Head over to their website, and you’ll find a page where HØJ claims that the brand “exists to change the way we experience the herb”. Hyperbolic claims like this exist across the world, not just in cannabis, usually dreamt up by overpaid marketing departments, only to be ignored by consumers. With HØJ, however, there might actually be some substance behind the bluster.
At leafie, we’re no strangers to the brand. One of our co-founders has been a huge fan for years and may have a claim to owning the world’s most used KLIP. However, after the brand returned from a hiatus to deal with some personal issues, we were asked to road test the Family Mini bundle, which contains the brand’s landmark herb grinder slicer, a KOL mini pipe and a range of accessories and extras that represent the entire HØJ ecosystem.
For the sake of objectivity, I took on the review – someone without extensive HØJ experience seemed the fairest choice. While I’ve used my co-founders KLIP and KOL in the past, these aren’t products I already know and love. My package arrived the day before setting off to Glastonbury, which seemed the perfect opportunity to road test HØJ – it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.
First impressions
In a recent interview with Simon Folmann, HØJ’s Danish founder, he was keen to highlight the brand’s attention to detail as much as possible. Opening each product, it becomes clear to see this wasn’t just sales patter – everything has been considered from the minute your order arrives.
Each product is shipped in clean, minimal and recyclable cardboard packaging labelled with the distinctive red and white HØJ branding. The KLIP comes encased in a domed cork and frosted plastic container that is heads and shoulders above any other packaging I’ve ever seen, not just for cannabis products, but possibly for consumer goods full stop. The feeling of a luxury and tasteful product made with thoughtful, considered design principles is evident from the first moment, long before the housing is even opened. The dome itself is secured to the cork base by a series of magnets, reassuringly firm enough to keep the lid intact but easy enough to remove with just the gentlest force.
When you remove the lid, the KLIP sits majestically atop its cork throne. Folmann points out that the use of cork was a choice of sustainability while also being human-centred. Cork, he says, is known to reduce cortisol levels when humans hold it.
The base itself separates into sections, containing different screen sizes for the slicer, so you can chop your flowers into the perfect size for your chosen consumption method. The same magnets that hold on the lid are hidden inside the cork packaging to create something minimal, functional and yet worthy of a place on your shelf.
The KOL mini gets the same treatment – a soft cork base ensconced perfectly around the pipe to hold it in place, the softly frosted plastic top secured safely by magnets. I’m blown away by the experience so far and I haven’t used anything yet. We’re a million miles away from the £5 grinders and garish acrylic bongs that were once ubiquitous with cannabis consumption.
First use
After a good 30 minutes of fawning, I’m almost reluctant to pack my new toys up for Glastonbury. What if I lose them, drop them, or they get damaged in my bag? But pack them I do, and after arriving and setting up camp, it’s time to give HØJ a whirl.
First out of the bag is the KLIP. For those unfamiliar with this innovative product, HØJ insist that it’s a slicer, not a grinder. It uses blades to chop your flower into small chunks, leaving the trichomes intact, giving you more bang for your buck. The chopped bud then passes through an interchangeable screen – three sizes come with each KLIP – before landing in the collection chamber. The KLIP also comes with a kief sifter, which I decided to remove for now. Each section is held together with magnets, just like the packaging, making opening and closing a breeze compared to the common screw method prevalent across most 3 and 4 piece grinders.
Loading is a familiar process; break the buds into smaller pieces and pop them into the top section, replace the lid and twist until you no longer feel resistance. Pop open the collection chamber, and there is your ready-to-use weed.
Fresh Pilton grassLike everything else by HØJ, the Danish design philosophy shines when using the KLIP. This isn’t a case of form over function. The blades move effortlessly through the flower with a gentle spin. Again, magnets are the star of the show, helping the blades float inside the slicer, allowing you to turn them with such minimal effort that I can’t help but think people with dexterity or mobility issues would find this a breeze. The effort to chop is minimal, the KLIP is reassuringly weighty without being overwhelming and accessing each section is as easy as applying gentle force to pull apart. The end result is perfectly fluffy chopped flower that is perfect for use with my dry herb vaporiser, which I load and take on a wander.
Truth be told, I use the KLIP throughout the festival in much the same way, reloading my PAX while back at camp, slipping it in my pocket ready for when I’m out and about. I’m still concerned about losing these premium products, and so the KOL remains in my rucksack for the rest of the festival, ready for a road test when it’s time to return to reality. After making it back home, taking a long shower and three loads of washing, I’m ready to give it a try.
Make no mistake, HØJ products are pricey, but in my opinion, that cost is justified in the end result
Much like the KLIP, the team at HØJ have given some serious consideration to how they can take a common cannabis utensil, the pipe, and apply some serious design thinking to improve and elevate not only its form, but its function.
The KOL mini is a beautiful-looking piece of kit. Angular and flowing at once, it splits into two sections across the horizontal, held together magnetically once again. Before pocket-sized DHVs, small pipes were my go-to cannabis consumption method, so although it’s been a while, I’m still familiar with how they work and what to expect. My pipe of choice for many years was the Budbomb, a small metal pipe with a twisty pathway to the mouthpiece that would cool the smoke before it reached your lips.
KOL as a cucumber
The KOL mini is, as its name suggests, small. But it functions much in the same way as a traditional pipe. An open chamber with a screen holds the flower, which is lit by a flame while you inhale. The smoke is pulled through a vortex system before passing through a series of microchambers, apparently inspired by shark gills. The inner workings do a great job of cooling the smoke, but the angular design manages to keep the external metal cool in the hand. The smoke indeed comes out smooth like it’s been through water, and I’m impressed with just how well this little pocket rocket works.
The KLIP grinder also comes with a magnetic funnel attachment, which can be used to directly load ground flower into the KOL – this is a testament to the thoughtful design process that is evident across the HØJ range – but if I’m being hyper-critical, this isn’t something I use after my first test. It’s a nice touch, cleverly executed like everything else HØJ do, but it’s just not a feature I find myself needing. What matters is that the KOL mini does everything you need in a pocket-sized pipe while looking stunning. It’s something I find myself showing off to friends.
Final thoughts
Make no mistake, HØJ products are pricey, but in my opinion, that cost is justified in the end result. If you can afford to treat yourself to something luxurious, then you won’t find much competition out there. My KLIP is now my daily driver. Every use is a pleasure; effortless and reassuringly solid. A few weeks in, and I’m still delighted when I load it up and give the blades a spin. At the risk of buying into the hyperbole, I genuinely feel like I’m elevating my experience with each twist of the blades.
If I had to find any fault at all, it’s that the KLIP is weightier and bulkier than my previous grinder. I find that I still slip the smaller two-piece in my pocket if I’m heading out and travelling light, but if I’m being honest, there is another reason I’m leaving it behind: I’m still crippled with the anxiety of losing or damaging my HØJ products by taking them out of the house. That thoughtful, human-led design deserves my full attention and utmost care. I look forward to opening up that sleek, calming, cork-based dome. It forces me to be mindful, grateful and present in the moment. A truly remarkable feat of cannabis engineering that represents just how far the culture has come.
Hype aside, HØJ might just have changed the way I experience my herb.
To celebrate the return of HØJ we have a limited stock of KLIPs on sale at just £130: https://www.leafie.co.uk/products/hoj-klip-grinder-slicer/
