Top 18 Best Honey Extractors – Manual & Electric (2024 Review)

Last Updated: 20 November 2024

Beekeeping has skyrocketed in the US, from just a few thousand to now over 120,000 full and part-time beekeepers located all around the United States, from Northern parts through to the Southern States.

This huge spike in interest for beekeeping, may well be due to the mindset shift that began to take place, starting in the early 200o’s, with individuals being more aware of current environmental issues, and the impact these issues have on our current and future life. Subsequently, the announced decline in bees, for reasons such as an increase in bee diseases, bee-killing pesticides, industrial practices, climate change and more factors [GreenPeace, 2013].

Ultimately, this has caused more everyday people to take action, and thus the statistics show that more people are learning how to start beekeeping, and are getting educated from website’s such as ours, on how to begin urban beekeeping .

This rise in popularity, for both recreational and business-related beekeeping/honey production, has driven innovation in the beekeeping equipment industry. There have never been so many commercially available honey extractors as there are now.

In fact, commercial honey extractors are now more affordable than ever, the reason for this is likely because due to the increase in popularity acting as a catalyst for further development & technical innovation, for brands to try to maintain a competitive advantage over new market entrants.

Whether you’re an amateur or a professional beekeeper, you should be aware of the great equipment innovations available today.

Therefore, to help you narrow down on exactly what kind of honey extractor would suit your requirements, we thought that it would be important to briefly talk about the basics below.

What is a Honey Extractor?

The appliance itself, aids the process of getting honey from a beehive frame. It works by utilizing the fundamental scientific process of centrifugal force, to help draw the honey out from the honeycombs, capturing it within the tank/reservoir for it to then be extracted via the in-built tap.

Instead of producing honey slowly, and by hand, honey extractors have made the process more efficient than ever.

Almost every honey extractor is made from stainless steel, since it’s resilient and able to be cleaned easily, which is important as honey is particularly vicious.

Why a Honey Extractor is important to have?

Extracting honey safely without causing damage to the hive is the main reason to use a honey extractor. A honey extractor will ensure that you keep the comb intact and undamaged at the end of the harvest.

When you use a honey extractor, you can extract honey really fast and with ease. The extractor ensures that you use the right effort when uncapping the combs to produce clean and clear honey.

We don’t recommend using a wooden honey extractor. Even though the wooden one will save you money, it can affect the process of harvesting honey and the quality of honey produced.

Inside the drum, a tap is outfitted to allow honey flow from the extractor. For a smooth harvest, make sure you remove the honey right after extraction. You don’t want to leave the honey in the drums longer than necessary because it’ll affect the way the extractor spins.

Let’s take a look at the different types of honey extractors for sale, so you can determine which one will best suit your needs.

Types of Honey Extractors

There are several types of honey extractor which you can choose from, all of which serve the same primary purpose, but each has different features which may be more suitable for some but not others.

Manual vs Electric Honey Extractors

These two types of honey extractors are fairly easy to describe, without having to include any diagrams… But we’ll come to that later! Manual honey extractors are ones that are operated entirely without electricity, using only human force… This means that you have to use the hand crank to spin the internal frames. As for the number of frames that a manual extractor can handle, it’s around 2-4 on average.

The process of releasing honey from the honeycombs usually takes around 10-15 minutes, depending on the speed to which you’re spinning the frames at. The main benefit of using a manual extractor is that you aren’t limited to operating the device near a plug socket.

As you might have guessed, an electric honey extractor requires a power supply to operate; And hence works in a semi-automated way, with the frames having to be manually loaded into the extractor, and the power manually turned on/off. Otherwise, the process is mostly automatic.

Electric honey extractors are usually more expensive, but the main benefit of using one over a manual extractor is that you don’t have to do the manual work. This is the more ideal solution, particularly for a commercial honey extraction setup, where several extractors are required to be run at once.

