Omlet Eglu Cube Review: Is the Plastic Coop Worth It?
An Omlet Eglu Cube review covering cleaning, mite resistance, the run sold separately, real flock sizing, and when a wooden coop makes more sense.
The plastic coop that made wooden hen houses look like hard work, and the one line in the listing everybody misses.
The verdict: The Eglu Cube is the coop most people mean when they say they want a plastic coop, and it earns that position on cleaning time and mite resistance rather than on price or space. Buy it if you want a hen house you can hose out in minutes and keep for a decade. Skip it if you need the most enclosed floor area per dollar, because a wooden coop and run will always beat it there.
Omlet Eglu Cube Large Chicken Coop
~$1,399
Omlet's large plastic hen house, sold as the coop alone, built to be cleaned in minutes and to give red mite nowhere to hide.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Type | Large plastic hen house |
|---|---|
| What is included | Coop only. Run is not included |
| Weather performance | Described by Omlet as weatherproof, cool in summer and warm in winter |
| Cleaning | Designed for a full clean in minutes |
| Maintenance | Omlet states no maintenance required |
| Assembly | Ships in three boxes labelled A to C, built in order |
| Automatic door | Omlet lists its Autodoor as compatible with the Eglu Cube |
| Stated bird capacity | Not given on the Amazon listing |
Specifications above come from Omlet's published product information. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Cleaning genuinely is a hose-and-wipe job, and owners who switch from wood almost never go back.
- Smooth non-porous plastic denies red mite the cracks and grain it needs to survive between feeds.
- Nothing to sand, seal, paint or re-felt, so the running cost after purchase is close to zero.
- Omlet's own automatic pop door is designed for it, so the door fits properly rather than being adapted.
- The shell does not absorb ammonia, which is the slow problem that eventually makes a wooden coop unpleasant.
Where it falls short
- The listing says it plainly and buyers still miss it: this is the coop only, and the run is a separate purchase. Budget for both at once.
- The Amazon listing does not state a bird capacity or dimensions, so you cannot size your flock from the page you are buying on. Check Omlet's own material for the model you are ordering.
- For this money a wooden coop and run gives you several times the enclosed area. You are paying for maintenance you will never do, not for space.
- Assembly takes real time. Omlet ships it in three boxes and openly suggests recruiting help.
- Plastic is a look. In a cottage garden a green plastic coop stands out in a way a timber one does not.
What owners report
What owners report about the Eglu Cube barely varies, which is itself unusual. Cleaning is the headline every time: people describe going from an hour with a scraper to a few minutes with a hose, and that convenience is why the coop keeps its owners. Mite control comes second, with long-term keepers repeatedly saying infestations that were routine in a wooden coop simply stopped being an issue. Durability reports are strong, with plenty of owners describing coops still in service many years after purchase, and Omlet's parts availability is regularly mentioned as the reason.
The recurring frustrations are about buying rather than owning. Discovering the run is extra is the most common one. After that, assembly length, and then the honest observation from cold-climate owners that condensation still needs managing: the shell holds warmth well, and warm damp air with too little ventilation is exactly the condition that causes frostbite. Ventilation is a setting to get right, not a thing to close off.
Working out how many hens it suits
Because the listing gives no capacity, work from your own numbers rather than the box. The planning figures we use across the site are at least 4 square feet of indoor floor and 8 to 10 square feet of run per standard bird, laid out in the chicken space requirements chart. A plastic coop of this type assumes hens are in it to sleep and lay, not to live, so the run you attach is doing most of the work. Put your flock size into the chicken flock and egg calculator, then price the run before you decide the Cube fits your budget.
Cube versus a raised wooden coop
The Cube sits raised on legs, which keeps the floor dry and gives the birds shade underneath. That is the same argument in favour of any raised coop, and it is worth reading raised versus ground level coops before assuming the extra height is only about looks. If you are choosing between materials rather than heights, wooden versus plastic coops is the direct comparison, and the wider field is in our best chicken coops roundup.
Who it suits
- Keepers who want the shortest possible cleaning routine.
- Anyone who has had red mite in a wooden coop and wants that chapter closed.
- People who want to buy a coop once and keep it for a decade.
- Owners who plan to fit an automatic pop door and want one designed for the coop.
Who should skip it
- Buyers whose budget has to cover coop and run together, since the run is extra.
- Anyone optimising for enclosed square feet per dollar, where wood wins outright.
- Keepers who want a coop that blends into a planted garden.
- People wanting a stated capacity on the listing before they buy, which this page does not provide.
Alternatives worth considering
Omlet Eglu Pro Large Chicken Coop
~$2,599
Omlet's flagship, stated for up to 10 large hens or 15 bantams, adding adjustable vents, a slide out nest box tray and a 10 year warranty. Worth the jump only if you keep a full flock and want the refinements.
Check price on AmazonOmlet Eglu Go Chicken Coop with 6ft Run and Wheels
~$949
Smaller, stated for up to 3 large hens or 4 bantams, but it ships with the run and wheels included. For a small flock this removes the Cube's biggest budgeting trap and lets you move the coop onto fresh ground.
Check price on AmazonPawpuler 135.7 inch Extra Large Wooden Chicken Coop with Run
~$675
Half the price with a run already attached and far more covered area. You take on sealing, mite management and a shorter service life in exchange, which is the whole wood versus plastic trade.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Wooden vs plastic chicken coops compared
- Raised vs ground level coops
- Chicken flock and egg calculator
- How much space chickens need
- Best chicken coops
- Omlet Eglu Pro review
- PawHut large wooden coop review
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens fit in an Omlet Eglu Cube?
The Amazon listing does not state a capacity, which is worth knowing before you buy from it. Omlet publishes figures for the model on its own material, so check there for the exact version you are ordering. Whatever number you find, treat it as roosting and laying space for birds that spend the day in a run, and size the run itself at 8 to 10 square feet per standard bird.
Does the Eglu Cube include a run?
No. The listing states clearly that this is the chicken coop only and the run is not included. This is the most common buying mistake with the Cube. Price the run at the same time so you know the real total, because for most setups the run costs a significant fraction of the coop again.
Is a plastic coop warm enough in winter?
Omlet describes the Cube as cool in summer and warm in winter, and cold-climate owners generally report it holds heat better than a single-skin wooden coop. The thing to watch is not cold, it is damp. Warm moist air with too little ventilation is what causes frostbitten combs, so keep the vents doing their job rather than sealing the coop up.
Do plastic coops stop red mite?
They make mites far easier to control rather than impossible. Red mite lives in cracks and untreated wood grain by day, so a smooth surface with few seams removes most of its habitat. Owners consistently report far fewer problems than they had in wood. Keep checking roost ends and nest corners, because no coop is immune.
Eglu Cube vs a wooden coop: which is better value?
Wood wins on space per dollar and plastic wins on time and parasites. If you want the largest enclosed area for your money, buy wood. If you want a coop that takes five minutes to clean, never needs sealing, and gives mite nowhere to live, the Cube is worth the premium. Neither answer is wrong, they are answers to different questions.
Can I fit an automatic door to an Eglu Cube?
Yes. Omlet lists its own Autodoor as compatible with the Eglu Cube, which means the fit is designed rather than improvised. That matters more than it sounds, because most automatic door failures on plastic coops come from mounting an adapted door on a surface it was never meant to grip.
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