I have a two frame hand crank, and and looking to upgrade.

What do I need to know about electric ones?

Or should I just get another hand crank that holds more frames?

I currently have 8 hives, not sure how much more I want to grow.

It looks like the electric ones under the $500 price range were kind of cheap looking.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

been dreaming about owning this one for years

https://www.dadant.com/catalog/cata...tric-power-extractor-m00410/category/79/

I have one of the under 500$ electric ones, works well. I set it up on top of some chairs so I can drain into my strainer buckets.

I have a Mann Lake deluxe (3 deep or 6 shallow) hand crank which can be motor converted. A variable speed drill motor works for me when I get tired of cranking. I have about the same number of hives as you depending on the winter...

I have the Ranger extractor from Dadant I like mine just bolt it down to the floor tight let it fly.

Best decide if, or by how much, you want to expand before buying.

I went up a bit to the Mann Lake, 18/9 motorized and now I know why people actually go much larger than that.

When I bought that my goal was to run about 10 hives (and it's a good size for that), but that was 30 hives ago now.

Bees are kind of like barn cats if you start grafting. All of a sudden you have way more than you want to deal with.

That Dadant in the link above looks like a nice size for the under 10 hive guys but it doesn't look like you can put full sized frames in it? Seems that's an options that's nice to have.

Just a note: My local Mann Lake dealer sells a fair amount of extractors. He said about everyone that buys a hand crank model usually comes back for the power add on. Best to just buy the power version from the get go and save a few bucks down the road. You won't regret the power model.

Years ago I went to buy a 9 frame power extractor at our local dealer. She told me for 100 dollars more you can get a 18/9. That was some great advice. Never had more than 10 hives. It works great.

I’ve had a Dadant Ranger for 20 years. Bolt it to the floor. Does six frame, medium and shallow. I bought a motor unit for it a couple years ago, paid more for the motor and controller than I did for the extractor.

My buddy recently bought a motor driven extractor on Amazon. Chinese made, stainless steel, motor driven. I believe it does 8 frames at a time and you can also extract deep frames. He paid less than $400 for it.

I was very skeptical of this unit, so I went to his place and helped him extract last fall. Honestly, it performed flawlessly and I couldn’t see any problems with the construction of the unit. I was amazed that that unit was less than half the price of my Dadant and could do more than my machine.

I’ve got an 18 frame myself. I’ll quit beekeeping if I have to extract by hand ever again. Get yourself a good extractor and a good uncapping tank and a good hot knife. I bought mine New assembled but never used from a couple that bought it for three hives they couldn’t keep alive. Got it for half price before the prices went up a few years ago.

I'd love to chime in but I'm still chugging along with a little wonder four frame. Every year I say, but here I am.

I like the hot planer better than a hot knife. Easier on the wrist.

Love my hot knife. Do wish I could turn the temp down just a hair. I’ve got a large stainless steel decamping tank that’s awesome. It’s a Copy of the maxant one I had made for about a hundred bucks less and mine is trimmed out better.