Top 14 Beehive Kits for Beginners and Professionals
Beekeeping is a complex yet very rewarding activity. It does not really matter if you are approaching it as a hobby or professionally; if you are doing it as a leisure or if as a source of income.
Though it is not easy to master beekeeping, it is a surprisingly accessible activity. The market is filled with all sort of beehive kits, pre-built and assembled hive boxes, as well as beekeeping starter kits.
Finding the right accessories and proper hive is quite challenging, considering the wide selection available online. However, before launching your apicultural operations, you first need to understand the basics.
In my opinion, before choosing a suitable beehive kit, you first need to find out about the subject of this activity – about bees, their life cycle, and the structure of the hive itself.
The life span of a colony and of single working bees are very different. The colony is an organized structure that has three types of bees, which are Queens, workers, and drones.
The Queen is mainly responsible for producing more eggs and managing eggs. They can live from two to four years and can lay thousands of eggs during their lifespan.
Drones are bees who mate with the Queen, and their life ends shortly after mating. If the drone fails at mating flight, he basically gets driven away from the hive to die alone.
Workers are the tiniest cast of bees. Usually, a hive can have over 50,000 of them. They live from five to seven weeks on average. They are responsible for inhive working and foraging for food or nectar.
Why Are Bees So Important?
The bees are an essential part of the ecosystem. They are important for many other reasons other than the honey. For example, many plants that are fed to livestock rely on bee pollination.
Bee pollination is also one of the best ways to secure food and provide better farming. Therefore, without these little buzzing insects, we would probably have a duller and less nutritious diet.
When The Honey Is Usually Harvested?
You have to check the frames manually every two or three weeks to identify the optimal time for harvesting honey. Patience is crucial. However, during winter, bees are likely to consume most of the honey that they’ve made during summer. The best time to harvest is usually right before cold months, while the best months are late July and August.
What Are The Different Types Of Beehives?
The most popular sorts of beehives are Langstroth, Warre, and Top Bar hives. Langstroth is a modular beehive with easy access for a beekeeper.
Warre looks like a mini-version of a Langstroth. The essential difference is that in Warre, the new brood boxes are added on top of the existing ones, and vice versa.
Top Bar is a more recent and comfortable version of the hive in the form of a single long box without expansion possibilities.
Now, let’s have a look at some of the examples of Langstroth and Warre Bee Hive Kits in detail!
1# Honey Keeper Complete Langstroth Beekeeping 20 Frame (10 Deep and 10 Medium) with Metal Roof
This Honey Keeper’s model is a good 20-frame hive that I can safely call a great beginner’s kit. If you want to jump-start your beekeeping career or quickly extend the number of your colonies, this product will do you just fine.
It comes in a disassembled state but with necessary instructions needed to compile it. It is easy to do it because the nails and joints are pre-cut and already come with the kit.
I approve of the quality of the build and how easy it is to construct it. The hive is very durable, has a good outlook, and even smells good.
However, the wood that it is made from can leave a sour taste in your mouth. I don’t think it is terrible, but it could have been a lot better.
Be careful while working with the nails or, even better, buy yourself a set of new ones from the local hardware store before you start building the hive.
Highlighted features:
- 20-frame hive (10 deep and 10 medium).
- Complete kit, suitable for beginners.
- Comes unassembled.
- Deep super and medium super frame with foundations.
- Includes joints and nails, bottom board, telescoping roof, entrance reducer, inner cover, and a Queen excluder.
- Dimensions: 23 x 18.2 x 19.7 inches.
2# Hive Complete Frames Foundations NU8-2D1M – by NuBee Hive
Another great beginner’s kit that contains 8 superframes. Like the previous one, it also comes unassembled. All of the frames and of top quality and pre-cut perfectly matching the construction of the hive.
The product is not painted, you should do so after you finish the assembly. Although, that’s not a requirement. The food-grade foundations come coated with real bee wax.
You must understand that it is an 8-frame hive, and parts from 10-framed hive won’t fit it. Also, some of the dovetails that this hive comes with may need to be chiseled down so the could fit.
Apart from that, there are no significant inconveniences with it.
Highlighted features:
- 16 dovetail pine brood frames (9/16 x 19 inches).
- 8 dovetail pine superframes (5/8 x 19 inches).
- Includes metal telescoping inner and top cover, wood bottom board, 24 food grade plastic foundations, and a plastic Queen excluder.
- Complete kit, suitable for beginners.
- Comes unassembled.
- Weight around 53 pounds in an assembled state.
- Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 30 inches.
3# VIVO Beekeeping Langstroth Beehive BEE HV04 Add-on Deep Super Bee Hive Box Kit
VIVO’s BEE-HV04 version of the beehive is an excellent 10-frame product that offers a lot of customization. You can use this box as a standalone hive, add new layers to your pre-existing hive, or use is as a brood box.
