Many people believe that not only bees fascinating creatures to learn about, they are also extremely important for both ecosystems and humans. Honey is the first answer that comes up in most of our minds when thinking about the benefits of bees, since it is a source of nutrients and, undeniably, it is among the healthiest foods to eat.
We all know that honey comes from bees, but most of us just don’t know how to extract it. Ok, people use Honey Extractors, a mechanical tool that is used to make beehives and extract honey from the honeycomb. Honey can be periodically collected with the use of honey extractors without damaging the combs.
We understand that choosing the best products can be hard, particularly when you order online. We have taken the time to collect all of the honey extractors on the market to find the best ones available for that purpose.
Let’s take a few moments to review the key features and attributes that you should look for when you buy a honey extractor before we reveal our top 10 picks. Also, see our recommendation for Beekeeping Starter Kit.
What is a Honey Extractor?
The appliance itself supports the method of getting honey from the frame of a beehive. It works to help draw the honey out of the honeycombs by using the simple scientific centrifugal force technique, trapping it inside the tank/reservoir so that it can then be extracted through the in-built tap.
Honey extractors have made the operation more effective than ever, instead of producing honey slowly and by hand.
Nearly every honey extractor is made of stainless steel, as it is resilient and easy to clean, which is vital because honey is especially vicious.
Why is it essential to have a honey extractor?
The main reason for using a honey extractor is to extract honey safely without causing harm to the hive. At the end of the harvest, a honey extractor will ensure that you keep the comb intact and undamaged.
You can extract honey very easily and with ease when you use a honey extractor. The extractor ensures that the right effort is used to produce clean and transparent honey while uncapping the combs.
We don’t recommend using an extractor for wooden honey. Although the wooden one will save you cash, the method of harvesting honey and the quality of produced honey may be affected.
A tap is fitted inside the drum to allow the honey to flow from the extractor. Make sure you remove the honey right after extraction, for a smooth harvest. Since it will change the way the extractor spins, you don’t want to keep the honey in the drums longer than necessary.
Let’s take a look at the various kinds of honey extractors for sale, so you can decide which one fits your needs best.
What to Look for in a Honey Extractor?
Here are a few of the things to consider when evaluating the honey extractors on our list:
- Consider, first, the material from which the honey extractor is produced. Plastic extractors tend to be very cheap, but honey extractors made of metal often do not perform as well. It’s worth paying a little extra for it if you want a solid building. Metal extractors, not galvanized steel, should be made out of stainless steel.
- Second, think about the size you need for the extractor. In terms of the number of frames they can accommodate, extractor sizes are labeled. Six shallow frames in a radial position and three more in a tangential position can be carried by a 6/9 extractor. Extractors of 10/20 hold ten radially and 20 tangentially, and so on. You might be able to get away with a smaller extractor if you have just one or two hives.
- Third, look at how it can remove the honey. Radial extractors are useful because they remove honey at once from both sides of the frame, meaning that to extract the honey, you would only need to spin each frame once. Tangential extractors, on the other hand, remove honey from one side at a time, so that any frame you have must be spun once, flipped over, and then spun again.
- Fourthly, decide whether you are prepared to manually crank the extractor or want an automated one. Some individuals don’t care for hand cranking, while others prefer to be able to turn on the extractor and leave it while doing other things. Control variants are more expensive than manual extractors.
- Fifth, when you first put them in, if you want to ensure that your combs are not harmed, you might want to look for a motor with speed control so that you can start at a low speed and then increase the speed as required.
- Lastly, consider the amount you are prepared to pay. Expensive extractors cost more upfront, but on the back end, they can save you time and money, so keep all that in mind while you weigh your choices.
Check Here for Honey Harvesting Equipment for Beekeeping
Best Honey Extractors
We would like to recommend the ten best honey extractors in this post. You will find a buying guide at the end of the article that will help you select an ideal honey extractor.
1. SUPER DEAL Pro 2 Frame Stainless Steel Honey Extractor Beekeeping Equipment
The Super Deal Pro is our list’s most affordable honey extraction machine, priced below $100. It is able to hold up to 2 frames during service and has a clear plastic lid so that while in the honey harvesting process you can easily inspect the frames.
The unit is exceptionally well-built, has a conical bottom (cone-shaped), and is suitable for deep frames.
It has some extremely positive feedback, although this item only has a few scores, and would be a great extractor unit for someone who does not want to spend a large amount of money, potentially suitable for a novice or hobbyist beekeeper.
