@crittergarden
It sounds like I am not the norm here but it may be useful to get all perspectives...
I did buy about 200 dollars worth of used stuff on craigslist. Of all of those things I only use the hive tool to pry open the box, and the gloves (mine are bee gloves made with white goat leather), the hat and veil, and the hive box and frames. I have never been stung. I do not use the smoker. I move somewhat slow around them. I visit them without opening their hive everyday. I always talk to them. They have not stung me once. I have opened the hive about a week ago, no smoke, only a veil and gloves - no stings, and they are doing wonderful.
So, if I were making a shopping list mine would look like :
Hive box (research all options, what looks most workable to you)
Hive tool (to pry frames apart, lid off boxes as they get glued with propolis)
Honey extracted
Bee gloves
Hat and veil
Containers to collect honey
So you see, it doesn't have to be elaborate or very expensive.
I got my first bees for 20 dollars through a local bee group via Facebook. They had a captured swarm they didn't need. It happens
