Pre-roll teams lose real money in the boring spots. Hand packing. Hand closing. Rework. Waiting on someone who called out. If you’re building an entry level pre-roll line, you’re not shopping for a “faster toy”. You’re shopping for fewer headaches per shift.
A good starter pre roll machine does three things.
It keeps weight tight enough that QA stops yelling.
It cuts hands-on labor without turning your room into a science project.
It fits your current volume, plus the growth you already see coming.
Here are the top 5 entry level pre roll machines we see teams start with, and why.
What “entry level” Pre Roll Machines should mean in a cannabis pre-roll facility
Entry level does not mean flimsy or random. It means you can put it on a stainless table, train a new operator fast, and get predictable output without a full automation department.
Look for these five checks:
- Output per hour that beats hand packing by a lot
- Changeover that does not wreck your day
- Consistent pack density so burn complaints drop
- Easy cleaning for audit life
- A path to add steps later like closing, weighing, or infusion
That last point matters. Most teams do not fail because they picked the wrong machine. They fail because they bought something that cannot grow with them.
STM built RollCraft for that “stuck in the middle” gap. Teams outgrow hand work, but they aren’t ready to throw enterprise money at it.
1) RollCraft MRB Pre Roll Machines by STM Canna
If you’re starting a real pre-roll line, the RollCraft MRB is the cleanest first move.
The MRB is priced at $3,500 and is built around 72-count or 143-count trays. It packs 72 or 143 pre-rolls in 90 seconds using a 44 ft-lb centrifugal filling system.
It also lines up with the daily reality most craft and mid-sized teams live in. You’re not trying to build a 50,000 pre-roll per day monster on day one. You’re trying to stop bleeding labor and start hitting weekly numbers without heroics.
Why MRB lands at #1 for entry level buyers
- Fast cycle times that remove the “one tray at a time” bottleneck.
- Tray scale options so you can run smaller batches or push volume with the 143 count.
- Low capital risk. A lot of teams can fund it like a tool purchase, not a board meeting.
Real-world shop math
Picture a two-shift room trying to push 5,000 pre-rolls a day. Hand packing turns into constant micro delays. Someone spills flower. Someone packs too tight. Someone packs too loose. Then QA kicks back a bin. That is the hidden cost.
With the MRB, you stop relying on “our fastest roller” to save the schedule. You build a repeatable step.
2) RollCraft ATC Dutch Crown Closer Pre Roll Machine by STM Canna
A lot of people buy a filler and forget the end of the process. Closing becomes the new choke point. Then your best packer is stuck doing finicky hand finishing for hours.
The RollCraft ATC is built to replace slow hand finishing with consistent Dutch crown closures. STM lists the price at $24,995.
RollCraft also calls out 72 joints closed in under 60 seconds and positions it as 57× faster than hand closing.
Why ATC is an entry level closer that makes sense
- Closes a full tray fast, so your filler output does not pile up in WIP.
- Dutch crown finish that looks like a premium SKU, not a rushed one.
- Simple controls so training time stays short.
The sneaky ROI
If your team spends 30 to 60 seconds per pre-roll doing hand crowns, that adds up fast. At 2,000 units, you just burned 16.7 to 33.3 labor hours on closing alone. That is two to four full shifts, just folding paper.
If you’re in a market with strict packaging timelines, like California, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or New York, closing speed is not “nice”. It decides if you ship on time.
3) Futurola Knockbox 100 Pre Roll Machine
The Knockbox 100 is a common early buy because it’s simple and widely known. Futurola lists the Knockbox 100 at $6,250.
Futurola also references 60 or 90 second filling cycles on its Knockbox line.
Where it fits
- Teams that want a known tabletop cone filling workflow
- Teams that are already standardized on Futurola cones
Where teams feel pain later
- You can still end up with a lot of hands-on touches across the workflow
- If closing stays manual, the line still clogs at the finish step
This is the pattern we see: Knockbox helps you start, then the room grows, and your labor grows right along with it. RollCraft was created to break that cycle for teams scaling beyond hand work but not ready for enterprise systems.
4) King Kone Pre Roll Machine
King Kone positions its system around speed and tray-based packing. On its site, King Kone says it can produce 1,000+ pre-rolls per hour.
If you want a “pack and go” style machine with metering trays and a more mechanical pack step, this is the style.
Why it can be a solid starter
- Throughput claim over 1,000 per hour is strong for early scale.
- Metering trays help teams chase repeatable weights.
Where to be honest with yourself
Your flower prep has to be consistent. If your grind and moisture swing, any pack system will fight you. Then you blame the machine when the real issue is upstream.
5) RAW Six Shooter
This one is not “production automation”. It’s a hand tool. Still, plenty of small teams start here, especially if they’re doing tiny drops and they are not ready to buy powered equipment.
RAW says the Six Shooter can fill 1, 2, 3, or 6 cones at a time.
Where it fits
- Micro-batches
- Pop-up production days
- Testing new SKUs without tying up your main bench
If you’re already shipping real volume, you will outgrow it fast. It’s like using a scoop and funnel at a bakery. It works, then it becomes your entire life.
Quick pick guide by daily volume
If you’re under 500 pre-rolls a day
RAW Six Shooter is a cheap start.
If you’re 500 to 3,000 a day
Futurola Knockbox 100 or King Kone can get you off pure hand packing.
If you’re 500 to 10,000 a day and you care about ROI
RollCraft MRB for filling, then add RollCraft ATC for closing when hand finishing starts hurting.
Common questions buyers ask before they pick a pre roll machine
What is the best entry level pre roll machine for a licensed operator?
For most licensed operators scaling past hand packing, RollCraft MRB is the best first buy because it’s priced at $3,500 and built around tray-based production with fast cycle times.
Do I need a separate machine to close pre-rolls?
A lot of teams do. Closing becomes the bottleneck once filling gets faster. RollCraft ATC is designed for Dutch crown closing and is listed at $24,995.
What is a simple ROI formula for pre-roll automation?
Use this and keep it honest:
Monthly labor savings = (labor hours removed per day) × (loaded hourly rate) × (workdays per month)
Payback months = machine price ÷ monthly labor savings
If you remove 2 labor hours per day, at $25 loaded per hour, over 22 workdays, that’s $1,100 per month. A $3,500 filler pays back in about 3.2 months on labor alone.
The next step
Calculate your waste and labor cost in one line:
Cost per pre-roll from labor = (operators × hourly rate × shift hours) ÷ pre-rolls per shift
Run that number for hand packing, then run it again using a tray-based filler plus a tray-based closer. You’ll see fast where the money leaks start.
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