Honey is marketed in five basic forms: section comb honey, finely crystallized or creamed honey, chunk honey, cut-comb honey, and liquid extracted honey. Equipment needs vary with the type of honey you plan to produce.
Since the production of section comb honey requires specialized equipment, intense management, and an abundant nectar flow for good returns, it is not recommended for the beginner. More surplus honey can be obtained from colonies managed for extracted honey than from those managed for comb honey. Combs used for extracted honey production require some type of reinforcement (e.g., wires, threads, sheets of plastic). These materials, however, would not be palatable to the consumer with chunk, section, or cut-comb honey. Both cut-comb and extracted honey production require similar management schemes, and most of the equipment can be used interchangeably. Cut-comb honey, the least expensive to produce, is ideal for the beginner. The production of extracted honey requires special equipment for uncapping combs and removing the honey from the cells.