![]() ![]() My first extractor was made of heavy duty plastic and it still warped. If you buy a plastic model, you’ll be upgrading it to metal the next year. The drum size and composition is an important consideration when choosing an extractor to buy. Once you go past the 6-frame extractor size the prices get real expensive. Most hobby beekeepers find a 2 frame to 6-frame model adequate for their needs. The smallest and most economical honey extractors hold 2 frames. How Many Frames?Ĭommercial honey extractors can hold more than one hundred frames. ![]() You just flip the switch and watch it spin, without any manual labor.Īnother benefit is that electric models are much faster than manual models and will save you hours of time and effort. The benefit to an electric extractor is that it is easier to operate than a manual one. A variable speed motor will allow you to adjust the spin speed. The reason for this is that if the motor spins too fast it could damage the wax combs. If you’re going to shell out the bucks for an electric extractor, you should get a variable speed motor. Some manufacturers will list the rpm (revolutions per minute) of the motor (such as 1300 rpm). Motors are rated by watts, usually 110 or 120 watts. The motors are usually single speed or variable speed options. A high-quality electric extractor can be a significant expense for a beekeeping hobbyist. Many advertised on the Internet seem to be made in China and appear to be the same model, under different brand names.Įlectric extractors cost two to four times as much as a manual one. There a quiet a few manufactures of electric honey extractors. So, my advice to newbie’s is to pick a model where it is easy to turn the crank. Of course, if you’re outside trying to extract honey, you will attract a lot of bees. The benefit to using a manual extractor is that you don’t need electricity to operate it. The biggest challenge with a manual extractor is that your arms will get tired from turning the handle and with most extractors, you will have to spend 10 minutes turning the handle and the turn the frames around for another 10 minutes. The biggest difficulty was that the top gear drive had to be removed to place and remove the frames. The extractor used a bicycle chain on the gears. Years ago, I bought a used 2 frame manual extractor at a yard sale from an Amish gentleman. ![]() ![]() Many new beekeepers start with only one to three hives, so a manual extractor will do just fine. Manual extractors have been around for over one hundred years. Most experienced beekeepers advise new beekeepers to start with a manual honey extractor and then trade up later on. There are two types, manual and electric. Manual or ElectricĪll honey extractors work through the use of centrifugal force. Here are some features to consider when purchasing a honey extractor. There are many good honey extractors available for a reasonable cost. Prices range from under two hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars. InvestmentĮven though you only use your extractor once a year (for most of us), it’s a large initial investment and you want to make the right decision. Since I recently upgraded mine, I thought I’d share some thoughts. Looking at purchasing the best honey extractor? ![]()
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