Maintaining samples at an optimal temperature while in storage is vital for many lab professionals and this makes choosing the right freezer or refrigerator a crucial task. While the average kitchen freezer operates at about -20°C, laboratory variants have a much wider range of options depending on the storage conditions needed. For example, lowtemperature laboratory freezers will achieve temperatures of -40°C to -85°C, much lower than their kitchen-based counterparts. When selecting a freezer or refrigerator for your lab, it is important to know what specific storage requirements you’ll need, such as the temperature range or space available. We asked readers about lab freezers and refrigerators in their labs. Here’s what they said:
Which type of lab freezer are you currently using or planning to purchase?
| Currently Using | Planing to Purchase | |
| Blood bank and plasma | 94% | 6% |
| Explosion-proof | 94% | 6% |
| Flammable materials storage | 89% | 11% |
| Upright general purpose lab freezers | 91% | 9% |
| Under-counter general purpose lab freezers | 94% | 6% |
| Low temperature chest lab freezers | 86% | 14% |
| Low temperature upright lab freezers | 88% | 12% |
| Upright ultra-low temperature freezers | 89% | 11% |
| Chest ultra-low temperature freezers | 82% | 18% |
| Other | 50% | 50% |
Do you have a lab freezer or are you planning to purchase a lab freezer for your lab?
| Yes | 86% |
| No, but planning to purchase | 5% |
| No, and no plans to purchase | 9% |
What temperature range (in degrees Celsius) is the lab freezer that you currently use or will the lab freezer be that you plan to purchase?
| 0° to -20°C | 26% |
| -20° to -30°C | 16% |
| -30° to -45°C | 5% |
| -45° to -85°C | 40% |
| Colder than -85°C | 7% |
| Other | 5% |
For the service and repair of the lab freezer in your laboratory, what type(s) of service do you use?
| Instrument manufacturer time/material | 8% |
| Third-party contract | 18% |
| Third-party time/material | 21% |
| In-house service department | 32% |
| Our department | 5% |
| Multi-vendor service provider | 5% |
| Instrument manufacturer service contract | 7% |
| Don’t know | 2% |
| Other | 2% |
If you are planning a purchase of a new lab freezer, are you considering an ultra-low freezer?
| Yes | 62% |
| No | 38% |
What is your annual budget for supplies, accessories, maintenance, repairs, etc?
| $0 - $1,500 | 25% |
| $1,501 - $3,000 | 10% |
| $3,001 - $5,000 | 8% |
| $5,000+ | 34% |
| Don't know | 24% |
What are your purchasing plans for a new lab freezer?
| Starting the review process | 10% |
| Plan to purchase in the next 1 to 6 months | 12% |
| Plan to purchase in 6 to 12 months | 6% |
| Plan to purchase in 12 + months | 8% |
| No current purchasing plans | 62% |
| Don’t know | 3% |
If you are planning a purchase of an ultra-low freezer, what are your reasons?
| Addition to existing systems, increase capacity | 37% |
| Current ultra-low freezer is nearing end of lifespan | 30% |
| New application requires an ultra-low freezer for high value sample | 7% |
| Require the protection of back-up ultra-low freezer | 7% |
| Setting up a new lab | 11% |
| Other | 9% |
What is your budget range for this lab freezer purchase?
| Less than $5,000 | 33% |
| $5,000 - $15,000 | 50% |
| $15,000 - $30,000 | 14% |
| $30,000+ | 3% |
Completed Surveys: 215
For more information on refrigerators and freezers, click here.
