If eggs are more than just a breakfast staple for you, then you are familiar with the importance of owning an egg incubator for hatching chickens or other exotic birds. Unless, of course, you have a broody hen ready to sit and hatch you some chicks. Usually, eggs can withstand abuse but not variations in the environment. The best egg incubator will ensure your eggs get the right temperature, humidity, and turning.
You will never get an incubator that hatches all the eggs every time, but some models hatch none every time. There is an astounding variation of brands and models of egg incubators in the market that choosing the best can be daunting. Luckily, we have made it easier for you by coming up with this guide. We reviewed 22 products and narrowed down to a list of 5 best egg incubators in the market. Our best pick was the HBlife Digital Fully Automatic Incubator. Its durability, convenience, versatility, and exceptional performance set it apart.
You can trust the products on our list to be among the best in the market, owing to the efforts we put in conducting research in terms of time and sources we used. Some of the features on which we based our research include egg capacity, size, power consumption, temperature, and material, among others. The comparison table, in-depth individual product reviews, and a buying guide, in the end, contain all the ideal information you need to know before buying an egg incubator.
Other features: automatic egg turning, countdown to hatch and auto turn stop, optional periodic cooling, full 3-year warranty
This is one of the best poultry egg incubators in the market, especially for any beginner who is looking for premium quality and top-notch performance. It is a perfect mix of convenience, versatility, and superior functionality with its large set of features.
First off, the incubator comes in a sturdy body made with ABS plastic, which is not only durable but also easy to clean. It is also free from chemicals and bacteria, so there is not a chance for bacteria to develop in the chamber.
With its compact size, it can neatly sit on your kitchen counter without eating much into your space. You will be able to hatch 7 chicken and duck eggs or 12 quail and pheasant eggs.
The incubator has clear sides that provide you with superb visibility so you can see your eggs and watch the chicks hatch. This way, you can easily spot any mishaps and fix them before it’s too late.
The most interesting thing about this incubator is its fully digital menu that allows you to control it easily. This is a favorable feature for first-time users.
The programmable automatic egg turner also makes life easier for you as you won’t have to turn the eggs manually. It ensures the eggs are evenly turned for perfect hatching, and this increases the possibility of 100% hatching.
Another praiseworthy feature is the auto-stop that lets you count down to the day you chicks are hatched. No more guesswork, you simply count the remaining days as you anticipate the big day.
The manufacturer backs up these exceptional features with a 3-year warranty.
Overall this is one of the best small egg incubators in the market that you wouldn’t regret investing in whether you are a beginner or already in the hatchery game.
Other features: automatic egg turner,
humidity alarm, LED display, auto
thermometer
If you are just getting started in hatchery and rearing birds, this is the best home egg incubator you can get in the market. Its size, ease of use, convenience, and exceptional performance make it a must-have for any beginner.
It is made with durable PP and ABS material that is easy to clean and healthy. Its design and style are simple, which makes it much easier to use. Even your children will find using the incubator pretty straightforward, and they can learn from it.
Since it is molded and solid in its build, temperature and humidity control is more effective for egg incubation.
The incubator functions automatically thanks to its built-in electronic controls that turn the eggs evenly and controls the temperature and humidity. Also included is a humidity alarm that lets you know the humidity status in the chamber throughout.
With the LED monitors featured, you will be able to see all the incubation data whenever you want to.
You will be able to incubate up to 12 quail and pigeon eggs or 9 duck and chicken eggs. You can also hatch goose and fowl eggs.
With its simplicity in design and operation, this is one of the best egg incubators for beginners, hobbyists, or children who are curious. It is also favorably priced; thus, it offers an excellent value, which makes it a worthy buy.
Other features: built-in LED thermometer, overheating protection
If you want a bang for your bucks, this is your ultimate pick. It offers exceptional performance and several innovative features at a reasonable price. No incubator in its class can match its indelible mix of versatility and convenience.
The incubator comes in a sturdy spout-hole design made from ABS raw material that is not only durable but also environmentally friendly. Unlike many incubators, this Homdox model features a non-slip egg holder that has a resistant-free sliding mode that allows you to put in eggs easily.
Also featured is the latest cooling technology for a more optimal temperature needed for perfect hatching. The overheating protection includes a hot air duct that runs left and right that ensures the constant circulation of air in the incubating chamber.
What’s more, there is a turbo fan that reduces moisture build-up, and it is less noisy compared to many other incubators. A Styrofoam device is also included to improve moisture, insulation, and energy-saving.
Another plus for this incubator is that you don’t have to turn the eggs yourself, thanks to the automatic egg rotation. It even simulates the original ecological chicken hatch mode ensuring the eggs are evenly turned for perfect hatching.
With the multifunctional eggshell that has an adjustable interval, you can hatch duck, chicken, goose, pigeon and quail eggs.
All considered, this is such a rare gem with all the high-end innovative features it has to offer at its price. It might be hard to find such quality at such a price. Thus, it’s a huge steal.
Other features: LED display, digital controls, automatic egg turning, low noise fan
So, if you are looking to hatch more eggs at ago from home or your commercial joint, this is your best bet. It can hatch up to 48 normal size eggs. It also maximizes durability, functionality, and versatility with its design.
It is made with ABS material, which is both durable and healthy. It is also easy to clean, which will save you time and energy. The incubator features an LED display that intuitively displays incubating information like humidity, temperature, hatching day, and egg turning time. This allows you to monitor the hatching for any mishaps closely.
The incubator has a built-in low-noise fan that circulates air efficiently and distributes heat evenly in the incubating chamber. The intelligent temperature and humidity warning included will help reduce environmental variations that could lead to losses.
Additionally, there is an auto-turn that automatically turns eggs saving you from the hassle of manually turning the eggs. It ensures the eggs are evenly turned every 2 hours for perfect hatching and also prevents the chamber from human contamination.
