What Extractor to buy?

[Corbeehives]

Hi Guys, Looking for some advice on what extractor to buy, i'm a new beek, i currently have 2 hives overwintering but will hopefully have 4-5 by end of next year and also hopefully have a lot of frames to extract. I'll be using manley frames and want a radial electric extractor. Budget is around £600 but will pay more if necessary. I'f i can get one in a sale or used that would be great. cheers

 

[Curly green finger's]

Llyson extractor
One like this we bought one earlier on last season.

 

[WoodenBeam]

Don’t shy away from the Thornes own brand either - UK produced and they’ve been on the market for years. Good availability for spares/repairs should you ever need and not too big.

 

[pargyle]

Biggest question is do you really need a big electric £800 extractor for 4 or 5 hives.. a manual one from Germany (only cost me £150) served me well with up to 5 hives for several years before I upgraded to a large electric one ... and my old one is still going to be worth most of its original cost ... I'd be inclined to hold back on such a major purchase until you have a few more than 5 colonies ... see how things go with a cheaper one .. winding the handle is no big deal and it takes no longer with just a few supers to deal with...

 

[Newbeeneil]

Llyson extractor
One like this we bought one earlier on last season.

I bought the 12 frame version of Mark's in 2019 as it allowed me to extract 14x12 brood frames if necessary. Build quality is very good and I would thoroughly recommend it.
My only problem has been with the programmer which kept going wrong. Thornes replaced 3 without question but I now think this was a problem caused by dodgy electrics in the barn and was fixed by using a plug that stops electrical spikes.

 

[Apiarisnt]

I bought a Konigin Radial honey extractors – Königin-Trade Ltd a couple of years back. Robust and good value. Slightly cheaper at the shows (Tradex or BBKA convention - but will they happen this year?) Imported to the UK by both Thornes Konigin (Hungarian) Extractors and Old Castle Honey Extreaction Equipment – Old Castle Farm Hives

I chatted to the Konigin Hungarian rep at one of the shows. They clearly know what they are doing, understanding both engineering and the needs of beekeepers.

 

[Amari]

Don’t shy away from the Thornes own brand either - UK produced and they’ve been on the market for years. Good availability for spares/repairs should you ever need and not too big.

I've used T's 9-frame electric radial for c. 15 years with no problems. However it doesn't take kindly to Manley frames. I still have a few Manleys and have to fit each one between two Hoffmans. Of course, T's design may have changed since my purchase.

 

[Boston Bees]

Too early, and too few hives, for you to be splashing out on something fancy, I would suggest.

We use one of these and it's fine, and currently £90!

Plastic Extractor - two frame tangential - 2021 WINTER SALE (thorne.co.uk)

The honey comes out just the same as with the electric ones

You can buy a more expensive one in a few years if you find you need one.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Too early, and too few hives, for you to be splashing out on something fancy, I would suggest.

We use one of these and it's fine, and currently £90!

Plastic Extractor - two frame tangential - 2021 WINTER SALE (thorne.co.uk)

The honey comes out just the same as with the electric ones

You can buy a more expensive one in a few years if you find you need one.

It does come out the same but even with three good colonys, using a manual four frame for eg.. Is a pain takes to long and I was getting blisters on my hands..

If you do go down the manual road buy a 10 or 11 frame one but make sure you can attach it to something stable which stops it from moving... Even our llyson 9frame is bolted to the floor otherwise it would of bounced out the window!!

If the op can put up £600 for an extractor I would go for an electric one even If I had 3 colonys.
If you can afford it go for it.

It's all to do with affordability really.
And also how much time do you want to spend spinning supers out hours or minutes?

Also do you have a bee shed? To accommodate a llyson or are you extracting in the house.. All things to consider.

 

[pargyle]

This is the one I started with ...not bad construction and does the job ... the perspex lid is a bit dodgy... it's not hinged and doesn't fit that well ... the stainless if the tank is fine but the grade of stainless on the bar supporting the winder needs an occasional rub with some wire wool to keep it shiny .. but for £139 in shipping ... very good value... mine will be for sale in the near future as 'er indoors has noticed I currently have two extractors !!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honey-Ex...-/124474808841?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

 

[pargyle]

It does come out the same but even with three good colonys, using a manual four frame for eg.. Is a pain takes to long and I was getting blisters on my hands..

If you do go down the manual road buy a 10 or 11 frame one but make sure you can attach it to something stable which stops it from moving... Even our llyson 9frame is bolted to the floor otherwise it would of bounced out the window!!

