Best honey warmer

[JonnyPicklechin]

After a bumper crop and great summer sales, I still have large stocks of honey in both jars and buckets. Some of it is crystallising now. What would recommend as a commercial solutions ie not home made, as I am time limited.

I have seen a cabinet from Thornes at around £300 and also an element for immersion into honey at £125...Both look interesting and in the price bracket for consideration.

Suggestions highly appreciated.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Get one of these. Lidl have a silvercrest version sometimes for half the price.
Takes a 30 litre bucket easily or around 15 jars in one layer

 

[Erichalfbee]

This one is £100 on Amazon. I see they also have the silvercrest one for £150!

 

[Wilco]

I have a cheap thermometer with a probe on a wire from ebay so I can set my oven to 39C and warm a bucket overnight.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Did you set that up yourself?
My honey warmer cabinet made of a heater wire inside a PIR box takes two days to melt a set bucket and even then I have to stir it regularly

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did you set that up yourself?
My honey warmer cabinet made of a heater wire inside a PIR box takes two days to melt a set bucket and even then I have to stir it regularly

get an old fridge, an STC1000 controller and a tubular heater, sometimes takes less than 24 hours, and without stirring every five minutes

 

[Hachi]

I have the silver crest and wouldn't be without it. Works a treat.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Get one of these. Lidl have a silvercrest version sometimes for half the price.
Takes a 30 litre bucket easily or around 15 jars in one layer
View attachment 33907

Thanks Dani - whats the search term?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks Dani - whats the search term?

Here’s the link Burco MFCT1030 Stainless Steel Cygnet Manual Fill Water Boiler, Silver, 30L Capacity Burco MFCT1030 Stainless Steel Cygnet Manual Fill Water Boiler, Silver, 30L Capacity : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen

I put in 30 litre water boiler. Some of them are ridiculously expensive.

 

[JamezF]

get an old fridge, an STC1000 controller and a tubular heater, sometimes takes less than 24 hours, and without stirring every five minutes

And it's so much more reliable than the "light bulb in an old fridge" that was once recommended to me.

James

 

[UNDERLEIGH]

Interesting discussion, but I was wondering are you standing the bucket in there? If so what on.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mine has a trivet

 

[Bodiam Bees]

And it's so much more reliable than the "light bulb in an old fridge" that was once recommended to me.

James

Depending on one's budget, the electrical bits'n'bobs lurking in the back of the shed coupled with an ebay purchase or two, the light bulb warming cabinet has my backing. My [effective if a little Heath Robinson] ply / PIR cabinet, batten holder, small 40W lightbulb, timer and oven temp probe (zero cost thus far) is due for an upgrade this winter with a 240v thermo-controller (stc type) + mini computer fan (£13 + £6 on ebay). This will do away with the occasional monitoring and the current timer / probe. Well, that's the plan anyway.

 

[UNDERLEIGH]

Mine has a trivet

Hope it's not a silly question, but do you still put water in it and if so to what level?

 

[Swarm]

It's the water that heats the honey, the level will depend on your buckets some are taller than others.

 

[jeff33]

get an old fridge, an STC1000 controller and a tubular heater, sometimes takes less than 24 hours, and without stirring every five minutes

My old fridge went to the skip 2 months ago. Gutted, I wished I had kept it now!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hope it's not a silly question, but do you still put water in it and if so to what level?

Put the honey bucket on the trivet and fill with water leaving an inch below the lid. Turn the machine on and the water heats up to the temperature you preset. It heats the honey.

 

[TomH]

Have you tried using it to render wax/old combs? Got a honey bucket full of wax and bits of comb, wondering if I could use it for that too.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I clean the odd frame in my old one.

 

[Wilco]

Did you set that up yourself?
My honey warmer cabinet made of a heater wire inside a PIR box takes two days to melt a set bucket and even then I have to stir it regularly

It's the electric fan oven in my kitchen. The reason for the external thermometer is because the one on the oven isn't accurate enough at low temperatures.

Planning to build a proper cabinet at some point to accommodate more buckets but TBH this works well and I don't need to worry about elecrical safety.