However, if you’re considering an electric extractor unit, be sure that it has a variable speed motor. This will allow for you to start the extraction process with a slow rotation speed, gradually building up as the honey is extracted and the frames weigh less… Ultimately, it will ensure that excessive force/pressure is not placed on the frames when they are full of honey, after-all, we want to look after our beekeeping equipment right?

Tangential vs Radial Honey Extractors

Additionally to electric and manual honey extractors, there are also differences in the internal mechanisms, which more specifically relate to the way in which bee frames are placed and positioned within the unit, referring to Tangential and Radial.

A tangential honey extractor has one side of the frame facing outwards; And therefore the frame has to be flipped once honey has been emptied from one side, to repeat the process. Additionally, this can become a particularly monotonous task if you’re using a manual honey extractor.

Alternatively, a Radial extractor has frames that are placed perpendicularly to the outside wall of the extractor, which is a much more efficient way of extracting the honey, as the force of the rotation pulls the liquid from multiple angles.

Therefore, with this information being fresh in your mind, it should be relatively easy to see which kind of extractor is ideal for you. With large commercial beekeeping companies likely being tempted by the electric, radial honey extractors, and more low-budget, part-time beekeepers being swayed by the manual honey extractors.

Honey Extractors for Sale

Anyway, with that being said, we’ve featured a list of our favorite honey extractors for sale that are available, all of which have been arranged into either of two categories Electric Honey Extractors & Manual Honey Extractors, in price ascending order.

Best Honey Extractors – Top 18

[Table]

Top Manual Honey Extractors

Super Deal Pro 2 Stainless Steel Manual Honey Extractor – $

Item Specs

Material: food-grade stainless steel
Overall dimension: approx. 40 x 40 x 90cm (L*W*H)
Tank size: approx. 40 x 60cm (Dia. * H)
Feet height: approx. 30cm
Frame size: approx. 41 x 29 x 20cm

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extraction unit with 2-Frame capacity
• Honey gate – Easily open stainless steel honey gate valve by loosening wing nut and lifting
• Stainless steel legs – Keeps the barrel off of the ground and easy to drain
• Optional installation – Removable legs for optional tabletop use or legs can be bolted to the floor
• Frame sizes – Handles deep, medium and shallow frames.
• Clutch handle – Handle has a built-in clutch so it can be cranked and then handle will not spin once released
• Clear plastic lids – Reduce debris during process and view extraction, which also allows you to watch the extraction process in action.

Description & Verdict

The Super Deal Pro is the most affordable honey extraction unit featured in our list. It’s capable of holding up to 2 frames during operation, and has a clear plastic lid so that you can easily inspect the frames whilst in the honey harvesting process.

The unit has a conical bottom (cone shaped), extremely well-built and is ideal for deep frames.

Although this item only has a few ratings, it has some incredibly positive reviews, and would be a perfect extractor unit for someone who doesn’t want to spend a large sum of money, potentially ideal for a beginner or hobbyist beekeeper.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the Super Deal Pro a 4 out of 5 star rating.

Zeny Pro 2-Frame Stainless Steel Manual Honey Extractor – $

Item Specs

Material: food-grade stainless steel
Overall dimension: approx. 16 x 16 x 35″ (L*W*H)
Tank size: approx. 16 x 23.5″ (Dia. * H)
Feet height: approx. 12″
Frame size: approx. 16 x 11 x 8″

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor unit with 2-Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction with seamless welding for durability
• Solid metal crank means gears turn smoothly and efficiently
• Quick and easy unit assembly
• Clear plastic, double sided top lid for easy observing of honey extraction process
• Cone-shaped bottom for effective honey collection and drainage
• Includes stand

Description & Verdict

The Zeny Pro 2 is a close second in being a highly affordable honey extraction unit featured within the list.

It’s incredibly similar to the former unit, featured previously to this one, having the same physical appearance and being capable of holding up to 2 frames during operation. It too has a double sided clear plastic lid, which makes for easy access and inspection of the frames during the harvesting process.

