Twister T6 Trimming Machine with Leaf Collector Vacuum VS Triminator XL Dry Trimming Machine

In the ages of the small home grow, trimming by hand was doable, but these days many of us have hundreds of plants turning out thousands of pounds of product. Considering one pound of flower often takes six to ten hours to harvest by hand — hand trimming no longer makes sense. You’d need to hire a large crew for it even to be possible before the crop was ruined.

Enter trimming machines. When they first hit the market back in 1997, they did an amateur job at best, but they’ve come a long way in the last twenty-something years. Now there are so many quality options it’s hard to settle on which to add to your operation.

We can help with that. Stick around. We’re about to share everything you need to know about picking the best bud trimmer for 2022.

Why do growers trim plants buds in the first place?

Harvest time has come! You are cutting down your homegrown plants buds to dry and cure them. But do growers need to trim their plants buds? When is the best time to trim, and why do growers trim buds in the first place?

Here are some reasons to trim buds:

“Top Shelf” Appearance — Trimmed buds are often considered higher quality. Most buds are completely manicured (or at least somewhat trimmed) when you see them in magazines, at the dispensary, and online. This is the appearance we’ve come to associate with “good plants” and so untrimmed buds may look less appealing to some people.
Better Smell — Buds that are trimmed before being going into jars tend to gain a stronger “plants” smell over time. On the flip side, untrimmed buds take on a “planty” hay smell if they’re stored in an airtight container for too long (several weeks to months).
Easier on Your Throat — Leaves are more “harsh” on your throat/lungs than flowers when vaping or smoking. Trimming off extra leaf matter makes buds more “smooth” to smoke or vaporize.
Higher THC Concentration — Even trichome-encrusted sugar leaves have a significantly lower concentration of THC and other cannabinoids than the flowers. That means trimmed buds tend to have higher levels of THC gram-for-gram.
Many growers want trimmed buds but don’t want to waste any THC, so they process their trim to extract the THC in the leaves separately. You have endless options for getting the good stuff out of your leaves and other trim, but my favorite ways are making dry ice hash, butter or canna caps. I sprinkle dry ice hash on top of bowls to skyrocket their potency, I use butter for edibles, and I love canna caps for the ability to easily dose edibles on the go!

Twister T6 Trimming Machine with Leaf Collector Vacuum

Features:

The Twister T6 is designed and engineered with the highest grade materials available, including high-performance ballistic-grade plastics, high-grade anodized alloy aluminum, and 304 stainless steel used throughout. The result is quite possibly the highest grade, most durable, easiest to use, easiest to clean, small-capacity trimmers ever made! The radical new small-capacity tabletop design allows for quality, hand trim-finished trimming speeds of up to 2 lbs/hr dry, 7 lbs/hr wet, right from the comfort of your own home! Finally. Homegrown, hand trim-finished product is now possible with an automated small machine trimmer.

Triminator XL Dry Trimming Machine

Features:

The Triminator XL Dry is the fastest dry trimmer on the market today. It can process a massive 60 pounds of dry material per HOUR. The XL Dry was designed to meet the demands of a large-scale production, by offering the user streamlined and repeatable processes and completely worry-free operation. Triminator’s proprietary technology eliminates metal on metal friction, which reduces the need for lubricants and keeps heat down. The closed loop system with no fan means 100% of the trim is captured, so it can be used in extracts without being beat up by fans or blowers. Innovative angular shear band geometry provides sharp, precise trimming every time.

What to Consider When Searching for the Best Bud Trimmer Machines — Buyer’s Guide

Not sure which is the best bud trimmer machine for you? This buyer’s guide will provide you with all the information you need to make a well-informed decision. We will cover everything from which factors to consider to the steps in the trimming process.

Hand Trimming
Interested in what the process trimming by hand involves? It usually looks a little something like this:

Once your plant is ripe, you harvest it by cutting the whole plant at the bottom. Then, you have the option of letting them dry out before trimming. You can also do a “wet trim” where you start cutting them immediately.

You want to wear gloves and use a good pair of scissors. Start by trimming off the big fan leaves. Then, cut each branch off of the main stem to make them easier to work. Cutaway any excess leaves until you get to the bud, being careful not to trim the actual bud.

Note: You are cutting away anything that does not have high concentrations of trichomes. Trichomes are small white crystals that naturally appear on the bud. These are responsible for producing cannabinoids such as THC.

Take care by using the tip of the scissors when cutting. This method will allow for more precise cuts and prevent your scissors from getting sticky. Also, be sure to limit direct contact with the bud as this will deteriorate the overall quality.

As you can see, trimming by hand takes a lot of time and requires patience and precision.

Machine Trimming
Machines often vary by manufacturer, so be sure to read the instructions for yours thoroughly.

Typically, they come with a bowl and have blades operated automatically or manually. The blades rotate and strip the bud of excess foliage. The process should be gentle enough not to damage the bud.

Even if you are trimming with a machine, you should wear gloves. In addition to being sticky, the resin can stain and stink up your hands.

The Different Types of Bud Trimmer Machines

The two different types are:

● Automatic: Automatic machines are better for large batches of plants. They have electric motors that make them easier to operate and speed up the process.

● Manual: If you’re buying a machine, you might wonder why there are even manual options available. They are cheaper, more common, and allow you to control how vigorously you want to trim your plants.

Different Methods of Trimming
Growers must decide between dry and wet trimming. As both methods can produce excellent results, it boils down to personal preference.

Dry Trimming
The dry method involves, well, drying your buds first. Growers hang them in a controlled environment for about a week to remove moisture.

Once they are dry, you can manicure them. It usually takes a little longer as the leaves are curled and shrunken. However, the dry method is much cleaner than the wet method.

Wet Trimming
This method refers to manicuring your buds right after you harvest them. Growers refer to it as “wet trimming” because the buds still have their moisture.

Why might a grower favor this method? Well, for one, the leaves are still open and easy to cut. Additionally, it’s easier to use a mechanical trimmer for “wet” leaves.

You will still have to dry the leaves after you cut them. Plus, the wet method is messier and can be harder on your scissors. You will have to clean them multiple times throughout the process.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it. We have tested most of the machines available on the market and without a doubt, the ones on this list are some of the best bud trimmers available to date. What do you think? Which machines have you tried?

If you have any questions please reach out to one of our harvesting specialists. Contact us or visit one of our locations. We can help you with rentals, sales, maintenance, and harvest consulting.

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