10 Machine Cannabis Trimming Myths Debunked

Cannabis trimming machines drastically reduce the time between growing cannabis and getting it into the marketplace.

A cannabis trimming machine efficiently trims buds, removing cannabis plant material and leaving only the valuable parts of the flower. Using automatic trimmers saves time while improving quality and efficiency for professional cannabis cultivators.

Some find hand-trimming cannabis with trimming scissors to be artfully therapeutic—a way to relax your mind while getting to know your buds. But for some cannabis growers and cultivators, meticulously picking apart cannabis so that it’s free of leaf material and ready for retail sale is a laborious pruning technique that requires lots of time and an entire staff of workers.

If you want to trim a marijuana plant fast, the “by hand” method is neither efficient nor cost-effective. Utilizing an automatic cannabis trimmer speeds up the process, getting your product into the marketplace faster. It’s also a sound investment that frees your trim team to perform other essential tasks.

Yet, even with those benefits, there are still some cannabis professionals who view machine trimmers with a healthy dose of skepticism. If you’re still reluctant to move away from hand trimming and scissors, we’re willing to bet it’s because of a set of myths floating around out there about the automatic trimming process.
Allow us to debunk these machine-trimming myths once and for all.

Myth #1: Trimming Machines are too Expensive

You get what you pay for in many aspects of life, including when you’re investing in equipment that will help you to improve and scale your business. If you allow the initial “sticker shock” you feel when reviewing trimming machine prices to rule your decisions, you’re overlooking the full value of purchasing one of these solutions.

The reality is that trimming machines can seem expensive at first, but they actually pay dividends faster than you’d think. Automatic weed trimmers, in particular, pay for themselves almost immediately, by increasing your output, while reducing the costs associated with overhead and labor.One report even found that it would take around 160 human trimmers to replicate the output of certain trimming machines in a single day.

Myth #2: Trimming Machines are Only For Huge Operations with Massive Budgets

Businesses of all sizes are increasingly investing in technology to help them survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive, and fast-paced cannabis market.

Smaller “craft” growers and cultivators can reap the rewards of automation, too. Machine trimmers make your harvesting schedule more flexible, improving productivity and output for operations of all sizes. Any uptick in productivity can increase the volume of cannabis you put into the market.

Investing in trimming machines could be the key to transforming your small operation into a business that can compete with the likes of much larger cannabis cultivators.

Myth #3: Trimming Machines Destroy Trichomes

This might’ve been true in the early days of the technology when machine cannabis trimmers shaved buds down into uniform little “Christmas trees.” However, technology has come a long way since then. Today’s automatic weed trimmers boast an astonishing ability to mimic the look of a hand-trimmed cannabis flower, which protects all of those precious trichomes.

In fact, one report found that in 2018, THC levels for machine-trimmed flowers dropped by 3.8%, but by 2020, that discrepancy had reduced to only 0.6%, thanks to advancements in trimming technology. You can upgrade your processes, without compromising on product quality. All you need is the right trimming technology.

Myth #4: Machine Trimmers are Difficult to Maintain

Again, this may have been true for some old-fashioned bud trimmers, but it’s not the case today.

Developers have designed today’s machines (like ours) to be easily broken down for regular cleaning, ensuring deep cleaning isn’t the time-consuming process it once was.

And even when you factor cleaning time into the production schedule, these machines still increase processing time. However, you should keep in mind that not all machine trimmers are as easy to maintain as ours. Some are exceptionally difficult to clean.

Choosing a trimming machine that makes it easy to disassemble components and adhere to cleaning and GMP standards will ensure you can accelerate growth while reducing maintenance tasks.

Myth #5: Automation is too Time-Consuming to Implement

Years ago, investing in cutting-edge technology for your operation would have required a decent amount of technical knowledge. Previous machines needed to be configured to exact specifications, and companies needed to spend a lot of time adjusting their processes.

