In this work the impact of four different techniques of Clevenger-type hydrodistillation (technique I–IV) on the yield, hydrodistillation kinetics and composition of the essential oils of Anethum graveolens L. seeds was investigated. The highest oil yield, after five consecutive hydrodistillation runs (3.74ml/100g of plant material), was achieved by the utilization of filtrated (from plant material) water used in the previous hydrodistillation run plus newly added water in the subsequent runs (technique III). The hydrodistillation of dill seeds took place in two stages: a rapid, early distillation of the oil followed by a much slower second phase. Two kinetics models were successfully used to interpret the hydrodistillation rate of the essential oil of dill. Independent of the technique used, the oil contained the same components but in differing amounts as inferred from detailed gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) analyses. Carvone was found to be the major component in all obtained oils.