A bee smoker is an essential tool in a beekeeper’s kit. No matter how gentle your bees are, it’s advisable to have a smoker. Always ensure that you have one lit whenever you open the beehive. Instead of stopping everything when you realize you need one, have it ready in advance. Smokers are a little challenging to use though. You need to know how much smoke is enough and how much is too much. For new beekeepers, this balancing can be stressful. Choosing the right bee smoker can go a long way in helping you with your beekeeping activities. You need to protect yourself from bee attack when harvesting honey.
When shopping for a bee smoker, you might have doubts . Here, we researched and compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions. We also took it upon ourselves to provide valid answers. We believe they will guide you in your search for the best bee smoker.
1. What Is a Bee Smoker?
The bee smoker was initially a can with punched holes around it. The designs have evolved to incorporate bellows and spouts. The beekeeper starts a fire in the smoker and pumps the bellows to force oxygen production. The oxygen pumps smoke through the spout. The smoker makes use of various fuels. They include dry woods or herbs, hessian, pine needles, cartons, or corrugated cardboard among others.
2. How Does the Bee Smoker Work?
The primary purpose of the bee smoker is to make the bees calm as you harvest honey. It works by masking the pheromones used by the bees to communicate, like the alarm pheromone that signals bees to sting something dangerous to the hive. Second, the smoke simulates a forest fire that activates a fire drill. The bees prepare to vacate the hive by eating up the honey. This keeps them busy for a while allowing you to collect honey.
3. How Is the Bee Smoker Used?
As a guide, it is advisable to use less smoke; just enough to protect you from bee stinging. Too much smoke can contaminate your honey. A puff or two of the bellow with the spout near the entrance as possible is enough, to begin with. Two more puffs after opening the hive will be sufficient. Hold the smoker at least six inches away from the bees.
4. How Do You Clean a Bee Smoker?
The process of cleaning a smoker is easy. Scrape off the layer of hard soot, soak the smoker, and wipe it clean. When soaking, cover the bellows with tape to avoid accidental water intrusion.
5. Where Can You Buy it?
Bee smokers in their different models are available from online stores like Amazon.
We assigned our team of experts the task to collect information about several models of smokers. We did not want to go by the manufacturer’s claim about their products. Our experts approached beekeepers with experience of the smokers. The information gathered enabled us to come up with the following reviews. We reviewed the smokers based on the parameters of features, pros & cons, price, where to buy, and warranty.
The price range for bee smokers is from as little as around $8 to approximately $150 depending on the model. Some smokers are higher priced than others because of the additional features they offer. The lower priced bee smokers may lack some features.
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The Goodland bee supply stainless steel bee hive smoker has excellent performance and is a highly rated, top-quality smoker. It is 4 by 11 inches, with enough space for smoke generation. The Goodland bee supply stainless steel bee hive smoker features leather bellows, heat shield, welded fall, and stainless steel construction. It contains a removable internal burn tray that collects the ash and allows the fuel to burn consistently. It is ideal for use where you need a constant supply of smoke, and the hive mounting hook makes storage easy.
- It is easy to operate by both beginners and professionals
- Does not require a lot of fuel as one smoke log is enough for one session
- Comes with three smoke fuel logs
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This is a European style stainless steel smoker that has leather bellows. It is an ideal smoker that requires less effort to produce a lot of smoke and also uses little fuel. The Honestbee Hives Domed Top Bee Smoker is fitted with wire heat shield cage where combustion takes place. It also has an oxygenated fuel tank. It is easy to store the smoker because it comes with a handy hook. The stainless steel design makes it durable. The measurements of the smoker are 10” high, 4” wide, 8” barrel height, and 6.25” fuel height.
- It is highly durable
- Comes with three essential tools; smoker, beehive tool, and sturdy wooden brush
- May not be ideal for use by beginners
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The CO-Z Bee Smoker is made of stainless steel and comes with a heat shield protection to protect your hands. For proper airflow, it contains a perforated base plate. It is removable and has foldable stands. It has a mounting feature that makes its use easy when both of your hands are occupied. The smoker is durable and allows you to perform routine checks, harvest honey, or combine colonies.
