Best Honey Extractor – Extractor Reviews For The Money
Any beekeeper knows that the honey extractor greatly simplifies the process of honey collection. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner beekeeper or already a professional, the honey extractor is the tool that everyone needs.
Bees secrete a lot of honey to highlight the wax that they use to make honeycombs. If you are extracting honey in the traditional way, you will most likely run into the problem of breaking honeycombs. Honey spinner avoids this problem.
You ask: “But what is so terrible if I just break the combs?”
When you don’t break the honeycombs, the bees can reuse them. So they don’t have to recreate them and consume a lot of honey.
They will just make honey in saved cells, but they will do it much faster. Therefore, the honey extractor speeds up the process of collecting honey several times.
The principle of operation of honey extractors is the use of centrifugal force. Spinning the honeycomb, the machine makes the honey drop to the bottom of the honey extractor, from where the extractor pumps it out and gives honey to you.
But the problem is that a fairly large number of a variety of honey extracts have already appeared on the market. And choosing the right one is a lot of work.
In that article, we have collected for you the 6 best honey extractors by with various criteria. With them, the process of collecting honey will be much simpler and faster.
Let’s take a look at the best honey extractor reviews!
Our Top 6 Best Honey Extractor Reviews
1# Vingli Upgraded 2/3/4 Frame Honey Extractor – Best Adjustable Extractor
If you’ve worked before with an extractor, on which you constantly had to bend over and stand in an uncomfortable position, then with this honey extractor you can forget about it.
It comes with 3 adjustable legs, so you just need to screw the legs at a level convenient for you.
The handle and the holes for it are at the top. There is enough space below so that you can put a 5-gallon bucket there and collect your honey without difficulty.
In addition to adjustment, the legs have holes for bolts. You can fix them to the floor so that the extractor remains stable during operation.
The honey extractor is made of stainless steel, so it will last you more than 10 years.
The handle is made of high-quality and easy to use. Its design uses a crank, which prevents independent rotation of the handle. To prevent your hands from slipping, the manufacturer rubberized the handle.
The model is quite easy to clean, as it is made of stainless steel and has continuous welding to make cleaning as simple as possible.
Another advantage of stainless steel is that it does not allow any impurities or pieces of metal to get into honey and spoil its quality.
The mesh of the honeycomb basket has a slight rounding so you can be sure that the honeycombs won’t break.
However, not everything is as good as it might seem at first glance. This honey extractor has a couple of drawbacks.
Firstly, the instructions that come with the honey extractor are complex and useless. But there are many tutorials and videos on the Internet to use. We’ll attach them in the end of our article.
Secondly, the ball bearing is held very weakly, so be careful when cleaning the honey extractor. Otherwise, you risk losing the bearing.
Apart from these cons, this is a great choice.
2# Best Choice Products 2 Frame Honey Extractor – Best Durability
For buyers who don’t like cheap and fragile honey extractors, Best Choices Products is the most suitable option. This is one of the most durable and high-quality extractors.
Besides quality, many features make this device attractive and convenient.
Almost all components, including the tank and the cover, are made of stainless steel. The design is durable and will work for a long time without wear and tear.
The capacity and dimensions of the basket are also pleasing – the diameter is 16 inches and the height is 38 inches. That is all you need to get started. Especially if you collect honey in small quantities.
The extractor can accommodate up to two frames. The device works with any type of frame, regardless of size.
The legs are long, but the five-gallon bucket, unfortunately, does not fit under it. There are no holes for fixing on the floor on the legs either.
Also, unlike the previous extractor, there is no bearing that stops arbitrary rotation. If you release the handle, it will continue to rotate by inertia.
3# Goplus Manual 2-Frame Honey Extractor – Best Price/Quality Extractor
Many users say that this is the best extractor for its price. And we cannot but agree with them. This extractor has excellent qualities for the best honey extract.
But most of all you will like the fact that he has the smallest probability of breaking honeycombs.
Honey is extracted up to 50% on the one side because it is a 2-frame tangential extractor.
Then the extractor rotates the frames to the other side to extract the remaining 50% of the honey. And then he returns the frames to the first side to collect the remnants of honey.
