From first hive to first harvest
Hives, suits, smokers and extractors compared by real specs, a month-by-month calendar for your region, and free tools for mite counts, startup lists and honey math.
- 9gear categories
- 426products compared
- 5free hive tools
- Maker specs, side by sideFrames, wood, fabric, motor and gate size
- Bee health with sourcesHBHC, EPA, USDA and extension, linked
- No invented testsWe say what we checked and what we did not
What to do in your hives this month
Pick your region. Tasks come from university extension calendars and link to the how-to or the gear.
Cold winters, one main summer flowTuck colonies in and stop opening hives
Short winters, big April-May flow, July dearthTuck colonies in with 60 lb or more of honey
Early spring flow, long hot dearth, fall goldenrodBrood shrinks; robbing risk returns
No real winter, citrus spring flow, fall pepper flowMild-weather checks and stores
Mild winters, early spring flow, brutal summer heatWinterize at higher elevations
Wet or snowy winters, June flow, short seasonHands off: bees cluster below about 57°F
General guidance adapted from extension calendars. Timing varies with local forage, elevation and each year's weather; follow your local association and state apiarist. Full calendar and sources.
Everything a backyard hive runs on
Every piece of gear a backyard apiary runs on, from the first hive body to the last honey jar.
Hives & kitsLangstroth 8- and 10-frame kits, top bar and Warré hives, Flow Hive, insulated…59 products
Frames & foundationWooden and plastic frames, wax and plastic foundation, queen excluders, inner…38 products
Protective gearFull suits, ventilated suits, jackets, veils, gloves and kids' bee suits.55 products
Hive tools & smokersHive tools, smokers and fuel, bee brushes, frame grips and perches, queen…49 products
Honey harvestExtractors, uncapping knives, forks and tanks, strainers, bottling buckets,…63 products
Bottling & sellingGlass and plastic honey jars, queenline bottles, honey bears, labels and comb…32 products
Bee health & feedingFeeders, pollen patties, varroa testing and EPA-registered treatments, mouse…59 products
Wax & candlesWax melters, beeswax, candle molds and lip-balm kits for the beeswax side of…28 products
Books & giftsBeginner beekeeping books, hive journals and gifts for the beekeeper in your…43 productsShop by situation
Start from where your apiary is today.
Count the mites before you treat
Calculators built on published numbers: the Honey Bee Health Coalition varroa thresholds, USDA honey yields and extension calendars.
Best picks for the backyard apiary
Ranked by the job: first hive, ventilated suit, smoker, extractor and more.
Best ofBest beekeeping starter kits for your first hive (2026)
Best beekeeping starter kit picks compared by what is actually in the box: hive, frames, smoker, tools and gear from 6…
Best ofBest beehive for beginners: 8 hives compared (2026)
The best beehive for beginners, compared by real specs: assembled Langstroth stacks, an 8-frame box, insulated, Flow…
Best ofBest Langstroth hives: 10-frame and 8-frame picks (2026)
Best Langstroth hive picks compared by box count, frames, wood and finish: assembled and flat-pack 10-frame stacks…
Best ofBest top bar hives (and horizontal alternatives) for 2026
Best top bar hive picks for 2026: only two true top bar makers, plus Warré, Layens and DIY options that suit…
Best ofBest insulated beehives and hive wraps for winter (2026)
Best insulated beehive options compared: Apimaye and Lyson hives, an insulated Layens and winter wraps, by listed…
Best ofBest nuc boxes for splits, swarms and spare queens (2026)
Best nuc box options compared: insulated 7-frame nucs, a queen mating nuc and full-size alternatives, with honest…
Single-product reviews
One product, its listed specs, who it suits and who should skip it.
ReviewFlow Hive 2 review: specs, pros, cons and fakes to avoid
Flow Hive 2 review from the official listing and Flow's own data: 6 Flow Frames, about 39 lb per full super, real…
ReviewVEVOR honey extractor review: 4/8-frame electric model
VEVOR honey extractor review from the listing: 4 deep frames, 140W motor up to 1300 rpm, stainless drum, what the…
ReviewHumble Bee 430 ventilated suit review
Humble Bee 430 ventilated suit review from the listing: 280 gsm polycotton with 220 gsm vent panels, round veil,…
Comparisons
Two hives, two suits or two treatments side by side, with a clear verdict.
VersusFlow Hive vs Langstroth: which hive should you start with?
Flow Hive vs Langstroth compared by harvest method, weight, wax, cost of extra gear and colony care, with picks from…
VersusLangstroth vs top bar hive: lifting, honey and bee sources
Langstroth vs top bar hive compared: box lifting, comb, harvest method, nucs vs packages and capacity from real…
Versus8-frame vs 10-frame hives: weight, space and compatibility
8-frame vs 10-frame hives compared: full box weights, box width, frames per kit, what parts interchange and which…
Guides for new beekeepers
Installing bees, inspections, mites, swarms, harvest and selling honey, in plain language.
GuideHow to start beekeeping: a first-year timeline
How to start beekeeping in the US: check local rules, order bees by winter, pick a hive, buy the core gear and follow…
GuideHow much does it cost to start beekeeping?
The cost to start beekeeping, item by item: what one hive needs, what a Mississippi State extension budget shows, and…
GuidePackage bees vs nucs vs swarms: which should you start with?
Package bees vs nucs vs swarms compared: what each contains, how fast it builds up, disease and queen risks, when to…
GuideHow to install a package of bees, step by step
How to install a package of bees: prepare the hive, spray and shake the bees, place the queen cage, feed 1:1 syrup and…
GuideHow to inspect a beehive: a step-by-step checklist
How to inspect a beehive: when to open it, how to use smoke, what to look for on each frame (eggs, brood, stores,…
GuideBeekeeping calendar by US region: month-by-month tasks
A beekeeping calendar for six US regions: when to order bees, inspect, add supers, harvest, treat mites and winterize,…
What the catalogue covers
426 products from 195 brands, by category
Not sure what your first hive needs?
Pick hives, bees and hive style, and get an itemized list with quantities. Add your own prices if you like; nothing leaves your browser.