Do you want to start beekeeping, but you are unsure what you need to get started? Our experts have you covered!
If you want to start beekeeping, you need the right tools for the job. The easiest way to get what you need is to buy one of the best beekeeping kits for beginners that contains the key items you need.
And our experts have put together a list of the 5 best beekeeping kits for you.
Top 5 Best Beekeeping Kits – Our Expert Picks
The good thing about becoming a beekeeper today is that you can buy beekeeping starter kits in the UK that will give you a good foundation to start with your first beehive.
That makes your life so much easier!
Here are our expert picks of the best beekeeping kits currently available on Amazon.
#1 Beekeeping Supplies Kit By Kacsoo
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This beekeeping starter kit comes with 12 beekeeping tools and accessories to get you started. Including a beekeeping jacket with a protective hood. The hood is in the fencing style veil, which gives you good visibility and protects your face from getting stung.
The beekeeping jacket has elasticated wristbands to ensure bees can’t get in that way. They zippers are covered with velcro to ensure a tight seal for good sting protection when you work on your hives.
With this kit you also get beekeeper gloves which are made from goatskin leather and thick canvas. These will allow you to handle your beehive without getting stung.
One very important hive tool is a smoker, and no beekeeper should work without one. The smoker will calm down the bees while you are working on the hives. So they are less likely to sting you. The smoker is surrounded by a heat shield to prevent you from getting burnt.
The 2 in 1 j hook and uncapping fork is a useful little tool that will make it easier to open the honeycomb cover and scraping the beeswax onto the scraper.
Marking your queen will be made easy by the queen bee cage and the marking tube. This will ensure that you always know which one of your bees is her majesty.
The bee brush has soft bristles, so when you use it to brush away the bees to get to the honeycomb, you won’t hurt them. And your bees will thank you for that.
This kit also includes a handy frame grip that will make it easier to take out the frames of your hives. Additionally, it comes with a manual wire embedder, which will keep the honeycomb foundation securely fixed.
This beekeeping starter kit also provides cleaning tools, so you can keep your beehives clean and healthy. The beehive cleaning shovel is ideal to scrape away any wax and propolis from the bottom of the hive.
The beehive frame holder, that is included, lets you easily remove the frame while you check the hive. And the water feeder will ensure that your bees always have a source of water, no matter how hot it is.
All the tools are mode of wood and stainless steel, so you don’t have to replace them too soon, which will be a good thing for your budget.
Our expert have put this beekeeping starter set on top of their list because you get a lot of tools for the price and delivery in 2-3 days, which means you can start your beekeeping adventure very soon.
#2 Beekeeping Tools Kit By HunterBee
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This kit made it to the second spot of our expert’s list of the best beekeeping starter kits you can get in the UK. The lower price is reflected in the number of items included, it is a 10-piece set.
But nonetheless, it is a great beekeeping starter kit for beginners.
It includes a smoker, which is one of the main tools a beekeeper needs. The bee brush is made of soft horsehair, ideal to gently brush away any bees from frames, supers and clothes, without harming them.
It also contains an uncapping and scratcher fork and a frame gripper, both made of stainless steel for durability. Ideal to maintain your bee hive. The uncapping and scratcher fork has a bent handle, which makes it easier to use.
The 5 bee clips will make it easy to catch individual bees, such as the queen to mark her.
While this kit does not include a beekeeping jacket or suit, it still a great stater kit and contains the most important beekeeping tools.
Delivery, although slower, is still quite quick, with only a few days.
- 1. Beekeeping Tool Kit: 1 x Bee Smoker, 1 x White Bee Hat, 1 x Bee Brush, 1 x Glove, 138 x bee smoking pellets.
- 2. Hive Inspection: 2-4 pellets per use burn for up to 20 minutes, so you can safely complete your hive inspection without worrying that your smoker will go out when you need it most.
- 3. Easy to Use: The pellets ignite quickly whenever there is a flame and can be used individually or in combination. Fits most standard stainless steel beekeeping smokers.
