3 Piece Grinders NZ

A 3 piece grinder is a lid, a grinding chamber with teeth, and a collection chamber underneath. Ground herb falls through holes in the floor of the grinding chamber and gathers in the bottom, so you unscrew one part and tip it out rather than picking it off the teeth.

What it does not have is a mesh screen and a kief catcher — that fourth chamber is what makes a 4 piece grinder a 4 piece. On a 3 piece, the fine powder produced by grinding stays mixed through the rest of it.

Why choose a 3 piece

• Shorter and lighter. One less chamber means a noticeably flatter grinder at the same diameter. Easier to pocket.
• Less to clean. Three parts, no screen. A mesh screen is the fiddliest part of a 4 piece to keep clear.
• Cheaper. The 3 piece grinders in this range sit at the lower end of our grinder pricing.
• Nothing lost. If you were never going to use a kief chamber, a 3 piece keeps everything in one place.

What is in this collection

The 3 piece grinders here run from 40mm to 62mm across, in zinc alloy, anodised aluminium and wood-look finishes, including several novelty-shaped bodies. Most use a neodymium magnet in the lid to hold it shut while you turn it.

3 piece or 4 piece?

Choose a 3 piece if you want the smaller, simpler, cheaper object and have no interest in separating the fine powder. Choose a 4 piece if you would rather have the extra chamber and can live with a taller grinder — it is the more common choice, and you can always ignore the bottom chamber.

Cleaning

Unscrew the three parts, tap out what is loose, then brush the teeth and threads dry with a stiff brush. Isopropyl alcohol removes sticky residue from metal bodies; rinse and dry before reassembling. Keep alcohol away from plastic and acrylic parts, and do not leave painted or anodised finishes soaking.

Compare every type in Herb Grinders 101 — the complete NZ buying guide, or see all herb and herb grinders.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a 3 piece and a 4 piece grinder? A three piece has a lid, a grinding chamber and one storage chamber under it. There is no mesh screen and no separate catch cup, so everything that is ground drops into the same lower chamber.

Why would I choose a 3 piece grinder over a 4 piece? A three piece body is shorter, has one less set of threads to keep clear, and holds nothing back behind a screen. Choose it when you want a compact grinder and are not separating out the fine powder.

How do I clean a 3 piece grinder? Empty it out, then brush the teeth, the storage chamber and both sets of threads with a stiff dry brush. With no screen fitted there are fewer places for residue to pack in than on a four piece.

What are the 3 piece grinders here made from? This is a small range built mostly in zinc alloy and aluminium, covering plain diamond cut bodies and moulded character shapes. The metal is named in the product title on each listing.