Thanks to this method, the cells not only don’t break, but their structure is not even destroyed.
The material of the case is made of high-quality stainless steel, so you can be sure that the extractor will last you a long time. This is one of the most durable units.
Also, the extractor will surprise you with its capacity. It has a 16-inch diameter and a 30-inch height. The tank holds up to two frames of large, medium, or small size.
You can completely control the process of extracting honey – the lid on top is completely transparent.
The handle of the extractor is very convenient for work. It contains a spring clutch that prevents the handle from rolling after being released.
The only difficulty you may encounter is installing a honey gate. If you do not have thin and long arms, then you have to remove the lid and take out the basket. But it doesn’t take that long.
In a word, this is a great choice for those who want to save time on honey assembly and get high-quality honey at the end without damaging the honeycomb.
4# Vivo 4 Frame Honey Extractor (BEE-V004B) – Best Extractor For Beginners
If you recently started collecting honey or do not collect it on a large scale, then you do not need an expensive device with a bunch of functions and obscure details.
Manual model VIVO BEE-V004B is just one of those honey extractors that are distinguished by their simplicity and convenience. The device has a striking design and has an average rating of over 4 stars on Amazon.
The first quality that will please you is the material of which the structure is made.
The drum and legs are made of stainless steel, which makes them strong and durable. This material will allow the extractor to serve more than 10 years.
The extractor drum is roomy – 24 inches tall and 15 inches in diameter. This size is perfect if you have a small apiary and want to collect a lot of honey.
There is enough space between the bottom of the tank and the ground to fit a 5-gallon bucket, so you can easily collect honey.
The machine is easy to operate, the crank moves freely and without effort.
Steel legs have bolt holes at the bottom, with which you can lock the honey extractor in the floor to hold the device in a stable position and turns without unnecessary shaking.
The only negative is the poorly fixed ball bearing at the bottom. If you are inattentive during cleaning, you may lose it. By the way, the bearing does not have a stainless coating and will rust.
But this is only a small problem. You can simply buy another bearing at a hardware store and continue to use the device. There is no need to miss such a honey extract because of one insignificant minus.
5# Honey Keeper Pro Electric Honey Extractor – Best Electric Extractor
The Honey Keeper Pro (Electric – 4 Frame) is perfect for honey collectors who don’t want to bother with a long turn of the handle.
The honey extractor comes with a powerful 120 V motor, which can reach 1200 rpm. This strength will be enough to quickly and efficiently extract honey.
You can adjust the engine speed yourself using the switch on the panel. It has 10-speed modes, so you can choose the speed that suits you.
The drum of the device is made of stainless steel. It has a lot of advantages over other materials.
Firstly, this means that you don’t have trouble cleaning the device. Stainless steel almost doesn’t collect dirt and debris.
And secondly, stainless steel is one of the most durable materials. The honey extractor will last you 10 years or more with proper care.
The honey extractor has legs, but they are not long enough for placing a 5-gallon bucket there. But there will fit any capacity up to 12 inches high.
The honey gate has a size of two inches, the speed of honey draining will be quite fast.
The extractor can fit 4 large, or 8 medium, or 8 small frames. But users note that if the frames have a big difference in weight, a slight shaking may occur. If you fasten the machine to the floor with screws, you can don’t worry about it.
The device has a transparent lid so that you can fully observe the process of honey assembly.
In general, Honey Keeper Pro is a good electric extractor suitable for beginner or more experienced honey collectors.
6# Xtremepower Honey Extractor – Best Budget Extractor
Rust is a very unpleasant problem, especially when it comes to collecting honey. Depending on the material of the extractor, you may or may not encounter this.
Honey extractors are made of 2 materials: plastic or metal. Xtremepower is made of stainless steel, so with it, you’ll definitely not have problems with rust.
But apart from rust protection, the device is durable and will work for many years. Experience shows that many use it for more than 10 years without wear and tear.
The strength of the honey extract is also due to seamless welding. The drum is made of steel and is equally durable and reliable.
The extractor fits up to two frames of any size. It has a diameter of 16 inches and a height of 31 inches.
But Xtremepower has no legs. So, you’ll have to install it on some surface.
