all have their unique attributes. For this reason, it is best to decide which of these attributes you like most when choosing a grinder in any price range. It becomes more important to understand what you expect from a grinder and pick based on that, as opposed to trying to decide on a price range beforehand. Follow the roadmap laid out in this blog post and you should be able to find the right grinder in the right price range for your needs. Then visit waterbedsnstuff.com or come into one of our 13 Waterbeds ‘n’ Stuff locations to get your new grinder today.

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

**The beliefs and opinions expressed in this blog are not those of Waterbeds ‘n’ Stuff.