Are you tired of using scissors or even manual grinders to shred your cannabis? Using bare hands can do the job, but it can get smelly, sticky, and can be a long and chaotic process.
Reading our reviews of the best electric weed grinders should make this procedure a lot easier.
An electric marijuana grinder is a necessity for many cannabis consumers. Convenient, it’s a smooth and mess-free technique.
Before looking into the best electric grinders for weed, let’s understand what they are. We’ll also discuss the situations where it’s best to use one.
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Electric Weed Grinders For 2023
- Our Best Overall
- HBI Electric Tobacco Shredder
- Electric Herb Grinder By CYPHRTECH
- Easy Grinder Rose Gold Automatic Herbal Grinder
- Latent Epicure Battery Operated Salt and Pepper Grinder Set
What Is an Electric Weed Grinder and What Are the Benefits of Using One?
For any type of weed consumption—vaped, smoked or edibles—grinding is a necessary step.
Cannabis buds contain THCA, a non-psychoactive chemical compound that transforms into the potent THC—tetrahydrocannabinol—when heated.
Grinding cannabis buds into smaller pieces—or even a fine powder—allows more heat to travel through the plant material. This means more THC is present, making it more potent.
If you’d like to learn more about THC and its benefits, this short video might be helpful.
Many cannabis users invest in an electric blender or grinder to make this process faster. These can be battery or power operated. They should be able to grind your weed in seconds at the push of a button.
Is an Electric Grinder Better Than a Manual One?
Electric or manual? This is an ongoing debate, and there is no right or wrong answer. Each as its advantages and drawbacks.
Advantages of Electric Grinders
Little Preparation Time
When using manual grinders, you’ll most likely need to break down your buds to make them fit between the grinder’s teeth. Most electric grinders have a large capacity, so no advanced preparation is needed.
Simply place your flower buds in the machine and turn it on.
Easy to Use
Normally, the push of a button will get your electric machine going. Manual grinders need some elbow grease, which can be a major obstacle to some people. This is especially true for those who use weed for medicinal purposes to treat arthritis.
Faster and Finer Consistency
Electric grinders tend to grind your weed much finer than a manual shredder would.
For a coarser grind, only press the button a couple of seconds. If you’re looking for a powder-like consistency, add a few more seconds. This is much faster than when grinding manually.
Are you a hobbyist who doesn’t love the powder-like consistency? This only happens when people grind their weed for too long—this can be easily adjusted.
Large Capacity
Most manual grinders will only shred a small amount of plant material at a time. The process needs to be repeated several times to get the quantity of weed needed.
The best electric herb grinder for weed can grind up to 3 ounces of weed at once. This means that you won’t have to shred your buds on a daily basis.
Portability Options
While some electric grinders feature a large capacity, others are extremely portable. Some are shaped like a pencil, easily fitting into a pocket or purse. A portable electric weed grinder is recommended if you travel often or are generally on the go.
Most portable manual grinders can take up more space and are less portable. This is especially true if you own a 4-piece manual shredder.
A Few Downsides
The major drawback of electric grinders is the ability to retain kief, that precious crystal contained in your buds.
Kief is a very gluey resin that easily sticks to any container. Electric grinders don’t usually come with a kief catcher. You’ll most likely wash most of it away when cleaning the device.
Electric grinders tend to be more expensive than manual ones, especially when operated with batteries.
Finally, some users report that they’re more difficult to clean and aren’t as durable as many manual grinders.
Which to Choose?
Electric or manual, this is really a matter of personal preference. How much do you want to grind at once and how do you plan to utilize your weed? If kief is important to you, then a manual grinder might be best.
Is your main priority to grind your buds as efficiently as possible? In this case, electric grinders are definitely recommended.
Different Types of Electric Weed Grinders
When shopping for the best electric grinder for weed, you’ll realize that you don’t necessarily need a specialized one. Some of the best ones are coffee and regular herb grinders, or salt and pepper mills. These also do a great job at shredding weed.
Portable Grinders
The best portable grinders are pencil-shaped and designed to fit the smallest pockets.
This type of grinder is ideal if you need to shred a small amount of cannabis on the go. They do come at a higher price point. If portability is a concern, however, it might well be worth the investment.