Features
- 2-Frame power manual honey extraction unit
- Honey gate-The stainless steel honey gate valve is quickly opened by loosening the wing nut and raising
- Legs of stainless steel keep the barrel off the ground and are easy to drain.
- Optional installation- Removable legs can be bolted to the floor for optional tabletop use or legs
- Frame sizes: deep, medium, and shallow frames are handled.
2. ZENY Pro 2 Frame Stainless Steel Manual Crank Bee Honey Extractor
The Zeny Pro 2 is a near second in the list of incredibly inexpensive honey extraction systems.
It is incredibly similar to the former unit, which has the same physical appearance and is able to carry up to 2 frames during service. It also has a double-sided transparent plastic lid, which allows the frames easy to view and inspect during the harvesting process.
The unit accommodates deep frames for Langstroth and has a cone-shaped bottom, useful for honey collection, and the honey tap is robust but simple to use.
In addition, this unit’s mechanism feels very smooth and effortless, with the metal hand crank being effective, although you might want to tighten the gear box’s front cover, which is simple to do.
The downsides of this unit are that there are some rough edges, so be careful, but if you can easily smooth them out, particularly considering the price, this should not be an issue, but if you are not really someone with any kind of DIY and can smooth those few rough edges, it might not be for you.
Features
- 2-Frame power manual honey extractor unit
- Stainless steel construction for reliability with seamless welding
- Strong metal crank suggests that gears work smoothly and effectively
- Speedy and quick assembly of units
- Clear acrylic, double-sided top lid for quick observation of the method of honey extraction
3. Happybuy Honeycomb Spinner Crank Beekeeping Equipment
The manual honey extractor of Happybuy is capable of keeping up to 2 frames (deep frames).
This also has 2 clear plastic lids, similar to units we’ve previously mentioned, which make it ideal for viewing the internal extraction process. In addition, to make it a little easier to place into position, the unit also has two handles on either side.
We advise that you fill it with water first, to verify that there are no leaks, as one or two reviews indicated they had a leak. In addition, make sure that enough screws have been given by the company, as this was also a concern we saw that was shared.
There is, however, a very minimal chance, considering the price and the average review rating of this unit.
Features
- 2-Frame power manual honey extractor unit
- Construction of Stainless Steel with 2 holding handles on each side
- Strong metal crank suggests that gears work smoothly and effectively
- Speedy and quick assembly of units
- For easy observation & entry, transparent plastic, double-sided top lid
4. Goplus Manual 2 Frame Honey Extractor
The manual honey extractor GoPlus has the ability to carry up to 2 frames, making it very flexible, from shallow, medium to deep frames.
The unit itself is an extractor of tangential honey, so the frames match with one side facing the middle and one side facing the unit’s wall. We assume that about 4-5 gallons of honey will hold this unit, with the centrifuge cage being very large in size.
As far as we are aware, this device does not have a commercial stand available, but we are well aware of the creativity of our readers and the beekeeping community, so we believe that your own solution can be found.
In addition, with the cranks working extremely smoothly, the mechanism is firmly designed, enabling the basket to be spun especially well!
Features
- Manual honey extractor with 2-Frame power
- Building Stainless Steel
- Fit for medium, shallow and deep frames
- 2 clear lids for clear observation to keep debris out &
- Flat-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage
5. VIVO 2 Frame Stainless Steel Manual Crank Bee Honey Extractor
The Vivo BEE-V002C is a versatile, two-frame honey extraction unit capable of holding any type of frame type, from shallow, medium to deep frames, with a maximum frame height of 10 inches.
The unit is incredibly easy to assemble, according to feedback, with simple instructions being provided inside the box it comes in. Moreover, it’s also very easy to clean.
It must be remembered that, as they might have loosened during transport, you may need to check the overall tightness of some of the screws. This is very critical to ensure that the structural integrity of the unit is intact, as the last thing you want is for it to fall apart when pouring honey everywhere under the duress of the honey extraction process.
This is an outstanding machine, taking all into consideration, which is why its Amazon review scores are so positive.
Features
- Manual extractor for honey with 2-Frame power
- Building Stainless Steel
- Well-Packed when transferred from the storage area
- Corresponds to shallow, medium, and deep frames
- Quick & simple unit assembly with instructions of good quality
- Lid of Metal
6. Goplus 2 Frame Honey Extractor
A two-frame extractor is the GoPlus honey harvesting machine, capable of carrying shallow, medium and deep frames.
The handle of the GoPlus extractor includes a spring clutch, similar to other systems, meaning that it can crank the gears and will not spin once released.
