- Mann Lake sells pine hives listed as made in USA, either painted with low-VOC white paint and assembled, or unpainted dovetail kits you build and paint.
- Hoover Hives dips its boxes in beeswax instead of paint; its assembled 2 deep + 1 medium hive uses fir boxes and New Zealand pine frames.
- Both use waxed plastic foundation (Mann Lake Rite-Cell, Hoover CellTech), not pure wax.
- For a full hive in one box: Mann Lake KD150 (30 frames, unassembled) or Hoover Hives 2D+1M assembled (30 frames, ready to use).
Mann Lake vs Hoover Hives comes down to finish and assembly more than to the hive itself. Both sell standard 10-frame Langstroth equipment that fits the same frames, supers and nucs, so you can mix boxes from either brand on one 10-frame hive.
We compared the Mann Lake and Hoover Hives listings in our catalogue by box count, frames, wood, coating, foundation and what is included. We did not build, paint or house bees in these hives; everything here comes from maker listings.
Picks from each side
Mann Lake
Mann Lake KD150 10-Frame Hive Kit, 2D+1M, Unpainted
- Frames
- 30 unassembled
- Boxes
- 2 deep, 1 medium
- Material
- Dovetail pine, made in USA
Best for DIY assembly and painting
Mann Lake HK385 10-Frame Hive Combo, 1D+1M, Painted
- Frames
- 10
- Boxes
- 1 deep, 1 medium
- Material
- Pine, made in USA
Best for No-assembly first hive
Mann Lake HK170 Traditional Complete Hive Kit, Painted
- Frames
- 10 assembled
- Boxes
- 1 deep (9-5/8")
- Material
- Radiata pine, made in USA
Best for A simple first hive
Hoover Hives
Hoover Hives 10-Frame Langstroth, Assembled, 2D+1M
- Frames
- 10 (30 NZ pine frames)
- Boxes
- 2 deep, 1 medium
- Material
- Fir exterior
Best for A ready-to-use full hive
Hoover Hives 10-Frame Beeswax Kit, 2D+1M, Unassembled
- Frames
- 10 wooden
- Boxes
- 2 deep, 1 medium
- Finish
- Beeswax-coated
Best for A DIY-assembled full hive
Hoover Hives 8-Frame Deep Hive Kit, Assembled
- Frames
- 8 with foundation
- Boxes
- 1 deep
- Material
- Fir
Best for A lighter assembled first hive
Mann Lake vs Hoover Hives at a glance
Brand-level comparison from current listings
| Mann Lake | Hoover Hives | |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | Pine (radiata pine on HK170), listed made in USA | Fir exterior on assembled hive; NZ pine frames |
| Weather finish | Low-VOC white paint, or unpainted for DIY | Dipped in 100% beeswax, no paint |
| Fully assembled full hive | ✓ HK385 (1 deep + 1 medium), HK170 (1 deep) | ✓ 2 deep + 1 medium, 8-frame deep |
| Flat-pack 2 deep + 1 medium kit | ✓ KD150, 30 frames | ✓ Unassembled kit, pre-drilled, screws included |
| Foundation | ~ Rite-Cell waxed plastic | ~ CellTech waxed plastic |
| Feeder included | ✓ 1-gal ProFeeder in KD150 | ✗ Not listed |
| Screened bottom board | ✓ HK385 | ✗ Solid bottom board listed |
| 8-frame equipment | ✓ HK580 8-frame body bundle | ✓ Assembled 8-frame deep hive |
| Box joints | Dovetail on KD150 | Dovetail on assembled hive and medium super |
Source: Hive & Frame catalogue listings, November 2026
| Product | Frames | Boxes | Material | Finish | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mann Lake KD150 10-Frame Hive Kit, 2D+1M, Unpainted | 30 unassembled | 2 deep, 1 medium | Dovetail pine, made in USA | Unpainted; waxed Rite-Cell foundation | 1-gal ProFeeder, metal-capped cover |
| Mann Lake HK385 10-Frame Hive Combo, 1D+1M, Painted | 10 | 1 deep, 1 medium | Pine, made in USA | Low-VOC white paint | Screened bottom board |
| Mann Lake HK170 Traditional Complete Hive Kit, Painted | 10 assembled | 1 deep (9-5/8") | Radiata pine, made in USA | Painted; beeswax-coated plastic foundation | Telescoping cover, inner cover, bottom board, reducer |
| Hoover Hives 10-Frame Langstroth, Assembled, 2D+1M | 10 (30 NZ pine frames) | 2 deep, 1 medium | Fir exterior | Dipped in 100% beeswax | CellTech waxed foundation, covers, entrance reducer |
| Hoover Hives 10-Frame Beeswax Kit, 2D+1M, Unassembled | 10 wooden | 2 deep, 1 medium | — | Beeswax-coated | Heavy wax-coated foundation, screws |
| Hoover Hives 8-Frame Deep Hive Kit, Assembled | 8 with foundation | 1 deep | Fir | Wax-coated | Top cover, queen excluder, bottom board, entrance reducer |
Specs as listed by the maker or seller; check the listing before you buy.
How many frames come in each kit?
Frame count is the quickest way to see what you are actually buying. A full first-year 10-frame hive is usually two deeps for brood and at least one medium super, which is 30 frames. Several listings are single boxes or partial kits, so read the box count before comparing.
