Rcom Pro 50 vs Max 50: Which One Should You Buy

A broody hen will happily sit on a clutch of eggs for three weeks, turning them, warming them and managing humidity without a second thought. Some hens are excellent at this. Others abandon the nest halfway through because something more interesting caught their attention. An automatic egg incubator like the Rcom Pro 50 or Rcom Max 50 removes that unpredictability, controlling temperature, humidity and egg turning without you needing to think about it, whether you're hatching a dozen eggs or the full 48.

Both machines are 50-egg capacity Rcom incubators built on the same cabinet and mechanical platform, so they share the same footprint and much of the same core engineering. The real difference between the Rcom Pro 50 and Rcom Max 50 comes down to how much control you want over the incubation process, and how many different species you plan to hatch. This guide compares them side by side, based on the official Rcom user manuals, so you can work out which one suits your setup.

The Short Answer

If you mainly hatch chicken eggs, or one or two familiar species, and you're comfortable setting temperature and humidity manually, the Rcom Max 50 covers what you need at a lower price point. If you hatch a range of species, including waterfowl, pheasants or rarer birds, and you'd rather the incubator apply species-specific settings automatically, the Rcom Pro 50 is built for that job.

The rest of this guide explains why, feature by feature.

What the Rcom Pro 50 and Max 50 Have In Common

Before getting into the differences, it's worth noting how much these two Rcom incubators share. Both are automatic egg incubators built on the same platform, so core hatching performance is very similar between them.

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Both models also use the same anti-bacterial humidification unit, the same low-water alarm, and the same abnormal high/low temperature alarm. In practice, this means hatch rates between the two models should be very similar when set up correctly. The real differences are in how you interact with the machine and how much of the setup work it does for you.

Where the Rcom Pro 50 and Max 50 Differ

Display and Control Interface

The Max 50 uses an FND display, a numeric LED readout paired with a jog dial and a set of function buttons (TEMP, HUMI, TURN). Settings are adjusted by pressing a button, then turning the dial until the display shows the value you want.

The Pro 50 uses a full LCD screen that shows temperature, humidity, egg-turning angle, incubation day and bird type all at once, alongside Menu, Back and Option buttons. It's a more visual, menu-driven interface, and it also lets you control the backlight (always on, always off, or only lighting up for 20 seconds when you press a button).

Neither interface is difficult to learn. The Max's button-and-dial system is quick once memorised. The Pro's screen gives you more information at a glance, which is useful if you're managing several settings at once or checking progress from across the room.

Species-Specific Automatic Settings

This is the biggest functional difference between the two machines, and the main reason people search for a Rcom Pro 50 vs Max 50 comparison in the first place.

The Max 50 offers two quick presets, accessed via the N1 and N2 options: an early/middle-stage setting (37.5°C, 45% humidity, hourly turning) and an end-stage setting (65% humidity, turning off). These general-purpose defaults suit common poultry. Outside of these presets, you set temperature, humidity and turning manually using the TEMP, HUMI and TURN buttons.

The Pro 50 includes a built-in library of incubation profiles for ten bird types: chicken, duck, quail, pheasant, peafowl, goose, wild goose, golden pheasant, turkey, and an "other birds" option for anything not listed. Select a species from the menu, hold the jog dial for two seconds, and the incubator automatically applies the appropriate temperature, humidity, turning angle and turning interval for that bird, then adjusts again for the final incubation stage. You can also switch to full manual mode if you prefer to set every value yourself, so the Pro 50 doesn't take that flexibility away, it just adds the automatic option on top.

In practical terms, if you hatch chicken eggs most of the time, the Max 50's manual controls and quick presets will get you there without much extra thought. If you're incubating several different species, or species you're less experienced with, such as quail one month and waterfowl the next, the Pro 50's built-in profiles reduce the guesswork around what temperature and humidity that particular bird needs.

Egg-Turning Precision

Both incubators turn eggs automatically, but the level of control differs.

