Electric or manual honey extractor?

[gwt_uk]

Hello all,

I am thinking of buying an electric extractor. Looking for opinions and pros and cons of electric vs manual. Also can anyone recommend any good value electric ones.

Cheers

 

[GuyNir]

Tons of previous posts about it. I’d go electric all day long, but also depends on your future plans/growth.

 

[madasafish]

If 3 hives: manual.
If 6+ electric.

 

[drex]

Started off with drill driven and as my colonies increased was glad I had. Drill driven were common then and a lot cheaper than fully motorised. Go electric.

 

[simonwig]

If 3 hives: manual.
If 6+ electric.

If you only have three hives now, odds on you'll have six next year, go electric now!
Simon

 

[oliver90owner]

Depends. I would not even consider a two or four frame manual.

A nine frame radial, whether manual or electric, can cope with a few hives. I started with a manual 9 frame radial with tangential screens (so can extract three 14 x12 frames if needed).

Buying cheap chinese is the real thing to avoid - thin metal (and some are prone to rusting).

 

[Lottie]

Best thing I did. The bees paid for it. A Konigin 9from radial, perfect for my 12+ hives

 

[Newbeeneil]

Best thing I did. The bees paid for it. A Konigin 9from radial, perfect for my 12+ hives

Second the Konigin. I bought the 12 frame but it's a bit of a beast and you have to take off a leg to get it through doors.
The 9 frame would be ideal for someone with 6+ hives.

 

[holmbee]

Hello all,

I am thinking of buying an electric extractor. Looking for opinions and pros and cons of electric vs manual. Also can anyone recommend any good value electric ones.

Cheers

I bought a 9 frame electric radial a couple of years ago. Delighted I did so particularly as had an extra large harvest that year. It is an Italian Saf Natura Ritmo. no idea how much it would cost today, Good article on The Apiarist Sep 2014.

 

[John McC]

I have used my local association's manual extractor up to this year. I have 13 hives and needed help last year. This year I invested in an Italian drill driven 9 frame radial Giordan. Worked better than expected, clockwise and anticlockwise, dry frames and no sweat or late nights.

 

[Hachi]

Giordan 9 frame radial electric not drill with T screens is the mutts kahoona's

 

[bobba]

I debated this before getting my extractor. I considered getting a manual, and upgrading it to drill-drive later. But paid up and got a 4 frame electric.

I think electric extractor was one of my better bee keeping decisions.

With the electric I can look in the top to see if it has extracted all the honey without stopping. I can also start it spinning and do a bit of uncapping.

Extracting honey is a diminishing returns game - you will never get all the honey from a frame. I think if I had a manual I would not be bothered to spin my frames for as long as I do in my electric. Especially if I had a lot to do. So for me, I am convinced the electric helps me recover a little more honey.

I also went radial, so I dont have to faff around turning frames - worth every penny.

Unless you are off grid - get a electric, press the start button, slowly crank it up to full speed, then have a sip on your cold bear and think, yep, electric was the right way to go.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I debated this before getting my extractor. I considered getting a manual, and upgrading it to drill-drive later. But paid up and got a 4 frame electric.

I think electric extractor was one of my better bee keeping decisions.

With the electric I can look in the top to see if it has extracted all the honey without stopping. I can also start it spinning and do a bit of uncapping.

Extracting honey is a diminishing returns game - you will never get all the honey from a frame. I think if I had a manual I would not be bothered to spin my frames for as long as I do in my electric. Especially if I had a lot to do. So for me, I am convinced the electric helps me recover a little more honey.

I also went radial, so I dont have to faff around turning frames - worth every penny.

Unless you are off grid - get a electric, press the start button, slowly crank it up to full speed, then have a sip on your cold bear and think, yep, electric was the right way to go.

A cold bear in Hampshire..... now there’s a thought

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A cold bear in Hampshire..... now there’s a thought

Grizzly or polar?
Or just behind?

 

[bobba]

A cold bear in Hampshire..... now there’s a thought

Lol, typical me.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Grizzly or polar?
Or just behind?

No that’s bare