Quick answer

A weed grinder breaks dried flower into pieces. Put 0.3 to 0.5 g of flower in the top chamber. Close the lid. Turn the top 3 to 5 times. Open the middle chamber and use the ground flower. A four-piece grinder also holds kief in the bottom chamber.

How to Use a Herb Grinder: Step-by-Step Guide

Parts of a grinder

  • Two-piece: a lid with teeth and a base. No storage space.
  • Three-piece: adds a chamber that holds ground flower.
  • Four-piece: adds a mesh screen and a kief catch under the screen.

Teeth come in aluminum, stainless steel, or plastic. Metal teeth cut through dense buds. Plastic teeth bend and crack on stems.

How to Use a Hand Grinder for CBD: A Comprehensive Guide

Step by step

  1. Break large buds into pieces the size of a pea. Pull out seeds and stems.
  2. Fill the top chamber to about 70 percent. Keep the teeth clear.
  3. Close the lid and turn the top 3 to 5 times. Stop when the flower stops catching.
  4. Tap the side of the grinder on a hard surface. This drops loose material into the lower chamber.
  5. Open the middle chamber and move the flower to a paper, bowl, or vaporizer.

How much to load

0.3 g fills one joint. 0.5 g fills a small bowl or a vaporizer session. Overloading jams the lid and presses flower into the teeth. The lid should turn with light pressure. If it does not turn, remove some flower.

how to use a cannabis grinder

Grind size by method

  • Joint or vaporizer: fine grind, pieces near 1 mm, 5 to 8 turns.
  • Pipe or bong: medium grind, 3 to 5 turns.
  • Blunt: coarse grind, 2 to 3 turns.

Fine grinds burn hot and fast. Coarse grinds burn slow and need relights.

How to Use a Cannabis Grinder

Kief

Trichomes fall through the mesh screen on a four-piece grinder. Screens run from 75 to 125 microns. Kief builds in the bottom chamber over weeks. Scoop it with a small tool. Sprinkle it on a bowl or press it into hash.

Cleaning

Resin and plant oil coat the teeth and screen. Soak the metal parts in 91 percent isopropyl alcohol for 30 minutes. Scrub with a small brush. Rinse with warm water and let the parts dry. Clean every 2 to 4 weeks with daily use.

Storage note

Ground flower dries faster than whole buds. Grind only what you plan to use in 1 to 2 days. Store whole buds in an airtight glass jar away from light and heat.