Should I Use the Herb Grinder to Store Herbs?

Storing Dry Herbs in a Grinder

Dry herb grinders are the perfect tool for those looking to have a little consistency in their final product. While chopping up herbs by hand can be less than ideal, dry herb grinders have proven that they can maintain consistency every time. The best part is that they can also be used for other purposes besides grinding.

One of the better features offered by a 4-piece grinder would be its ability to collect and store sub-particulate matter known as kief, which is a concentrated form of your dry herb material. Another feature would be to store your ungrounded material directly into the grinder itself until it is ready to be used.

You can store material directly in the top chamber, unground, or grounded into the second chamber. Either one will require that you secure your grinder to ensure it doesn’t inadvertently open and spill out all the contents everywhere. Whether you have a big grinder or a small 1.5in grinder, storing them inside the chamber can free up space and save you time.

Grinders and Their Functions

The main purpose of a grinder is obviously to grind, chop, and mince your dry herb material with consistency. Unlike using scissors or even your bare fingers, using a grinder offers the user more leverage and consistency. A big grinder can be suitable for grinding large or significant quantities of material, while small grinders are better suited for personal use or small chambers.

To save on space, some users will store their dry herb material inside the grinder in either chamber until it is ready to be used. In fact, if one has a 4-piece grinder, they can even use the bottom kief chamber to securely store their dry herb material. Obviously, this would only be recommended if they have no kief stored already since this would ruin it.

Some grinders also come equipped with hand cranks for those who need leverage to operate the grinder. Since some material can be rather dense and sticky, hand cranks offer the user more power to grind their herbs efficiently. The main purpose of a grinder is to grind, not store your dry herbs. Either way, they can be considered multi-functional tools.

Pros and Cons of Using a Dry Herb Grinder to Store Your Dry Herb Material

One of the most convenient ways to store your material would be directly into one of the chambers of your grinder. This would save space by having everything contained within the grinder itself. It would also save time as all you would have to do is pull out your grinder and either grind the material or open the chamber and pour out the contents.

Storing your dry herb material in the top grinding chamber can be a good way to store them, though they are more prone to spilling out since most grinders are magnetically held from the top chamber. They would need to be secured, adding an additional step to the process. The second chamber would be better as the material would already be ground up and ready to use.

The bad part about this is the longer it is stored ground up and exposed to open air, the drier it will be and can lose flavor and potency very quickly. This is especially true if your environment is hot, humid, or otherwise less than ideal. The bottom chamber used to store kief would be the best, though only if no kief is present for obvious reasons.

The Best Way to Store Your Dry Herbs

Even though dry herbs can be safely stored inside a secured grinder, the best possible way to store your dry herb material would be inside a closed container away from light, heat, and other detrimental sources. If you choose to store your dry herb material directly inside your grinder, just make sure it is secured and unable to inadvertently open.

If you are tight on space then it would be most ideal to simply store your material inside your grinder, though you want to make sure you end up using your material right away to avoid your material over drying. The best way to house it inside a grinder if you plan to use it right away is in the second chamber already ground up. If you plan to hold onto it for a while and have not yet ground up your material, you can opt for the last chamber.

If you happen to have kief in there, you might want to reconsider and simply store your dry herb material separately inside its own container. Plastic bags are not ideal because they are not airtight and are usually clear, allowing light and air to penetrate the bag itself which can alter terpenes and flavor profiles. The best way to store your dry herbs when traveling is either the bottom chamber of your grinder, or a small airtight container.

Final Thoughts

Using a grinder to store dry herb material can be a great way of traveling with minimal objects taking up room in your pocket or purse. If planning to use your dry herb material right away, this can be the best possible method. When possible, you will want to opt for a more practical method, such as an empty pill bottle.

Baggies are outdated and hold very little protection for your dry herb material. Grinders are tough, heavy, and can withstand a considerable amount of damage. The problem is that if you have dry herbs in the top chamber for example, they can fall out and spill everywhere.

If you plan on storing your dry herbs inside a grinder, just make sure you use either the middle or bottom chamber to safely store your dry herbs. Always use your material right away when employing this method to prevent your material from drying out. In any case, storing your material inside a grinder can be an ideal method for traveling.

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