Hay steamers

[Winters100]

Hi,
I am looking to buy a hay steamer. Anyone got any good advice? What features should I be looking for? Also are they a fire hazard? Any experiences good or bad?
Thanks!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Brilliant things.

I have the Haygain One, the small single horse model, it was a Black Friday deal three years ago. I have been using it regularly ever since. Best tip is to buy and use a timer, as one doesn’t come as standard. It has a 60 mins cycle.

People may try and tell you that all you need is a wheely bin and a steamer, but that does not bring the temperature high enough.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1144/4268/files/All_Research_papers.pdf?13150131510427622394

 

[Winters100]

Thank you - this is one of the ones that I am looking at. May I ask how long it takes after it has finished before the hay is cool enough to handle? Thank you!

 

[Tiddlypom]

If I’m in a rush, I’ll pop on a pair of rubber gloves and take the freshly steamed out as soon as the cycle is finished. The hay soon cools enough to be able to feed once it’s opened out.

 

[NLPM]

I've got a Haygain and the only problem with it is that I wish I'd bought a bigger one (I have the middle-sized one). It was fine when I only had three on hay, but last winter I often had to run it more than once.

The timing was a problem for me so we bought a timer plug which cuts off the power automatically after a set time, so no risk of it running dry if I've got involved with something in the field and lost track of time (always a possibility!). It also means I can control it remotely, so last winter I filled it in the morning, then switched it on via my phone at 6pm when I was leaving work, then it would be ready to take out by the time I was home. Makes life much easier!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Haygain have just put up a link to how hay steaming has evolved. It’s an interesting read (well, I found it interesting ).

https://haygain.co.uk/blogs/news-an...h8tD-LnIui57X0iii-XongMv7TiV67iOnuRgKSiXRBCGo

 

[Green Bean]

I just wish Haygains weren’t so expensive. They would be able to sell thousands more if they dropped their ridiculous prices

 

[aidensully]

I got a cheapish one off Ebay as Haygains were a little to expensive when we werent sure it would fix the problems, steamer is great, works brilliantly - would second getting a timer on the plug though : )

 

[Britestar]

Theres one for sale in the Scotland regional board

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi,
I am looking to buy a hay steamer. Anyone got any good advice? What features should I be looking for? Also are they a fire hazard? Any experiences good or bad?
Thanks!

I bought a simple one from a girl on facebook who makes them, it works a treat and only cost £ 200 but I got it on offer £ 100. I think the haygain ones are well over priced

The simplest and cheapest way is get one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heavy-Du...085516?hash=item422431cecc:g:YD8AAOSwRCZfqiHB

drill drainage holes at bottom


get a wall paper stripper like mine https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Heavy-Duty-Professional-Wall-Paper-Wallpaper-Stripper-Steamer-Remover/201947098334?epid=2254701140&_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item2f04fc2cde:g:FO0AAOSw9mpZ807J&amdata=enc:AQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%2Fn%2BzU5L90Z278x5ickkrmmq8hWevtuKE7%2F%2BLfVXtjpGbVNIm%2BmVTPS2BTjk%2Fe55pINW2JQSHqP1cQnE%2BomsYj8vn5fJqJOTJERE7R9bbnCU9GPsMEfNtMlXYB0jTVqxE38iorquFvjznvxVj7UTkJECHqhIFRmDau3q2jtgeMIIQgnxZAb6g475ybzUKiyor1%2Fs9LJMM7OE7iBz3JJekQISqJJD%2B9694m6Umf0AjejuuFCM6nZgaOuWJm2bTdkk3o1qGtzkPGOdjzqKA2ESLwiNS4ARtYH9atSuu3fVbvsRek6RVpQVReZHQKLcwGCpKtpny9GZc9F9t6jpH%2FfyJa0MAkPi8lENCiE6d26RkdYCNO8QN%2F9DMmH78SmqL%2BtZYDiTBDK2GeSr2TioaqQh8B8tBn69gZa8%2FZf4n2Te3kBg3uHneEdZ8dQ37ZckHj03M4Bs3zBGuaC53uyOBwEu00viHfve90sc6rkzkF0lolo9pbhq47cBsnTdYJenWV53DvgMG1skjevJ8ZqaGOdgSVJEisfhEU4fwwUL5HI9CFjf5sIxL5A7fmBXvVQCA%2FICc1ry6cXweTM2RQVNTa49YDeFYNkmIBlCzhmuqyr6nX%2BEAxpwaRqP60kGTpwzlBnkrDOm3Y04qMpMDo6jEGAiTATZgGjk%2FdzIpnjpabwJeoRvXwXvOYGIy%2FtIrzvfZxCHOcdaw15X25wbweoCfE4MyTlthX5SwMWHwOBVWC7xV5JNWv5CjvQRg%2Buw5rRz6%2FXueyaNL4ZbH6vKU%2FXpUjXKH9cn9dK5oo0J4%2F0z8qUcNA%3D%3D|cksum:20194709833441619fc5912c45809d365a672acab487|ampidL_CLK|clp:2334524.

drill a hole in the side for the attachment bit ( threaded bit) and take the flat bit off the end of the stripper, also get a timer

and walla.

this is all mine is and works brilliant

 

[MereChristmas]

Home made, industrial sized steamer, hose into a wheelie bin with grid in the bottom inside an insulated cupboard, timer on the plug.
It is so hot when just finished I can’t touch it without thick gloves

 

[Winters100]

Hi everyone, so my steamer will arrive this week I have one more question though, is it possible, or indeed advisable, to soak the hay before steaming?
Thanks so much!

 

[Tiddlypom]

As long as you got a steamer where the steam will penetrate throughout the hay there is no need to soak first. As far as I know, only Haygain steamers can do this due to their spiked gaskets.

 

[TPO]

I have only used Haygain and definitely no need to soak the hay first.

The steam dampens the hay right through.

 

[Red-1]

I have one that is like a Haygain (as in an industrial steam producer rather than a wallpaper stripper, with a double skinned, heavy duty, chest type container) and, although it came with the penetrators for the steam, I fitted more hay in when I removed them.

The nets were thoroughly steamed right through. The steam was intense for such a small (relatively) amount of water.

The industrial ones seem to put the steam in with a lot of pressure, and the insulated chests keep it as steam.

It did need a timer adding, I really can't understand why there isn't some kind of cut off built in.

 

[Gingerwitch]

If it's a haygain yes you can but you do not need too, unless it's to remove sugars.

 

[ycbm]

Friend has a Haygain. It does my head in that something so very expensive doesn't have an automatic timer built in and could run dry!
.

 

[chocolategirl]

Hi everyone, so my steamer will arrive this week I have one more question though, is it possible, or indeed advisable, to soak the hay before steaming?
Thanks so much!

Which one did you go for in the end? I’m also looking into them at the moment but just can’t justify the haygain price tag ??

 

[Gingerwitch]

Which one did you go for in the end? I’m also looking into them at the moment but just can’t justify the haygain price tag ??

I only have the 600, had it for 9 years, worth every penny and not a moment's trouble. Just had a hot plug because I ran 3 cycles back to back and I had not descalled for a while. It's fine now.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Friend has a Haygain. It does my head in that something so very expensive doesn't have an automatic timer built in and could run dry!
.

I get fed up that you don't have a gauge like the outside of a kettle to see how full it is and the opening on the darleck could be a bit wider. I use a timer switch as u feel safer than if it had its own timer, but it is annoying.

 

[Winters100]

I have ordered one made by Inovpar, but I don't think it is available in the UK. I think it is a pretty basic one, but if it works I can look at getting something better later on if I need to

 

[Reacher]

Brilliant things.

I have the Haygain One, the small single horse model, it was a Black Friday deal three years ago. I have been using it regularly ever since. Best tip is to buy and use a timer, as one doesn’t come as standard. It has a 60 mins cycle.

People may try and tell you that all you need is a wheely bin and a steamer, but that does not bring the temperature high enough.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1144/4268/files/All_Research_papers.pdf?13150131510427622394

How often would I need to run haygain one to feed 2 horses which get through about 1 small bale per day please?

 

[Reacher]

Friend has a Haygain. It does my head in that something so very expensive doesn't have an automatic timer built in and could run dry!
.

Does it not switch off when it is finished??

 

[Reacher]

I was considering a haygain one if there is a Black Friday deal. Husband thinks I’ll be running it 3-4 times per day to feed our 2.

I also looked at a Equisteam which claims to reach the temperature required but husband thinks it looks cheap / flimsy
https://www.equisteam.com/

 

[Reacher]

I have one that is like a Haygain (as in an industrial steam producer rather than a wallpaper stripper, with a double skinned, heavy duty, chest type container) and, although it came with the penetrators for the steam, I fitted more hay in when I removed them.

The nets were thoroughly steamed right through. The steam was intense for such a small (relatively) amount of water.

The industrial ones seem to put the steam in with a lot of pressure, and the insulated chests keep it as steam.

It did need a timer adding, I really can't understand why there isn't some kind of cut off built in.

Can I ask what make it is please?

 

[TPO]

I had a haygain 600 and I could fit 6 sections into it, 7 if they were small and I really squished it all in. I had to run it once for each horse (fatty was on soaked hay).

I'm not actually sure how many sections are in a bale now I think about it ? I couldn't fit a whole bale into hg600 anyway so it would need run twice to do that. I'd imagine it would be double that for hg100.

 

[Tiddlypom]

How often would I need to run haygain one to feed 2 horses which get through about 1 small bale per day please?

I can get about 1/3 of a small bale in my Haygain One. I have three horses and prefer a smaller model as often I only use a small amount of hay a day (mine mostly live out). I’ll run it two or three times a day if I have to, but I rarely need to.

Does it not switch off when it is finished??

It does not come with a built in timer, but you add a timer yourself. This is quite a basic timer, but both it and my HGOne (a Black Friday deal from 3 years ago) have been running seamlessly since purchase (touches wood!!).

Brilliant things. Folk can be snarky about the price, but Haygains are built to a standard and do the job well.

 

[Reacher]

I can get about 1/3 of a small bale in my Haygain One. I have three horses and prefer a smaller model as often I only use a small amount of hay a day (mine mostly live out). I’ll run it two or three times a day if I have to, but I rarely need to.

It does not come with a built in timer, but you add a timer yourself. This is quite a basic timer, but both it and my HGOne (a Black Friday deal from 3 years ago) have been running seamlessly since purchase (touches wood!!).

Brilliant things. Folk can be snarky about the price, but Haygains are built to a standard and do the job well.

View attachment 59675

Thanks TP and TPO. Sounds like I'd need the HG 600 in winter - although I worked myself up to the cost of a HG one I don't think I can bring myself to pay the price of a HG600

 

[Winters100]

So it arrived and I used it for the first time today. I have to say that the hay smelled wonderful and he seemed to love it. Quite easy too - mush easier than lugging wet haynets around!

 

[ycbm]

Does it not switch off when it is finished??

No, hopefully it does if it boils dry! At £1000 for a one horse size i think it's an astonishing thing to have saved a few quid on.
.