The traditional method of beekeeping – using heavy frames that hold the honey, and large extractors that do the harvesting – can be a grubby, physically demanding, time-consuming procedure that takes up a large amount of space along with the hazards of being stung or harming the bees.
Simon Mildren, an Australian firefighter with a passion for beekeeping, has streamlined the process with the Hivekeepers Micro Honey Harvester system, which sounds like it could be ideal for the recreational or small-scale beekeeper with one to five hives.
“I didn’t want to change the way we care for bees, I just wanted to make it easier to enjoy what they give us” says Mildren, who is also founder and CEO of the Hivekeepers company.
The result of a 2025 Kickstarter that was 437% funded in five minutes, the system is designed to reduce unnecessary steps with a compact user-friendly design that is sustainable while protecting the bees and the integrity of the hives. Hivekeepers was also a 2025 Australian Agritech Awards finalist for redefining agriculture through innovation and technology.
HiveKeepers
The Micro Honey Harvester was the result of six years of experimenting with prototypes along with feedback from beekeepers worldwide who vented about the frustrations of honey production being laborious, messy and stressful for both beekeepers and the bees.
Mildren came up with a flexible system of food-safe BPA-free frames (48.3 x 23.1 x 3.2 cm / 19 x 9 x 1.25 in) which hold eight reusable cassettes that fit into standard Langstroth hives without the need to upgrade equipment while allowing for more additions as required.
The 100 x 100-mm (3.9 x 3.9-in) cassettes are interchangeable, making the system adaptable for varying honey yields as the beekeeper can harvest a small section of the frame at a time. Each cassette holds about 250 ml of honey, with each frame holding eight cassettes that can yield about 2L total of honey.
HiveKeepers
To harvest the honey, the beekeeper removes a cassette from the frame and pulls it apart into two pieces, then slides each part (with the waxy layer facing inwards) into the battery-powered portable harvester. About the size of a small coffee machine, that device weighs about 3 kg (6.6 lb) and has an ergonomic handle, thus allowing for easy transport from hive to kitchen.
The beekeeper then pushes the start button, causing the central spinner to start rotating, and the honey is extracted in 20 seconds. Each full frame takes about 10 minutes total, and the detachable base allows for easy pouring. Cleanup is as quick as a warm-water rinse.
HiveKeepers
One charge of the harvester’s lithium-ion battery is reportedly good for more than two full frames or approximately 20 cassettes. The harvester can also run continuously when plugged into mains power, or it can be powered by a portable external battery pack.
A Micro Honey Harvester starter pack including a harvester, two frames with cassettes and two extra cassettes is set to start shipping early this year if all goes according to plan. It’s priced at approximately US$424.
Source: HiveKeepers