The unit does accommodate for langstroth deep frames and has a cone-shaped bottom, useful for collecting the honey, and the honey tap is sturdy but easy to use.

Additionally, the mechanism of this unit feels very smooth and effortless, with the metal hand crank being effective, although you may want to tighten the front cover of the gear box, which is easy to do.

The downsides of this unit are that there are some rough edges, so be careful, although this shouldn’t be a problem if you’re able to easily smooth them out, especially considering the price; However, if you’re not necessarily someone experienced with any kind of DIY and being able to smooth out those few rough edges, it may not be for you.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the Zeny Pro a 3.7 out of 5 star rating.

Item Specs

Material: food-grade stainless steel
Overall dimension: approx. 15″ x 15″ x 29″ (L*W*H)
Drum height: 29″
Drum Diameter: 15″
Weight: 12kg

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor unit with 2-Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction with 2 carrying handles either side
• Solid metal crank means gears turn smoothly and efficiently
• Quick and easy unit assembly
• Clear plastic, double sided top lid for easy observation & access
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage
• Includes Stand

Description & Verdict

The Happybuy manual honey extractor has the capacity to hold up to 2-frames (deep frames).

Similarly to units that we’ve previously talked about, this also has 2 clear plastic lids, which make it perfect for viewing the internal extraction process. Additionally, the unit also has two handles on either side to make it a little easier to put into position.

We advise that you initially fill it with water, to check that there aren’t any leaks, as one or two reviews suggested that they had a leak. Additionally, make sure that the company have provided enough screws, as this was also a complaint that we saw was shared.

However, considering the price, and the average review rating of this unit, there is a very minimal risk.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the Happybuy 2-frame extractor unit a 3.9 out of 5 star rating.

Item Specs

Material: food grade stainless steel
Overall dimension: approx. 16″(D) ×30″(H)
Weight: 10kg

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor with 2-Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction
• Fit shallow, medium and deep frames
• 2 clear lids to keep debris out & for clear observation
• Flat-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage

Description & Verdict

The GoPlus manual honey extractor has the capacity to hold up to 2-frames, from shallow, medium through to deep frames, making it very versatile.

The unit itself is a tangential honey extractor, and therefore the frames fit with one side facing the center, and one side facing the wall of the unit. We think that this unit could hold approximately 4-5 gallons of honey, with the centrifuge cage being quite large in size.

As far as we’re aware, there is not a commercial stand available for this unit, but we’re fully aware of the ingenuity of our readers and the beekeeping community, so we have faith that you can come up with your own solution.

Additionally, the mechanism is solidly built with the cranks working incredibly smoothly, allowing the basket to be spun particularly well!

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the Zeny Pro a 4.2 out of 5 star rating.

Item Specs

Material: food grade stainless steel
Overall dimension: approx. 13.5″(D) ×29″(H)
Weight: Not specified
Warranty: Comes with 1-Year Limited Warranty

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor with 2-Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction
• Well-Packaged when transported from depot
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Quick & easy unit assembly with good quality instructions
• Metal Lid
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage

Description & Verdict

The Vivo BEE-V002C is a two-frame capacity honey extraction unit, which is versatile in use, being able to hold any kind of frame type, from shallow, medium through to deep frames, with a maximum frame height of 10-inch.

According to reviews, the unit is extremely easy to assemble, with clear instructions being included within the box it arrives in. Additionally, it’s also very straightforward to clean.

It must be noted that you will need to check the overall tightness of some of the screws, as they may have loosened during being transported. This is very important to make sure that the structural integrity of the unit is intact, as the last thing you want is for it to break apart whilst under the duress of the honey extraction process, with honey spilling everywhere.

Taking everything into account, this is an exceptional unit, which is why its Amazon review ratings are so positive.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the Vivo BEE-V002C a 4.4 out of 5 star rating.