- Highly durable
- Has ample space for combustion
- Protects your hands from burns because it has a heat shield
- The measures shown on the manual may differ from the real ones
- The latch is not stable and may bend as you open it
- Does not come with any fuel included
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The HLPB New Bee Hive Smoker is designed for superior heat flow and air flow. The package of the smoker includes a mounting hook and a safety hook. These two items make it safe when you mount the smoker to prevent you from burning. The stainless steel that makes it is heat resistant to protect your hands from burns. The smoker is 11 inches tall and 8.5 inches wide. The bellows are durable and made from vinyl.
- Safe and easy to use
- Design creates a slow-burning and cool smoke to calm the bees
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The Mann Lake HD540 Stainless Steel Smoker with Guard comes with an easy-to-open lid. It’s made of stainless steel and therefore very durable. The bellow is replaceable after years of wear and tear. The lower bracket placement protects your fingers from burning. The size of the smoker is ample enough because it measures 10 inches in height and 4 inches in diameter.
- Durable
- Stable in producing smoke
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The Honey Keeper Bee Hive Smoker is made from stainless steel for durability. The mounting hook allows you to hang it so that your hands are free as you work. It comes with a heat aerator that promotes better airflow, making your smolder last longer. The bellows are of high-quality, allowing for a consistent air flow.
- Bellow is made from leather and is durable
- Does not remain lit for long
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The VIVO bee hive smoker is an excellent quality bee smoker made from stainless steel. It comes with the essential components for a functional smoker. It has a hook for hanging when in use. The ease of pumping the bellows is incomparable. The smoker is fitted with heat cage that protects you from injuries. It also keeps the bees away. Be a little careful with the bottom because it can get sweltering. Store it away in a safe place once you’re done using it.
- Gives you value for money
- Ideal for beginners, professionals, and hobbyists
- Easy to pump
- The bottom overheats and could start a fire if placed on a flammable surface
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The Hoont Commercial Grade Bee Smoker is made from durable heavy duty stainless steel. Its bellows are made to smoke up quickly and conveniently. It also features a mounting feature you can use to hang the smoker when doing your tasks.
The smoker measures 11 inches by 8 inches and has high-quality, vinyl bellows. It is easy to light because of the durable oxygen tray. It helps light the fire and allows oxygen to penetrate from beneath, hence producing smoke. Continuous pumping of the bellow will provide as much smoke as required. The smoker comes with a sturdy metal shield to protect your hands from burns. The lid is easy to open, so you don’t have to struggle with lighting.
- Easy to light and maintain the flame
- High-quality product
- Safe for use
- Very affordable
- Good for use by novices
- No disadvantages associated with it
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The Aspectek Bee hive smoker is designed to offer you maximum protection while you do your hive checks or collect honey. It works by overwhelming the bees and distracting them from focusing on you. The Aspectek is a newly designed bee smoker that features a durable bottom made from stainless steel. The cage that surrounds the body forms a protective heat shield.
The hooks prevent accidents as you open and close the smoker. The mounting hook in the front side allows you to hang the smoker so that your hands are free as you work. The firebase is perforated and removable to provide an air pocket that allows for free air flow. The bellows are durable as they are made from wood, vinyl, and steel.
- Safe and easy to use
- Produces cool smoke without posing a danger to the bees
- Comes with protective heat guard
- The base plate is removable to allow for air circulation
- Excellent customer support all round the clock
- A proper line up of air supply, which makes adequate amounts of smoke
- The seams of the cone come off easily
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The Bee smoker by Agralogix is an American design smoker made from heavy gauge stainless steel. The leather bellows are durable, and it’s an average smoker that measures 4 by 7 inches. The oxygenator base allows the fuel to keep smoking.
- Does not stay lit for long
- Lid does not fit well and falls off at the slightest tilting
After our research, we concluded that the best bee smoker is Goodland Bee Supply Stainless Steel Bee Hive Smoker. It remains lit for a long time, yet does not require a lot of fuel to function. Besides, it comes with three smoke logs for fuel. It is easy to operate for both beginners and professionals.