If you’re looking for detailed bud trimming machine reviews, then you’ve come to the right place. Trimming is one of the final steps in preparing marijuana for sale. Traditionally done by hand, bud trimming removes extraneous material like leaves, stems, and seeds from the flower while maintaining the trichomes, calyxes, and bud structures that make each strain of marijuana unique.
Trimming improves the look of your bud and results in a smooth, potent product. Buds contain the highest concentration of trichomes, where the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids reside. You can find plenty of trichomes on trim (also known as shake), but not as densely packed. Trim, seeds, and stems often result in a harsh smoke that ends with a headache.
You can perform trimming wet or dry, or trim at any stage in between. The industry has not yet determined which method results in the superior product.
Expert cannabis growers agree that in today’s green market, the prices of weed, CBD, and hemp have plummeted to an all-time low. These broader markets have brought a higher demand for weed and weed products, but most of these buyers are not connoisseurs.
While hand-trimming weed becomes top-shelf, boutique bud, machine-trimmed marijuana is becoming standard for most ventures. As these businesses grow, they need an easy and more efficient method of cutting their bud. That’s when they need a bud trimmer machine.
This type of machine allows marijuana growers to reduce growing and processing costs and maximize their profits. A trimming machine can make cutting faster, though the kind you use depends on what you need for your growing practices. However, many of them can mimic the quality you get with hand trimming.
The Bud Trimming Machine—A Short History
Ryan Hall invented the first trimmer machine in 1997. It was a large, cumbersome wet trimmer that used a vacuum to maneuver buds into a tumbler, which removed the trim.
Many of the first trimming machines were used for wet-cutting. They consisted of a grate over blades mounted to the machine motor. The blades would remove sugar leaves, fan leaves, crow’s feet, and stems as the buds.
In the beginning, the trimmer machine blades did some damage to the bud, resulting in an inferior product. Bud trimming machines have since gone through a renaissance. You can now purchase bud trimmers for wet or dry trimming, and they all deliver nearly hand-trim quality products.
Are you looking for bud trimming machine reviews for cannabis growers? We’ll recommend the best bud trimmer for sale along with its top competition. Whether you prefer to trim dry or wet, you can find the right trimming machine for your business.
So, what is the top bud trimming machine for sale? To help answer that, we’ve created the go-to site for everything you need to know about the best machines and how to use them.
Unlike other sites, our reviews reflect unbiased accounts backed by over ten years of testing. When you need an easy way to trim buds as you scale your business up, we have all the information about the right trimming machine for you.We recognize that not all bud trimmers work the same, so you can trust that all of the machines I have reviewed perform far better than low-quality brands from China or companies with minimal trimmer experience.
What is a Bud Trimming Machine?
Bud trimmers, also known as marijuana trimmers, are machines designed to remove plant foliage from the bud of a marijuana plant. Trimming machines work differently, so the one you use depends on whether you’re cutting your harvest wet or dry, want a manual trimmer, or have a small or large volume to trim.
You don’t need to be a commercial grower to afford a trimmer machine. Many of these bud trimmers are affordable and perfect for hobbyists. Many of them are hand operable, allowing you to control how closely you trim and how quickly.
If you need a discreet trimmer or don’t have the room to leave them set up, you can find a portable bud trimmer machine.
Let’s look at the types of trimming machines on the market today.
Electric Handheld Trimmers
An electric handheld bud trimmer might look like the electric blade your dad would use on the holiday ham. However, instead of cutting ham, you’re using an electric trimmer for weed.
Most appropriate for wet trimming, this hand trimming machine moves through foliage quickly. At the same time, you risk of cutting into the bud if you don’t pay attention. These blades work best for smaller harvests or operations that want to hand trim their crops without taking the time to trim with scissors or shears.
Bag & Bowl Style Trimmers
A bag trimmer is for dry bud. Place the flowers in the bag, then tumble and spin it to separate your shake. Bag trimmers are inexpensive, portable, and blade-free. They’re best for home growers and small harvests because of their easy operation.
A bowl trimmer operates similarly but can work with wet or dry bud. Available in both manual and electric models, bowl trimmers are lightweight and compact—perfect for home and small-batch growers.
Stand Up Trimmers
These bud trimming machines work by moving your flowers back and forth over a grate. A fan below the grate pulls down your shake, sending it to a trimmer bag below. Stand up trimmers are fast, portable, and easy to use. They’re best for hobbyists and small harvests.