Item Specs

Material: food-grade stainless steel
Overall dimension: approx. 15.7″(D) ×24″(H) (without legs)
Weight: Not specified

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor unit with 2-Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction
• Well-Packaged when transported from depot
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Clear plastic lid
• Does not specify whether flat or conical bottom (looks to be flat)
• Comes with stand

Description & Verdict

The GoPlus honey harvesting unit is a two-frame extractor, able to hold shallow, medium and deep frames.

Similarly to other units, the handle of the GoPlus extractor contains a spring clutch, meaning that it can crank the gears, and will not spin once released.

A potential downside of this unit is the fact that it does not arrive with instructions, and some reviews have suggested that there were missing parts (small screws). However, other reviews have noted that it’s a great unit for the price.

Although we think that it’s not a bad choice for a manual honey extractor, we think that there are much better alternatives, which are cheaper! Such as the previous GoPlus unit that we talked about!

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the GoPlus unit a 3.5 out of 5 star rating.

Item Specs

Material: 304 food grade stainless steel
Overall dimension: approx. 15″(D) ×24″(H) (without legs)
Total height: 34″
Weight: Not specified

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor unit with 3-Frame capacity
• 304-grade Stainless steel construction
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Clear plastic lids
• Conical bottom
• Comes with stand

Description & Verdict

The Happybuy honey extractor is able to hold 3-frames at once, versatile enough to hold shallow, medium and deep frames.

The metal gears are enclosed to make sure that they are kept clean and free from any honey residue during operation, making for easy cleaning.

This unit has a plastic, see-through lid, making for easy viewing whilst the extraction process is underway. Additionally, the bottom of the centrifuge cylinder is cone-shaped, which makes it ideal for collecting honey for efficient extraction with its plastic tap.

We advise that you initially fill it with water, to check that there aren’t any leaks, as one or two reviews suggested that the unit had a tiny leak. However, considering the price and the current average review rating of this unit, the chances of this are incredibly small.

Rating

We have to give the Happybuy 3-frame manual honey extractor unit a  4.0 out of 5 star rating.

VIVO Large 2-Frame Stainless Steel Manual Honey Extractor (BEE-V002) – $$$

Item Specs

Material: 201 food grade stainless steel
Drum Height: 24″ tall
Diameter: approx. 15″
Weight: Not specified
Warranty: Comes with 1-Year Limited Warranty

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor with 2-Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction
• Well-Packaged when transported from depot
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Quick & easy unit assembly with good quality instructions
• Metal Lid
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage

Description & Verdict

The Vivo BEE-V002 is a two-frame capacity honey extraction unit, which is versatile in use, being able to hold any kind of frame type, from shallow, medium through to deep frames, with a maximum frame height of 10-inch.

The unit has 2 handles on each side, so that it’s easily transported. Additionally, the metal gears are enclosed to make sure that they are kept clean and free from any honey residue during operation, making for easy cleaning.

According to reviews, the unit is extremely easy to assemble, with clear instructions being included within the box it arrives in. Additionally, it’s also very straightforward to clean.

It must be noted that you will need to check the overall tightness of some of the screws, as they may have loosened during being transported. This is very important to make sure that the structural integrity of the unit is intact, as the last thing you want is for it to break apart whilst under the duress of the honey extraction process, with honey spilling everywhere.

Overall, the unit has a great build-quality, and the mechanics of the crank are smooth which makes for a very efficient spinning of the basket. Two aspects that we particularly like about the Vivo Bee-V00() series is the fact that the feet can be bolted to a surface of your choosing, meaning that you don’t have to worry about it falling over during operation, and additionally, as with all Vivo products, it comes with a 1-year manufacturers warranty, which is a fantastic.

Taking everything into account, this is an exceptional unit, which is why its Amazon review ratings are so positive.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the Vivo BEE-V002 a 4.6 out of 5 star rating.

