The 2 Best Cannabis Grinders of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter

By Beca Grimm

After a new round of testing, the aluminum Kannastör Gr8tr Jar Body Grinder remains our top pick. We now recommend the four-piece Herb Ripper Classic SS for those who want a stainless steel grinder.

When you’re preparing cannabis, a quality grinder can save you time and effort. To quickly and easily process dried flowers into ground material, either to pack into a vaporizer or to use in a recipe, we reach for the Kannastör Gr8tr Jar Body Grinder.

Compared with lesser models, this one grinds finely, smoothly, and evenly, producing consistent results with both its coarse- and fine-grind plates. A reliable grind provides smoother smoking or vaping. And the Gr8tr has a transparent storage container that can stash up to a full eighth of an ounce of flower.

In our tests, this aluminum grinder produced the fluffiest and finest results. The bonus storage compartment and optional plate for coarser grinds are unique extras that make this model worth the added cost.

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If you’re processing lots of cannabis (including stickier flower), this hefty model is potentially easier on hands, fingers, and wrists because embedded magnets make its grinding motion extra-smooth.

Uniformly ground cannabis often heats more evenly, and thus more efficiently, than uneven chunks torn by hand.

Using a grinder to prepare dried flowers saves time (and your fingertips won’t get sticky).

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The Kannastör Gr8tr Jar Body Grinder’s small, sharp teeth tear through cannabis smoothly, without binding. And compared with the teeth of similarly priced models we tried, the Gr8tr’s teeth dropped the finest and fluffiest material into the collection chamber. This is ideal for use in many vaporizers, especially conduction-based models or hybrid conduction-convection models. (If you have a convection vaporizer, you can unscrew the Gr8tr’s fine-grind plate and replace it with the included coarse-grind option.)

The Gr8tr comes with a mesh screen, for catching the ultrafine (and highly potent) cannabis particles called kief. Without adding bulk, the Gr8tr’s topmost piece seals off an extra storage compartment, which no other grinder we considered includes; this is a great place to store a hefty amount of whole flowers or ground product to enjoy later. Since the stash jar is transparent, you can easily eyeball how much material you have handy.

If you routinely grind large quantities of super-sticky strains, it may be worth it to invest in an all-stainless grinder. The Herb Ripper Classic SS is an absolute pleasure to use—and it’s easy to keep clean. (It comes in a three- or four-piece set. We think the four-piece set is the one to get, but the three-piece version is also excellent.) Embedded magnets help make the grinding process feel especially smooth. This grinder feels weighty in the hand, and it has a simple design, omitting extra bulk.

We’ve covered the best portable vaporizers for a few years. And now we’ve done the same for grinders, looking at best-selling models and owner reviews across multiple retailers, reading enthusiast feedback on forums, and even sitting through numerous video reviews on YouTube.

We’ve also gotten input from Bud at Vape Critic and Buzz Danklin at VaporizerWizard.com. (Both reviewers use pen names, and both sites include affiliate links for some products that the reviewers recommend, as detailed in Vape Critic’s disclosure page and VaporizerWizard.com’s disclosure page.) Bud and Buzz provided valuable insights into how to get the most from any grinder.

Despite the rise in concentrates, waxes, edibles, and a host of prepared cannabis products, buying and using regular cannabis flowers remains a popular option for good reason: versatility. After all, most people smoking, vaporizing, or cooking with cannabis can benefit from a grinder. With a grinder you can quickly and easily turn dense, sticky buds into material that heats evenly and efficiently. If you partake only on occasion, an inexpensive model can do enough to make your rare indulgence all the better. But if you regularly reach for a vaporizer, roll joints, or just really enjoy an even bowl burn, the investment in a high-end cannabis grinder doesn’t seem like a stretch, and it pays off by providing more bang for your bud. Though cheap grinders sometimes break, a high-quality grinder is an investment that should last for years.

Note: Grinders are legal—unless you use them with a substance that federal and/or local law says is illegal. Cannabis is illegal in some places.

We considered models from the top brands recommended by expert and amateur reviewers alike. We focused on “medium” grinders in the 2-inch-diameter range—large enough to grind herbs for multiple sessions but not so big that they took up too much space. And we looked for three- and four-piece models that allowed ground material to fall through into a collection chamber. Letting gravity do the collection work is easier and less time-consuming than picking cannabis from between sharp teeth (as you would need to do when using a two-piece grinder).

