What Is a Plastic Honey Extractor?

A plastic honey extractor is a beekeeping equipment used to remove honey from honeycomb without destroying the comb. It uses centrifugal force to spin honey-filled frames, allowing honey to flow out of the cells and collect at the bottom of the extractor.

Plastic honey extractors are popular among small-scale beekeepers, beginner beekeepers, farmers and honey producers because they are generally lightweight, easy to use and can be more affordable than stainless steel extractors.

How Does a Plastic Honey Extractor Work?

A plastic honey extractor works by using centrifugal force. After harvesting honey from the hive, the beekeeper removes the wax cappings from the honeycomb and places the frames inside the extractor.

When the extractor is turned or rotated, centrifugal force pushes honey out of the honeycomb. The honey then runs down the inside of the extractor and collects at the bottom where it can be drained through a honey gate.

The extracted honey can then be filtered, settled, tested and bottled.

Why Use a Plastic Honey Extractor?

A plastic honey extractor can be a practical option for beekeepers who want to extract honey efficiently without damaging the honeycomb.

Some of its benefits include:

• Lightweight and easy to transport
• Easy to operate
• Suitable for small-scale honey production
• Often more affordable than stainless steel models
• Easy to clean when made from suitable food-contact materials
• Helps preserve honeycomb frames for reuse
• Suitable for beginner beekeepers
• Useful for farm and small apiary operations

Plastic Honey Extractor for Beekeeping

A plastic honey extractor for beekeeping is particularly useful for farmers who harvest honey from several hives and want to improve their honey extraction process.

Instead of crushing the honeycomb to obtain honey, the beekeeper can place the frames inside the extractor and spin them. This allows the comb to remain relatively intact so that the bees can use it again.

This can save bees the effort and resources required to rebuild large amounts of comb.

Plastic Honey Extractor for Langstroth Hives

Plastic honey extractors are commonly available in designs that accommodate Langstroth hive frames. Since Langstroth hives are widely used for commercial beekeeping, an extractor that matches the frame dimensions is important.

Before buying a plastic honey extractor, check the number and type of frames it can accommodate and ensure that it is compatible with your hive system.

Plastic vs Stainless Steel Honey Extractor

Plastic and stainless steel honey extractors can both be used for honey extraction, but they have different characteristics.

When choosing an extractor, consider food-contact safety, durability, capacity, frame compatibility, ease of cleaning and your scale of honey production, rather than choosing based on material alone.

How to Choose a Plastic Honey Extractor

If you are planning to buy a plastic honey extractor in Kenya, consider the following factors:

1. Extractor Capacity

Check how many frames the extractor can hold at once. A small beekeeper may only need a 2- or 3-frame extractor, while a commercial beekeeper may need a larger model.

2. Frame Compatibility

Make sure the extractor is compatible with your hive frames. This is especially important when using Langstroth hives.

3. Food-Contact Materials

Because the equipment comes into contact with honey, choose a product made from materials suitable for food contact and follow the manufacturer’s cleaning and use instructions.

4. Honey Gate

A properly designed honey gate makes it easier to drain extracted honey into a food-grade container.

5. Ease of Cleaning

The extractor should be easy to disassemble and clean after every extraction session.