An extractor removes honey from the comb by centrifugal force. The comb survives and is reused — that is the essential gain over pressing.

Two basic types

Tangential

Frames stand tangential to the axis; one side is extracted at a time.

• Cheap and adequate at small scale
• The frame must be turned
• Spinning a full side hard breaks the comb; start slowly

Radial

Frames are arranged like spokes; both sides are extracted at once.

• No turning needed; faster
• Gentler on the comb
• More expensive and requires more space

Materials

Honey is acidic and corrodes unsuitable metal; the corroded metal enters the honey.

The drum and all parts touching honey must be stainless steel or food-grade plastic. Untreated steel, copper and galvanised metal must not be used.

Drive

• Hand cranked: Cheap and adequate at small scale. Speed control rests entirely with the operator
• Motorised: Acceleration and braking are controlled, which strains the comb less

On motorised models gradual acceleration matters; a sudden start breaks comb.

Use

• Load frames evenly; an unbalanced load shakes the machine
• Start slowly and build up speed
• Turn the frames halfway in a tangential machine
• Newly drawn comb is more fragile; extract it more slowly
• Warm honey flows more easily; cold honey strains the comb

Cleaning

After extraction the machine is washed with warm water and dried completely. Residual honey goes mouldy and becomes a source of contamination the following season.

No detergent residue should be left.

Sharing

An extractor is expensive and used for a few days a year. Many beekeeping associations keep a shared machine; for a small producer this is the most sensible arrangement.