Grinding 101: How Fine Should I Grind My Herb?

Deciding how fine to grind an herb is an important thing to consider. 

Too fine a grind and you’ve just made powder; too coarse, and you might as well not have used a grinder at all.

So how fine should you grind your herb? 

Well that is what we are going to discuss in this article, so sit down and enjoy learning a little bit more about the world of herb grinders!

Why Grind At All?

We covered this in our Definitive Guide to Herb Grinders for 2020 but let's briefly go over why we grind our herbs at all.

If large, fully-intact, lumpy pieces of the plant are used, you may not be unlocking the true qualities of the herb. 

Worse, it may be completely ineffective in the case of a vaporizer where the herb is being burned.

What is the Perfect Grind?

The perfect grind for your herbs is something that is small enough to spread or burn evenly, but not so fine that the structure of the herb is completely destroyed.  Something that is ground into a powder will not allow for a good burn, and may be overpowering in its effects in vaporizers, rolled paper or bowls.

Consistency is critical in whatever you are grinding: all the pieces of the grind should be about the same size. 

As for what that size should be, pieces of herb around the size of 1-2 mm square are ideal, although some pieces may be longer than that if they come from a leaf or fibrous plant as long as their short-side diameter is around that 1 mm mark.

For a guide, think about store-bought herbs like Italian seasoning, pre-ground tea, or even tobacco pieces in a cigarette. 

You’ll notice that a lot of these products are ground to approximately the same size even though the plants and their uses are different. 

This has become a standard for a reason: it works.

So aim for this type of size for your grind, and also make sure that the grinder you are using produces a consistent grind so that all pieces are roughly the same size.

What Is the Best Grinder for Herb?

So now that you know how fine to grind your herbs, the next part is to find a grinder that can deliver the desired size of grind and do it consistently.

We recommend going with an electric grinder: many of these, such as the Mamba electric grinder, are able to produce a consistent grind at the size you need because the grinding teeth compartment is often combined with a screen and dispensing mechanism that allows fully-ground herb to fall through into whatever container you are using to catch the grind. 

This helps ensure the grind is consistent: large pieces remain in the grind until they are shredded to the right size, and material that is ground leaves the grinder instead of remaining inside to potentially clog the grinder.

In the case of a grinder like the Mamba, the designers have fitted it with a screen from the factory that allows for the right grind to be achieved each and every time: essentially, the guesswork has been taken out of the grinding process.  Just load the herbs, hit the button, and you’ll be enjoying your herbs the right way each and every time.

Summary:

When grinding your herb, there are 2 things you need to do:

1. You need to produce a grind in that medium range as indicated above
2. You need the entire grind to be at roughly the same size. 

Size and consistency: these are critical concepts to making sure you are getting the most out of your herb.

And remember, you don’t have to do it all yourself: there are plenty of battery-powered electric grinders out there that can do the job for you, letting you spend time doing the important part: enjoying your herbs!