Coffee or Herb Grinders.
Although marketed to grind coffee beans, nuts or spices, these machines make fantastic weed grinders.
The best electric grinder for cannabis will be able to shred a large amount of plant material at once, as mentioned above—up to 3 ounces. A quick press on the start button and your weed will be ready in seconds.
Ideally, you want the ability to switch from a coarse to fine shred. Even without this extra feature, most coffee grinders come with a transparent lid. You’ll be able to watch the process, and control the consistency of your cannabis.
Keep in mind that coffee and herb grinders are not compact, and so not particularly easy to transport.
Electric Herb Mills
Electric herb mills are the types of devices mostly used to grind pepper or salt. These might be a great choice if you’re looking to spread your shredded cannabis on your coffee or toast.
In order to use electric herb mills, you’ll need to ensure that your buds are fully dried. If they still contain even a small percentage of moisture, they won’t shred properly and might jam your grinder.
Electric herb mills don’t come with a storage chamber for your ground cannabis. You’ll have to either store your shredded weed it in a separate container or use it straight out of the device.
Are you planning to apply your shredded cannabis straight from the herb mill into your food or drink? Remember that your weed only becomes potent after being heated.
In this case, before placing your buds in the grinder, heat your weed for about 20 minutes in the oven.
Battery Versus Power-Operated Grinders
Obviously, electric weed grinders need to be powered. This might be from a battery, a USB charge, or directly from a wall outlet.
Larger devices, such as coffee grinders, usually need to be plugged into an electrical socket. This means you won’t have to worry about spare batteries.
Other devices can be operated with batteries. They may not seem as convenient since you’ll always need an extra set of batteries available with you. But they are almost always smaller and therefore more portable.
The best electric herb grinder for weed, however, can be recharged using a USB port. This makes your grinder chargeable at home, but also in a car while on the road. Some even come with LED lights to let you know when it’s time to recharge.
Other Feature to Consider
You should now know what to look for when selecting the best electric weed grinder. Here are a couple of other factors to think about.
Size
Consider first how much weed you’re using on a daily or weekly basis. Pencil-shaped grinders are super cute and convenient. But the reality is that you’ll soon become frustrated if you need to grind four times a day.
Same goes for larger grinders. Putting a very small quantity of weed in a large grinder could mean your cannabis doesn’t shred properly. It might also take a lot of space.
Accessories and Extra Features
The best electric grinder comes with a soft brush for easy cleaning. If not, you might want to consider buying one separately.
Whichever grinder you decide on, think about selecting one with a transparent lid or window to see what’s happening inside. This will give you better control over the consistency of your weed.
The Best Electric Weed Grinders
What is the best electric weed grinder? Now that we better understand what they are and how they’re highly beneficial, let’s have a look at the best ones available.
Best Overall – KRUPS F203 Electric Spice and Coffee Grinder
This device is able to grind hard coffee beans and nuts in seconds. Imagine how efficient this stainless steel blade will be at grinding your light cannabis buds.
This device is ideal for anyone looking to grind a large amount of plant material at a time. You can shred up to 3 ounces of weed all at once. This is a great time-saver for sure.
What I particularly like about this grinder is that it’s large enough to use without any preparation beforehand. Simply place your full cannabis buds inside, close the transparent lid and press the start button.
You’ll be able to monitor your weed through the transparent lid, and stop grinding when you’ve reached your desired texture.
If you don’t want coffee and weed odors mixed together, we recommend keeping a separate device for cannabis grinding only.
Pros
- Can grind large quantities of a plant at once.
- Safe—blades won’t spin until the lid is properly closed.
- Lightweight for the size.
- Power operated machine, you won’t run out of battery.
- Multi-purpose.
Cons
- Large in size and not easily transportable.
Runner Up – HBI Electric Tobacco Shredder
As the name clearly suggests, This grinder’s aim is to shred tobacco. However, many users find it a great tool for grinding weed as well.
This grinder will reduce your buds into powder in no time. It’s ideal if you’re looking to vape your cannabis or use it in your edibles.
If you prefer a coarse grind, monitor your cannabis through the transparent cover and shred it only for a few seconds. Two to four pulses should be enough. The push button is easy to use, which should make this process smooth and easy.
With this electric grinder, you’re unlikely to need to grind on a daily basis. While it’s quite compact, you should still be able to grind up to 1.75 ounces of weed at a time.
It also includes a safety lid. The device won’t turn on unless the cover is properly closed. It isn’t battery operated and therefore doesn’t need to be charged on a regular basis. Simply plug and play!
Pros
- Easy to use and clean.
- Large capacity.
- Safety lid.
- Compact and lightweight.
- Grinds to powder.
Cons
- Some users have reported difficulties getting a coarser consistency.
Best Portable Grinder – Electric Herb Grinder By CYPHRTECH
Looking for a small and compact grinder to carry with you? Practicality doesn’t mean that you need to give up on quality.
This grinder comes with stainless steel blades, spinning at 3,000 RPM to shred your cannabis to your desired consistency. Your weed should be ready for use within 10 seconds.
Not much larger than a regular pencil, it’s discreet and should fit in any handbag. It also comes with a light brush to remove kief and pollen.
This pencil-shaped grinder has been designed to be user-friendly. A transparent window allows you to monitor the shredding process and check how much plant material is left to grind.
It features an extra long battery life—1100mah. One USB charge takes around two hours and should last you for about a month (or 60 uses). The LED display will give you an indication of how much battery is left, so you don’t run out of power unexpectedly.
Pros
- Portable, small and discrete.
- Ultra lightweight—less than half a pound.
- Long battery life and LED power display.
- Cleaning brush included.
- Available in four different colors.
- Magnetic cap—no twisting needed.
- Visible window.
Cons
- Can be difficult to fill up
- Can only grind small quantity of plant material at a time.
Most Fashionable Grinder – Easy Grinder Rose Gold Automatic Herbal Grinder
Quality and efficiency are certainly important. If you like combining fashion and elegance with your weed accessories, this grinder might make the cut.
This chic rose gold color would fit most fashionista tastes. If rose gold isn’t your thing, it also comes in yellow gold, black and silver.
The longer you grind, the finer your cannabis will be. This allows you to reach different consistencies for separate uses.
Although compact, this pen grinder can shred 0.09 ounces of weed at a time—and with complete discretion. A single charge will give you five hours of continuous grinding. The battery indicator will let you know when it’s time to recharge.
This device comes with an additional blade for extra durability. It includes a storage chamber to bring your buds with you on the go. It’s also air-sealed so you won’t have to worry about odors leaking.
This grinder can be separated into three different parts, making it easy to transport and clean.
Pros
- Included brush for easy cleaning.
- Four elegant colors available.
- Storage chamber.
- Lightweight—9 ounces.
- Includes USB charger and an extra blade.
- Comes in a compact carrying case.
Cons
- Doesn’t have a transparent window built-in.
- Some users report an uneven grind.
Most Versatile Grinder – Latent Epicure Battery Operated Salt and Pepper Grinder Set
We mentioned earlier that salt and pepper mills make ideal grinders. This set comes with two grinders. This means you can grind double the weed at a time—or give one to a friend.
These devices are battery operated. You might want to keep an extra set of batteries on hand to avoid any bad surprises.
Remember that to use salt/pepper grinders to shred your weed, your buds need to be completely dry. If there is any moisture left in your buds, pieces will get stuck and jam the device.
These grinders are extremely easy to use. They can be operated with one hand, which is a great convenience.
An adjustable knob allows you to choose between a coarse or fine grind. As a fun little perk, the device lights up from the bottom when in use.
Pros
- Comes with a set of two grinders.
- Easy to use.
- Two modes available: coarse and fine.
- Grinder lights up when in use.
- Bottom cap to close up the grinder when not in use.
Cons
- More difficult to clean than other grinders.
- Heavier than most other devices—3.45 pounds.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for an easy and fast solution to grind your weed, electric grinders are the way to go. Although they have a reputation of representing a heavy investment, some are available at a very affordable price point.
I’d definitely go for the KRUPS F203 electric spice and coffee grinder. Sturdy and offering a large capacity, I won’t have to grind on a daily basis. I might even give space-ground coffee a try!
