Economy 2-frame honey extractor

01 · WHICH FRAME FITS

And which does not, which is what gets asked most

It takes 2 Langstroth or Dadant brood frames, or 4 half-super frames. The limit is set by the 48 × 30 cm Dadant.

The Layens frame does not fit, nor do the 35 × 40 or 40 × 33 cm formats. If you work with a different regional format — Voirnot, Lusitana or any local size — ask us before ordering: it is a 35 cm drum and there is no margin.

02 · WHAT IT IS MADE OF

Plastic where you see it and metal where it turns

The drum and the basket are food-grade plastic, and the clear lid lets you watch. The gears are plastic with a metal centre shaft, and the crank is metal with a wooden handle. The outlet tap is food-grade plastic, 40/49 size.

That is where its price comes from and also its limit: it is a starter machine, not a working one. Anyone extracting every year and by volume will find the whole thing flimsy — and would do well to look at a metal-drum extractor.

03 · HOW IT IS USED

Four steps and a firm surface

Open the tap with a bucket underneath, fit the crank on the side, place the frames against the walls of the basket and turn. Centrifugal force does the rest, and since it is tangential you have to turn the frames round to empty the second face.

It sits on any flat surface, but it should be firm and at a good height: turning a 5 kg machine by hand, the steadiness of the table is half the job.

04 · WHAT TO EXPECT

Expectations rather than disappointments

With two or three hives and one harvest a year it does the job. But there are two things owners say that we would rather bring forward: the crank asks for force, because the gearing is short; and the whole assembly is plastic, so it needs care when assembling and cleaning.

If what you want is a machine for many years and many supers, this is not it. And saying so beforehand is cheaper for everyone than saying it afterwards.

05 · BEFORE YOU BUY

It is the entry model, and it should be judged as such: