7 Ways to Grind Your Weed Without Using a Weed Grinder

Nothing beats a weed grinder when it comes to getting that good grind on your product.

That said… if you’re anything like me, chances are you have to MacGyver your way to a decent grind eight times out of ten.

If that’s the case, this article will be a lifesaver!

Yes, cannabis grinders are the best way to go about it… but there are alternative ways – creative ways – to deal with your cannabis buds in a pinch. Here’s a list of 7 best methods that use common household items and to get to a grind that’s the right size to go into rolling paper AND a vaporizer.

Kitchen appliances and basic tools you can use to grind cannabis flower:

1. the coffee grinder method [works on sticky weed, but you need to put it in a freezer first]
2. the cheese grater method [works on fresh marijuana bud, but kiss those precious trichomes goodbye]
3. cutting board & a kitchen knife [a messy but easy way to break up dry herb into a finer grind]
4. the sharp scissors & a clean shot glass method [a great way to get a good fine grind from sticky bud]
5. the mortar & pestle method [an effective method for larger quantities of weed that’s dry]
6. the prescription bottle & small coin method [good stuff for drier marijuana buds and kief collection]
7. your fingers [sometimes the only way to get it done… but there’s a trick to it!]

Of course, none of these is the easiest way to grind down a whole bud… for that you need a quality grinder [and you can find it here by checking out our guide to best weed grinders] but all of them will work in a pinch when desperate times call for desperate measures.

Let’s take a quick look at all of them…. but before we do, let’s see why we grind, and why smoking or vaping unground weed is not a good idea.

Why Is This Important?

As I said, when it comes to grinding weed, there are many different ways to skin that cat.

But… grind you must, if you want a good smoking/vaping experience.

Why?

Well, you will have a hard time getting even small buds into a tiny vape chamber. That’s one.

But there are actually several good reasons why you need to break down your flower into small pieces:

• smaller pieces allow for good airflow, which gives you a cleaner, easier burn.
• a good fine grind means a larger surface area of the burn, maximizing the the use of flower.
• grinding – if done with a cannabis grinder with a third compartment – lets you collect that sweet, sweet kief.

So yeah – you definitely want that bud in little pieces… and here are seven ideas on how to make that happen.

7 Alternative Ways to Grind Your Cannabis Flower

If you’re at home, your kitchen should be the first place you look.

Many common kitchen appliances can serve purpose.

Still, let’s kick off the list with an item that’s actually a functional grinder.

Use a Coffee Grinder…

When it comes down to it, a coffee grinder is still a grinder, as the name implies.

First step – purge your coffee grinder of any remaining coffee grounds or coffee bean residue (unless you like smoking coffee with your weed – to each their own). Separate the bud with your fingers and place it and place it in the grinding chamber.

Also, avoid using large quantities of weed in one go. You want to start small with just a bit of flower to discover your optimum consistency, especially if your coffee grinder has varied coarseness settings.

Pack the cannabis in loosely to avoid damaging your grinder.

Close the top and run the grinder until you get equally sized cannabis bits.

Keep in mind, if you don’t want your morning coffee to have a little more kick the next day, be sure to clean it out once you’re done.

… Or a Cheese Grater

This approach may require a little more work, but it is just as effective.

Make sure your grater is clean, place a plate or container [anything with a flat surface will do] below it.

Start grinding on the side of the cheese grater where the holes are the smallest.

Keep an eye on your fingers while you shred, and once you’re done, check for any remaining buds adhering to the grater’s teeth. The downside of this method is that a lot of trichomes [the really smelly and kicky bits of the bud] will kinda just fly loosely, and you won’t be able to collect them. It’s not the end of the world, but be aware.

This procedure is very useful for people who have dexterity issues or arthritis, but be careful not to cut yourself.

Cutting Board and a Kitchen Knife

There’s no reason you can’t treat your favorite greens just like the ones that you eat.

Place your cannabis on a chopping board and dice it with a sharp knife until it has a ground but not powdered consistency.

You should ideally use a non-serrated blade, like a chef’s knife or a butcher knife. However, practically any knife will suffice as long as it has a reasonably sharp blade.

While not required, allowing your marijuana buds to dry out will make this procedure much easier. Keep an eye on your fingertips, given how light and uncompressed buds usually are, the knife might just slide through them. Again, do it on a solid surface to avoid injury.

If you have sticky weed, you can try freezing it before cutting to make the process easier.

Scissors and a Shot Glass

With this method, you won’t grind weed as much as you’ll chop at it.

Find a clean shot glass and a pair of small, sharp scissors. Break of your bud into smaller pieces, put it in that small glass, and start hacking away at it.

As cannabis connoisseurs will tell you, this is a pretty decent method for several reasons. First thing, it won’t fly all over the place because it’s in a glass. Secondly, if your weed is sticky and full of resin, this will go smoother than other things on this list thanks to the fact you’re using a pair of scissors and not your fingers. And last – but not the least – there’s no danger of ending up with a fine powder – you’ll get a nice consistency – different sizes but small enough – that will work well for a vaporizer device.

The Mortar & Pestle Method

If you don’t have access to coffee grinders and cheese graters, go with the old school; a mortar and pestle.

This tool, which is essentially a bowl (mortar) and a blunt, club-like item (pestle), is used to grind food and herbs into a fine powder or a paste.

Because a mortar and pestle isn’t a popular instrument, this grinding process isn’t the most accessible on the list, but it’s a good alternative for drier flowers.

The upside with this technique is that you can do larger quantities relatively easy. Remember to give it a good wash afterwards – other people in your home might not want this extra bit of seasoning in their food!

The Prescription Bottle & Coin Method

But what about the stoner on the go, I hear you say.

Well, I’ve got you covered there too!

If you’re just out and about or going to a toker party [a grinder would be smart in this case], you can make an shaker with as little as an empty pill bottle and a couple of coins!

Clean up your gear – both the bottle and the coins – and fill it with a few smaller pieces of flower. Don’t overpack it – you need some room there. Grab a couple of coins – dimes work best – add them to the bottle, close it and shake vigorously.

Check your progress every 20 seconds or so: you’re looking for smaller pieces, but not dust.

Break It Up With Your Fingers

If everything else fails, you still have the fingers that the good Lord gave you.

While doing it by hand can take a long time, that’s a good thing – it gives you time to think about how valuable a grinder would be! 😀

So put that index finger to work!

I’ve been doing this for a long time, and sometimes, nothing can compare to the tried and tested approach of pulling your bloom apart by hand. It will never let you down.

Begin by pulling apart the larger buds into smaller, more manageable pieces. Then, using your fingernails, trim those down even further until you’re happy.

With sticky buds, go slowly and steadily. If you use too much pressure, you may wind up compressing them, making vaping somewhat more difficult. On the other hand, be cautious if your cannabis is excessively dry, and handle the grinds with care once they’ve reached the right texture.

Find a flat, smooth surface to make picking up the weed much easier.

Or, You Know… You Could Simply Invest in the Real Deal

Using cannabis flower that hasn’t been ground up simply doesn’t work, so if you’re without a grinder, try one of these do-it-yourself solutions.

The easiest method is to break it apart with your hands, of course, but if you haven’t tried other options, I can guarantee, they are fun.

Not interested in that kind of fun?

Well, then here’s something that will come in handy:

The Kind Pen’s Tri-Level Cannabis Grinder with Kief Catcher

Features a third compartment that collects kief. Made from aluminum.

Yes, I Want to Grind Weed the Easy Way [Click Here]