Every egg incubator gets a score from 0 to 100% built from five factors, which maps onto the 5-point rating shown on the site (a 0% score would be 1.5 stars; a perfect score, 5). Each factor is scored against fixed reference points, not against the other products in the list, so adding a new model never moves another model’s rating. Incubators are grouped by chicken egg capacity: up to 24 eggs, 25 to 99 eggs, and cabinets of 100 eggs and up.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per chicken egg held, against others of the same size | 25% |
| Humidity control | automatic control, a humidity readout, or water trays alone | 25% |
| Egg turning | automatic turning, and whether it stops on its own before hatch | 15% |
| Features | fan, temperature alarm, phone app, clear view, candler, hatch countdown and hatching baskets | 20% |
| Warranty | warranty length | 15% |
Where the numbers come from
Capacity, humidity control, turning, features, power and warranty come from the maker’s product page or manual, or from the maker’s own copy on a retail listing. Capacity is the number of standard chicken eggs the incubator holds with the trays or inserts that come with it. Where two of the maker’s own figures disagree, the product page notes which one is used. Prices are checked at Amazon and the maker’s own store, and the lowest price at a store the page links to is used.
The factors
Value is the current price divided by the chicken egg capacity, on a log scale, so halving the price always counts the same. Reference points are set per size group, since a 7 egg dome and a 400 egg cabinet sell at very different prices per egg. Up to 24 eggs, $40 per egg scores zero and $5 full marks; from 25 to 99 eggs, $20 scores zero and $2.50 full marks; for cabinets, $10 scores zero and $1.50 full marks.
Humidity control is 100% for automatic control (a pump, humidifier or metering system that holds a humidity you set), 40% for a humidity readout with water added by hand, and 10% for water trays with no humidity readout. A listing that says “humidity control” but describes only a readout and water channels counts as a readout.
Egg turning is 100% for automatic turning that stops on its own before hatch, 75% for automatic turning where the maker doesn’t say it stops, and zero for turning by hand.
Features is 25% for a forced-air fan, 20% for a high or low temperature alarm or alert light, 15% for a phone app, and 10% each for a clear view of the eggs (a clear lid, dome or window), a built-in or included candler, a hatch countdown and included hatching baskets or a hatching tray.
Warranty is the maker’s warranty: none scores zero and 3 years full marks.
What isn’t scored
Power draw, weight, the maker’s temperature accuracy claim and release date are listed but not scored. Temperature claims are written in different ways (a stated fluctuation, a hold “within one degree”, or nothing at all), so they can’t be compared fairly.
Missing data
If a figure isn’t published, that factor gets the neutral middle score (50) and the product page marks it as estimated. Features score neutral only when none of them is published; a feature the maker doesn’t mention otherwise counts as absent. There are two exceptions. Humidity control is what most separates one incubator from another, so a maker that doesn’t say how humidity is handled gets zero for that factor, marked estimated. A maker that doesn’t publish a warranty gets no warranty counted, so that factor also scores zero and is marked estimated.
Ties and discontinued models
Products are ranked by score within each group. Discontinued models stay listed but rank below every current model and can be hidden with the “Hide discontinued” filter.