Beekeeping, in itself, is a science only a few understand. It takes a lot of work to put together the skill, tools, and protective equipment. One of the essentials of beekeeping has to be a honey refractometer.
Like any other tool, it can be challenging to find the right choice. This article features 7 of the best honey refractors you can buy. Before we jump into the reviews, let’s first understand the meaning of a honey refractometer.
Table of Contents
What Is a Honey Refractometer?
A honey refractometer is a tool used by honey packers and beekeepers to measure the amount of moisture in honey. It is particularly important as the moisture determines the flow and consistency of honey. Additionally, the water content in honey affects how fresh it stays and how slow yeast fermentation occurs.
A honey refractometer is easy to read and provides accurate measures of liquids. It only requires a small amount of liquid to ensure accurate results. When using a honey refractometer, you only need to add a drop or two on the optical piece of the refractometer.
The Best Honey Refractometer
1. Aichose Honey Refractometer for Honey Moisture
This refractometer is useful for checking the quality of honey as well as other sugar-related liquids.
Key Features
- 3-in-1 scale design
- Multiple measuring ranges
- Automatic temperature compensation
- Durable construction
- Compact and easy to carry
The refractometer is designed for functionality as far as measuring the moisture content in honey is concerned. It comes in a 3-in-1 scale design, which allows you to know three indexes at the same time. These are honey moisture, Brix, and Baume.
It has different measuring ranges for better accuracy and results. For water content, it provides values from 12 to 27%. For Brix, it reads from 58% to 90%.
With automatic temperature compensation, this refractometer is even easier to use and get quick results.
One of the features you will love is how durable and compact it is. It is easy to carry around and stands the test of time. However, it might take you some time to calibrate it. But, once you figure it out, it works perfectly.
2. Tiaoyeer Honey Refractometer
If you are looking for your first honey refractometer, this model is a viable choice. It is simple to use and provides quality results.
Key Features
- Brix and water readings
- Automatic temperature compensation
- Easy to use
- Ideal for other liquids
- Portable
- Sturdy design
The honey refractometer is built to measure Brix from 58 to 90%. It also provides water reading from 10 to 32%, giving you the accurate moisture content in the honey.
It is super easy to use hence suitable for beginners. You only need to take a sample of the liquid using the dropper provided. Then put it on the prism and hold the refractometer up to the light.
You can use this refractometer for other liquids such as milk, vegetable oils, sugar syrups, fruit jam, etc. It is compact and lightweight hence easy to carry around. The vial of liquid that comes with it has a strong smell, so it advisable to use another oil for calibration.
3. SmartSmith Honey Refractometer
You can make use of this refractometer for measuring moisture content in many other liquids apart from honey. It has a simple design and works seamlessly to provide results quickly.
Key Features
- 3-in-1 scale design
- Automatic temperature compensation
- Aircraft aluminum construction
- Comes with three droppers
- Lightweight and portable
This device displays water content, Brix, and Baume. It is, therefore, suitable for measuring honey, condensed milk, sugar syrups, vegetable oils, etc. With ATC, this refractometer delivers accurate results.
It is super easy to use and prevents wastage as you check the honey. Two drops are enough to get you accurate results. For improved functionality, the refractometer comes with three droppers. These come in handy for regular users.
The quality of this refractometer is outstanding. It is made from aircraft aluminum body for long-lasting quality. This metal is non-staining, non-corrosive, and non-reactive.
The best feature of this refractometer is how small and lightweight it is. The calibration instructions might not be the best out there, but there is information on how to do it online.
4. Hobein Honey Refractometer
This refractometer is designed to check the amount of moisture in honey, as well as the quality of other sugar-related liquids. It is useful for checking condensed milk, vegetable oils, sugar syrup, fruit jam, and molasses.
Key Features
- Measures water, Brix and Baume
- Automatic temperature compensation
- Lightweight construction
- Easy to use
- Accurate results
The refractometer can measure water content from 12 to 27%. It is also useful for measuring Brix and reads from 58 to 90%. For Baume, this refractometer reads from 38 to 43. The 3-in-1 design makes it useful not only for honey but other liquids.
With automatic temperature compensation, you do not have to worry about temperature affecting the accuracy. It keeps this in check as you measure to ensure changes in temperature do not alter the results.
The quality of the refractometer withstands regular use. It is compact and lightweight, allowing you to carry it around for convenience. It is a useful tool for every beekeeper looking to ensure high-quality honey.
One of the things you will love is how easy it is to read. Additionally, it cleans up well and reads accurately. Although it does not come with instructions, it is pretty simple to understand and use
5. Atago 4422 PAL-22S Digital Honey Refractometer
This hand-held refractometer is useful for checking moisture in honey. The design is easy to use and comfortable on the hand as you measure.
Key Features
- Portable design
- Water-resistant
- Automatic temperature compensation
- LED display
- ABS resin body
- Rectangular palm-size shape
The refractometer measures honey moisture in the 12 to 30% range and has automatic temperature compensation. It means that changes in temperature do not affect the results.
It comes with an LED illuminated digital display with an external light interference feature. It helps to alert you of outside light interference for easy reading.
You will love the quality and build of this refractometer. It is made of a durable ABS resin body, which makes it suitable for use with salty samples. More to this, it is IP-65 rated to resist dust and water while in use.
If you are searching for an accurate refractometer, this one carries the day. It is worth every coin and has a simple user interface for regular use.
6. Tekcoplus Optics Honey Refractometer
This refractometer is useful for measuring honey moisture, Brix, and Baume. The 3-in-1 design makes it a convenient tool to ensure the quality of honey.
Key Features
- Auto temperature compensation
- Soft rubber eyepiece
- Non-slip rubberized grip
- Adjustable focus
- High-quality construction
The refractometer delivers quality and accurate results, thanks to the auto temperature compensation feature. This feature eliminates concerns on temperature changes while measuring.
The design is simple to use hence suitable for beginners. With the soft rubber eyepiece, this refractometer is easy to view and read results. It is cushioned with a soft non-slip grip, so it is comfortable on the hands. Additionally, this feature insulates it from body heat for accuracy.
It takes a short time to calibrate the refractometer. However, the calibration oil that comes with it has a strong smell that might take some time to fade away.
7. V-RESOURCING Handheld Refractometer
If you are looking for a refractometer to measure the sugar content in honey, this model is an ideal choice. It has a Brix scale with a range of 0 to 90%.
Key Features
- Automatic temperature compensation
- Compact size
- Hand-held design
- Easy to read
- Comes with handy accessories
This refractometer gives you the best value for money. You can make use of it to check the sugar content in honey, molasses, fruits, syrups, etc. More to this, it comes with the necessary accessories for easy use. The package has a mini screwdriver, a wiping cloth, a plastic case, a pipette, and a manual.
For functionality and accuracy, the refractometer has an automatic temperature compensation feature. This ensures accurate results even when there are changes in temperature when measuring.
The hand-held design is convenient for regular users. However, it can be challenging to read for beginners.
Conclusion
The best refractometer should be easy to read and provide accurate results. There are many designs on the market, but the above options have proven to work well for most people. You can select the most suitable one for your needs and keep check of the quality of honey.