This is a great incubator for the eggs of quail, goose, ducks, pigeon, and other exotic birds. The smaller the eggs, the more the incubator can accommodate.
Moreover, you can buy the incubator with much confidence as the manufacturer offers a service guarantee.
In conclusion, this is one of the best chicken egg incubators with a large capacity in the market. Its versatility and superior functionality cannot be ignored, especially if you are deep into the egg hatching business.
Other features: 1-year warranty, fully automatic turning eggs and thermostat setting
This is the best overall pick for all the right reasons. It is the best simple to use solution you can get for hatching those chicken, duck and goose eggs. It is a small-sized incubator that does not give up versatility and high functionality.
The incubator comes in a compact design and is made with durable PC and ABS material. The material does not contain any harmful material. It will comfortably sit on your tabletop without taking up so much space. It features a bright digital display of temperature, enabling you to see the temperature in degrees Celsius whenever you need to.
You can incubate 9 eggs at a time as the incubator is only convenient to use for eggs as few as 12. What you will love the most about this incubator is its automatic functions which keep the eggs evenly covered. They free you from the agony of turning the eggs or keeping the incubator humid manually.
The incubator has a side view that allows you to see the eggs and chicks clearly as they hatch.
It is easy to use and clean. However, since it is small in size, you might find it hard to clean its electronic areas.
With a 1-year warranty backup, this is one of the best fully automatic incubators in the market and is best suited for beginners. It also offers excellent value since it is affordably priced with all its superior features.
For you to make the best buy, there are a few aspects you have to put into consideration when choosing an egg incubator. In this guide, you will learn some of them, including how an egg incubator works and the features to consider when choosing one.
An incubator is like the surrogate parent to baby chickens or any other birds on the farm. It comes in handy, especially when hens are unable to hatch eggs naturally. But how exactly do they work? Well, here’s how:
Just like a hen does when she is sitting on her eggs, an incubator provides warmth for the eggs. The ideal temperature for chicks to hatch is 100 degrees. An incubator is more of an independently controlled environment that constantly provided the required temperature as long as needed.
Oxygen is essential for the growth of many organisms, and eggs get a lot of it when they are hatched naturally. The incubator is a controlled environment, has fans and sufficient ventilation for the circulation of warm oxygen over the eggs.
A hen also provides humidity control on the eggs she sits on. An egg normally loses about 12% of its weight during incubation, and it is humidity, which controls how much of this weight is lost with time. Humidity control varies with shell thickness and should always be checked by the person doing the incubation.
Here are the key features you have to consider when selecting an egg incubator to make the right choice.
This determines how long your incubator will last. Be sure to go for an egg incubator with durable material like ABS plastics and PC. It should be healthy without any chemicals and easy to clean like the HBlife Digital Fully Automatic Incubator reviewed above.
Personal preference plays a big part here. You should go for an incubator with a perfect size, depending on your hatchery needs and space available. If you are just a beginner, you could use the small size hatcheries that can neatly sit on your countertop. Also, there are large capacity hatcheries with a compact body like the OppsDecor Egg Incubator reviewed above that offer so much space convenience.
The egg capacity you choose depends on your need for an incubator.
If you want to hatch a lot of eggs all at once, you can go for the large capacity incubators. But, if you are just getting started, you can go for the 9 to 12 normal size egg incubators.
Thanks to technology, you don’t have to turn the eggs yourself with the modern models manually. Go for an incubator with an auto-turn that automatically turns the eggs evenly for perfect hatching. For example, cabinet incubators can do this. On top of saving you from the hassle of opening the incubator every other time, it also helps prevent contamination of the incubation chamber by your hands.
Most incubators can control the temperature on their own. Go for a model that indicates the temperature levels or features a temperature alarm that will let you know if something is amiss to avoid any losses.
Airflow is essential for perfect hatching. If you want all your eggs to hatch, ensure you choose an incubator with proper ventilation and fans that control airflow in the incubator. The eggs need to be covered with warm oxygen to hatch perfectly.
Humidity has to be controlled to prevent any unnecessary loss of moisture in the eggs. It should not fall below 25% or go above 60%.
This is very essential as it will help you keep your incubator’s humidity in check. You will be able to monitor the water levels easily and create a conducive humid environment for a perfect hatch.
If you want the ease of observation, you should go for the incubators that have clear sides. They will let you see everything going on in the incubating chamber. You wouldn’t miss noticing any mishaps that would lead to losses.
Nobody wants anything hard to clean. Some incubators are plain difficult to clean, especially the electric parts. Look for one with materials and design that you can easily clean.
A few models come with this, and it is not so essential, but its resistant-free sliding mode allows you to put eggs in the incubator easily.
If you buy an incubator with a Styrofoam device, you will not only save energy but also improve moisture and insulation in the incubating chamber. The Homdox Digital Fully Automatic Egg Incubator reviewed above comes with one.
The market is flooded with various brands and models of egg incubators that choosing the best for your hatching needs can be daunting. With the information in this guide, you will be able to easily select the best egg incubator within your budget and needs.
Of all the products we reviewed, the HBlife Digital Fully Automatic Incubator was our best overall pick. Its first-rate features, excellent value, and superior performance could not be outdone. Its high-quality design will let you hatch chicks in peak health and stature. The Brinsea Products Mini II Advance Automatic Egg Incubator and Magicfly Digital Mini Fully Automatic Egg Incubator followed in overall ratings. They offered excellent value, premium quality, and exceptional features that set them apart.
A broody hen is the cheapest and most efficient incubator, but not if you want many perfect chicks at a go. However expensive, you will never regret investing in the best egg incubator, especially if it is small, digital, and automatic.
