Honey Extraction

Honey Extractor

A centrifuge that flings honey out of the comb without breaking it.

Before you open a hive

Sealed veil Smoker lit Allergy check 15 °C or warmer

The 3D view needs WebGL and a wider screen. The illustration and the specification table carry the same information.

Specification
Capacity	2, 4, 8, 12 or 20 frames
Type	Tangential (turn frames) or radial (both sides at once)
Drive	Hand crank with gearbox, or electric motor
Drum material	Food-grade stainless steel 304
Spin speed	150–300 rpm typical
Frame sizes	Match to your deep / medium / shallow frames
Gate	Bottom honey gate, 40–50 mm
Cleaning	Warm water rinse; dry thoroughly before storage

Extraction Honey Extraction 3D simulator available

The extractor is what separates honey from wax without destroying either. Frames go into a basket inside a drum; the basket spins; centrifugal force throws honey out of the cells and down the drum wall to a gate at the bottom. The comb survives and goes back to the bees.

Manual extractors are geared hand-crank machines — perfectly adequate for one or two hives. Electric models take the labour out of the spinning but the real variable is frame count: 4-frame, 8-frame and 20-frame radial machines all exist. Radial extractors spin frames on their long axis so both sides drain at once; tangential machines need frames turned halfway.

At a glance

Typical speeds150–300 rpm

Drum materialStainless 304

Load ruleSymmetrical

Comb outcomeReusable

Safety

An unbalanced extractor will walk across a floor. Load frames symmetrically, start slowly and build up speed, and never put a hand into the drum while the basket is turning. Electric models need an RCD and a dry floor.

Using it well

Balance the load. Two frames opposite each other, then two more — never one side only.
Spin slowly at first to stop comb blowing out, then increase.
Let the drum stand for 20 minutes after spinning so honey drains from the drum wall before you open the gate.
Radial machines save a great deal of time if you process more than five supers a year.

Compatibility

Hive types

Langstroth
Flow

Bees

European honey bee (Apis mellifera)

Educational reference only. Hive & Honey sells no equipment and takes no sponsorship. Specifications here describe typical products in this category; check the actual figures for the item you own or intend to buy. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and your local regulations.

Related equipment

Try it in 3D. There is an interactive simulator for this part of beekeeping. Open the Honey Extraction Simulator.