Choosing the Right Laboratory Shaker

There are various types of laboratory stirrers: magnetic, overhead, vortex, rotary, and linear.

• Magnetic laboratory shakers are commonly used to mix solutions, such as dissolving solids in a solvent or homogenizing solutions. The container with the solution is placed on top of the metal or ceramic plate, under which there is a magnet. When the device is switched on, the magnet rotates, moving the magnetic bar placed inside the container with the solution. This bar is usually coated with glass or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which makes it resistant to chemicals and high temperatures up to 250°C. The rotation speed can be adjusted manually. There are models with a timer or a heating function to speed up dissolving and heat evenly.

Infitek magnetic laboratory shaker

• Overhead laboratory shakers have an electric (or sometimes pneumatic) motor to which a stirring rod is attached. This rod is inserted into the container with the solution to be stirred. These are often used in the laboratory to mix solutions with different degrees of viscosity.

• Vortex shakers are used when intense agitation is required. Vortex shakers have a rubber receptacle where the tube with the sample is placed. The stirring motion can reach 3,000 rpm. Depending on the model, they can operate in continuous or “touch” mode, i.e. agitation only takes place while pressure is exerted on the container in the agitator receptacle. Vortex shakers are compatible with various laboratory containers, such as test tubes, microtiter plates, and Erlenmeyer flasks.

Scientifica VELP vortex shaker

• Rotary laboratory shakers are intended for the gentle and efficient homogenization of biological liquids containing fragile cells, such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid, serous liquids, etc. They operate through the slow rotation of the support on which small tubes are placed.

• Linear shakers are used mainly in immunology to homogenize suspensions in microtiter plate wells.

Magnetic shakers and overhead shakers are the most commonly used in laboratories. You must take several criteria into account when choosing a laboratory shaker:

• Agitation speed: Most shakers have an adjustable speed range of between 12 and 1,800 rpm or between 40 and 6,000 rpm, although there are also fixed-speed models. It is essential to check that the speeds of the device you want to buy meet your application’s needs. Controlling the speed on a digital display can prove very useful for precision and repeatability.
• Maximum stirring volume: Make sure that the maximum volume that the device can stir at the same time suits the needs of the laboratory.
• Motor power: You must take into account the viscosity and volume of the samples when choosing a motor.
• Sample viscosity: More viscous samples require a more powerful shaker or certain types of stirring rods.
• Heating function: The heating function is essential for certain applications in certain magnetic stirrers.
• Magnetic bar size for magnetic stirrers.
• Timer: Allows you to program the stirring time, after which the appliance stops automatically.

It is essential to clean and disinfect surfaces in the event of overflows or splashes of reagents or biological fluids. No specific additional maintenance operations are required.

Laboratory shakers must be operated by qualified personnel, such as biologists and laboratory technicians. Generally, a relatively simple and quick training course is all it takes to be able to use these devices.

The price of laboratory shakers varies between 150 and 4,000 euros, depending on the type and features of the equipment.

More precisely, you will pay on average:

• Between 150 and 300 euros (excluding tax) for a magnetic shaker.
• Up to 800 euros for a heated magnetic shaker.
• 170 euros and up for a vortex shaker.
• Between 400 and 600 euros for a rotary shaker.
• Between 500 and 1,300 euros for a linear shaker.
• Between 400 and 4,000 euros for an overhead shaker.