It is relatively easy to construct and not very time-consuming. I found it to be a pretty good value for the buck. It is sturdy, well-made, compact, and suitable for both amateurs and seasoned apiarists.
The only thing that I don’t like is the quality of the dove joints. You may even need to drill or cut parts of them so they can fit the frame.
Highlighted features:
- 10-frame standard, fitting a Langstroth beehive.
- Made from unfinished pine.
- Available in several variations: deep 10 frame box kit, medium 10 frame box kit, shallow 10 frame box kit.
- Additionally available for purchase: Screened bottom and stand for the Langstroth Hive.
- Comes unassembled.
- Weight about 19 pounds.
- Dimensions: 16.5 x 20 x 9.8 inches (for the deep box kit).
4# Complete Bee Hive Kit Unpainted Assembled – by Mann Lake
Mann Lake is a prominent manufacturer of beekeeping accessories that works on the market for more than 30 years. This product by this US-based company will make you into a beekeeper on a whim because it already comes ready to go and pre-assembled.
Although it can look small to you, this hive can hold up to 30,000 bees, which is an impressive number. Aside from the excellent quality and sturdy build, this hive has other benefits. For example, Mann Lake supplies customers with additional accessories and replacement parts in case you will want them.
Also, even though it comes to you in a “ready to go” state, I advise you to paint it. On the downside, I would love it if this hive came with more accessories. For example, you will have to order Queen excluder additionally, because it is not included. Other than that, this hive comes to basically ready for exploitation.
Highlighted features:
- 10-frame 9.6-inch hive body and ten 9.1-inch wood frames.
- Includes solid telescoping and inner covers, as well as the bottom board.
- It comes in an already assembled state.
- USA-made from quality pine.
- Suited from beginners, amateurs, and seasoned professionals.
- Weights about 30.6 pounds.
- Dimensions: 22 x 18.5 x 13.1 inches.
5# Complete Hive Painted Assembled 10 Frame – by Mann Lake
This Mann Lake’s Hive kit is even more novice-friendly than the previous one. It comes not only assembled but also painted. Therefore, it’s pretty much ready for exploitation straight “out of the box.”
It is a 10-frame that can be used as the main hive or as an additional brood box. By the way, many other Mann Lake products will fit on top of this kit if you would want to extend your hive in the future.
There aren’t many drawbacks to this kit. The ones I can name is that the quality of paint may be lacking and won’t hold up for many seasons. Additionally, this hive also doesn’t come with a feeder or Queen excluder, and you may need to buy them separately.
Highlighted features:
- USA- made from quality pine.
- Comes pre-assembled and painted.
- Suitable as a starter pack and a hive for professional apiarists.
- Includes one 10-frame 9.6-inch hive body, and ten 9.1 wood frames.
- It comes with a solid telescoping and inner covers and a bottom board with an entrance reducer.
- You can get from 1 to 5 of these kits.
- Weights around 31.6 pounds.
- Dimensions: 22 x 18.6 x 13.1 inches.
6# Official Flow Hybrid Cedar Frame – Beehive Super Featuring Patented Flow
The flow came into the market relatively recently with beehives that allow for automated honey extraction. This product is compatible with the other 6 and 8-framed Langstroth hives.
It is not beginner-friendly, in my opinion, and can be overpriced. Yet, I recommend if for seasoned apiarists who want to try something new and accessible.
Highlighted features:
- Comes unassembled.
- Includes a manual, 4 flow frames, 4 wooden frames (foundationless), 4 flow tubes, and 1 key.
- For automated honey extraction.
- Compatible with 6 and 8-frame Langstroth hive.
- Weights about 22 pounds.
7# VIVOHOME Wooden Frames Langstroth Honey Bee Hive Box with Metal Roof
A run-of-the-mill 10-frame hive kit that needs to be built from the parts. It includes every component that you will need to start beekeeping.
It is mostly made from high-quality materials, ensuring that it will last long.
Highlighted features:
- Comes not assembled.
- Includes a waterproof metal top cover, food-grade plastic foundations, removable boards, bottom boards, entrance reducer, inner cover, 10 deep and 10 medium frames, as well as a Queen excluder.
- It comes in 2, 3, and 4-layered variants.
- Dimensions: 21.7 x 18.1 x 20.5 (2-layer box).
8# Popsport Langstroth Beehive Frames Foundations Wooden House Single Box
Popsport’s Bee Hive kit would have been a great starter pack if not for a few major downsides. It does not come with all frames require for assembly and without foundation. Furthermore, some parts of it can be unfitting to each other.
You also have to assemble it yourself and paint if after you finish. If you consider all additional purchases you will have to make, the amount of money spent is not commensurable with the overall quality.
