The most common errors our readers experience with their pipettes, based on our latest survey, include:
| Human errors | 27% |
| Viscosity reduces accuracy | 16% |
| Liquids stick to tip | 15% |
| Immersed tips carry over liquid | 13% |
| Surface tension reduces accuracy | 10% |
| Pipettes take up more liquid | 7% |
| Liquids evaporate | 4% |
| Other | 4% |
| Liquid temperature | 3% |
The types of pipettes our readers are using or planning to purchase for their labs:
| Using | Planning to Purchase | |
| Manual: single-channel | 28% | 4% |
| Manual: multi-channel | 16% | 2% |
| Manual: fixed volume | 11% | 2% |
| Electronic: single-channel | 8% | 3% |
| Electronic: multi-channel | 7% | 2% |
| Electronic: fixed volume | 1% | 1% |
| Repeater | 12% | 2% |
| Other | 1% | 0% |
The frequency of fume hood inspections in respondents' labs:
| Annually | 49% |
| Quarterly | 15% |
| Every six months | 15% |
| Monthly | 11% |
| Every two years or more | 4% |
| Not applicable | 2% |
| Don't Know | 6% |
The amount of time individuals in our readers’ labs spend per day working with their pipettes:
| Less than 1 hour | 29% |
| 1 - 2 hours | 29% |
| 2 - 3 hours | 17% |
| Over 3 hours | 26% |
For more information on pipettes, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers, visit www.labmanager.com/pipettes