A possible drawback of this unit is the fact that it does not come with instructions, and some reviews have suggested that there were missing parts (small screws) (small screws). Other reviews, however, have noted that it’s a great unit for the price.
While we believe that a manual honey extractor is not a bad option, we believe that there are far better alternatives that are cheaper! Such as the previous unit of GoPlus we spoke about!
Features
- 2-Frame power manual honey extractor unit
- Building Stainless Steel
- Well-Packed when transferred from the storage area
- Corresponds to shallow, medium, and deep frames
- Clear lid made of plastic
- Do not say whether the bottom is flat or conical (looks to be flat)
- Comes with booth
7. Happybuy 3-Frame Manual Honey Extractor Stainless Steel
The Happybuy honey extractor is able to hold 3-frames at once, flexible enough to hold shallow, medium, and deep frames.
To ensure that they are kept clean and free of any honey residue during operation, the metal gears are enclosed, making for easy cleaning.
This unit has a plastic, see-through lid, allowing for easy viewing while the extraction process is underway. In addition, the centrifuge cylinder’s bottom is cone-shaped, which makes it suitable for collecting honey with its plastic tap for efficient extraction.
In order to check that there are no leaks, we advise that you initially fill it with water, as one or two reports indicated that the device had a slight leak. The odds of this are extremely small, however, given the price and the current average review rating of this unit.
Features
- 3-Frame power manual honey extractor unit
- 304-grade Stainless steel construction
- Corresponds to shallow, medium, and deep frames
- Clear plastic lids
- Bottom of the Conical
- Comes with booth
8. VIVO New Large 2 Frame Stainless Steel Honey Extractor
The Vivo BEE-V002 is a versatile, two-frame honey extraction unit capable of holding any type of frame type, from shallow, medium to deep frames, with a maximum frame height of 10 inches.
On either side, the unit has 2 handles, so that it is easily transported. In addition, the metal gears are sealed to ensure that during service they are kept clean and free from any honey traces, allowing for easy cleaning.
It must be remembered that, as they might have loosened during transport, you may need to check the overall tightness of some of the screws. This is very critical to ensure that the structural integrity of the unit is intact, as the last thing you want is for it to fall apart when pouring honey everywhere under the duress of the honey extraction process.
Features
- Manual extractor for honey with 2-Frame power
- Building Stainless Steel
- Well-Packed when transferred from the storage area
- Corresponds to shallow, medium, and deep frames
- Quick & simple unit assembly with instructions of good quality
- Lid of Metal
- Conical-shape bottom for collection and drainage of honey
9. VIVO Large 3 Frame Stainless Steel Honey Extractor
With almost exactly the same overall measurement, the Vivo BEE-V003D is very similar to the previous (V002) product, but the difference is that the V003D device is capable of holding 3 frames with a maximum frame height of 10 inches, from shallow, medium to deep frames.
On either side, the unit has 2 handles, so that it is easily transported. In addition, the metal gears are sealed to ensure that during service they are kept clean and free from any honey traces, allowing for easy cleaning.
The unit is incredibly easy to assemble, according to feedback, with simple instructions being provided inside the box it comes in. In addition, it is also very clear.
It must be remembered that, as they might have loosened during transport, you may need to check the overall tightness of some of the screws. This is very critical to ensure that the structural integrity of the unit is intact, as the last thing you want is for it to fall apart when pouring honey everywhere under the duress of the honey extraction process.
Features
- Manual honey extractor with 3-Frame capacity
- Building Stainless Steel
- Well-Packed when transferred from the storage area
- Corresponds to shallow, medium, and deep frames
- Quick & simple unit assembly with instructions of good quality
- Lid of Metal
- Conical-shape bottom for collection and drainage of honey
10. VIVO 4 to 8 Frame Stainless Steel Honey Extractor
The height of the Vivo BEE-V004B is very similar to both the V003D and the V002, but its diameter is slightly larger, at 18.5′′. Depending on the size, this offers the ability to keep 4-8 frames anywhere, being able to handle 8 small/medium frames or 4 large frames during the extraction process… Although you need to be conscious that too much weight will place pressure on the crank
There is a transparent, plexiglass lid in this manual honey extractor device, so you can easily observe the frames during the harvesting process.
Similar to other Vivo extractors, the device is extremely easy to assemble, according to reviews, with simple instructions provided in the box it comes in. Moreover, it’s also very easy to clean.
It must be remembered that, as they might have loosened during transport, you may need to check the overall tightness of some of the screws. This is very critical to ensure that the structural integrity of the unit is intact, as the last thing you want is for it to fall apart when pouring honey everywhere under the duress of the honey extraction process.
