In the survival pack of every stoner, you can find some unmissable essentials: something to smoke out of, something to smoke, probably some snacks, and – of course – a trusty grinder.

In this article, we’re giving you the rundown on the weed grinder, including its different and how to use one properly. 

This is where the magic happens.

The lid is the top part of your grinder, and it comes packed with sharp teeth. These teeth, along with the ones in the grinding chamber, are what break down your buds into that perfect consistency.

The lid usually has a magnet to keep it locked in place while you twist, making sure everything grinds up evenly without any spills.

Grinded weed helps release more cannabinoids and terpenes compared to smoking it in a chunkier form. Plus, it provides a much smoother smoke.

The mesh screen is a fine filter located above the kief catcher in a multi-chamber grinder. Its job is to separate the ground cannabis from the kief—the tiny, potent crystals that fall off the buds as you grind.

It’s a great way to make sure you don’t waste any of the plant’s potency when grinding weed and adds a little extra kick to your future sessions.

This is where the goods are stored.

Once your buds are ground up, they fall through small holes into the collection chamber. This is where your ready-to-use cannabis waits until you need it.

It makes the whole process easy—just grind, collect, and you’re good to go.

Everyone knows that kief is probably the best part of having a grinder.

Some grinders come with an extra feature called a kief catcher. This is the bottom chamber, separated by a fine mesh screen that sifts out the kief—the fine, potent crystals that fall off your buds during grinding.

Kief is full of concentrated THC, so saving it up for a rainy day (or a powerful sprinkle on top of your bowl) is always a good idea.

This mini scraper is a convenient tool to help scoop up your precious kief without making a mess or leaving any behind.

It might seem like a small detail, but it makes a big difference.

Using a weed grinder is pretty straightforward. Load your grinder up with some bud and get to grinding, essentially.

But, for those needing a step-by-step, here’s how to grind weed:

Prepare Your Bud
Start by breaking your cannabis buds into smaller pieces. You don’t need to overdo it—just enough so they fit comfortably between the teeth of the grinder without any big stems that might cause trouble.

Load the Grinder
Place the broken-up pieces of cannabis into the grinder’s grinding chamber, on top of the teeth. Make sure not to overfill it—less is often more when it comes to getting an even grind.

Grind Away
Place the lid on top of the grinder, ensuring it’s securely in place. Hold the base and twist the lid back and forth several times. You’ll feel the resistance as the teeth grind the buds. Keep twisting until you feel the resistance lessen, indicating your cannabis is finely ground.

Tap and Open
After grinding, tap the grinder gently to loosen any stuck pieces. Then, unscrew the grinder to reveal the collection chamber, where your evenly ground cannabis will be waiting for you.

Collect and Use
Use your fingers or a small tool to collect the ground cannabis and load it into your joint, bowl, or vape. If your grinder has a kief catcher, check the bottom chamber for that extra bonus kief that you can use to add a little more potency to your next session.

This year, we created the Herb guide to weed grinders.

A durable and efficient grinder is essential for a quality grind. Cheaper grinders often fail to deliver an even consistency and usually lack a kief catcher, meaning you’re missing out on those valuable trichomes.

You can never go wrong with a trusted brand like PAX, SharpStone, or Mendo Mulcher.