mini Educator ET300 Ecollar Review

by The K9 Guy, 10-20-17

Many years ago I offered a review of Ecollar Technologies mini Einstein Ecollar. Since that time, the device has been upgraded and renamed the mini Educator. I thought it might be worthwhile to do a write up of the revised device. I have also included a short video (below) which goes through most if its features. Even with some very nice updates to this newer generation Ecollar, the manufacturer has not increased pricing - nice!

I have now been using and recommending Ecollars from Ecollar Technologies for the past 5 years. In trainer discussion groups online, I would estimate over 75% of trainers using Ecollars are also using this manufacturer. And the mini Educator (and predecessor) is surely their bread and butter. It's very simple, reliable, and economical. Given it's pricing (approximately $180), warranty, and the manufacturer's exemplary service, I believe it offers the best Ecollar value on the market today.

Most of the mini Educator features are the same as the earlier "mini Einstein model" previously reviewed (see link above). However, they did make 2 very nice improvements. The device now has barrel shaped charging plugs - these seem easier to use and more robust than the prior 2-prong plugs. And more importantly, these devices can all be upgraded to support a 2nd receiver. In other words, if you want to add a second dog, you just need to buy another collar - all controllers can be used for one or 2 dogs. In the past, 2 dog units had to be purchased as a separate model.

So rather than rambling on about the mini Educator, please watch the video below. If a picture is worth a thousand words, well a video should be worth....? Enjoy!

As of summer 2019, miniEducators now require the "M/C" button to be held 2-3 seconds to change modes (Momentary, Continuous, mixed). The unit beeps when the mode changes.

A few final thoughts . . .

In recent years, there have been many "cheap" Ecollars flooding the market (look on amazon). Devices can be had for around $30. I have seen many of these cheap units and DO NOT recommend them. Often there is not much difference between a "1" and a "100" level, or sometimes they don't consistently deliver stimulations when buttons are pressed. The build quality is also abhorrent, and I see many owners who have non-functioning units in just a few months. With Ecollars, you do in large get what your pay for. Spend some extra money, it will be worth it in the long run.

Regardless of the manufacturer, as a trainer I ALWAYS RECOMMEND ECOLLARS WITH RHEOSTAT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS. In the rush to reduce pricing, many manufacturers are moving toward push button level controls. The problem with this approach is that with 90% of dogs, you will need substantial variation in the levels being used. If a dog is working on a 5 at one moment, but needs a 25 a second later (that rabbit just ran out from the bushes), you don't want to be pushing a button 20 times to find an appropriate level.

I also recommend Ecollars that have at least 15 levels, 30+ is better if you have a sensitive dog. Levels should also be linear, so owners can make predictable and useful adjustments. When I seen units with only 3-10 levels, again, it's not likely to be a functional device.