The second problem is turning the handle after releasing it. There is no spring clutch or bearing to prevent this.
Despite its low price, the device looks pretty high-quality and reliable. With the exception of two drawbacks, this is a great honey extractor for any honey collectors.
What Is The Best Honey Extractor?
From the above honey extractors, we chose one that we think is better. This is Vingli Honey Extractor. This device has everything you need for beginners or experienced honey collectors.
The stainless steel case will serve the customer for more than 10 years. It is one of the most reliable materials for extractors.
Adjustable legs allow you to set the extractor to the desired height. You can put any capacity you want under the extractor.
The handle is rubberized and does not slip out of the hands. Moreover, it has a bearing that prevents the handle from spinning after being released.
The model is very easy to clean and easy to use. And the rounded bottom shape will give you 100% confidence that the honeycomb will not be damaged.
In general, it is one of the best and most proven honey extractors on the market.
What Is The Best Thing To Clean A Honey Extractor?
Honey extractors come at different prices. But regardless of this, each owner wants to keep it in working condition for as long as possible. The main way to keep the extractor in working condition is regular cleaning.
After using the honey extractor, honey always remains on the wall and bottom, which needs to be removed somewhere. Instead of using a spatula that utilizes honey, use the following steps.
To begin with, close the honey gate tightly so that during cleaning the honey doesn’t leak onto the floor and doesn’t stain it.
After that, tilt the device so that all the remaining honey rushes to the gate.
It is better to do this in a warm room, as honey will be more mobile at high temperatures.
Leave the appliance in a warm room and with the heating turned on for several hours.
After this time, all the honey that remains will accumulate at the honey gate. All that remains for you to do is open the gate and drain the honey into the container.
But even after that, a little honey will remain inside the honey extract, which needs to be cleaned. Here’s what you need to do:
- Close the gate and place the machine on a level and stable position.
- Fill the tank with cold water and leave for several hours.
- Hot water is not suitable, because it melts the wax and only complicates the cleaning.
- After draining the water and rinse the tank again with cold water.
- Use the dryer at a low level to dry the drum.
On this, your honey extractor should already be clean, if there is any dirt or dust left, then wipe them with a damp towel. If rust remains, sandpaper will help.
How To Use Honey Extractor?
Honey extractors work in such a way as to quickly extract honey from the honeycomb leaving them intact. The device has advantages over the traditional method in that it is more efficient and in that the combs don’t break.
The device is based on a huge centrifuge with baskets for honeycombs. Rotating from the handle or electricity, the centrifuge creates a centrifugal force that “pushes” honey from the honeycomb.
Honey is collected at the bottom of the drum, from where it then flows into the container through the honey gate.
So how to use a honey extractor correctly?
Materials
To extract honey, you will need some tools, these are:
- A honey extractor that will extract honey from honeycombs
- Kitchen knife (better heated)
- Honeycombs
- Honey collecting container
- Sieve if needed
Collecting honeycombs
Remove the honeycomb from the hives the day before the honey extraction process. Keep them away from hives, as bees can fly into the smell of honey. Some store honeycombs at home or in the garage.
Some put a strainer on a collection container to filter honey when it flows out.
Removing caps from honeycombs
Use a preheated knife to remove the caps from the comb. Be careful not to burn yourself or damage the honeycombs with a knife. Gently cut on both sides to a depth of no more than 1 cm.
Using an extractor
After removing the caps, put the frames in the extractor baskets. Close the lid at the top and open the gate below. Place a collection container under the gate. Now the actions will differ depending on the type of extractor:
If you have a manual extractor, simply rotate the knob to rotate the basket. Honey will be extracted by centrifugal force.
If you have an electric extractor, then turn on the device and press the start button. Set the required speed if your honey extractor can do this.
The speed of honey extraction depends on many factors and takes from 2 to 15 minutes. Depending on the temperature, type and quality of the extractor for different users, it may vary.
Repeat the same actions
After extracting honey, remove the honeycombs, turn them over to the other side and start the extractor again until you extract honey from the other side.
Useful videos
Here are some useful videos about how to use honey extractors:
Things To Consider When Buying Honey Extractor
The honey extractor is not the cheapest thing. You need to take purchase quite seriously.
