Radial electric honey extractor CARRERA Ø640 for 18 supers

First big rosemary flow, you crack the inner cover and your supers are capped from end to end. There is easily 100–150 kg of honey waiting there. If you are still running a 4–6 frame tangential extractor (or a manual one), you know the story: uncap, load, wait, flip frames, spin again, wait again. Once you pass 20–30 production hives, the real bottleneck is no longer in the apiary, it is in the extracting room.

This radial electric extractor Ø640 for 18 supers is designed exactly for that stage. It is not an entry-level machine; it is a tool to step up to a more professional workflow and keep increasing hive numbers without spending days stuck at the extractor.

Radial vs tangential: the key is frames per hour

In a tangential extractor, frames are parallel to the axis: centrifugal force empties one side first, you must stop, flip each frame 180°, and run a second cycle. Here the system is different: the 18 super frames (approx. 48×16 cm) sit like the spokes of a wheel, in radial position. Honey leaves both sides of the comb at the same time. You load the cage, close the safety lid, set the speed, and you are free to uncap the next batch.

One important point: a radial does not necessarily have a shorter spin cycle than a tangential. The program can be similar, or even slightly longer if you run it gently to protect combs. The real advantage is that you process many more frames per cycle without stopping to flip them. In practice, a full 8–10 minute cycle empties 18 frames. To process the same volume in a 6-frame tangential you need three loads plus all the time spent turning frames. When you are extracting 200–300 kg in one session, that difference adds up to hours, not minutes.

Compared to a reversible tangential: productivity and cost

For a tangential to be truly comfortable, it needs to be reversible, with electronic control that automatically changes rotation direction and extracts both sides without you touching the frames. Very handy, but it makes the machine considerably more expensive. When you compare similar quality machines, a radial 18-supers extractor like this is often on par with – or cheaper than – a good reversible tangential, while still offering more frames per cycle and less handling.

Clear advantages, but also limits you should know

• Space requirement: with a 640 mm drum plus legs, you need a reasonably sized honey room. It is meant to work in a fixed setup, not to be loaded in and out of a small van every day.
• Cleaning takes a bit longer: the 18-frame radial cage has more corners and edges than a simple tangential drum. End-of-season cleaning takes a little more time and care.
• Higher investment than a basic tangential: compared to a small 4–6 frame electric tangential, the price is higher and below 20 hives it is hard to justify.
• Specific format: optimised for super frames around 16 cm high (Dadant, Langstroth or similar). If you mainly work with full-depth frames or Layens-type hives, a different model will suit you better.

Very dense honeys: where tangential still has an edge

With liquid or medium-viscosity honeys (rosemary, citrus, spring polyfloral, well-ripened sunflower, most acacia), the radial works brilliantly on standard programs: quick extraction, gentle on combs, smooth continuous workflow.

When you deal with very dense or partly crystallised honeys, the kind you usually warm up and sometimes work with a heated spike or similar tools, it is fair to say that a radial is not the ideal choice if honey reaches the extractor cold and already very thick. In those cases, a good tangential – especially a reversible one – allows you to “push” harder on each face and recover honey that a radial tends to leave in the cells. If your main production is hard rapeseed, very compact heather or already crystallised honeys, tangential extraction often remains the best option.

When does it really pay off?

This extractor really shines when you run about 30 to 100 hives in production and your annual harvest is around 500–1000 kg of honey. The gain is in man-hours and in physical effort: less time standing in front of the extractor and more time managing bees.

ECO 200 W motor: enough power without oversizing

The machine is fitted with an ECO 200 W, 230 V electric motor. With a 640 mm drum, extraction is efficient at moderate speeds, with smooth ramp-up that protects combs. You get reasonable power consumption, minimal comb damage on new foundation and the option to run it from a small generator in a mobile honey room.

Tip for dense but still liquid honeys

For thick but non-crystallised honeys (heather, eucalyptus, some honeydew), a very effective pattern is: 2–3 minutes at low speed to release the more fluid fraction near the cappings and lighten the comb, then a gradual ramp-up to top speed for the final “drying” phase. This reduces comb breakage and imbalance. If honey is already practically solid, it should be pre-warmed or processed in a well-sized tangential extractor.

European build quality, made to last

The drum is built from food-grade stainless steel AISI 304 (0H18N9), resistant to honey acidity and to cleaning with hot water or pressure washers. The conical bottom guides honey naturally towards the 6/4" food-grade plastic gate valve, without tilting the extractor or leaving kilos of honey trapped in the corners. The 4 mm transparent methacrylate lid lets you monitor the process and includes a safety system that prevents the motor from running with the lid open.

The whole unit is manufactured in Europe, in workshops specialised in beekeeping equipment, under CE standards. You can feel it in the welds, the balance of the cage, the stability while spinning and the long-term availability of spare parts.

The powder-coated steel legs give a working height of about 113 cm, comfortable for loading and unloading frames and for placing 25–30 kg buckets and drums underneath the honey gate.

Main technical specifications

• Type: radial electric honey extractor for supers
• Capacity: 18 super frames (approx. 48×16 cm)
• Drum diameter: 640 mm
• Total height: approx. 113 cm
• Motor: ECO 200 W, 230 V
• Honey outlet: 6/4" food-grade plastic gate valve
• Drum material: food-grade stainless steel AISI 304 (0H18N9)
• Legs: steel, powder-coated, clearance for buckets and drums
• Lid: transparent methacrylate with safety interlock
• Manufacturing: European, CE compliant
• Manufacturer’s warranty: 24 months

Is this extractor the right one for you?

It is a very good fit if:
• You run 30–100 production hives
• You harvest around 500–1500 kg of honey per season
• You have a fixed honey room or at least about 2×2 m of clear space
• Most of your honeys reach the extractor in liquid or moderately thick state

It may not be the best choice if:
• You have fewer than 20 hives and small harvests
• You mainly work with full-depth frames or horizontal hives
• Your key honeys are very dense, crystallised types that you process with strong heating and spiking tools
• Your priority right now is to invest in more hives rather than in machinery

If you fall in the right range, this radial extractor usually pays for itself in one or two seasons, not because it makes more honey, but because it lets you process supers much faster, with less effort and a much smoother workflow. And compared to a reversible tangential of similar quality, you get higher throughput per cycle for a very competitive investment.