Anel poly hive review

Hi, my name is Jim and I absolutely love Apimaye hives! As one of the higher-est products in the poly hive lineup, Apimaye sets the standard for beauty, function, durability and features and that's why you can't go wrong with one. But there are other less-expensive entries and I'm going to talk about one of them today: Anel poly hives.

If you are new to poly hives (or even if you have several brands of them), this entry has the benefit of affordability, great insulation (R-value), interchangeability and even an included propolis trap!

To be honest, when I first unboxed the first of six of these hives, I was less than blown-away. The build seemed rough, with unfinished seams (it would have been nice to have them cleaned up a bit but it doesn't affect performance) and some latches that were installed a bit crooked but again, this is more aesthetic than a function issue. It just seems as if a little more care and pride might have been shown during the assembly process but then again, we are talking poly hives at a lower price.

As I kept digging into them, I started to find more and more to appreciate. Though the latches do not seem to be as strong as Apimaye's they are adjustable, which is not true with the Apimaye. So I liked that right off the bat. For one, the built-in adjustable ventilation ports are well placed and easy to open or close. This can help with precise moisture and climate control. And like most poly hives, the roof features a built-in ID tag that is compatible with specialized apiary management apps. Anel also offers a hive top feeder that is placed between the top super and the lid, making feeding your bees easy and less disruptive. The feeder (available separately) works for liquid feed (syrup) and solid feed (sugar cakes/fondant). The hive is also configured to accept optional products such as pollen traps, division boards, queen excluders, and frame feeders. Another nice feature is the legs attached to the bottom board that keep the hive off the ground or off of your hive stand, preventing additional moisture and pest problems. 

Anel hives use closed-cell polyurethane (PU) foam injected as a liquid inside their double-walled polypropylene plastic body, where it expands to form a solid, dense, and moisture-resistant layer of insulation. They feature a standard insulation performance rating of R6 built directly into the walls and top covers. This structural barrier is roughly 7 to 10 times more thermally efficient than wood, allowing honeybees to consume significantly less energy on climate regulation. While traditional high-density polystyrene (EPS) hives offer great insulation, they suffer from durability issues. Ants can tunnel through the walls, woodpeckers can tear them apart, and hive tools easily gouge the soft edges during inspections. Anel solves this by encasing their closed-cell foam within a thick, food-grade polypropylene hard shell. This grants you the maximum thermal benefits of a poly-hive combined with a rigid plastic exterior that can withstand aggressive scraping, power washing, and heavy field use without breaking.

From unboxing to installation, this hive system is a breeze. There is no assembly or painting required. The hives come in a variety of colors (white/yellow/pink), making it easy for bees and the queen to easily identify their own hive, resulting in more successful mating flights and fewer lost queens. 

One thing I noticed immediately is that the Anel hives accept wooden langstroth components (frames/hive boxes/supers, etc.) with no shims or adapters necessary.  That is also a good feature in a poly hive for those moments when you want to use your existing equipment with it and still enjoy the benefits of the bottom board, included mouse guards and insulated top. As a practical thing, I would use the insulated Anel hive for the brood and then add the insulated honey super and, when that fills, start using wooden honey supers as needed depending on the strength and duration of the nectar flow in your region.

                 
I would not consider this hive setup to be as bear-resistant as the Apimaye, but it is more bear resistant than a HiveIQ or wooden langstroth box. If you have a bear problem, I think the Apimaye is the best choice for you. But if that's  not really an issue for you, this is a good poly hive setup at a lower price point that, with proper management and attention, will perform very well year-round, year after year. It is a versatile system that you can build and add on to over time, depending on your needs.      

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with Apimaye being the 10) I would put this system at about 7.5 on the scale. It will work and work well for you but I wish there had been a little more care during factory assembly to keep everything straight, aligned and polished. The walls do not seem to be as thick as Apimaye's but that's likely part of the low price point. I believe they are thick enough to do the job and do it well.

One important note: like many poly hives, frames are not included and must be purchased separately. 

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