Features
- 4-8 frame power manual honey extractor
- Building Stainless Steel
- Well-Packed when transferred from the storage area
- Corresponds to shallow, medium, and deep frames
- Quick & simple unit assembly with instructions of good quality
- Lid of Metal
- Conical-shape bottom for collection and drainage of honey
Check here for more on Beekeeping Honey Extractors
Types of Honey Extractors
You may choose from many types of the honey extractor, all of which serve the same primary function, but each has different characteristics that may be more appropriate for some, but not others.
Tangential Honey Extractor
For the second round of spinning, a tangential honey extractor refers to the extractor where each frame is removed and flipped. Per side of the frame must be spun once in order to extract the honey from both sides of the frame. This means that spinning a greater number of honey frames requires plenty of time.
Advantages
- It’s less costly than a radial extractor.
- Because you independently spin each hand, chances are high that nothing remains in the frames.
- Ideal for a small company because it’s cheaper.
Disadvantages
- As the frames have to be removed and flipped each time, this is taxing.
- With several frames to be removed, it can not accommodate a beekeeper. For a commercial beekeeper, not the best.
Radial Honey Extractor
The most famous among beekeepers is the radial honey extractor. The honey frames are normally loaded into this extractor once, then both sides of the frames are spun at once. In contrast to the tangential, this is highly successful because you don’t have to keep extracting and flipping honey frames. For commercial beekeepers, it will also be a perfect option because they have to spin plenty of honey frames.
Advantages
- Highly successful.
- In a short time, he spins more frames.
- Great for commercial beekeepers or those with a lot of beehives.
- When removing honey from frames, no double job.
Disadvantages
- As compared to tangential honey extractors, it is more costly.
It is also possible to further identify the tangential and radial honey extractors as either manual or electric driven. Consequently, you have to remember this. If you can not handle hand cranking, then having an electric-driven unit makes perfect sense. For those with huge beekeeping operations, a mix of radial and electric driven features is the best option.
Manual vs Electric Honey Extractors
You can either run the honey extractor manually or control it electrically. Each of the functions, as the name implies, depending on the kind of power or effort involved in the operation.
Honey extractors all work in the same way, whether manually or electrically powered, using centrifugal force. A cylindrical drum that houses the frame basket is within the interior of the extractor. Either by manual force or electric control, this drum is spun and it separates the liquid honey from the combs.
Electric Honey Extractor
As the name suggests, when spinning the bee frames located at the central shaft of the extractor’s drum, this type of honey extractor is driven by electricity. This device uses an electric motor that is connected to a supply of electric current that provides the power needed to spin the frames at a fixed speed. It is important to control the speed at which the frames are rotated. The frames can be harmed by too high speed and make them useless. On the other hand, spinning speeds that are too low can not extract any honey from the frames. In large scale commercial operations, electric honey extractors are used, but they can also be used by smaller beekeepers.
Advantages
- Within a shorter duration, the electric honey extractor extracts significant quantities of honey.
- They are the easiest to run. All you have to do is turn on the electric motor and the automatic spinning starts.
- The electric machine is quicker in terms of velocity than a manually operated extractor.
- It’s ideally suited to bee farms on a wide scale.
Disadvantages
- As compared to manual extractors, it’s very costly.
Manual Honey Extractor
The manual extractor of honey is worked with your hands or using physical effort. To work, it does not require electricity. Except for the electric motor, manual extractors typically have the same internal components as their electric counterparts. It is capable of carrying 2 to 4 frames.
Advantages
- And in areas without power, it does a decent job.
- Since speed is hand-operated, it does not harm honeycombs.
- Aware energy, no power bills to pay.
- It’s cheaper than extractors that are mechanical.
Disadvantages
- When compared to electric extractors, it is less efficient.
- This is not ideal for commercial beekeepers.
When it comes to extracting honey, both the electric and manual honey extractors do an outstanding job. Before deciding on which one to purchase, you need to determine your needs.
Final Thoughts
It is clear that everyone has different honey extraction unit specifications, as everyone reading this would need either an electrical manual honey extractor at different ability levels, with different quantities of frames to be extracted simultaneously. In addition, there may be certain aesthetic features that appeal to others, that just don’t appeal to others… So it’s extremely difficult to state conclusively which one is better.
In conclusion, we hope this article has helped to inform you about the best honey extractors to purchase.
Also, See How to Choose Manuka Honey | Uses, Types, and Benefits