Not everyone who casually reaches for a vaporizer from time to time has much use for separating the “pollen” or “kief” (the highly potent, crystal-like dust on the leaves of cannabis plants) from the rest of the material. But a kief-catching mesh screen can be nice to have, especially if you regularly process larger amounts of cannabis.

On Amazon, best-selling and top-rated grinders that fit our initial criteria start at just $10. When you’re shopping online, however, experiencing the difference between inexpensive grinders and models that cost more than $100 can be difficult. When you’re staring at pictures, it’s easy to gloss over claims about sharper teeth or better materials. But when you twist a quality grinder in your hands, the difference jumps out at you as it threads together with ease and glides and grinds more smoothly.

For our latest round, we tested 16 grinders that ranged in price from $6 to $130, to determine the best value for most people based on four main criteria:

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If you’d appreciate a grinder with extra, dedicated storage, the option to change the coarseness of the grind, and a mesh screen for collecting kief, the Kannastör Gr8tr Jar Body Grinder is worth the slightly higher price. The Gr8tr’s fine, fluffy results set it apart from other sub-$100 grinders we tried.

The two included grinding plates are a standout feature. The fine-grind plate has nearly 80 holes that are smaller than the Santa Cruz Shredder model’s 15 holes. Buzz from VaporizerWizard.com told us that when he wants to maximize the vapor output on a conduction vaporizer, he likes the finer grind of the Magic Flight Finishing Grinder. We didn’t consider the Magic Flight grinder because it’s available only in a two-piece design, but the holes on the Gr8tr are of a similar size.

If you don’t want such a fine grind, or if you dislike seeing large bits and stems get stuck in the smaller holes, you can quickly unscrew the grinding plate and replace it with the included coarser-grind plate. (You can screw the spare plate into the top of the grinder for storage, or you can store it in a safe spot elsewhere, if you prefer to keep the grinder a bit more svelte.) That extra plate has holes closer in size to those of most other grinders, and it’s better for preparing material to use in convection-based vaporizers, which benefit from the extra airflow of more coarsely ground cannabis.

The Gr8tr has a second storage compartment in the lid. In every other grinder we tried, the collection chamber at the bottom is the only place you can store anything. But the free-spinning magnetic top piece of the Gr8tr unscrews to reveal an extra storage area that’s perfect for whole flowers. Plus, if you want something more compact when you’re on the go, the Gr8tr’s top and bottom pieces mate to create a slim storage puck.

Kannastör covers the Gr8tr with a lifetime warranty and email support.

The performance of the all-stainless grinders we’ve tested is unmatched (as are their prices). If you’re planning to invest in a grinder with ultra-sharp teeth and precision threading, one you can expect to outlast almost any aluminum model, we recommend the Herb Ripper Classic SS.

The Classic SS comes with or without a fourth piece, a mesh screen to catch kief. The three- and four-piece options are both 2 inches in diameter. (A 2½-inch-diameter version is available for $50 more in each of the configurations.) The optional mesh screen is the best of its kind we’ve tested.

The included fine- and medium-grind plates snap in easily, thanks to embedded magnets. They sit securely alongside the mesh kief filter. That filter acts as the floor of the collection chamber, and its sloped sides help the ground product gather in a smaller surface area, so it’s easier to withdraw smaller portions via pinching (if you don’t plan to dump all of the ground product into, say, a jar).

The grinding process is exceptionally smooth. Compared with anodized-aluminum grinders—including our top pick—the steel Classic SS, with its ultra-smooth grinding motion, produced consistently uniform ground flower, even with some of the stickiest cannabis we tried. This model also felt exceptionally sturdy.

Herb Ripper covers its grinders with a lifetime warranty.

Cleaning a cannabis grinder is relatively straightforward. However, depending on the amount of sap-like resin buildup in the tool (a natural consequence of grinding cannabis flowers), the task can take a fair bit of time and effort. Regular cleaning (such as performing a quick swipe of the teeth and threads after a few uses) reduces the need for deep-cleaning substantial buildup.

A representative of Kannastör said to use only water and mild soap on its grinders, since alcohol “can cause cosmetic damage.” (It’s fine, however, to soak the stainless steel screens in isopropyl alcohol as needed.) You should maintain an all-stainless grinder, like Herb Ripper’s model, in much the way you would any other stainless steel tool: Never use harsh scouring powders or anything to damage the finish, and avoid air-drying it (try a microfiber cloth instead). And if it needs a little polish, buff a very thin layer of olive oil onto its surface. Santa Cruz Shredder recommends using an isopropyl alcohol soak and a cotton swab to clean its aluminum grinder’s teeth and a cloth dipped in alcohol to clean the threading. When you’re cleaning any grinder, be sure to let all of the pieces dry fully before reassembling it and using it.

