What Is a Grinder Coin?
A grinder coin is a coin that’s placed in your grinder while grinding your cannabis. This can be any type of coin, with the only requirements being that it’s metal and it’s an acceptable size for your grinder; not too big, but not too small. Grinder coins can be used in multi-chamber grinders, sometimes called four-piece grinders, which consist of a top grinder, bottom grinder, bud receptacle, and kief catcher. Rudimentary grinders, like single chamber grinders, won’t benefit from the addition of a grinder coin.
Why Use It?
Grinder coins are used to help more kief be collected from cannabis. They help to increase kief collection by applying weight to the top of the cannabis being ground. The extra weight from the coin presses the larger portions of cannabis down, compacts it, and forces more of the kief to be pushed through the mesh. This means that the tiny particles of kief will be collected and the larger bud will remain at the top, ready to be enjoyed.
The Benefits of Collecting Kief
Kief is the minute particles that separate from cannabis during grinding, which consists of concentrated trichomes and cannabinoids, like THC. When using a grinder that doesn’t collect kief, the kief will become sticky and start to gum up your grinder after prolonged use. If you’ve been wasting this precious residue, it’s time to reconsider. Kief has many uses and can be easily collected by slightly altering your grinding setup.
Kief is the perfect consistency for creating infused butter and oil for edibles. It can also be pressed into hash or used as an alternative to wax, shatter, and other concentrates. For the low-key smoker, kief can simply be sprinkled on top of the bud in a joint or bowl for added potency.
Choosing and Using a Grinder Coin
While some people are particular about the coins they use in their grinders, any clean coin will do. Try to find a coin that covers a decent amount of the bud in your grinder. For smaller grinders, dimes, pennies, or nickels may suffice. But for larger grinders, quarters and half dollars may be the best size for maximum kief collection.
Whether you dig a coin out of your couch cushions or buy a special coin just for grinding, the most important thing is to be sure the coin is clean. Wash any residue from the coin, scrub it with a mild detergent and rinse it with water. Then, give it a quick wipe with some rubbing alcohol. Once it dries, you’re ready to grind.
Fill your grinder with cannabis as you normally would, then place your coin on top. Put your grinder lid on and grind as usual. Set aside your coin to get to your bud once you’re done grinding. After a few uses, you should start seeing plenty of kief collected in your catcher.
Should You Use Them?
Without a doubt- YES! After learning the uses and benefits of kief, it’s clear that anything that increases kief collection is a good idea. If you’re currently using a basic, single chamber grinder, consider switching over to a three-chamber grinder for even more benefits.