Top 5 Questions You Should Ask When Buying an Laboratory Shaker
- What is the capacity of the unit (both for total weight and volume)?
- What accessories are available?
- What is the RPM range and what increments can it be controlled in?
- What are the temperature and humidity operating conditions for the unit?
- What programming functions, if any, does the unit have?
Type of laboratory shakers used by survey respondents:
| Vortex shaker | 24% |
| Orbital shaker | 18% |
| Incubator shaker | 17% |
| Rocking shaker | 17% |
| Vibrating shaker | 10% |
| Biological shaker | 6% |
| Reciprocal shaker | 5% |
| Nutating shaker | 3% |
| Other | 1% |
Number of hours per day shaker is in operation:
| Less than 1 hour | 25% |
| 1 - 3 hours | 26% |
| 3 - 5 hours | 11% |
| 5 - 7 hours | 9% |
| > 7 hours | 29% |
Nearly 27% of respondents plan on purchasing a new laboratory shaker in the next year. The estimated budget ranges for these purchases are as follows:
 | Less than $500 |  |
 | $500 - $1,000 |
 | $1,500 - $3,000 |
 | $3,000 - $6,000 |
 | $6,000 + |
 | Don't know |
Top 10 features/factors respondents look for when purchasing a laboratory shaker:
| Durability / Rugged design | 67% |
| Low maintenance / Easy to clean | 53% |
| Shaking speed | 46% |
| Simple operation - Easy to program and monitor | 41% |
| Compact design | 33% |
| Low noise - Quiet | 32% |
| Warranty | 28% |
| Minimal vibration | 26% |
| Heating/cooling capability | 26% |
| Electronic speed controls | 24% |
For more information on laboratory shakers, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers, visit www.labmanager.com/shakers
See the most recent survey results