Too bad because the grade of the wood that this kit is made of is rather good.
Highlighted features:
- Made from natural cedar wood (the frames are from white pine).
- Comes unpacked.
- Includes top cover, bottom board, Queen excluder, and entrance reducer.
- Available in 2 variations: single box with 20 frames and one 10 frame kit.
- Weight around 32 pounds for a single box version.
- Dimensions: 24.8 x 21.7 x 9.5 inches.
9# Starter Hive Frames Foundations NU8-1D1M – by NuBee Hive
Another 8-frame hive kit that is suitable for people who want to start beekeeping. It is more of a starter box that you’ll eventually need to replace with another brood boxes.
Overall, this kit will do fine if you manage to assemble it correctly, which is difficult to do since there is no manual included.
Highlighted features:
- 8 quality frames of 9.4 x 19-inch measurement, and 8 frames of 6.6 x 19 inches measurement.
- Perfectly suitable for beginners.
- Coated with bee’s wax.
- Made from pine.
- Includes metal-capped telescoping inner and top cover, solid bottom board, and a Queen excluder.
- Comes unassembled.
- Weighs 37 pounds.
- Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 20 inches.
10# By Mann Lake 10 Frame Complete 8-Inch Hive Assembled
This Mann Lake’s kit offers everything you need to jump-start beekeeping. It even comes assembled. The 10-frame version is also nice to have since it’s kind of an industry standard.
I would have loved it if it included more accessories like the Queen excluder.
Highlighted features:
- Made in the USA.
- 10-frame hit.
- Constructed from pine wood.
- Good for beginners.
- It comes pre-built for you.
- Includes: two 6.6 inches painted boxes, twenty 6.2 inch waxed wood frames, solid bottom board, inner cover, and entrance reducer.
- Weighs 47 pounds.
- Dimensions: 22 x 18.5 x 13.1 inches.
11# Complete Beehive Assembled Insulated Polystyrene – by Betterbee
A nice 10-framed beehive kit for beginners. This one comes out ready to be used straight out of the package, including all necessary components.
Sturdy, durable, pre-assembled, it also protects bees from harsh weather.
Highlighted features:
- 10-frame Langstroth sized hive.
- Great for beginners.
- High-quality wood frames with plastic foundations.
- Comes assembled out of the box.
- Weights around 35 pounds.
12# VIVO Complete Beekeeping Langstroth BEE HV01
The build of this kit is high-quality. It’s rather bulky and sturdy once you assemble it, which probably won’t be a problem since it comes with a detailed manual.
However, some of the parts and foundations may not line up and fit. Therefore, there’s a risk that you’ll have to do some cutting and adjusting, which isn’t very beginner-friendly in my book.
Highlighted features:
- 20-frame beehive kit with 10 medium and 10 deep frames.
- Unassembled out of the box.
- Made in the USA from pine wood.
- Includes additional accessories like telescopic roof covered in metal sheet, plastic foundations, bottom board with entrance reducer, and a Queen excluder.
- Weights almost 50 pounds.
- Dimensions: 6 x 25 x 19 inches.
13# Complete Hive Painted Assembled 10 Frame HK190 – by Mann Lake
This is basically a steal. For an affordable amount of money, you get a pre-assembled, high-quality hive kit. I can’t recommend this one enough. It’s not a complete set.
However, it’s just a body kit. However, you still save a lot of time and money even if you need to buy the bottom board and top covering separately.
Highlighted features:
- Made in the USA from pine wood.
- Comes pre-assembled and painted.
- Has a 10-frame 9.6-inch hive body.
- Weighs almost 20 pounds.
- Dimensions: 19.9 x 16.2 x 9.6 inches.
14# Honey Keeper Foundations Langstroth Beekeeping – by Honey Keeper
The cheapest beehive kit on this list. If you are a beginner who wants to try this hobby out, I’d still recommend a more expensive and pre-assembled hive.
However, if you’re going to try something new for a low price and the risk of adjusting joints and separate parts doesn’t scare you, this kit may be suited for you.
Highlighted features:
- 10-deep frame kit made from wood.
- Deep super frame foundations.
- Unassembled out of the box.
- Weights around 8 pounds.
- Dimensions: 16 x 1 x 4 inches.
This table shows the optional beekeeping starter kits
Conclusion
Beekeeping is a complicated but captivating activity that requires a lot of preparation, including choosing the best equipment. With beehive kits mentioned above, it doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned apiarist or an amateur beekeeper.
You can increase your expertise and grow your business for the optimal price.
My advice is to choose the hive that is most suited for your budget and expertise.
Also, remember that even with the best equipment, you still must remember than beekeeping requires some trial-and-error.
