# Mann Lake Testimonial



## Vance G

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Mann lake does have great service. I wonder if they will ship surface freight? If they will, you would be amazed how much money you will save by picking up your stuff at the local freight terminal. Western Bee does it and it makes their woodware about unbeatable.


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## Riskybizz

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Mann Lake does ship freight direct to my house. Actually I asked them to use UPS as I was going to be out of town next week and wouldn't be there to meet the driver. They said no problem. I got a quote on 50 med. shallows and some other misc. items from Western Bee and they quoted me over $165 for freight. The price on their boxes is less than ML but not after you add in that freight.


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## NowThen

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

My Mann-Lake orders have increased in size over the years. The free shipping amazes me and makes me happy.
Two years running, I've had a SpeeDee Delivery tractor/trailer dropping of pallets of stuff at the end of my driveway. If you don't have a loading dock, make sure that you ask for a truck with a lift gate when you place your order. In this photo, the lift gate was damaged the day before and we unloaded by hand. The driver insisted on helping.


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## Honey-4-All

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Couple of notes.

If you see the new wherehouse in Woodland you would realize they ain't broke or going that way at all currently.

As I can attest from shipping package bees the discounts one receives from UPS for high $ volume is very high. Some years we get back over 35% of the "basic" published rates. Not sure what ML charges for UPS but its my guess is that the $100.00 and under crowd might even be subsidizing the big purchases. 

They make money on volume......... simple enough.


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## zookeeper

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

I order almost everything from Mann Lake anymore, except for the occasional oddball item that they don't carry. They get my orders to me faster than any other supplier, and even though their prices increased a little bit when they started offering free shipping, they are still cheaper than anyone else once once you add in the price of shipping. I've never had a bad experience with ML.


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## VolunteerK9

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Nothing but kudos for them from me. I placed an order on Friday and met the UPS man in my driveway today. Happy Valentines day to me. A small order compared to some on here, 200 frames, 200 sheets of pierco, a few wax molds and some queen grafting tools and about a dozen excluders. Very well packaged and 'free shipping' to boot on nearly a 300 pound order. Saving up for some Maxant stuff now.


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## honeyman46408

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

When they send you an email conformation for an order *CHECK IT* I just found 3 mistakes on a 10 item order, called back and they said it would be fixed *glad I checked.*


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## wildbranch2007

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

ordered 20 "mill run" nucs with out tops or BB's. Fine product, fine fit, and I can't buy the boards for the price of the nucs.


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## honeyman46408

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Got another email and it shows the order corrected now to see what is on the "Brown Truck" next week.


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## Lburou

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*



zookeeper said:


> I order almost everything from Mann Lake anymore, except for the occasional oddball item that they don't carry. -snip-


Me too. Was sad to order NUC inner covers, telescoping covers and queen excluders from another supplier last night. I have found ML quality and consistency on par with other major suppliers.


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## chris233

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

:applause: Mann Lake is doing its part on helping the beekeepers thats for sure. Thanks Mann Lake for the free shipping. Keep going with it ,please:thumbsup:


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## Vance G

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Not knocking Mann Lake--Good folks. Just TANSTAAFL!! There are no such things as a free lunch. Price points are cleverly placed to make shipping costs seem as painless as possible.


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## Keith Jarrett

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*



Vance G said:


> There are no such things as a free lunch.


Well said Vance, I just unloaded 30 pallets of preassembled 9 1/8 frames from Dadant wont shop anywhere else for frames.


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## the doc

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Customer service has been fantastic for me. Prices may be a bit more, but their frames and supers are top notch. The one order that was not cut well was replace in its entirety.


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## Greg755

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

No free lunch? I bought a 19 frame extractor from man lake. Three things I would like to point out. #1 cost less than the competitors. #2 Free shipping - packaged on a pallet with a wooden frame all around, competitors will charge to crate it and to ship it. #3 it arrived quickly and right to my front door. so All in all I svaed a couple hundred bucks, so I think I can now afford a free lunch or two.... and then with the " bee bucks" I got from them I turned around and bought a bunch of pollen patties and they were shipped free too...... another free lunch... for the bee's


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## southfork

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Same here. After dealing with other places and locals I order only from ML. Great people great product no hassles. Free shipping and bee bucks are just a bonus.