Tumbler Style Trimmers
Similar to bowl trimmers, tumblers move your buds around a cylinder, trimming them as they travel. Capable of cutting both wet and dry buds with the quick change, tumbler style trimmers are scalable and fast. While they price out higher than many other trimmers, these trimming machines are worth the money and are ideal for larger harvests and commercial ventures.
Why do Growers Trim Their Marijuana Buds?
A mature marijuana bud is called a calyx, which is made up of pistils, sugar leaves, and trichomes. You’ll find THC in the trichomes, tiny resin-filled glands covering the calyx leaves.
The goal of trimming is to remove the sugar leaves and pistils. As with all aspects of marijuana husbandry, you’ll find differing opinions on how to trim, and even whether to trim at all.
Whether you trim your buds dry or wet, by hand or with a trimming machine, you’ll see many benefits when you do.
Rich, Full Flavor
While some marijuana smokers claim that the sugar leaves enhance the flavor of individual strains, most disagree. The flower of the plant holds the richest, purest flavors, and the green matter of the leaves can detract from that.
In some strains, the sugar leaves add an unpleasant taste as it burns that can ruin the flower’s flavor. When you trim your bud, you get a purer, more potent flavor.
A Smoother Smoke
Sugar leaves are small leaves that wrap the calyx, holding it together. They don’t always burn as well as buds, resulting in an uneven smoke. They can also add a harsh, bitter flavor that lingers in the mouth.
The most compelling reason, however, is that smoking marijuana leaves often causes pounding headaches. When you use a trimmer, weed produces fewer of those adverse effects.
Pure Potency
Trichomes are the tiny glandular hairs that contain THC, and they cover sugar leaves. However, sugar leaves do not have the same trichome concentration as the buds.
Including leaves reduces the overall cannabinoid and terpene concentration volume. Many consumers don’t want to pay higher prices for what they see as a less pure, less potent product. With a trimming machine, the blades remove these leaves and give your customers the clean product they expect.
What is the Best Bud trimmer?
The best bud trimmer will depend on your budget, the size of your harvest, and other factors. If you’re a commercial grower, you’ll have different needs than a hobbyist.
Caregivers and home growers have smaller harvests and should consider smaller trimming machines like hand-held, basket, and bowl trimmers. You can get a trimmer like these at a lower price point, and they’re small enough for tabletop use. You can also pack them away for easy, discreet storage until you need to trim again.
Commercial growers need larger, automatic machines that can handle higher volumes. You should also consider whether you will be wet trimming or dry trimming when searching for the best commercial trimmer. If you don’t have the space to dry your bud before trimming, you’ll need a bud trimming machine designed specifically for wet bud.
Wet Trimming vs. Dry Trimming. What's the Difference?
The debate over wet or dry trimming has burned for years. Some swear by trimming wet, while others claim that bud trimming must be done dry.
Ultimately, the decision to trim wet or dry will depend on your space, timeline, budget, and harvest size, among other considerations.
Before you use a bud trimmer, you should understand some of the benefits and drawbacks of each method.
The Benefits of Dry Trimming
The dry trim process begins immediately after harvest. Growers break down the marijuana plants and hang the flower to dry until the moisture level in the bud reaches anywhere from 8%-12%. You can then trim dry buds by hand or with a machine before storage.
Some of the benefits of dry trimming include:
- The sugar leaves slow the drying process, and curl around the calyx, protecting it. This slower drying period prevents the "hay smell" that can affect cannabis when you dry it too quickly.
- As buds dry, so do the trichomes. This dryness preserves their integrity and potency. It also reduces the sticky residue left on hands and trimming instruments.
- Dry buds are more compact and nugget-like, concentrating the flavor and aroma.
- Cutting dry bud allows for more precision and can produce more aesthetically pleasing buds.
- Less moisture means less chance of mold growing in your trimming machine. It also makes your machine easy to clean.
Most commercial growers dry trim, and the blades in today’s bud trimming machines remove sugar leaves gently with minimal trichome loss or damage.
The Benefits of Wet Trimming
Wet trimming can begin directly upon harvesting your marijuana. Your flowers move from plant to trimming table with no waiting, saving time and space.
Some of the benefits of wet trimming are:
- Wet trimmed buds dry more quickly and densely as there is no extraneous green matter.
- Without sugar leaves to hold moisture against the calyx, there is less chance of mold growth before your bud gets to the trimmer.
- Trimming wet nugs is easier, as the leaves tend to stand away from the calyx. They are also less prone to damage from rough handling by human or machine.