Frames included, as listed
Kits and hive bodies with a stated frame count
Two listings leave the count unclear. The Mann Lake HK385 combo does not state how many frames ship, and the Hoover Hives unassembled kit lists "10 wooden frames" for three boxes. Confirm with the seller before you plan around them. The Hoover 5-frame starter is meant for a five-frame nuc: you add the nuc's frames to fill the box.
Painted pine or beeswax-dipped fir?
Bare wood outdoors needs protection. Mann Lake handles it with paint: the HK385 is listed with low-VOC white paint and an unpainted screened bottom board, the HK170 and HK190 come painted, and the KD150 is unpainted so you can paint the outside yourself. Hoover Hives skips paint and dips boxes in beeswax; it says fir is more durable and less prone to warping than pine (a maker claim).
- Choose paint if you like a classic white hive, want to repaint in your own color, or keep bees where HOA rules prefer a neat finish.
- Choose beeswax-dipped if you want no painting at all and a natural wood look.
- Either way, finish only the outside surfaces. Paint the KD150 before bees move in, and let it cure.
Placement matters as much as finish. Utah State's hive-placement guide suggests facing the entrance south or southeast for 6 to 8 hours of direct sun, raising the hive 12 to 18 inches on a stand or cinder blocks, and weighting or strapping it down against wind and animals.
Assembled or flat-pack?
Assembly time is real. A flat-pack 2 deep + 1 medium kit means three boxes, a bottom board, covers and 30 frames to nail or screw, plus foundation to fit. Mann Lake's KD150 ships nails and unassembled frames; Hoover's unassembled kit is pre-drilled with screws included. If your package or nuc arrives in a few weeks and you have no workshop, the assembled Hoover 2D+1M or Mann Lake HK385 saves a weekend.
Order early. Penn State Extension says it is best to order your package by early winter and to have everything prepared in advance. Bees themselves come from local or regional suppliers, not from these listings.
What about foundation and frames?
Both brands ship waxed plastic foundation. Mann Lake's Rite-Cell is beeswax-coated plastic, not pure wax sheets. Hoover's assembled hive lists CellTech food-grade plastic foundation dipped in 100% beeswax, in New Zealand pine frames. If you want natural wax or foundationless frames, plan to buy separately; our plastic vs wax foundation comparison explains the trade-offs.
What neither kit includes
- Bees: order a package or nuc from a local supplier; see packages vs nucs vs swarms.
- Protective gear, a smoker and a hive tool.
- A mite test kit and an EPA-registered varroa treatment, used per its label.
- A hive stand (Utah State suggests 12 to 18 inches off the ground), and an extra medium super for a strong flow.
The startup shopping list totals those extras for your number of hives, and the hive inspection log keeps notes once bees are in.
Growing past the first hive
Year two usually means more boxes, not a new brand. Mann Lake's catalogue reads like a refill list: the HK190 painted deep body with 10 assembled frames, the HK580 8-frame body bundle, Rite-Cell frames by the 10 and 20, and the HD120 metal-bound excluder. Hoover Hives sells a wax-dipped fir medium super, a wax-coated deep brood box without frames, an inner cover and a solid bottom board, so you can keep the same beeswax finish across the stack.
If you catch a swarm or make a split, the Hoover 5-frame starter takes a nuc's frames directly, while a Mann Lake deep body gives you a full box of 10 assembled frames with foundation. Matching finishes is cosmetic; matching frame width (8 or 10) is what keeps equipment interchangeable.
Mistakes to avoid
- Comparing a single deep box with a full 2 deep + 1 medium kit.
- Painting inside the boxes or the frames.
- Mixing 8-frame and 10-frame boxes on one hive.
- Assembling the night before your bees arrive.
- Assuming waxed plastic foundation is pure beeswax.
Other options worth a look
If neither finish appeals, these kits take other routes: beeswax-coated cedar from BeeCastle, a flat-packed pine kit with a metal excluder from Goodland, an insulated plastic hive from Apimaye and a made-in-USA single deep with a screened bottom from Little Giant.
BeeCastle 10-Frame Waxed Langstroth Hive, 2D+1M
- Frames
- 10
- Boxes
- 2 deep, 1 medium
- Material
- Cedar boxes, pine frames
Best for A full-size first hive
Goodland Bee Supply GL-2B2SK Double Deep Hive Kit
- Frames
- 10 (30 wooden frames)
- Boxes
- 2 deep, 1 medium
- Material
- Kiln-dried pine
Best for Building your own full hive
Apimaye Ergo Insulated 10-Frame Honey Maker, 1D+2M
- Frames
- 10
- Boxes
- 1 deep, 2 medium
- Material
- Insulated plastic
Best for Insulated setup with room for honey supers
Little Giant 10-Frame Complete Hive, Made in USA
- Frames
- 10 wooden with black foundation
- Boxes
- 1 deep
Best for Single ready-to-use hive
See the full rankings in best Langstroth hives and best beehives for beginners, or browse hives and kits and the first hive hub.
Choose Mann Lake if you want painted hives, US-made pine, a screened bottom board on the HK385, or the lowest-assembly route to a single painted deep. The KD150 suits DIY builders who want 30 frames, a feeder and their own paint color.
Choose Hoover Hives if you never want to paint, prefer a beeswax-dipped natural finish, and want a fully assembled 2 deep + 1 medium hive with 30 frames out of the box. Its assembled 8-frame deep is a lighter option for backyard keepers.
We compared Mann Lake and Hoover Hives listings in our catalogue by box count, frame count, wood species, finish, foundation, joints and included parts, and checked placement and timing points against Penn State and Utah State extension guides. We did not assemble, paint or keep bees in these hives, and we show no scores or prices.