Item Specs

Material: 201 food grade stainless steel
Drum height: 24″ tall
Diameter: 15″
Distance from honey gate to floor: 15.25″
Total extractor height: 41.5″
Weight: Not specified
Warranty: Comes with 1-Year Limited Warranty

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor with 3-Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction
• Well-Packaged when transported from depot
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Quick & easy unit assembly with good quality instructions
• Metal Lid
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage

Description & Verdict

The Vivo BEE-V003D is very similar to the previous (V002) product, with near to exactly the same overall measurements, but the difference being that the V003D unit is capable of holding 3 frames, from shallow, medium through to deep frames, with a maximum frame height of 10-inch.

The unit has 2 handles on each side, so that it’s easily transported. Additionally, the metal gears are enclosed to make sure that they are kept clean and free from any honey residue during operation, making for easy cleaning.

According to reviews, the unit is extremely easy to assemble, with clear instructions being included within the box it arrives in. Additionally, it’s also very straightforward to clean.

It must be noted that you will need to check the overall tightness of some of the screws, as they may have loosened during being transported. This is very important to make sure that the structural integrity of the unit is intact, as the last thing you want is for it to break apart whilst under the duress of the honey extraction process, with honey spilling everywhere.

Overall, the unit has a great build-quality, and the mechanics of the crank are smooth which makes for a very efficient spinning of the basket.Two aspects that we particularly like about the Vivo Bee-V00() series is the fact that the feet can be bolted to a surface of your choosing, meaning that you don’t have to worry about it falling over during operation, and additionally, as with all Vivo products, it comes with a 1-year manufacturers warranty, which is a fantastic.

Taking everything into account, this is an exceptional unit, which is why its Amazon review ratings are so positive.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the Vivo BEE-V003D a 4.6 out of 5 star rating.

Goplus Large 4-8 Frame Manual Honey Extractor – $$$$

Item Specs

Material: food grade stainless steel
Overall dimension: approx. 20″(D) ×31.5″(H)
Weight: Not specified

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor unit with a 2-Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction
• Well-Packaged when transported from depot
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Clear plastic lid
• Does not specify whether flat or conical bottom (looks to be flat)
• Comes with legs

Description & Verdict

The GoPlus honey harvesting unit is a four-eight frame extractor, able to hold shallow, medium and deep frames… Although its unspecified as to exactly what this means, with it being more common that this size of honey extractor is able to hold 4 large frames or 8 small/medium sized frames.

Similarly to other units, the handle of the GoPlus extractor contains a spring clutch, meaning that it can crank the gears, and will not spin once released.

A potential downside of this unit is the fact that it does not arrive with instructions, and some reviews have suggested that there were missing parts (small screws). However, other reviews have noted that it’s a great unit for the price.

This unit is the more premium-priced manual honey extractor by GoPlus, and from our research, we think that the Vivo V004B (discussed directly below) is a better option if you’re looking for an extractor which is capable of harvesting up to 8 frames simultaneously.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the GoPlus unit a 4.15 out of 5 star rating.

VIVO 4-8 Frame Stainless Steel Bee Honey Extractor (BEE-V004B) – $$$$$

Editor’s Recommendation of the most versatile Manual Honey Extractor

Item Specs

Material: 201 food grade stainless steel
Drum height: 23.75″ tall
Diameter: 18.5″
Distance from honey gate to floor: 15.25″
Total extractor height: 41.5″
Weight: Not specified
Warranty: Comes with 1-Year Limited Warranty

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Manual honey extractor with 4-8 Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction
• Well-Packaged when transported from depot
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Quick & easy unit assembly with good quality instructions
• Metal Lid
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage

Description & Verdict

The Vivo BEE-V004B is very similar in height to both the V003D and the V002, but differs in its diameter being substantially wider, at 18.5″. This provides the capability to hold anywhere from 4-8 frames, depending on the size, being able to handle 8 small/medium frames or 4 large frames during the extraction process… Although you need to be mindful that too much weight can put strain on the crank mechanism.