- Growers need less space to dry wet-trimmed buds than they do to dry-trim marijuana stalks.
- Buds tend to keep their colors longer when trimmed wet.
Wet trimming is easier for novices, even though fresh trichomes are incredibly sticky and leave a residue on hands and blades.
Our Reviews for the Top-Rated Bud Trimmers of 2020
Check out our top five reviews of the best bud trimming machines to find the right one for your grow operation. The right trimming machine makes a world of difference when it comes to the quality of your bud and your high.
| Product | Pounds Per Hour | Wet or Dry | Power | Dimensions | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 Twister BatchOne
|
88lbs | Dry | 115 V, 60 Hz | 63" L x 34" W x 48" H | $$$$ |
#2 Twister T4
|
7-78lbs (tandem) | Both | 115 V, 60 Hz | 25" L x 15" W x 16.5" H | $$$ |
#3 GreenBroz 215
|
2-4lbs | Dry | 115 V, 60 Hz | 24.12" L x 18.63" W x 16.75" H | $$$ |
#4 Twister T6
|
4-20lbs | Both | 115 V, 60 Hz | 30" L x 11" W x 10" H | $$ |
#5 Twister T2
|
11-172lbs (tandem) | Both | 120 V, 60 Hz | 42.5" L x 27.5" W x 32.5" H | $$$$ |
#6 Triminator Dry
|
8lbs | Dry | 120 V, 60 Hz (dedicated 20A circuit) | 36" L x 24" W x 36" H | $$ |
#1 - Twister BatchOne Trimmer
Inspired by master growers, the Twister BatchOne bud trimmer is the ultimate in portable quality and convenience. Perfect for craft cultivators, its barrel trimmer has 40% more capacity and 30% more power than its closest competition. Its 360° rotating casters make it easy to maneuver, and it’s slim enough to fit through a standard size doorway.
The BatchOne is UL & CSA compliant. The removable control box and stainless steel tumbler make for convenient power washing anywhere, with no fear of shorting electronics, blade damage, or losing parts.
You can load and unload this trimming machine from either side, which is great for keeping your harvest moving. Plus, the barrel is entirely adjustable, allowing you to control the trim to accommodate different strains.
Shake collects in food-grade bins beneath the barrel. Each container is stackable and nestable for convenient storage.
Info:
Pounds Per Hour: 88 lbs/hr
Wet or Dry: Dry
Power: 115 V, 60 Hz
Dimensions: 63″ L x 34″ W x 48″ H
Cost: $22,939.00 USD
If you’re looking for the best price for this trimmer, click here to get a quote.
If you mention The Happy Cutter, you’ll get 15% off of parts for life, whether you need a blade replacement or something more complex.
or
Call Your Harvesting Expert Now!1-855-782-3115
#2 - Twister T4
The Twister T4 is another bud trimmer by Twister Trimmer. Made for medium- to large-scale growers, this workhorse offers the ultimate flexibility, versatility, and quality in a trimming machine. The T4 is their number one trimmer, and it’s easy to see why.
The T4 comes in two models. The standard model is lightweight, portable, has a stainless steel tumbler and nitride blades. The tumbler and nitride cutting blades are adjustable, and each one has six settings, allowing you to control the speed and trim to customize for each strain.
The stainless steel model is pharmaceutical, with a food-grade stainless steel blade. The minimalist design is easy to clean, making health and sanitation compliance a breeze.
The Twister T4 can be used wet or dry. Its innovative design allows growers to place up to three machines in line more than tripling the capacity if you’re trimming wet. If you trim dry bud, you can line up two machines, more than doubling your throughput per hour.
Info:
Pounds Per Hour: 23 – 78 lbs/hr wet, 7 – 16 lbs/hr dry.
Wet or Dry: Both
Power: 115 V, 60 Hz
Dimensions: 25″ L x 15″ W x 16.5″ H
Cost: $8,606.00 (with leaf collector) USD
You can read a more in-depth review of this bud trimmer if you click the button below.
If you’ve decided the T4 is for you, you can get the best price by clicking here to get a quote.
If you mention you got your info from The Happy Cutter, you’ll get 15% off parts for life.
or
Call Your Harvesting Expert Now!1-855-782-3115
#3 - GreenBroz 215
The Greenbroz 215 dry bud trimmer works well for hobbyists and home growers with smaller batches. Made in the U.S.A., it can move 2-4 pounds per hour.
