Testing the Otto Grinder: Does It Perform as Advertised? (Review)

The makers of Otto Grinder claim that the machine is far more than a regular grinder, and just one look at the device you automatically know that they’re right.

The Otto Grinder is a smart milling machine that fills up your cones automatically. Even though its reviews were excellent, this fancy gadget had a price that exceeded my budget.

So I decided to roll my own joints.

But when the guys from Bloomgroove sent me the kit, I was curious and excited to see if it would perform well enough to justify its price tag.

Furthermore, I was eager to see if all the catchy marketing slogans told the truth, and how a smart milling machine could roll a joint perfectly each time.

Unboxing the Otto Grinder

Inside the box, you’ll find:

• Aerospace Engineered Aluminum Milling Plates
• O-Tube sachet and cone holder
• O-Funnel
• 20 free Banana Bros premium cone-shaped sachets
• 4-in-1 cleaning tool
• USB charging cable
• Measuring cup
• Snap cap
• Fresh seal tube
• Single adapter

The first thing that caught my eye while unboxing the Otto Grinder was how simplistic and elegant its design was. It looked quite fancy and stylish.

Secondly, I was relieved to see no threading.

The two main parts of Otto (a grinder and an O-tube sachet) are held together by magnetic connection, and attaching them is a matter of a single snap.

The king-sized premium cones that come with the Otto are indeed of the best quality: unbleached and made from natural materials. They burn slowly and evenly, so there’s no canoeing.

And if you feel they’re too big, you can always use the adapter provided in the kit (little straw) for shorter sachets.

As for battery life, its performance suits its price. When fully charged, Otto can roll up to 30 joints. This definitely exceeds human performance, if you ask me.

That said, I strongly advise you to leave Otto charging to its full capacity each and every time, as this is the way you’ll extend its battery lifespan.

“Otto is not a grinder”

I was surprised to read this sentence on Otto’s promotional video.

It has built-in smart technology that senses the material and adjusts its speed, pressure, and direction accordingly. In other words, its AI (Artificial Intelligence) mimics how users grind weed by hand.

What this means is that you can mill just about any material that either is dry, damp, or sticky.

Now, that was a serious claim that craved for testing approval. That’s why I placed a chunk full of stems, to which I added a few drops of water beforehand (this was for experimental purposes only).

I must admit, Otto did a very thorough job. As promised, it offered perfect consistency every time.

Furthermore, I discovered it’s a very versatile piece of equipment. Using the O-funnel, I was able to prepare my flower for bongs, pipes, and vipes. And it gave me some useful assistance in the kitchen, as well.

As far as I’m concerned, Otto is really not a regular grinder. It’s a smart machine.

How to use Otto Grinder: “Mill, Fill, and Chill”

One other slogan caught my eye: “Just mill, fill, and chill”. Essentially, the slogan emphasizes how easy it was to use this gadget, as the perfect chill was just a button away.

No settings required. No additional adjustments. This machine perfectly grinds your chunky herbs and fills a cone by itself.

Anyone can test this claim. You just press the power button and wait. It takes about ten seconds before you can pop out your cone. Shake it like a sugar pack, or pack it a bit, and voila.

Quite impressive and fast.

And I didn’t check out the instructions first: using the device is intuitive and well-suited for all smokers, from beginner to hard core level smokers.

But if you ever get stuck, you can always consult the instructions included in the kit. They’ve also included tips and tricks to guide you in making the perfect joint.

“Perfect cone every time at the touch of a button”

We all know that you have to have a flawlessly packed cone in order to genuinely chill. Believe it or not, there are a number of factors that can get in the way of that: air pockets, runs, or waste. You can easily mess up the joint, the feeling and the atmosphere of a single smoking session.

According to the Banana Bros, their entire engineering team spent about two years designing smart technology to prevent such cases and make impeccable joints.

True or false? The Otto grinder had to be subjected to the ultimate test.

Wanting to do things by the book this time, I actually used a measuring cup, which I’ve never done before.

I filled out the grinder without overpacking it and placed a king-size cone carefully and tamped it several times while it was in the “filling” phase, making sure that you pack your herb tightly. I gave it a shake and a pat.

The results were truly amazing: there was no mess or any waste. More importantly, my joint was burning smoothly and tasted good. Nothing could spoil my chill.

Design & portability

As I mentioned earlier, Otto is smart in its design too. Stylish, simple, and elegant.

When it comes to its size, though, it’s a bit on the bulkier side. Although it could technically fit in your pocket, it isn’t as portable as some of what are considered the best weed grinders out there.

This gadget is made primarily for in-home use. To enjoy your outdoor time, you can use a fresh seal tube to take your pre-rolled cones with you.

Pros and cons

To sum up a long Otto story short, here are my pros & cons.

Is Otto your thing?

I am going to be slightly wordy in this conclusion, please pardon my point. This is because I feel that a joint-rolling robot could cause a generous amount of suspicion, raising an eyebrow or two.

Naturally, it’s not my mission to disperse doubts, but I would like to make a few points to emphasize just who precisely the Otto is constructed for.

Maybe rolling joints relaxes you and calms your nerves. If so, Otto is not your thing, except if you like experimenting with fancy weed gear.

But if you don’t enjoy the rolling process that much, and are up for learning all there is to it, I suggest you try the Otto Grinder.

Especially if you often find yourself in a hurry and have only 5 minutes to relax – Otto is your thing.