New Genesis Hova-Bator model #1588 or Brinsea Mini Advance Automatic?

Curious to find out everyone's opinion:
Do you like the Hova-Bator model #1588 with egg turner, or the Brinsea, more energy efficient automatic incubator units?

I like my Brinsea. The two models you propose have drastically different egg capacities. So, how many eggs you want to hatch?

Yes, I realize the Hova-Bator model #1588 holds up to 50 eggs! That in comparison to the Brinsea Mini automatic, which can only hold 7 eggs...
(an obviously drastic difference between these two units)

However, they both are around the same price: $150+: Kind of hard to believe!! Just curious to get others' opinions of these two incubators.

I'm not planning to hatch TONS of eggs, the Brinsea Mini, will work just fine - but, for the same money I can get the larger unit - is that the better option? Which model is more reliable, more energy efficient, etc...??

I have and use both. The mini advance is my favorite, it's less hands on then the hovabator. I've been very fortunate to have been given the hovabator, and recently someone also gave me a little giant still air which I am currently trying. But you cant go wrong with the brinsea it's so very easy to use, all you have to do is keep an eye on humidity, it does the rest. Good Luck

Thanks for your feedback. Greatly appreciated. Wow, what a collection of incubators - you're lucky!

Rescue, why not the Brinsea Octagon 20 Eco? Holds about 20 regular eggs.

Yes I've been pretty lucky when it comes to incubators, both the one's given to me also came with egg turners so that was a bonus. I bought the Brinsea because I wanted something small, and it's perfect for the kitchen counter if you haven't read this link on the mini please do it's got good info and helped me in my final decision https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=211459

Sorry, maybe I'm totally eggsane - but why would anyone want to incubate only 7 eggs?
I'll go with my Hovabator Genesis with auto turner. I just wish I had two of them.

I have both models, the 1588 Hova & the Brinsea Mini Advance. I prefer to incubate in the Brinsea, because it's very constant with temperature,
but I don't like to hatch more than 2-3 (bantam) eggs in it,
because the first couple chicks hatched always end up rolling the unhatched eggs to get by in the little circular corridor they have.
This has happened even with each egg in an egg carton cup. Then those rolled eggs don't hatch.

I've had the most successful hatches with 7 eggs in my Brinsea until lockdown, then moving 5 into my Hovabator, leaving 2 to hatch in the Brinsea.

If you're content doing small batch hatching & don't want to spend more than $150, I would go with the Brinsea Mini Advance, provided you can find a used Hovabator somewhere as your hatcher,since temp stability won't count as much then.
A used 1588 should be under $75 without the egg turner.

1588: My Hovabator 1588 has has issues with temperature variation up to 6 degrees F, depending on where the eggs (and thermometer) are. The back & front walls run much warmer. and the middle runs coler, wright under the fan. The back wall (near the room wall) can have some temperature spikes from 99 up to 101 & back. The middle stays about 96 -97F.

I have had up to but never more than 22 eggs in my Hovabator, and maybe if it were full, the temp would be more consistent throughout,
but the eggs kept in the middle of the bator produced small airholes & difficult hatches, umbilical problems, etc.

I love my Brinsea mini. I did drill a hole through the lovely plexi glass to the back, near the turner gear, and inserted a 2 ft length of silicone airline tubing for fish tanks. I then clear silicone-caulked around the hole to hold in heat & moisture, and the end of the tubing rests in the middle yellow water chamber. This allows me to never open my Brinsea bator except to candle, until Day 18. I use a small glass eye dropper to fill up the chamber(s)

The unit is more energy efficient, I don't know how much, but because it's smaller, and more tightly sealed (?) I think it would be. It is digitally programmable, and it has a temperature alert alarm that will sound if a temp drop happens for some reason. It's never happened to me.

Brinsea Mini (caveat): this unit is so small and non-spacious inside, you'll have to get the absolute smallest hygrometer available to fit in & suspend it from something. I have a round humidor hygrometer which is digital (mine is Madeleine brand) and I have strung a plastic twist-tie through it's upper holes, wound that through the fan-protector plexi glass plate, and electrical-taped the unit to the side of the unit so it is not on the floor. There will not be any extra space in there, period! I have run a digital thermometer in my Brinsea empty for days, with no temp variation showing at all, but not with the eggs in it.

I did the same air tubing method with my Hovabator, but it's too difficult to see down into the water reservoirs during lockdown & hatching, and I have often gotten eggs a little wet.

I always use paper egg cartons to hatch in the Hovabator also, and I bake the carton bottoms at 375F for 20 minutes to make sure they're sterile. I think that's overdoing it(?) but it works. The paper absorbs my little water spills int the Hovabator.

Both Hova (top) & Brinsea (base) have had many extra holes drilled into them to reduce humidity as needed. A little electrical/duct tape can be put over the extra ones when you need to raise or maintain humidity. Not too good for resale value. Oh well! Helped my hatches.


Hope this helps

Have you looked into the Brinsea octo 20 eco? Holds 20-24 eggs and was on sale on their website for $99. I havn't checked in a while but it may still be on sale. I have one and love it.