This manual honey extractor unit has a clear, plexiglas lid, so that you can easily observe the frames during the harvesting process.

Simiarly to other Vivo extractors, according to reviews, the unit is extremely easy to assemble, with clear instructions being included within the box it arrives in. Additionally, it’s also very straightforward to clean.

It must be noted that you will need to check the overall tightness of some of the screws, as they may have loosened during being transported. This is very important to make sure that the structural integrity of the unit is intact, as the last thing you want is for it to break apart whilst under the duress of the honey extraction process, with honey spilling everywhere.

Overall, the unit has a great build-quality, and the mechanics of the crank are smooth which makes for a very efficient spinning of the basket.

Two aspects that we particularly like about the Vivo Bee-V00() series is the fact that the feet can be bolted to a surface of your choosing, meaning that you don’t have to worry about it falling over during operation, and additionally, as with all Vivo products, it comes with a 1-year manufacturers warranty, which is a fantastic.

We think that this is perfect for the beekeeper who is looking for a highly versatile extractor, capable of processing up to 8 frames simultaneously.

Taking everything into account, this is an exceptional unit, which is why its Amazon review ratings are so positive.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the Vivo BEE-V004B a 4.8 out of 5 star rating.

Top Electric Honey Extractors

Happybuy 2-Frame Electric Honey Extractor – $$$

Item Specs

Height: 24″
Drum Diameter: 15″
Power: 120W
RPM: 1300 with variable speed controls
Weight: 16.7 kg

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• 2-frame Electric honey extractor
• Variable frame speed rotation controls
• Stainless steel construction
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Quick & easy unit assembly with good quality instructions
• 2 clear perspex lids
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage
• 3 legs

Description & Verdict

The Happybuy 2-frame electric honey extractor is the most affordable electrically powered extractor featured on our list. The unit itself is made from food-grade stainless steel, and is an anti-corrosion & anti-rust material, making it suitable for water cleaning.

The honey extractor has a fully-enclosed transmission box, which means that the internal mechanisms won’t get honey residue sticking to it.

As for the electrical motor, one of the biggest criticisms of the unit is the fact that some say that it is underpowered, with the motor not being able to spin the basket (particularly when full of honey) at a large enough RPM. Eventually, the honey will drain from the honeycombs, and the extraction process will be complete… However, if this is your price-point, a manual extractor may be quicker to operate, despite it taking manual effort on your part to complete.

Additionally, if you decide to purchase this extractor, when you initially get it, be sure to check the quality of the welding, as you don’t want to begin using it and then realize that the quality of the metal chassis has been compromised

Rating

We have to give the Happybuy 2-frame electric honey harvesting unit a .3.5 out of 5 star rating.

Happybuy 3-Frame Electric Honey Extractor – $$$

Item Specs

Height: 24″
Drum Diameter: 15″
Power: 120W
RPM: 1300 with variable speed controls
Weight: 16.7 kg

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• 3-frame Electric honey extractor
• Variable frame speed rotation controls
• Stainless steel construction
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Quick & easy unit assembly with good quality instructions
• 2 clear perspex lids
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage
• 3 legs

Description & Verdict

The Happybuy 3-frame electric honey extractor is extremely similar in respects to its physical characteristics to the 2-frame version, and is made from food-grade stainless steel, and is an anti-corrosion & anti-rust material, making it suitable for water cleaning.

The honey extractor has a fully-enclosed transmission box, which means that the internal mechanisms won’t get honey residue sticking to it.

One of the largest criticisms of the unit is that it requires some level of weight of being fastened to the ground whilst being operated, as it can move.

As for the electrical motor, one of the biggest criticisms of the unit is the fact that some say that it is underpowered, with the motor not being able to spin the basket (particularly when full of honey) at a large enough RPM. Eventually, the honey will drain, and the extraction process will be complete. However, other reviews suggest that the unit works perfectly, so we advise that if you so choose to purchase it, look out for these potential weaknesses.