Now, the top automatic weed trimmers—as well as bud sorters, sifters, and buckers—are ready to go to work right out of the box, with barely any assembly required. What’s more, the latest cannabis trimmers are specifically designed for easy operation and maintenance.

Our trimmers, for instance, are designed to make the lives of cannabis cultivators easier, reducing the need for complex configuration and setup.

Myth #6: Automatic Trimmers Take Jobs from Human Workers

The idea that automation will replace human beings in the workplace isn’t an exclusive concern of the cannabis industry. It’s something countless employees have worried about in the past, particularly as AI becomes more advanced. But the evidence shows that automation doesn’t eliminate the need for human employees entirely.

Automation reduces the need for a huge trimming team, but it doesn’t eliminate the purpose and value of human beings in your workforce. The team members who are no longer wasting their time on trimming can focus on other tasks.

Trimming machines are there to augment and support human workers, not replace them. Workers free from meticulous trimming tasks can upskill to take on more critical roles that require human ingenuity, problem-solving, and creativity.

Myth #7: Cannabis Consumers Prefer Hand-Trimmed Buds

Sure, we all love so-called “artisanal” products that claim to be “hand-crafted.” In reality, each of us knows that very few products are actually prepared or built by hand.

Most consumers expect companies to take full advantage of the technology available to them today. Just like a customer wouldn’t avoid purchasing a car that was assembled by a machine, they won’t avoid a cannabis product just because it wasn’t trimmed by hand. They know that using machines doesn’t necessarily lead to inferior products.

In fact, they probably appreciate the speed at which your buds hit the market!Studies from analysts like New Frontier Data indicate that customers aren’t really concerned about whether their product has been “hand-trimmed”, or not. They’re more interested in unique consumption methods, excellent experiences, and great quality.

Myth #8: Automatic Machines are only Good for Wet Trimming

We’re not sure how this myth started, but it’s a doozy. Many automatic cannabis trimmers can perform both wet and dry trimming (again, like ours). There are certainly trimmers out there that might be more specially “designed” for certain types of trimming, however, you have the freedom to choose the

machinery that’s right for your company.

Not only can our trimming solutions handle both wet and dry trimming with the same level of precision and excellence, but the configuration process is the same for both styles of trimming. That means you don’t have to worry about any unique settings and don’t need to “reset” the machine to follow wet or dry protocols.

Remember, today’s trimming machines are more versatile than you think.

Myth #9: Machine-Trimmed Buds are not Closely Inspected

All cultivators in the cannabis landscape know that quality counts. This is particularly true as consumer expectations continue to evolve. A reputable cultivator won’t skip the inspection process and put their brand at risk just to save time.

Any cannabis that’s machine-trimmed is subject to the same inspection process as hand-trimmed buds. Human employees usually undergo training to keep an eye out for impurities and inspect machine-trimmed cannabis once trimmed.

Once again, using machines doesn’t mean creating an inferior product, it simply means accelerating certain parts of the production process, while maintaining a focus on quality.

Myth #10: Weed Trimmers are a Sign of Homogenization in the Cannabis Industry

Purists might say that cannabis trimmers or automation of any kind signify the inevitable downfall of the industry. That couldn’t be further from the truth: the proliferation of automatic weed trimmers shows that marijuana is continuing its lightning-quick transformation from a nefarious substance to a legitimate business. It signifies a mass availability that benefits consumers at large.

The reality is that automation is a valuable tool, used by businesses in all industries to improve product quality, team performance, and workplace efficiency. The rise of automated weed trimmers in the cannabis industry simply demonstrates a positive move in the right direction, towards continued growth, and optimization.

Don’t let myths keep your business from reaching the next level. 

When you let myths lead you astray, you deprive your company of all the benefits that technology affords. So rather than throwing away the possibility of adding an automatic cannabis trimmer to your operation, do your due diligence to research these products to see if they can give you a competitive advantage in the cannabis industry.

Do you want to learn more about how you can get hand-trimmed quality flower from a machine? Click here.