Importance of a good grinder
Long gone are the days of struggling with the guesswork required when using a manual grinder – destroying your valuable herb is a great way to waste your money. A consistent, not too big, not too fine grind is imperative to unlocking the full flavour profiles, potency, and aroma of your herb. It is important to know what you, as an enthusiast, need in a grinder before you make a purchase. Grinders vary in size, style, functionality, and cost – as well as quality of design and build. We found cheaply manufactured, all-plastic units, and we were able to find aircraft-grade aluminum electric units, designed by engineers. We tried a variety of electric herb grinders and manual grinders so you do not have to!
The need for speed and consistency
Electric or battery-powered herb grinders can be up to 20 times faster than a typical manual grinder. If you’re used to manually grinding your herb, the first time you use an electric grinder you will likely be blown away at the speed. In order to get a perfect, fluffy grind, every time, you need a grinder that is up to the task and designed specifically for that outcome. It is also important to know your own personal limitations and expectations when it comes to your grinding experience – if you are someone with muscle pain or fatigue, carpal tunnel, or arthritis, a manual grinder may exacerbate these symptoms with the repetitive squeezing, twisting, and turning. A great deal of dexterity is then required to clear the grinder of herb and funnel it where it needs to go. If these are concerns for you, try to find a grinder with a hygienic dispensing tip to eliminate these steps (and reduce the risk of contamination). Speed is crucial – the longer you have to rip and tear your herb, the more time it has to lose it is valuable oils. We found the Mamba electric grinder to be the fastest grinder, at 20 times the speed of a manual grinder.
Hygiene is a complicated, important factor when grinding – you don’t always know how clean your prep area is, or your hands. There could be bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants around that you definitely don’t want mixed into your finished product. Nothing like accidentally packing a hair into your bowl! Manual grinders require an extra step between grinding and consuming. The herb must be removed from the grinder and somehow placed into the desired receptacle. Some brands of electric herb grinder have a hygienic dispensing cone tip, so that their grinders can grind your herb and dispense it directly where it needs to go without risking spillage, wastage, or contamination.
Our recommendation
After testing various brands and models, we finally found the Mamba electric herb grinder. It has a large grinding capacity, conveniently runs on AA batteries, was designed with ergonomics in mind, and looks phenomenal on display. It was easy to hold over our desired receptacle and grind directly into it – the touchless dispensing cone tip removes the concern of contamination, spillage, or wastage. The designers went to great lengths to source high-quality parts, and took special care to ensure a smooth, easy, one-handed operation. The Mamba grinder is surprisingly inexpensive, and by far gives you the most bang for your buck. A good grinder, like the Mamba, will ensure the perfect grind, every time!