The Max 50 lets you set a turning interval of one, two or three hours, with a fixed turning duration measured in seconds. It's a functional, no-fuss system.

The Pro 50 lets you set the actual turning angle (adjustable in degrees, including a random setting that varies angle between roughly 75° and 180°) as well as the turning interval, in minutes rather than hours (from 10 to 360 minutes). This finer control matters more for eggs that are unusually shaped or for species where turning angle affects hatch success, and it also means the Pro 50's automatic species profiles can apply a turning angle suited to that bird without you needing to work it out yourself.

Another practical difference worth knowing: when using the Pro 50's automatic species mode, egg turning stops on its own at the final stage, three days before the expected hatch date. On the Max 50, turning needs to be switched off manually at that point (or via the N2 preset), so it's worth marking the date if you're using manual settings.

Included Trays

The two incubators ship with different accessories.

The Max 50 includes a universal tray with adjustable dividers, suitable for a mixed range of egg sizes. Dedicated small (quail), standard (chicken) and large (goose) trays are sold separately.

The Pro 50 includes the small, standard and large egg trays as standard, with the universal tray available as an optional extra.

If you hatch mixed batches of different-sized eggs regularly, the Max 50's included universal tray may suit you well from day one. If you tend to hatch a full batch of one egg size at a time (48 chicken eggs, for example), the Pro 50's included dedicated trays mean you won't need to buy one separately.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best incubator for chicken eggs: the Rcom Pro 50 or Max 50?

Both hold up to 48 chicken eggs and share the same core hatching performance, so either is a solid automatic egg incubator for chickens specifically. If chickens are the only bird you hatch, the Max 50's manual controls and lower price point mean you're unlikely to need the Pro 50's extra species profiles. The Pro 50 earns its keep once you start hatching other birds as well.

Will I get a better hatch rate with the Pro 50?

Not automatically. Hatch rate depends far more on egg quality, incubation room conditions and how closely you follow the correct temperature and humidity for the species you're hatching than on which of these two models you use. The Pro 50's advantage is that its built-in species profiles make it easier to apply the correct settings without needing to look them up, which can help less experienced keepers avoid setup mistakes. An experienced keeper using the Max 50's manual controls correctly should see comparable results.

Can the Max 50 hatch species other than chicken?

Yes. The Max 50 isn't limited to one species, it just requires you to set temperature, humidity and turning manually rather than choosing from a preset list. Its N1 and N2 quick settings are general defaults rather than species-specific profiles.

Do both models need distilled water?

Yes. Both the Pro 50 and Max 50 specify distilled water only for the humidification unit. Mineral water or tap water can cause scale build-up and may damage the humidity unit over time, which isn't covered under warranty.

Is the Pro 50 harder to use than the Max 50?

Not for someone comfortable with a menu-driven display. The extra options are genuinely optional. If you only ever use the automatic species mode on the Pro 50, day-to-day operation is arguably simpler than manually setting every value on the Max 50.

Where can I buy a Rcom incubator in Australia?

Aussie Chook Supplies stocks the Rcom Pro and Max range, including the 10, 20 and 50-egg models, with free Australia-wide shipping. See our Rcom incubator range for current models and pricing, or browse our full egg incubator range to compare against other brands.

In Practical Terms

Both incubators are built on the same reliable Rcom platform and will hold 48 chicken eggs, or a mix of smaller and larger eggs, with the same automatic humidity control, candling and drying functions. The decision mostly comes down to how much of the setup you want the machine to handle for you.

If you're incubating chicken eggs most weekends and are happy dialling in your own temperature and humidity, the Max 50 does the job without the extra cost of features you may not use. If your hatching plans span several species, or you'd rather let built-in profiles take care of the early setup while you focus on monitoring the eggs, the Pro 50's automatic mode is worth the difference in price.

Whichever model you choose, the fundamentals still apply: use distilled water, keep the incubator in a stable-temperature room away from direct sunlight and draughts, and check on your eggs regularly rather than opening the lid more than necessary.