Hobby Extractor advise needed, Dadant or SAF or ?
I'm a hobby beekeeper with a couple hives now with possible 4 max in the future. I've gotten by with borrowing a friends plastic bucket type extractor or done the crush & strain method but now I am getting serious about getting my own extractor. I have passed on a couple old galvanized units and a couple newer units that the asking price was almost the same as I could get a new unit for. Been watching ebay and postings for months, no luck. After looking them all over both online and a couple in person, I think I narrowed my choice down to 2. Being that this is just a hobby and I don't need or require a larger, expensive unit I am trying to stay under $300 + S.H. and looking at hand cranked ones only. The two I think I like are the Blue Sky SAF Italian compact and the Dadant Junior bench. Both seem to be quality units and both are around the $250-275 range. It may come down to catching a sale price, free shipping or flipping a coin. Any real world feedback good/bad or other new alternatives would be appreciated.
PS I would love to have the american made 3100H Maxant. Saw one and that is a thing of beauty. Do they ever have sales or free shipping? Anyone with a used one for sale for a good price?
I'm a hobby beekeeper with a couple hives now with possible 4 max in the future. I've gotten by with borrowing a friends plastic bucket type extractor or done the crush & strain method but now I am getting serious about getting my own extractor. I have passed on a couple old galvanized units and a couple newer units that the asking price was almost the same as I could get a new unit for. Been watching ebay and postings for months, no luck. After looking them all over both online and a couple in person, I think I narrowed my choice down to 2. Being that this is just a hobby and I don't need or require a larger, expensive unit I am trying to stay under $300 + S.H. and looking at hand cranked ones only. The two I think I like are the Blue Sky SAF Italian compact and the Dadant Junior bench. Both seem to be quality units and both are around the $250-275 range. It may come down to catching a sale price, free shipping or flipping a coin. Any real world feedback good/bad or other new alternatives would be appreciated.
PS I would love to have the american made 3100H Maxant. Saw one and that is a thing of beauty. Do they ever have sales or free shipping? Anyone with a used one for sale for a good price?