But the simple user doesn’t always know which honey extractor he needs and what qualities it should have.
Therefore, we have prepared for you a list of things that you need to pay attention to when buying a honey extractor.
Type of honey extractor
There are only two types of honey separators – manual and electric. Let’s look at each of them separately.
Manual extractor
A distinctive feature of this type of extractor is the handle. Most often it is located upstairs. They work as follows: by rotating the handle, you spin the baskets in the extractor.
A centrifugal force is created in the drum, which pushes the honey out of the honeycombs. Simple physics.
Typically, these extractors contain from 2 to 4 frames. They are suitable for a small collection of honey, but for large collection and business are not convenient.
On the other hand, this type of extractor minimizes damage to honeycombs. Also, they are much cheaper than electric ones.
Electric extractor
Here, under the action of electricity, the basket rotates itself and you don’t need to twist the handle and make an effort.
These honey extractors have an engine that supplies current to the centrifuge and spins it. Some extractors have several speed modes that you can choose from.
If you are engaged in beekeeping as a business, then you need the electric model. It is much more capacious and faster, such a honey extractor holds from 4 to 60 baskets.
For small beekeepers, models that hold 4 large or 8 small baskets will be most convenient. It makes no sense to take large and expensive electric honey extractors – you simply will have extra space left for the frames that you will not use.
But large beekeepers need electric honey extractors with baskets of 12-16 frames. Or a radial extractor, which contains the maximum number of frames – from 30 to 60.
The larger your bee colony, the greater the honey extractor you need. Some even buy extractors for 60 frames or more.
Drum size
When buying a honey extractor, always look at diameter and height. The larger these values, the more honey the machine can extract.
If you see 15 inches in diameter and 25-30 inches in height, then these are standard sizes.
If you are a beginner beekeeper or just your hobby, then you do not need to take huge extractors with a large tank. It‘s senseless. Large extractors are needed for those who produce honey on a large scale in large apiaries.
Component material
The honey extractor material is also very important. Usually, they are made of metal or plastic.
Plastic models are the lowest in price and are suitable for those who have a limited budget or want to save money. Usually, they are short-lived and don’t work for so long. But to start, they are great.
Metal models are more expensive and withstand different conditions, durable, and wear-resistant. If you are collecting honey seriously, it’s better to take this model.
The best metal for the extractor is stainless steel. It is durable and can last more than 10 years with proper care. It’s very easy to clean and doesn’t emit pieces of metal or impurities in honey.
Frequently Asked Questions About Honey Extractors
Q: What’s a honey extractor?
A: Honey extractor is a device that extracts honey without damaging the honeycomb. It uses centrifugal force for this and is much more efficient and faster than traditional methods.
Q: What are the types of honey extractors?
A: There are two types of extractors: manual and electric. In manual, you turn the handle to spin the basket with honeycombs in the extractor.
Electric ones spin the basket themselves using electricity, you just need to connect the honey extractor to the network and start it.
Q: What affects the size of the frame?
A: The larger the size of the frames that the extractor can accommodate, the more honey it can extract. For beginners, extractors with a capacity of 2 to 4 frames are suitable.
If you have a large apiary, it is best to take 4+ frames extractor.
Q: What are the benefits of a honey extract?
A: Using the extractor, you protect the honeycomb from damage. Bees don’t have to reuse honey to create honeycombs.
This means that they will accumulate it faster and you’ll receive new honey faster. Moreover, this is a less time-consuming and more effective method of extracting honey.
Q: How long does the extractor extract, honey?
A: On average, it takes from 2 to 15 minutes. The extraction speed depends on the type of extractor and the rotation speed of the baskets. Electric extractors extract honey faster than manual extractors but cost more.
In Conclusion
Take your time to buy some products. It is always better to consider different brands and evaluate quality. Choosing the best, no need to rush.
If you are looking for a high-quality and proven extractor, then you can never make a mistake by choosing one of our selection.
But it’s better to go to the product page and check its characteristics and reviews of other customers.
We hope our review was useful for you and beekeeping with a honey extractor will bring you only pleasure.