Best Pollen Press Machines & How to Make Hash from Kief

May 6, 2022
Posted by Gabrielle

What is a Pollen Press?

A pollen press transforms cannabis kief into hash pucks. Normally made from a high-grade material like stainless steel, a hash press applies pressure to kief to form disks that are broken up and sprinkled on top of blunts, bong bowls and consumed in a myriad of other ways. Using a kief press makes it easier to handle, preserve and consume the resulting hash.

Photo: Flickr

Kief vs Hash

What is Kief?

Kief is the sticky, resinous trichomes on your cannabis removed by way of a grinder. It resembles a fine powder and is extremely high in THC containing 50%+ THC compared to herb which ranges between 10-20% THC. Kief builds up with every turn of the grinder. Multi-chamber grinders today generally have four chambers of fine mesh. Fine kief crystals filter through these screens and collect at the bottom which is called a kief catcher. Interestingly, the lighter the color of your kief, the higher its purity.

What is Hash?

Hash is simply kief transformed through heat and pressure into a solid wax or less commonly, extracted into a liquid form. Since it’s more concentrated in THC, it produces an even more powerful high. Pollen presses are used to turn kief into hash pucks which become more amber in color.

Difference Between Hash and Kief

Kief is easier to extract since all you need to do is let it collect at the bottom of your multi-chamber grinder. It produces a less powerful high but you get more bang for your buck than hash. Hash, on the other hand, produces an intense, euphoric high due to its even higher THC concentration. It’s more versatile and easier to handle once produced since it’s not as sticky as kief. Kief is best for people who are new to concentrates and hash for more experienced stoners.

How to Make Hash from Kief

You can create hash from kief using a pollen press. Follow these simple steps to make hash pucks using a t-style hammer pollen press:

Load chamber with kief (you can start with a gram or go higher)
Close the chamber and tighten the cap
Twist the t-handle until it stops
Leave it inside the kief press for a few hours to help the puck keep its shape
Break the pressure by loosening the handle
Take off the bottom and continue turning the handle until you can pop the puck off

Best Pollen Press for Sale

This list of the best pollen press machines focuses on reliable, durable products made from high quality materials such as steel and brass. For every kief press, we recommend using a few drops of olive oil to coat before each use for a smoother experience.

Hammer Pollen Press Machine

This 100% stainless steel kief press comes in a gift box and makes the perfect stoner gift. The ergonomic hammer design makes it extremely easy to use. An L-shaped tool is included to tighten the bottom, since it will naturally loosen over use. Another similar but pricier option is the Grindhouse Stainless Steel Pollen T-Press.

Brass Kief Press

This brass hammer pollen press is another solid option. The cross-hatched pattern along the shaft makes it easier to grasp. For this one, it’s best to use parchment paper between each use since the press will sometimes stick.

Steel Pollen Press Machine

This steel hash press is a unique option as it doesn’t have threading, as with most. Instead, it uses the force of a mallet strike to compact kief instantly. This makes it a really good option if you’d prefer to avoid the strenuous wrist workout that a hammer pollen press requires.

Anodized Aluminum Kief Press

Although aluminum is generally not recommended because it is weaker and can give you metal shavings, this anodized aluminum pollen press is reinforced and extremely durable. With this piece, we recommend cutting a piece of parchment paper so the kief doesn’t stick.

Cali Crusher Pollen Press

Made from aircraft grade aluminum, the Cali Crusher T-Press is tough with great torquing power yet affordable. It also comes in a wide range of vibrant colors to set the vibes right.

DIY Pollen Press

Generally, a pollen press will run you roughly $20-$30 but if you are looking to save some money you can try this DIY pollen press with materials you can find around your home. The kief cakes will be smaller in size since you’ll be using a pen as the chamber. All you need is a pen, pencil and paper. Are you ready to take notes? Simply follow these steps:

Disassemble a pen that preferably has its threads outside of the metal encasing
Scrape kief from grinder onto a piece of paper
Fold the paper like a taco to funnel the kief into the cylindrical pen chamber
Use a old-school unsharpened wooden pencil and use pressure to push the kief down
Push the mini kief cake through

How to Smoke Kief

The most common way to consume kief is to sprinkle some loose kief into your joint, blunt or bowl. If you’re using a kief puck, it’s best to break off smaller pieces since it doesn’t have that much surface area. There are also many other ways to consume kief such as making hash pucks, moonrocks, dabbing, infusing into edibles or adding into your tea or coffee.