Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance EX versus King Suro 20

[LaurenM23]

If this is in the wrong section, please forgive me, but I don't know of one specifically for equipment questions...

I am finally kicking my LG to the curb! I work full time, along with running our farm, and just don't have the time to babysit the darn thing to the extent that it evidently requires (which may or may not involve 'round the clock monitoring, as bad as my hatches have been). I am looking for a "plug and play" set-up, complete with humidity pump/control. Having searched the boards and net and asked friends, I've narrowed it down to the Brinsea Octagon Advance EX and the King Suro 20.

Essentially, both seem pretty apples to apples, except for the price point. For the sake of arguement, let's just throw that out the window and say they cost the same. Which would you recommend???

I'm leaning toward the Brinsea, due to the size of the interior and concerns over temperature rebound speed. The specs online look as though the Suro might be larger in terms of interior space and may rebound more slowly. Is this a reasonable concern?

If Brinsea is the answer, has anyone ever done better than $399.00 + shipping on the EX model? I can't seem to find them any better, but maybe more sales later in the year?

Thanks so much in advance to anyone who has comments or thoughts to share!

 

[19hhbelgian]

I have both, and honestly they are both excellent incubators. My brinsea is not the advanced (with the auto humidity), but it is still extremely reliable. The suro is my favorite though. I like the all digital - SOOOOOOO easy to adjust and use

Temperature comes up very quickly, and I never had a bad hatch in mine. I am one that can't leave their eggs alone, and I tend to over candle (I need help

), so I know the temperature is very steady in this incubator. If the brinsea is all digital now, I'd go with the better priced incubator - you won't be disappointed either way

 

[LaurenM23]

Thanks, Belgian (I'm guessing by the name that you have a BIG baby on your farm!)! It's great that you have both to compare against. Is it accurate that the Suro doesn't come with a container for the water? Does it have a tube that you insert into a cup of your own or something? Everything I've read hasn't been clear on that front.

If you're candling alot, then I would think you would ahve come across the temperature rebound issue, so I bet it's just fine with the Suro. I'm good at leaving them alone, but even when my LG "seemed" stable, it wasn't. Lies...ALL LIES!!! lol It's almost $100 difference, so it is significant, but I'd rather save up for the best thing, if it matters.

More info to ponder now...

 

[teresa-78]

I have the king suro... and its so easy, just set temp and humidity, put eggs in and leave be, its as easy as that.. then day 18 remove cradle and wait for your babies to hatch... I added 2 silkie eggs in for my first practise go, and both hatched.. I could not believe how easy it was... Good luck, hope you get a better hatch rate in the new bator you buy

Edited to add... the humidity is kept stable by a tube inserted into a bottle of water, (I use an old coke bottle) fill it up and that should last through the entire 21 days

 

[19hhbelgian]

Exactly, I use a cleaned out gallon milk jug - lasts way longer than you need it too

Like I said, my big thing is that the suro is so easy to adjust and set because of it being digital read-outs - it's the "KISS" method for me

Yes, I have a big baby... Such a baby that he falls asleep while having his feet trimmed

Such a hard life

 

[LaurenM23]

Awesome! Simple is exactly what we're after, this time around. I am sure that the LG could do just fine, but no matter how stable I can get my room temp and humidity, the thing still needs tweeks constantly. I narrowed my candling down to Day 10 and Day 18, to eliminate the opening of the lid, as much as possible, and installed a thin tube to add water from the outside. Still...thought things were holding well until the end of this last hatch.

Belgian - I have one of those, too...not so big at 16 hh, but built like a tank and quiet as a mouse. He'll sleep anywhere! We've boarded him before and gotten several calls from barn owners in a panic because he was snoring....loudly! lol

 

[pascopol]

Making the long story short one is a Caddy, and other one is a Lincoln.

 

[LaurenM23]

HAHA! Well, then I guess we're GM people, so which one's which!?

 

[19hhbelgian]

Quote:
Hmmm, I think the better one one be the Cadillac (the Suro

) and the other would be the Lincoln. Too Funny!!