A 4 piece grinder is the standard build: a magnetic lid, a grinding chamber with machined teeth, a collection chamber underneath it, and a fourth chamber — the kief catcher — sitting below a fine mesh screen. Turn it, and...
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A 4 piece grinder is the standard build: a magnetic lid, a grinding chamber with machined teeth, a collection chamber underneath it, and a fourth chamber — the kief catcher — sitting below a fine mesh screen. Turn it, and the ground herb drops through holes in the grinding chamber while the finest powder passes the screen into the bottom.
That fourth chamber is the whole point. On a 3 piece grinder the fine powder stays mixed through everything; on a 4 piece it is sieved out and kept separately. Most 4 piece grinders ship with a small scraper for lifting it out.
What to look at
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Diameter. The 4 piece grinders here run from 44mm to 75mm. 50–55mm is the usual choice; 60mm and above are large-capacity and are a two-handed object. Adding a fourth chamber also adds height, so a 4 piece is always taller than a 2 or 3 piece of the same diameter.
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Body material. Anodised aluminium is lighter and holds machined teeth; zinc alloy is denser, heavier and usually cheaper. Both are in this collection — see the full grinder range for how the materials compare.
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Screen. A stainless steel mesh screen sieves better and survives cleaning better than a plated one. The Sharpstone models here use stainless screens.
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Teeth. Diamond-cut teeth machined into the chamber cut rather than tear, which is what gives an even texture in fewer turns.
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Threads and magnet. The two joins that get used most are the lid magnet and the thread between the grinding and collection chambers. Machined metal threads outlast moulded ones.
Is a 4 piece worth it over a 3 piece?
If you are choosing between them, a 4 piece does everything a 3 piece does and adds a chamber you can ignore if you never want it. The trade-offs are height, a little more weight, and one more part to clean. If you want the smallest possible grinder, a 3 piece or a 2 piece is the shorter object.
Cleaning a 4 piece
Unscrew all four parts. Tap the loose material out, brush the teeth and the threads with a stiff dry brush, and clear the mesh screen from the underside so you push debris out rather than further in. Isopropyl alcohol lifts the sticky residue from metal parts; rinse and dry completely before reassembling. Do not soak painted or anodised finishes for long periods.
Not sure a 4 piece is right for you? Herb Grinders 101 — the complete NZ buying guide works through every type, or browse all herb and herb grinders.
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