The Brinsea TLC4 and TLC5 were, for a very long time, the standard in brooders for hand raising birds and doubled well as hospital cages when called upon. We sold a lot of them and feedback was always very positive, except for one or two things. Some people didn’t like the spindle temperature control, and some wanted the units easier to take apart for cleaning.

The TLC units have now been superseded by the TLC40 and the TLC50 and guess what? The only two minor criticisms sometimes raised have been addressed and the units updated fantastically well.

More square in shape than the TLC5, the TLC50 is 550mm tall, 690mm wide and 490mm deep, with an internal floor area of 600mm by 400mm. This gives an effective volume of 26 litres. The TLC50 also runs on a typical average of 100 watts, with a maximum consumption of 150 watts if it really needs to work hard.

The unit is now run from a push button digital control panel, very like the control panels on the Mini , Octagon 20 ADVANCE and the Ova Easy incubators. These menu driven control panels are very easy to use and nowhere near as complicated as they may look in the photos!

From the control panel you can adjust the temperature, set the display to Celsius or Fahrenheit as you prefer, set the high/low temperature alarms and even control humidity with pin point accuracy if you have opted for the EX humidity pump version.

The whole unit is durable with tough door hinges but easy to take part for thorough cleaning and is lightweight for easy carrying.

Of course the units have maintained the favourite features that made the TLC4 and TLC5 such a success, with a gentle fan driven distribution of air to maintain even temperature through the unit without blowing the contents about. This isn’t a hit and miss system but very carefully designed and calibrated to create a slight positive pressure inside the unit to resist the inflow of any unfiltered air from outside. (This is the method employed in hospital isolation wards to prevent the spread of airborne bio-hazards.)

This allows the unit to draw its air through the inlet and a 2 – stage electrostatic filter, removing airborne dust, spores and bacteria, before it passes into the chamber and forces stale air to be discharged around the door and through the adjustable vent. The filters are washable and we also carry replacements for when they are needed.

The menu also displays the relative humidity levels inside the unit but there is also the option to add a humidity pump. The availability of the optional EX humidity pump (approximately an extra $200) for these units is a master stroke. The EX pumps have been available for various Brinsea incubators for some time and avoid the humidity problems we encounter with the variable ambient humidity we enjoy thanks to the changeable (and recently very unpredictable!) weather in New Zealand. The EX pumps are incredibly reliable and driven through the units digital control panel to give you pin point humidity control.

Of course there is another twist in the tale. Brinsea have taken the opportunity to introduce a no frills cheaper version – the TLC50 ECO. If you don’t need all the features of the ADVANCE model then the ECO version saves you a couple of hundred dollars for the same unit but with fewer features.

The TLC5’s ‘little brother’, the TLC4has also been replaced with a new version, the TLC40. Perhaps more convenient in size for those raising young birds, the TLC40 has an effective floor area of 400mm by 300mm.

So, the new units have eliminated the irritations suffered by some users of the TLC4 and TLC5, provide a fully controllable and safe environment for the occupants and make cleaning easy. I have to admit I really liked the old TLC4 and TLC5 and will miss them (and they looked great!) , but what a replacement. This was worth waiting for.