#3 Beekeeping Tools Kit By LamYHeng
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This beekeeping kit has a similar price to the one in second place and has the same number of items with 10 tools.
It includes the same tools as the previous kit: a stainless-steel smoker, an uncapping and scratcher fork, entrance feeder, a bee brush and bee catcher clips.
The bee brush is made with synthetic hair, which is not ideal, but it still does the job. You get 5 entrance feeders, so your bees will stay well hydrated.
You can get this beekeeping starter kit delivered between 2 -3 weeks, which is still not too bad.
#4 Beekeeping Tools Kit By TOPQSC
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This is the biggest beekeeping kit with 15 pieces, but it also has the biggest price tag.
It includes a beekeeping jacket with a fencing style veil and bee control gloves. The combination of this jacket with elasticated wrist and waistbands, the hood and the goatskin and cotton gloves will give you good sting protection.
The jacket is made of a mix of cotton and polyester, which makes it lightweight yet thick enough to protect you from stings.
The all important smoker is made of stainless steel, and you also get a pack of smoker pallets, so you won’t run out of smoke for a while.
This beekeeping kit includes all the basic hive tools like the other kits, but in addition, it also comes with a wire embedder, an uncapping knife, a beehive frame perch and a bee transport cage. Such a transport cage is very handy if you have to transport your bees outside their bee hive.
These additional tools make this kit not only suitable for newbies, but also for more experienced beekeepers.
You get free shipping on this kit, but as it is sold by Amazon EU the delivery times are longer. Nonetheless, this is a good beekeeping kit for beginners.
#5 Beekeeping Kit By Simonthebeekeeper
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If you are looking for beekeeping equipment on a budget, then this one will fit the bill. The low price makes it an ideal beekeeping suit for beginners.
Despite the entry level price, this suit is made from cotton, which makes it lightweight, breathable and sting resistant.
Elasticated waist, wrists and ankles keep you protect from stings. The thumb loop ensures that the sleeves won’t slide up. The overlapping zippers build a good seal to avoid any entry hole for your honey bees.
The hood is in the fencing style with a plastic inlay to keep in place. It is sturdy which keeps it in place when you move.
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Things You Might Also Need
Now that you have your tools and accessories sorted, you should turn your attention to some other items that you will need to start your first bee hive…
Bee House Kit
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This is a great kit for beginners as it includes everything you need to house your first bee colony. It is made of good quality fir wood, which will last you a long time.
The walls are polished outside, to make the house more resistant to rain to keep your bees safe and dry. The inside is also polished to create a smooth surface for the bees to climb on.
The gabled roof doesn’t just look nice, it also protects your beehive better from bad weather. Under the roof sits the super box, where your flow frames are held. You get 7 self-flowing honey frames, which are made of food grade polypropylene and are BPA free.
When the frames are full of honey, you insert the tube in the hole, then insert the key in the tube and turn. Delicious honey will flow out. Through the rear and side observation windows, you can have a look at your bees without disturbing them.
Underneath the super box sits the brood box, where the bee brood will be reared. This is where the queen bee will lay the eggs and the bee larvae will be reared.
The whole house sits on a base, that will ensure that it is stable and won’t topple over in the wind.
This beehive house kit is ideal if you want to start managing your first beehive.
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Beekeeping Suit
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Another item you might want to invest in, is a beekeeping suit. While some of the kits we recommended do include a beekeeper jacket, a full suit will protect you better from getting stung by your bees.
When you work on your bee hives, you don’t want to worry about getting stung. So getting a good quality beekeeper suit is well worth the expense. There is a wide range of different beekeeping suits available and also for different budgets.
Our experts recommend this beekeeping suit by Natural Apiary which is available from Amazon as it is the best beekeeping suit available at the moment.
It is make from a strong polycotton material, which makes it durable and will last you a long time even when used regularly. The cotton in the material mix ensures that you get good sting protection. The wrists and ankles are elasticated and the arms have cuffs with thumb loops to keep the suit sealed to prevent any adventurous bee from climbing up your arm or leg.