For removing resin that can accumulate on grinder teeth, screens, or seams, consider using a small brush or scraper tool. (Santa Cruz Shredder sells a dedicated scraper tool for removing ultra-fine material from collection chambers.) Kannastör suggests putting grinder components in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes “to reduce the stickiness of any residue,” making it easier to remove.

If you want to spend less than the cost of the Kannastör or Herb Ripper grinders: Santa Cruz Shredder’s three- and four-piece grinders are the best all-aluminum grinders—with the sharpest teeth and smoothest threads—we’ve encountered. They come in three sizes. The Medium three-piece (with a 2⅛-inch diameter) was previously a pick in this guide, and it remains a great buy. Santa Cruz Shredder grinders have a tooth shape that differs from that of every other grinder we’ve evaluated: In our testing we found that its four-pointed teeth worked as well as or better than the diamond-shaped teeth in most grinders. The grinding plate and teeth are made of the same piece of aluminum, and the metal’s anodized finish has held up well to wear and tear in our long-term testing. Less expensive models, by contrast, often have an unfinished grinding plate that won’t be as durable in the long term. The holes in this model’s grinding plate are of average size, and they yield a medium-coarse grind that works equally well with most vaporizers, recipes, or pipes. If the teeth ever break, the company stands behind them with a lifetime warranty.

The Beamer Acrylic Grinder and SharpStone V2 4-Piece Hard Top Grinder both have plastic components, and in testing them, we immediately noticed that those pieces tended to attract more leafy bits than their all-metal counterparts. Considering the other quality options we had to choose from, this drawback was enough for us to rule them out. The SharpStone grinder in particular is a popular model, but it became easily cross-threaded when we put it back together, and we found its grind smoothness and its material consistency to be just okay.

In our testing, the Chromium Crusher 2½-Inch 4-Piece model’s teeth took a little longer to finish grinding than those of other models in the same price range. The sharp corners in the collection plate, coupled with the textured interior of the bottom piece, made this grinder harder for us to empty completely without flipping it over and tapping out a mess.

The Cali Crusher Homegrown Standard has a few unusual features that we appreciated. Instead of full threading—which requires you to unscrew the lower pieces of the grinder—the Cali Crusher model has a quarter-turn twist-lock system that is faster to use than traditional threading but just as secure. In place of diamond-shaped teeth, the radial blades inside did a nice job of evenly breaking up our bud without getting stuck. But we concluded that the customizable Kannastör Gr8tr Jar Body Grinder is a better value overall.

Grinders for Life’s Stainless Steel Brilliant Cut Grinder uses just three pieces of hardware to make grinding up a whole lot of flower a cinch. The result is a refined, super-fine grind. Thanks to this model’s secure, strong grip, the grinder does much of the work, sparing your hands and wrists. But unlike our upgrade pick, the Herb Ripper Classic SS, this similarly pricey all-stainless device doesn’t have a kief catcher. Additionally, at this writing, Grinders for Life grinders take four or more weeks to ship.

Lift Innovations’ aluminum three- and four-piece grinders are beloved by vaporizer users, but they lack the extra storage and modular grinding plates that set the Gr8tr apart. They’re also frequently sold out.

Despite the Space Case Medium 4-Piece Grinder’s solid performance (and the high praise that enthusiasts give the company’s models), we didn’t find any standout features to justify its higher price in comparison with the Gr8tr grinder. In our testing, the Space Case grinder produced a grind that was as smooth, consistent, and fine as the results from our top pick. Yet the corners of the screen and collection trays were relatively sharp angles that were hard for us to clear with our fingers.

Mark Smirniotis contributed reporting. This article was edited by Tracy Vence, Kalee Thompson, and Annemarie Conte.

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Beca Grimm

Beca Grimm is a culture writer and editor based in Southwest Atlanta.

No binding when grinding: Evenness of grinds: Easy to empty: Durability and support: The two included grinding plates are a standout feature.The Gr8tr has a second storage compartment in the lid.The Classic SS comes with or without a fourth piece, a mesh screen to catch kief.The included fine- and medium-grind plates snap in easily, thanks to embedded magnets.The grinding process is exceptionally smooth.If you want to spend less than the cost of the Kannastör or Herb Ripper grinders: