The best grinders for medical cannabis patients - leafie

Ever since medical cannabis was legalised in the UK in 2018, the number of prescribed patients has been steadily increasing. As the general public becomes more aware of the wide range of conditions that can be treated with this versatile plant many people with no prior cannabis knowledge are signing up for a prescription.

Obtaining treatment with medical cannabis isn’t as easy as it should be. For some, getting the news from a clinic that a consultation has been successful isn’t the end of the challenge. Once your doctor has approved your treatment there is a good chance you’ll be prescribed dried cannabis flowers that need to be consumed with the help of a dry herb vaporiser.

That means the next step is buying a device with which to consume your herbs, and on top of that, a grinder to break down the dried flowers to put them in the device. If you’re new to cannabis, this all might seem confusing. The learning curve is steep and can be confusing. Recreational cannabis consumers are a well catered for market, so there are an almost infinite number of choices when it comes to buying a grinder to break down your cannabis. Knowing where to start can be overwhelming, so let’s start with some basics.

A grinder is a tool designed to take larger dried cannabis flowers and break them down into a fine, consistent size. By breaking cannabis down into smaller parts, grinders increase the surface area for combustion, vaporisation or infusion, which in turn means the extraction of the active ingredients is done more efficiently.

Grinders are most commonly made in a circular shape from metals, plastics or wood, and come in a range of sizes. The standard grinder design combines two separate sections with opposing teeth. By placing cannabis in between these two sections, closing together and rotating, the teeth break the larger flowers down into smaller chunks. Most grinders will have some sort of screen underneath one set of teeth that allows the cannabis to pass through into a collection chamber once they are small enough. Some grinders go one step further, and have another finer screen below the collection chamber to collect the tricomes, or crystals that are part of the cannabis flower. If a grinder has this extra screen, it will be referred to as a 4 part grinder. If it simply has a collection chamber without a screen, it’ll be called a 3 part grinder.

Some manufacturers also make electric grinders, which have a different design and operate in a similar way to a coffee grinder or small food blender, but here we’ll concentrate on manual grinders.

Plastic grinders are the cheapest on the market and can be found anywhere from auction sites to local shops. As a patient, you’ll want to avoid using a plastic grinder, as the teeth can break and shave off small amounts of plastic when used. Inhaling vapour from plastic shavings isn’t conducive to anyone’s health, and what’s more plastic grinders don’t tend to produce consistent results over time.

Wooden grinders can be an interesting insight into the origins of the grinder. These classic designs are often incredibly simple, involving two wooden disks with metal nails or pins for teeth. Compared to today’s innovative grinders, they don’t produce the same fine grind, and they’re hard to clean. For medical patients who want a quality grind and ease of use, metal grinders are a more sensible option.

Having covered the types of products to avoid, here are our recommendations for cannabis grinders that are suitable for medical patients.

The Krush Kube works like most grinders on the market, load cannabis into the top and twist. It also has a clever ergonomic design which is more square-like, hence the name. The benefit here is grip is much easier than a circular grinder, a godsend for anyone who has a condition that reduces dexterity.

In addition, users can control the consistency of the grind thanks to a unique teeth pattern. Twisting the Kube anti-clockwise will produce a finer grind, while only turning clockwise will produce a coarser consistency. Some dry herb vaporisers will require a certain consistency of grind, so having the choice can be beneficial while you get used to your device. The Krush Kube uses magnets to hold the chambers together, meaning accessing your ground cannabis is as easy as gently pulling apart the grinder. An important feature when time is of the essence.

Technically, the KLIP isn’t a grinder, it’s a slicer. That might sound confusing after learning exactly what a grinder is, but it operates in the same way; larger cannabis buds are placed inside by removing the top, which is replaced and twisted, resulting in finer consistency cannabis being passed down into the collection chamber. What makes the KLIP different is the innovative blade system which slices the cannabis up into smaller bits instead of using teeth.

The KLIP is expensive, but it is made of quality hardwearing materials and it looks beautiful too. All of these features aren’t just gimmicks to produce a fancy-looking grinder. The clever chopping system reduces friction, which means the user needs to twist less and with less force. For many patients, this ease of operation is a blessing, and makes the investment worthwhile.

The Fibonacci A1 is unlike any other grinder on the market. It works in the usual way – metal teeth break down larger flowers into smaller parts, but its patented design uses a crank handle to twist the device. Using a crank means reduced friction, which in turn means easier grinding.

The Fibonacci also flips the design of the grinder, resulting in a compact device that can sit discretely in a pocket. If you’re a patient who needs to medicate on the go, then the Fibonacci might just be the right grinder for you.

If you’re just looking for a simple, classic grinder that gets the job done, the Aerospaced 4-piece grinder, made in conjunction with Vibes, is a sure bet. Affordable, made from high-quality 6061 aircraft-grade aluminium and following a design that has served cannabis consumers well for decades.

This is a no-fuss, well-made grinder with sharp and effective teeth that is suitable for anyone who just wants to get the job done. If you’re just starting out and buying your first grinder, this is the one for you.

Liam is leafie's editor. His love affair with cannabinoids started when he suggested CBD to a family member to help with an illness. He is passionate about reform as a means to address social inequity and injustice.

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