The genuine metal YKK zippers are made to last, so you don’t have to worry about them getting jammed when you use your suit a lot.
The hood is in the fencing style, which gives you good visibility while also protecting your face from getting stung. The veil is made from non-flammable material, so you don’t have to be scared to use the smoker while wearing the hood.
The suit also has a lot of pockets to house any of your hive tools and other equipment you might need.
The price of this beekeeping suit might be higher than you expected, but it is well worth investing the extra money for a good and reliable sting protection. And this suit will give you just that!
If you want to know which are the 5 best beekeeping suits according to our experts, read our guide to beekeepign suits.
- PROFESSIONAL: Beekeepers Bee Suit with Non-Flammable Fencing Veil
- DURABLE: Made with 65% Cotton, 35% Polyester
- COMFORTABLE: With Elasticated Forearms & Ankles for a Secure Bee Proof Seals
Beekeeping Book
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You might also want to get a beekeeping book to learn mor about beekeeping. Because you will be working with animals, you want to make sure that you know what you are doing and how to keep them healthy and safe.
‘The Bee Book’ is the best book about beekeeping that is available at the moment. You can easily ordre it from Amazon.
The explanations in this book are very clear and easy to follow and visually supported by photos and sketches. Even a beginner will quickly learn the techniques from this book.
The book will give you a broad understanding of beekeeping and how to keep the little creatures healthy and safe from harm. And it’s not too long, so it won’t take you ages to finish it either.
You can find more great books about beekeeping in our article about the 5 best beekeeping books.
- Orders are despatched from our UK warehouse next working day.
- Hardcover Book
- DK (Author)
What Kind Of Bee Hive Is Best?
There are 4 main types of beehives and they all have their pros and cons.
The Longstroth Hive
The first type is the Longstroth hive, which is named after its inventor. It’s the square box type that most people have in mind when thinking of a bee hive. This type is a vertical hive, which you can extend either by going upward or downward.
The Longstroth type is easy to get and won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Most hives of this type are made with the same dimensions, so you can interchange the parts easily.
And the square shape make it easy to paint, which is the only maintanence you have to do. And finally, they come fully assembled, so no puzzling over where to put which part.
However, this can get heavy as you build on it, so be prepeared to use your muscle power when moving your beehives. And if you are looking for the most natural house for your bees, this is not it. But the bees will still build their colonies in this beehive type.
The Long/Horizontal Hive
The Long/Horizontal type is based on the same principle as the Longstroth, but it grows to the side rather than up or down. This makes it easier to lift and handle.
The frames are still interchangeble, even with the Longstroth type hives. And if you get the right version of this hive then you can also get additional supers.
Unlike the Longstroth, this type of beehive is more expensive, as it is not so readily available. And while the frames are interchangable, other parts might not be.
The Warre Hive
The Warre type is meant to look like a tree to make it a more natural habitat for the bees. It gets its name from its Frensch inventor. The shape allows the bees to build the comb the way they want and build downwards, which is their preferred direction.
This is a low maintenance hive and comes closest to a hollow tree trunk.
This type is built in very simple way, so the costs are low, and it’s easy to make it yourself, if you are handy with a hammer that is. You also won’t need a queen excluder, as she will lay her eggs downward, so the top is free for the honey.
However, like the Longstroth, the Warre type can get very heavy, so if you have trouble with heavy lifting, this is probably not the hive type for you. Because this type allows the bees to build as they want, it is more difficult to have a good look if you need to. So if you suspect that there is a problem, it will be harder to find.
The Top Bar Hive
Finally, the Top Bar hive is a mix of the Warre hive and horizontal/long hive. The design is meant to imitate the natural habitat again, this time a comb.
There is no heavy lifting with this type as it is long again. Collecting honey is easy and you can inspect the hive with no problems. It does support additional supers as well.
This type is a rare one and not many beekeepers use it. So if you don’t know what you are doing, it could be a challenge to get it right with this one. And that also means that they are not easy to find so will be more expensive.
Our Picks For The Best Beekeper Suits In The UK: