1. I like the 1/4 turn tech, would never own another grinder that does not have it. Both the Phonecian and Lifts I own have it. Seems to work better on the Lifts, the Phoenician is more likely to slip on you when grinding.
2. With the grinders that have pins or blades on both sides you have to put your bud on one side and mash the two sides into each other through the bud. The lift has 3 compartments you place the bud into, no mashing, the top goes on easy.
3. I don't feel like there is as much strain on the wrist when grinding. These seem to grind through bud with less force needed. I don't have a way to measure this.
4. I have to clean these less often than others I own. My grinders with pins or blades tend to get dirty along the area where you turn and those rings they put around them get caked. The Lifts don't deposit residue in the same spots or because it works differently the residue doesn't feel like it impacts performance as much as the others. I clean mine about every 6 months or so. Due to the quantities of herb I grind I can't get away with that with the other grinders.
This is the blade spinning maybe not freely anymore but still well despite the residue and gunk of 3+ OZ.
5. I like the way it feels in my hand. The finish is smooth, the product feels substantial. It is on the heavier side of the grinders I have.
6. I use the little bowl/tool part they send. It's usually either holding something like ground up herb or a bunch of fury/mighty capsules.
7. I met the guy that either owns or runs the business at a convention. We didn't have a long discussion, a minute or two, but I thought he was a good dude. I like to spend my money with people I like if I can help it.
I own many grinders from the cheap free ones they send with vape purchases to a nice custom Phoenician. The Lifts are my favorite. I'd like to try some others though like the BCG others are excited about. I don't own a knock off of the Liftt so I'm not sure how they are different. I don't notice the looseness you discuss although a couple of times after taking it apart for cleaning I didn't get the sifting plate on tight enough and it did slip up when I tried to grind. This doesn't seem to reoccur after tightening properly.
I use the fine sifting plates. The grind isn't fine like the S&B orange grinders produce. I would characterize it as fluffy medium fine.
I own several because months after purchasing and liking the black one they offered a discount on the remaining copper ones they had. I thought I'd like to have two of the same grinder in day to day operation so I got it. I like to vape two types of herb a day so that is how I justified it in my head.
When I went to Champs they unveiled what was going to be the upcoming red version. Red is my favorite color. I thought the grinder looked gorgeous so I got it. I keep one in my poker night grab bag and the other two on my tray.
I absolutely agree with everything above.
I also own a few grinders...Kannastor gr8tr V2, Homegrown Calicrusher, S&B herb mill, MFLB finisher, BCG (medium) and a slew of cheap non-anodized aluminum grinders.
The one thing that was not mentioned is the way this grinder has really minimized the amount of potential metal to metal contact. The amount of surface area that can experience that friction is a fraction of the surface area found on grinders that use teeth. Also, because the top piece is attached to the middle section via a rod vs just a magnet, there is no play in the movement of the top piece. That ability for the top piece to be able to move off the center alignment can cause friction issues with extend use but overall the lack of play on the Lift just makes it an easier grinder to use.
In summary, this grinds effortlessly and is built like a tank (weighs 1/2 lb). I can shove as material as the three chambers can fit and it still will not take additional force to grind. The knurled top makes it easier but I never have to apply any real force to turn the grinder. The removal of the traditional teeth is ingenious and makes a huge functional difference. I originally saw this a few years ago when they were crowd funding and actually dismissed them as a gimmick.
After picking the Lift up, you can tell that more money was spent on actual material for this grinder. Some see the extra parts of complexity but you shouldn't. There should not be a frequent need to dissemble and clean. Admittedly when I first got this, I cleaned it every week. I've since realized that regular cleaning of this grinder just isn't that necessary.
I think this grinder would be perfect for anyone that has dexterity issues due to the easy grind action and larger diameter. This is definitely a pricey grinder (albeit not pricier than its premium counterparts) but a grinder is the one tool that I use daily regardless of which vape I choose to pick up. I go through a fair amount of material and being able to grind so easily has been absolute bliss.
Once you start using it, you just start to understand the little things that were implemented to make this a better grinder. Is it perfect? No but but to be fair, I'm not sure one exists right now. That said, this is the best grinder I've ever personally used. When saying that, I factor in ease of use, consistency of grind, durability, efficiency and ease of cleaning.
Finally, although I have not met the folks behind Lift in person, I have had a chance to chat with Greg over DM a few times and I also follow their IG. Nice guys. I like what this company represents and is trying to do as a whole. They have values that they believe and are not afraid to champion those values. A little from their website:
Join us in
supporting the use of recycled materials, proper disposal of hazardous waste, safe working conditions, and fair wages.
They are very enviro conscious which is not a deal killer for me when choosing to make a purchase from a company but it makes the choice that much easier. I want to support guys like this.
Rarely does a knockoff work as well as the real deal, whatever the circumstance.
Where is the best place for an Aussie to buy a Lift Grinder,
@HughJundys has sold me?
I think a Lift might be hard to find in Australia. Lift might ship there but they are actually currently sold out but taking pre-orders for September shipment. That said,
@VGOODIEZ stocks them and has all 3 colors in stock right now it seems. Maybe you could work something out with him to have it shipped to Australia? I got mine from Vgoodiez and it shipped super quick as usual.
If you can't tell, I like my Lift...a lot. I highly encourage those who go through a lot of material to look into this grinder. Your hands will thank you for it.
They were quite specific about the release date (down to the hour) and I checked yesterday and it was still to be released...today out of stock! They said they had 25 of them to sell.
So like
@started@52 said... fess up, who is getting one.
Guilty. The SS lift is a real thing.
The irony of this is that I don't think that this purchase was necessary at all. In my opinion the way that the Lift is designed, the likelihood of aluminum wear is greatly reduced. I didn't get it because I thought it needed to be SS. I got it because I know it will work well and I like pretty things. I was actually on the hunt for an SS grinder a few months ago and stumbled upon the SS lift when they were first machining and tumbling. I was given a heads up about the potential cost and knew that it would a hard purchase to make without first making sure that the standard aluminum version worked as well as it does.
After I got my red Lift, I thought to myself that I wouldn't need the SS version due to how well built the standard one was. But when the SS version dropped, I couldn't help myself. That said, I figured that this purchase will quell any further flare ups of GrAS. I honestly can't see buying another grinder for a very long time....and it's so shiny! This SS version should last me for life but to be fair, I feel the same of my standard version.