Garmin Alpha 200i and Mini Educator ET-300 are two of the many competing e-collar brands and track-and-train devices that are both excellent at getting the job done at locating and training sporting or gun dogs. The biggest hurdle about buying the Garmin 200i is the very high price at about $950 range which will surely make you think twice when deciding to go for this one or the very cheaply priced Educator ET-300 Mini. However, it is best to check out our Garmin VS Educator Comparison Review below before making up your mind and basing everything on the cost of the product rather than the value and functionality one of them surely offers better.
Main Features Of Garmin VS Educator
- Both the collar and the transmitter are fully waterproof and can be submerged up to 500 feet deep
- A tremendous amount of 100 varying levels of stimulation
- Lock-and-Set feature to save your preferred setting to the remote
- Patented and adjustable Booster Feature
Educator
- Both the collar and the transmitter are fully waterproof and can be submerged up to 500 feet deep
- A tremendous amount of 100 varying levels of stimulation
- Lock-and-Set feature to save your preferred setting to the remote
- Patented and adjustable Booster Feature
Pros And Cons Of Garmin VS Educator
Pros
- Two-year warranty including batteries
- Waterproof and durable
- Optional conditioning using the Pavlovian setting
- Exclusive Lock-and-Set feature lets you set and lock the level of stimulation that is perfect for your dog
Cons
- Complicated programming
- Only functions smoothly if antenna is directly pointing at the receiver
- Can only monitor up to 2 dogs at the same time
Educator
Pros
- Two-year warranty including batteries
- Waterproof and durable
- Optional conditioning using the Pavlovian setting
- Exclusive Lock-and-Set feature lets you set and lock the level of stimulation that is perfect for your dog
Cons
- Complicated programming
- Only functions smoothly if antenna is directly pointing at the receiver
- Can only monitor up to 2 dogs at the same time
General Features Of Garmin VS Educator
Training Features
The simple training buttons feature of the Educator ET-300 Mini are as follows:
- Vibration-only Mode - provides a short warning signal to your pup before giving static stimulation.
- Momentary Static Mode - applies brief nick stimulation to your dog by pressing the black S button.
- Continuous Static Mode - provides a continuous static stimulation by pressing the red S button (turns off automatically at max 10 seconds).
Educator
The simple training buttons feature of the Educator ET-300 Mini are as follows:
- Vibration-only Mode - provides a short warning signal to your pup before giving static stimulation.
- Momentary Static Mode - applies brief nick stimulation to your dog by pressing the black S button.
- Continuous Static Mode - provides a continuous static stimulation by pressing the red S button (turns off automatically at max 10 seconds).
Range
The Educator ET-300 Mini has a range of only half a mile. For some dog owners, this is just enough space to train their dogs but for others, especially those who specializes as a dog trainer, this can be quite a short range for their gun dogs to be trained in.
Educator
The Educator ET-300 Mini has a range of only half a mile. For some dog owners, this is just enough space to train their dogs but for others, especially those who specializes as a dog trainer, this can be quite a short range for their gun dogs to be trained in.
Stimulation Levels
The Educator ET-300 Mini features an advanced Control of Stimulation or COS which provides a whopping amount of 100 different levels of static stimulation while other brands such as the Alpha 200i and others more barely reaches a quarter of this amount.
Educator
The Educator ET-300 Mini features an advanced Control of Stimulation or COS which provides a whopping amount of 100 different levels of static stimulation while other brands such as the Alpha 200i and others more barely reaches a quarter of this amount.
Tone And Vibration Levels
The Educator ET-300 Mini features 100 varying levels of stimulation that is adjustable using a dial. It is rather quite cumbersome when changing the settings because of the lock and unlock option of the remote. It is also a bit laborious changing the intensity as you need to press buttons repetitively to adjust the dial.
Educator
The Educator ET-300 Mini features 100 varying levels of stimulation that is adjustable using a dial. It is rather quite cumbersome when changing the settings because of the lock and unlock option of the remote. It is also a bit laborious changing the intensity as you need to press buttons repetitively to adjust the dial.
Design
The Educator ET-300 Mini has an LCD transmitter display paired with a Biothane collar and remote-activated LED light e-collar. It only weighs around 2.4 oz or around 70 grams therefore this device is perfect even for smaller sized dogs (as small as a 5-pound pup), however, the intensity of vibration stimulation when set to high is not a joke which makes it usable even with larger dogs (as big as a 150-pound pup). The dimensions of the e-collar receiver is 2.0 x 1.5 x 1.1 inches; the e-collar strap measures ¾ X 30 inches, weighing 1.46 oz.; and the Floating Remote measures 2.64 inches in diameter, 1.29 inches thick and weighs 3.4 oz.
Educator
The Educator ET-300 Mini has an LCD transmitter display paired with a Biothane collar and remote-activated LED light e-collar. It only weighs around 2.4 oz or around 70 grams therefore this device is perfect even for smaller sized dogs (as small as a 5-pound pup), however, the intensity of vibration stimulation when set to high is not a joke which makes it usable even with larger dogs (as big as a 150-pound pup). The dimensions of the e-collar receiver is 2.0 x 1.5 x 1.1 inches; the e-collar strap measures ¾ X 30 inches, weighing 1.46 oz.; and the Floating Remote measures 2.64 inches in diameter, 1.29 inches thick and weighs 3.4 oz.
Battery Life & Charging Time
The Educator ET-300 Mini only takes two hours to quick charge which is quite fast compared to other brands. It uses rechargeable Li-Polymer batteries and has an indicator for low-battery on both modules. The battery life of both the receiver and the remote last up around 40 to 60 hours.
Educator
The Educator ET-300 Mini only takes two hours to quick charge which is quite fast compared to other brands. It uses rechargeable Li-Polymer batteries and has an indicator for low-battery on both modules. The battery life of both the receiver and the remote last up around 40 to 60 hours.
The Winner: Garmin 200i
The Educator ET-300 Mini is an outstanding contender against the Garmin Alpha 200i as it also offers several features that can compete against the Alpha 200i; however, the Garmin 200i just has more and better features than the Mini Educator and lives up to its name and quality when tested personally which therefore proves that the Garmin Alpha 200i has a greater edge over the Educator in many aspects, giving you better options and functionality. When buying e-collars, you have to consider quality over quantity and the Garmin Alpha 200i has all you need.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you found this comparison helpful and decided on buying Garmin 200i, I would highly appreciate if you use my referral link for purchasing. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. It will keep me motivated to buy expensive dog gadgets, properly test them and provide unbiased reviews.
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Mark is a Boston University graduate and former electrical engineer. In 2017, he decided to combine his tech knowledge with his love for dogs. He spent a year familiarizing himself with the latest GPS tracking collars, invisible fences, and other hot pet gadgets before he wrote his first product review. After selling Technobark, Mark remained a writer and consultant but spends more time on his other passion now: raising and training his growing family of dogs.
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