I've found cheaper imported incubators on eBay, are they any good?

A number of low cost Chinese made egg incubators have appeared on the market in recent years, sold mainly on eBay but increasingly on Amazon and other websites raising concerns about their electrical safety. Incidents of imported incubators melting, catching fire and even exploding have been reported on many Facebook groups and on poultry forums.

North Somerset Trading Standards initially approached Brinsea following reports of these faults with the imported incubators and we advised that they should be sent for assessment. Tests were then carried out by an independent testing centre. Incubators which have been found to be non-compliant with EU safety legislation are shown above. For more information on these incubators please contact North Somerset Trading Standards directly.

Please note: These tests only looked at electrical safety and compliance, performance and incubation results were not assessed.

Egg incubators involve mains electricity, heating and water and are used in the home, sometimes by children and these factors mean a poorly designed incubator can pose particular hazards, hence Trading Standards’ interest.

Trading Standards have assessed a selection of these machines and are currently in the process of contacting importers of any equipment which doesn’t comply with EU safety regulations.

It requires some experience to spot dangerous incubators but there are a few things to look for when buying an incubator which should raise concerns:

1. Price. A product that is selling significantly below the market average should set alarm bells ringing. Everyone loves a bargain, but no-one wants their fingers burnt – literally.
2. Don’t assume a CE mark on the product means it is safe. A CE mark can be applied to an unsafe product by a manufacturer as it is the importer into the EU that is responsible for electrical safety – although some may not be aware of this.
3. Look for a manufacturer’s address on the product or instructions. Alarm bells ring for Trading Standards when a manufacturer or importer can’t be traced from its product.
   If the product is unbranded or is a brand that you don’t recognise then do an internet search for the manufacturer. If there is no English language website for the manufacturer with full contact information be suspicious.
4. Product instructions should include warning of electrical safety hazards and recycling symbols – if these are absent, the language is imprecise and badly translated then the product doesn’t comply with EU regulations and may be dangerous.
5. Is the distributor/seller contactable by phone and do they give a full trading address? What is their returns policy? Reputable distributors will have this information readily available, if not, be suspicious.

If you have bought an egg incubator recently which you are concerned about please contact your local Trading Standards office – and the supplier you purchased the incubator from, informing them of Trading Standards’ on-going investigation.