Chain vs blade vs teeth: how each grinder works

By the idoobi team · Updated October 2026 · All guides

Teeth

This is the classic manual grinder. Two plates covered in pegs slide past each other as you twist, and the herbs are torn between them.

• Good: simple, cheap, no power needed, and you control the grind by how long you twist.
• Bad: residue packs between the pegs and in the lid threads, so it needs regular cleaning and eventually sticks.

Blades

A blade grinder works like a coffee or spice grinder. A motor spins a sharp blade at the bottom of a cup. (The idoobi is bladeless. It grinds with a stainless steel ball chain, so there is nothing to clog and nothing to clean.)

• Good: fast, and it handles larger amounts.
• Bad: it keeps cutting whatever is nearest the blade, so it is easy to end up with powder at the bottom and whole pieces on top. Residue collects under the blade and in the corners.

Chain

A chain grinder spins a short length of ball chain inside a smooth chamber. The chain does not cut. It strikes the dried herbs and breaks them apart, a little like a string trimmer.

• Good: the chain has no corners, so there is nowhere for residue to pack in. The grind comes out even and fluffy, and you control it by time.
• Bad: it needs dried herbs, because damp herbs bend instead of breaking. The chain is a wearing part, so a spare matters.

Side by side