The 215 trimmer has a food-grade stainless steel blade and is the “world’s most delicate plant trimmer.” Greenbroz has patented their cutting blade design, which has a natural curve meant to mimic the shape of the calyx. The blade gently removes the trim, which collects below.
As a bonus, the Greenbroz 215 trimmer has a whisper-quite motor and adjustable timer, allowing you to step away while the 215 does its thing.
Info:
Pounds Per Hour: 2 – 4 lbs/hr
Wet or Dry: Dry
Power: 115 V, 60 Hz
Dimensions: 24.12″ L x 18.63″ W x 16.75″ H
Cost: $6695 USD
For pricing on the Greenbroz 215 bud trimmer machine, click here to get a quote.
Buy now for the best deals, and mention The Happy Cutter for 15% off on parts for life, from blade to belt.
or
Call Your Harvesting Expert Now!1-855-782-3115
#4 - Twister T6
A revolution in small-batch trimming, the Twister T6 is a tabletop trimmer perfect for wet or dry bud.
This tabletop tumbler is made of the highest-quality materials, featuring high-performance, ballistics-grade plastics, anodized alloy aluminum, and 304 stainless steel. Easy to use and clean, the T6 makes short work of your harvest. Its light and portable design is perfect for home use and gives you hand trimming quality high enough for the exacting bud connoisseur.
The T6 has a 96-point adjustable system that allows you to control your trim, and its SoftTumble™ technology guarantees perfection. The rotary cutting blade system makes over 19,250 cuts per minute, so you’ll get your cutting done fast.
Info:
Pounds Per Hour: 20 lbs/hr wet, 4 lbs/hr dry
Wet or Dry: Both
Power: 115 V, 60 Hz
Dimensions: 30″ L x 11″ W x 10″ H
Cost: $4,260 (leaf collector included) USD
For more information on this impressive personal trimming machine and its easy operation, click here.
If you’re looking for the best price on this bud trimmer, click here to get a quote.
Mention The Happy Cutter for 15% off parts for life.
or
Call Your Harvesting Expert Now!1-855-782-3115
#5 - Twister T2
The Twister T2 is the number one commercial trimming machine on the market.
Built with food-grade stainless steel and insight from licensed producers, the T2 keeps your workers safe while meeting all global health and sanitation standards. This bud trimmer also has safety sensors and emergency stop capability.
Easy to operate and clean, The T2 trimmer machine works with wet and dry bud. The Twister T2 can operate consecutively with up to four trimming machines wet, and two dry. Adding a second machine more than doubles your throughput, while using four nearly quintuples it.
Info:
Pounds Per Hour: 35 – 172 lbs/hr wet, 11 – 25 lbs/hr dry
Wet or Dry: Both
Power: 120 V, 60 Hz
Dimensions: 42.5″ L x 27.5″ W x 32.5″ H
Cost: $15,485.00 (with leaf collector) USD
For a more in-depth review of the Twister T2 bud trimmer, click the button below.
You can click here to get a quote.
Don’t forget to mention The Happy Cutter for a lifetime 15% discount on parts.
or
Call Your Harvesting Expert Now!1-855-782-3115
#6 - Triminator Dry
If you’re looking for a solid dry trimmer, then check out the Triminator Dry. This machine was designed for cannabis and hemp; it’s very fast, quiet, and user-friendly. It’s highly recommended for dry trimming. It is also perfect for small to mid-sized grow operations. Get ready to produce hand-quality trim at production speeds that will save your business a ton of money.
Info:
Pounds Per Hour: 10 lbs/hr
Wet or Dry: Dry
Power: 120 V
Dimensions: 36″ L x 24″ W x 36″ H
Cost: $4,995.00 USD
If you mention The Happy Cutter, you’ll get 15% off of parts for life, whether you need a blade replacement or something more complex.
or
Call Your Harvesting Expert Now!1-855-782-3115
Where to Buy the Best Bud Trimmer
Are you looking for a bud trimmer? Cool. My name is Greg.
I have joined forces with Brandon to offer harvesting services here at The Happy Cutter.
If you’re unsure about which trimmer is right for you, then call me right now, and let’s talk.
I have over a decade of experience helping growers just like you.
Whether you are wet trimming or dry trimming, I have a solution for you.
I also have multiple locations throughout the United States and can help you get a demo of just about any machine.
That’s right! No more guessing or wondering if these machines really work.
I’ll show you how to get the best trim possible based on your situation.
What are you waiting for? Submit a quote or call me now! It’s fast and easy!