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## hideawayranch

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Yes, Mann Lake is exceptional, I cannot believe how fast my order arrives, and right at my door. No tracking it down at the post office, trying to match the time they are open to my work schedule. I have done a lot of price checking and their items are cheaper even before the free shipping.


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## dadandsonsbees

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

I have never had a problem that they were not friendly and more than willing to make it right. My problems with them have been few and far between.


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## beehonest

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Mann Lake has always done me right! Can't beat the free shipping. I am about two hours from Brushy Mountain. But you figure the gas and sales tax, Mann Lake any day!


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## Nature Coast beek

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

One of the biggest things I like about Mann Lake is the ease in re-ordering. Once you get your account established you can look at past invoices and just hit the reorder button. It's a simple, but effective device to keep everything consistent such as frames and foundation for supers. I have used both Mann Lake and Dadant, but for ease of use and great service I pick Mann Lake. I do have a Dadant supply house about 2 hours away, but like beehonest states, after time and gas...


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## julysun

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

Just received some economy boxes from ML. Smoothest cuts I have seen! Competitor boxes ripped with dull saws, their best boxes!.


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## ArtSmart

*Re: Mann Lake Testomonial*

I guess Mann Lake works out pretty good for big orders. The only experience I had with them was ordering through Amazon a box of frames and Ritecell foundation. It took them about two weeks to ship, which was expected from the reviews on Amazon. The foundation was kind of disappointing though. The only brand I used before was Pierco and after using it Ritecell was kind of a put down. There was barely any wax on it at all. I had to buy a pound of wax and wax it myself. Later on, reading comparisons of different foundations, I found out that bees prefer Pierco to Ritecell


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## Harley Craig

If they carried F style frames I don't know that I would need to shop anywhere else?


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## Rex Piscator

I've been using Mann Lake since I started a few years ago and I am quite happy with their prices and terms. Their Northern California facility has moved across the freeway from where it was located and I go there when I need supplies that might not be covered with free shipping. Glass containers come to mind. It's not very far away; I'm very lucky to have an equipment supplier so close!!

"If you see the new wherehouse in Woodland you would realize they ain't broke or going that way at all currently."--sure seems they do a ton of 'commercial' business, doesn't it?

The new showroom/retail shop is great! It seemed to contain a lot more products on shelves than the older shop, which made browsing nice. There was an area where all the extracting/bottle machines are located!!


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## virginiawolf

I like a few other suppliers that I have tried but Mann Lake has really impressed me with consistent deliveries and good quality and nice customer service. The website is easy and the free shipping rocks. I'm glad that they are getting good press with this thread. They have earned it.


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## The Evil Chip

Done a lot of business with Mann Lake, and generally been happy. Be warned, though, they can be slow to ship as compared to other suppliers. Put an order in last Sunday....still waiting for it to ship.


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## camero7

Me too and I've called Thursday and Friday. Both days they said it would be shipped that day, still no shipping. They are blaming it on the new PA store. I'm aggravated at the lack of honesty. First time for that in over 4 years. I would have ordered somewhere else if I'd known. I'm almost out of patties and need some.


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## The Evil Chip

camero7 said:


> Me too and I've called Thursday and Friday. Both days they said it would be shipped that day, still no shipping. They are blaming it on the new PA store. I'm aggravated at the lack of honesty. First time for that in over 4 years. I would have ordered somewhere else if I'd known. I'm almost out of patties and need some.


I haven't gotten a response from them yet. They seem to be having issues of late. Contrast that with Better Bee. I had to pay for shipping, but I ordered on Friday and it was on my doorstep Tuesday.


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## NY_BLUES

I placed an order on 4-16 and I received it via truck today at 330 pm. Very impressed with how fast shipping is with Mann lake. No email stating it was shipped but I don't really care now that i have my nucs boxes that were supposed to be back ordered.


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## camero7

you were lucky. My order placed 4/6 arrived around 2:30 today. this is the first time I've had a bad experience from them.


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## TWall

> I placed an order on 4-16 and I received it via truck today at 330 pm.


Same day service?

Tom


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## mathesonequip

with their free shipping program mann lake likes to ship orders complete to lower their cost, call and ask if something is on back-order if you are in a hurry.


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## camero7

If you have followed this thread I called twice and was given bad information.


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## Michael B

Agreed. ML's super slow shipping is getting worse and worse. I have been averaging 3 weeks from order to delivery.

I switched to Betterbee. I pay for shipping but I always get orders the next day.


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