If the op can put up £600 for an extractor I would go for an electric one even If I had 3 colonys.
If you can afford it go for it.

It's all to do with affordability really.
And also how much time do you want to spend spinning supers out hours or minutes?

Also do you have a bee shed? To accommodate a llyson or are you extracting in the house.. All things to consider.

I managed to spin out 10 supers with my manual one without getting blisters... and I'm not s landscape gardener ... wimp !

It really doesn't save that much time with a small number of hives ... it takes the same time to uncap etc and clean up afterwards.. all you save is a few minutes turning the handle...

Just because you can afford it does not make it a good decision...

Ps: I know you are not really a wimp ... I reckon you need some rubber gloves for the domestic tasks that are softening your hands

 

[Curly green finger's]

I managed to spin out 10 supers with my manual one without getting blisters... and I'm not s landscape gardener ... wimp !

It really doesn't save that much time with a small number of hives ... it takes the same time to uncap etc and clean up afterwards.. all you save is a few minutes turning the handle...

Just because you can afford it does not make it a good decision...

Ps: I know you are not really a wimp ... I reckon you need some rubber gloves for the domestic tasks that are softening your hands

I've got gloves..
SWMBO thought it was funny so she took photos of me what a bee hatch.

 

[ericbeaumont]

currently have 2 hives overwintering but will hopefully have 4-5 by end of next year and also hopefully have a lot of frames to extract. I'll be using manley frames and want a radial electric extractor. Budget is around £600 but will pay more if necessary

Don't bother with a manual because after one box (and with 14 more to do) you'll regret it, and do future-proof your purchase.

Find out what is good and look out for decent quality bargains: recently a friend bought on eBay a 9 frame electric Lega with a universal cage that takes Manleys. Used twice, £450! I tipped her off and she snapped it up. List price at CWynne Jones £1030, at Park Beekeeping £895. Lega are fine - I've used one for fifteen years.

Thorne no longer make their own extractors but buy in Konign; reports say they're good.

 

[Corbeehives]

Thanks for all the replies so far, i really appreciate the info.
I have problems with my lungs so a manual extractor isnt an option sadly, and i can imagine extracting 50+ frames manually 2-4 at a time would be hell.
I'd rather pay more now for something steel parts than deal with plastic, i can also weld it with the TIG if anything breaks.

 

[Ian123]

Extraction becomes a chore get the biggest you can effectively store/afford and I’d go with electric.

 

[pargyle]

View attachment 23753
I've got gloves..
SWMBO thought it was funny so she took photos of me what a bee hatch.

LOL .... IN FACT ROFL....

 

[Curly green finger's]

LOL .... IN FACT ROFL....

 

[pargyle]

Thanks for all the replies so far, i really appreciate the info.
I have problems with my lungs so a manual extractor isnt an option sadly, and i can imagine extracting 50+ frames manually 2-4 at a time would be hell.
I'd rather pay more now for something steel parts than deal with plastic, i can also weld it with the TIG if anything breaks.

If there are health issues then I can understand an electric one would be better for you... my 'new' electric one is a 30 year old Lega that I picked up from a local beekeeper who succumbed to Covid ... it had not been used for some years and was filthy... it was a Langstroth so I had to convert it to take my nationals but it's a lovely bit of kit although I have to take it apart to get it through the kitchen door !

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/extractor-question.48776/

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi Guys, Looking for some advice on what extractor to buy, i'm a new beek, i currently have 2 hives overwintering but will hopefully have 4-5 by end of next year and also hopefully have a lot of frames to extract. I'll be using manley frames and want a radial electric extractor. Budget is around £600 but will pay more if necessary. I'f i can get one in a sale or used that would be great. cheers

Phone up Ian at Old Castle Farm for a chat, he's very helpful, another option is to look at Abelo, reasonably priced and always open to a deal, same thing, phone up Damian for a chat.

 

[gillsmith]

Don't bother with a manual because after one box (and with 14 more to do) you'll regret it, and do future-proof your purchase.

Find out what is good and look out for decent quality bargains: recently a friend bought on eBay a 9 frame electric Lega with a universal cage that takes Manleys. Used twice, £450! I tipped her off and she snapped it up. List price at CWynne Jones £1030, at Park Beekeeping £895. Lega are fine - I've used one for fifteen years.

Thorne no longer make their own extractors but buy in Konign; reports say they're good.

Just to respond to the last sentence. Yes, we do still make our own range of extractors. We also have the Konigin and Thomas extractors.
Gill @ Thornes.