Eco-Keeper 8/4 Frame Hand Crank Honey Extractor Review

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Quick Overview

Ease of Use
Structural Design
Durability
Value for Money

The Eco-Keeper 8/4 Frame Hand Crank Honey Extractor has all the bells and whistles but fails at quality control and durability.

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A popular adage goes, “there are more than one way to kill a cat”. This means that you can use more than a single way to get things done. The same applies to the extraction of honey from the beehive frames. The old fashion way of extracting honey from beehive frames is no longer popular given its drawbacks – which involves crushing the honeycomb to get the honey out. However, there is another option that far better – the honey extractor. This allows you to take the honey-filled frames, uncap them using a hot knife, then load them into the mechanized honey extractor. This device will use centrifugal force to spin the honey out of the frames. There are many honey extractors available on the market and in this article we will be reviewing the Eco-Keeper 8/4 Frame Hand Crank Honey Extractor, to see if it may be worth your consideration. This is a hand operated device that operates completely operates without the need of a power source. Let’s check it out.

About the Honey Extractor

The extractor simply refers to the device that is manually or electrically driven. It utilizes centrifugal force in removing honey from the frames. They vary in sizes and one can get a simple 2-frame extractor up to 85-frame extractors (or more) for commercial beekeeping operations.

The manual extractor can be connected to a bicycle chain or operated by hand. The electric operated extractor, as implied by the name, is powered by a motor.

The honey extractor helps the beekeeper remove honey from the combs without destroying them. It is one of the best ways of extracting honey from Langstroth hives. There are other extractors are capable of removing honey sourced from logs and other types of hives.

About the Eco-Keeper 8/4 Frame Hand Crank Honey Extractor

Eco-Keeper 8/4 Frame Hand Crank Honey Extractor

The Eco-Keeper 8/4 Frame Hand Crank Honey Extractor is easy to operate and given its huge capacity, it means it is capable of getting a lot done within a short time. It can crank up to 8 frames at once.

The key features include:

  • This is a manually operated honey extractor.
  • It is made of stainless steel.
  • The unit is 8/4 frame extractor. Can hold a maximum of 8 frames.
  • The unit can accommodate all frame sizes.
  • The crank handle is easy to hold and operate.
  • Comes with a 1 ½ inch honey gate that is made of stainless steel.
  • Weighs 65 pounds.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Lightweight therefore easy to carry and handle.
  • Easy to operate.
  • The crank handle is easy to operate.
  • Made of food grade stainless material.
  • It can handle up to 8-frames at once.

Cons

  • Poor workmanship and quality control.
  • There is minimal space underneath the extractor for placing a container for collecting honey.

Honey Extraction the Old Way

If for whatever reason you have you do not have a honey extractor at hand at any given time, then you can apply the old way to get the honey from the frames.

Required

  • A colander.
  • A stainless steel bowl.
  • Wooden spoon.
  • Warm water.
  • Strainer.
  • Honey bottle.

Steps

  1. The first step is to place the entire honeycomb load into the colander. Put the sieve under the colander but over the stainless steel bowl and crush the combs using the wooden spoon. This will help remove the honey from the cells.
  2. Take the stainless steel bowl and place it over some warm water so as to hasten the process. You can leave the honey overnight and check it the next day. The following day you should find pure honey on the bowl.
  3. Use the strainer to remove remnants of wax and tiny pieces of debris. You can then pour the honey into the honey jar/bottle. At the end of it all, simply take the bowl, wooden spoon, and the colander next to the beehives. The bees will instinctively feast on the remaining honey from the equipment.
  4. As for the filtered wax, you can keep this and accumulate more of it over the next extraction. Once you have a substantial amount of wax, you can use it to make own candles, apply it on plastic foundations or new frames.

Disclaimer: with this old method you will not be able to reuse the beehive frames. These are completely destroyed when you crush them.

Conclusion

Those in need of a manual extractor are better off looking elsewhere. Though capable of spinning up to 8 frames at once, the material construction and the interior workmanship leaves lots to be desired in terms of quality control.

What do you think of the Eco-Keeper 8/4 Frame Hand Crank Honey Extractor? Leave a comment below and let us know.

About Michael Simmonds

Michael Simmonds is an American beekeeper with more than two decades of experience in beekeeping. His journey with bees began in his youth, sparking a lifelong passion that led him to start his own apiary at the tender age of 15. Throughout the years, Simmonds has refined his beekeeping skills and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge concerning honeybee biology and behavior. Simmonds' early exposure to beekeeping ignited a fascination with these pollinators, influencing his decision to establish BeeKeepClub in 2016. The website was created with the aim to serve as the ultimate resource for beginners interested in beekeeping. Under Simmonds' guidance, BeeKeepClub provides comprehensive information to novices, including the basics of beekeeping, the different types of bees and hives, the selection of hive locations, and the necessary beekeeping equipment. In addition, the site offers detailed reviews of beekeeping tools to help enthusiasts make informed decisions and get the best value for their investment​​. His contributions to the beekeeping community through BeeKeepClub are substantial, offering both educational content and practical advice. The website covers a wide array of topics, from starting an apiary to harvesting honey, all reflecting Simmonds' extensive experience and passion for the field. Simmonds’ approach is hands-on and educational, focusing on the importance of understanding bees and the environment in which they thrive. His work not only guides beginners through their beekeeping journey but also reflects a commitment to the well-being of bees. Michael Simmonds has dedicated a significant part of his life to bees and beekeeping, and through BeeKeepClub, he has made this knowledge accessible to a broader audience. His work undoubtedly embodies a blend of expertise, authority, and trustworthiness in the realm of beekeeping.
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