Alternatively, if you’re set on getting an electric honey extractor, why not take a look at the Honey Keeper (4-frame) & Vivo BEE-V004E (4 frame) extractors which we talk about further below.

Rating

We have to give the Happybuy 3-frame electric honey harvesting unit a 3.5 out of 5 star rating.

Happybuy 4-Frame Electric Honey Extractor – $$$$

Item Specs

Height: 24″
Drum Diameter: 20″
Power: 120W
RPM: 1300 with variable speed controls
Weight: 16.7 kg

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• 4-frame Electric honey extractor
• Variable frame speed rotation controls
• Stainless steel construction
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Quick & easy unit assembly with good quality instructions
• 2 clear perspex lids
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage
• 3 legs

Description & Verdict

The Happybuy 4-frame electric honey extractor is extremely similar in respects to its physical characteristics to the 3 and 2-frame version, but has a much larger diameter of 20″, as opposed to the 15″.

The 4-frame version is made from food-grade stainless steel, and is an anti-corrosion & anti-rust material, making it suitable for water cleaning.

The honey extractor has a fully-enclosed transmission box, which means that the internal mechanisms won’t get honey residue sticking to it.

One of the largest criticisms of the unit is that it requires some level of weight of being fastened to the ground whilst being operated, as it can move.

As for the electrical motor, one of the biggest criticisms of the unit is the fact that some say that it is underpowered, with the motor not being able to spin the basket (particularly when full of honey) at a large enough RPM. Eventually, the honey will drain, and the extraction process will be complete. However, other reviews suggest that the unit works perfectly, so we advise that if you so choose to purchase it, look out for these potential weaknesses.

Alternatively, if you’re set on getting an electric honey extractor, why not take a look at the Honey Keeper (4-frame) & Vivo BEE-V004E (4 frame) extractors which we talk about further below.

Rating

We have to give the Happybuy 4-frame electric honey harvesting unit a 3.8 out of 5 star rating.

Honey Keeper Pro 4-Frame Stainless Steel Electric Honey Extractor – $$$$$

Item Specs

Material: 304-grade stainless steel
Item height: 48″
Item width: 22″
Motor with a 5″ US-standard 120 volt cord

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Electrically-powered honey extractor with 4/8 Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction
• Well-Packaged when transported from depot
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Quick & easy unit assembly with good quality instructions
• Metal Lid
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage

Description & Verdict

The Honey Keeper Pro 4-Frame is an electric honey extractor capable of holding up to 8 frames for simultaneous honey extraction. Although its unspecified as to exactly what this means, with it being more common that this size of honey extractor is able to hold 4 large frames or 8 small/medium sized frames.

As with all of the electric honey harvesting units, you want to make sure that you start the process at a slow speed, and then increase it gradually as more honey has been excreted from the combs… This is to ensure that the motor doesn’t blowout.

Similarly to the last unit we talked about, the unit is also a tangential extractor, which means that you’ll have to open it up, and turn the frames around half way through the extraction process. The clear plastic, lids make it easy to observe how the process is going.

We think that this is a great unit for those who wish to be able to harvest from up to 8 (small) frames simultaneously.. However, one drawback against the similarly priced Vivo unit, is that Honey Keeper do not mention any warranty period… Unlike Vivo who provide a 1-year manufacturers warranty.

Taking everything into account, this is a great, versatile unit, capable of streamlining your honey extraction process.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the HoneyKeeper Pro a 4.5 out of 5 star rating.

VIVO Electric 4-Frame Stainless Steel Honey Extractor (BEE-V004E) – $$$$$ 

Editor’s Recommendation of the most versatile Electric Honey Extractor

Item Specs

Material: 201 food grade stainless steel
120V AC motor (Runs on standard 110V AC power)
Drum height: 23.75″ tall
Diameter: 18.5″
Distance from honey gate to floor: 15.25″
Total extractor height: 41.5″
Weight: Not specified
Warranty: Comes with 1-Year Limited Warranty

Customer Ratings & Reviews

Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Features

• Electric honey extractor with 4-Frame capacity
• Stainless steel construction
• Well-Packaged when transported from depot
• Fits shallow, medium and deep frames
• Quick & easy unit assembly with good quality instructions
• Clear Lid
• Conical-shaped bottom for honey collection and drainage
• 5 gallon honey capacity

Description & Verdict

The Vivo BEE-V004E is an electric honey extractor capable of holding up to 4 frames for simultaneous honey extraction. The unit itself has a 120v AC Motor, which runs almost effortlessly as it has an in-built cooling fan to prevent overheating, just take a look at the customer reviews if you don’t believe us.

As with all of the electric honey harvesting units, you want to make sure that you start the process at a slow speed, and then increase it gradually as more honey has been excreted from the combs… This is to ensure that the motor doesn’t blowout.

Additionally, the unit is a tangential extractor, which means that you’ll have to open it up, and turn the frames around halfway through the extraction process. The plastic, see-through lids make it easy to observe how the harvesting process is going, without introducing any impurities into the process.

The polished exterior won’t corrode or rust, allowing your honey to be food-grade while not compromising quality or style in your unit.

The transmission is enclosed to make sure that they are kept clean and free from any honey residue during operation, making for easy cleaning.

According to reviews, the unit is extremely easy to assemble, with clear instructions being included within the box it arrives in. Additionally, it’s also very straightforward to clean.

Overall, the unit has great build quality. Two aspects that we particularly like about the Vivo Bee-V00() series is the fact that the feet can be bolted to a surface of your choosing, meaning that you don’t have to worry about it falling over during operation, and additionally, as with all Vivo products, it comes with a 1-year manufacturers warranty, which is a fantastic.

Taking everything into account, this is an exceptional unit, which is why its Amazon review ratings are so positive.

Rating

Taking into account its price, and the review ratings it has, we have to give the Vivo BEE-V004E a 4.8 out of 5 star rating.

In Conclusion

It’s clear that everyone has different requirements from a honey extraction unit, as everyone reading this will be at different skill levels, require either an electric of manual honey extractor, with different amounts of frames to be harvested simultaneously. Additionally, there will be certain aesthetic features that appeal to some, that simply don’t to others… So it’s incredibly hard to conclusively state which one’s best.

However, we’ve featured 2 editor’s recommendations within the article, one for the recommended electric honey extractor, and one for the manual honey extractor.

In conclusion, we hope that this article has been helpful in informing you on the best honey extractors to buy, we advise that you take a further read of each extractor’s customer reviews, which we’ve linked to.

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Steve Cruise

Beekeeper & Founder at EbeeHQ

Steve Cruise is an experienced beekeeper with over 20 years of hands-on expertise in the field. He began his beekeeping journey as a hobbyist and quickly developed a passion for the craft. Over the years, Steve has honed his skills and expanded his knowledge, becoming a trusted expert in the beekeeping community.

Steve's experience in beekeeping is extensive, having managed numerous hives and colonies of bees throughout his career. He is well-versed in all aspects of beekeeping, from hive management and bee behavior to honey production and bee health. Steve is also an advocate for sustainable beekeeping practices, using natural and organic methods to maintain healthy hives and protect the environment.

As a seasoned beekeeper, Steve has also shared his expertise with others by teaching workshops and classes on beekeeping. He is a sought-after speaker and has been invited to speak at conferences and events across the country.

With his wealth of knowledge and experience, Steve is a valuable resource for anyone interested in beekeeping. Whether you are a seasoned beekeeper or just starting out, Steve's insights and advice can help you become a successful and responsible beekeeper.

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