Freezers are vital to research and clinical labs alike, but procuring the best one for your lab is hardly straightforward. Because of a lack of formalized regulations and industry standardization in measuring freezer performance, comparing lab freezer models can be a frustrating challenge. Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to identify the most useful performance metrics when buying a lab freezer.
Challenges with the lack of industry standards
While federal guidelines, such as those from the Center for Disease Control or National Science Foundation, and third-party certifications like ENERGY STAR® offer some alignment between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), there is still a lot of room for variance. Despite those guidelines, OEMs still use different performance tests under different conditions, making direct comparisons difficult. Additionally, OEMs are only required to share data used in advertising, which adds to the challenge. Ultimately, OEM transparency remains a rarity, with few brands offering all the information available for their freezers.
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Despite these challenges, lab managers can still evaluate performance effectively. By requesting specific metrics and critically examining certain details provided by OEMs, lab managers, QA, and facilities managers can make an informed purchasing decision.
Evaluating performance claims
Lab managers should focus on a small number of key metrics when evaluating freezer performance. While specific considerations vary by lab environment and research, some fundamentals are universal. By asking informed questions about four primary metrics—temperature recovery, temperature uniformity, energy consumption, and ownership cost—lab managers can better determine the best fit for what the lab needs.
Temperature recovery
The first metric to consider is temperature recovery performance. Fast and reliable temperature recovery times limit temperature fluctuations when the freezer door is opened, preventing unreliable results and saving money. Establishing a benchmark recovery time based on laboratory needs and what is reported by OEMs across different temperature ranges can be a big help. When collecting this information from OEMs, lab managers should also consider how the data was collected. Lab managers should ask for the testing methods for probe placement, how units perform with varying load volumes, and door-opening test protocols.
Temperature uniformity and reliability
Another important metric is temperature uniformity. Identifying if and where there are areas in the freezer that are warmer or cooler than the setpoint is vital for ensuring sample integrity. Requesting detailed temperature maps and documentation of recovery patterns after door opening can also help you assess that model’s compatibility with your lab’s samples and workflows.
In addition to uniformity, prospective buyers should also verify the instrument’s reliability. Asking the OEM to provide customer references can help with this, but it is a good idea to go outside the OEM and speak with peers about their experiences to help establish an unbiased report.
Energy consumption and sustainability
Considering the environmental impact and sustainability of lab freezers can help ensure a lower energy footprint and operation costs. Fortunately, there are programs such as Energy Star that certify energy-efficient technology. By looking for third-party certification and shopping with sustainability in mind, lab managers can better estimate the energy costs of operating a freezer. Lab managers should also look for additional features impacting sustainability, such as adjustable electric door heaters. Finally, it’s also worth checking if the supplier has a recycling program for used equipment or if they use eco-friendly materials and refrigerants.
Cost of ownership
The costs associated with running a lab freezer should be factored into the last purchasing consideration: total cost of ownership. Very rarely does the initial price tag of equipment equate to the entire cost of the product.
Aside from energy consumption, additional operating costs include maintenance and repair expenses. Lab managers can limit expensive repairs and downtime by using reliable suppliers and verifying the durability of the features and materials. Managers should also review any maintenance and repair support services offered by the OEM. Determining which preventative maintenance measures should be taken—and their corresponding price—can also help lab managers get a clear picture of the operating cost.
It’s vital to account for the cost of repair components, especially since customers are often at the mercy of OEMs for specialized parts. Paying for specialized parts can drive the total cost of ownership up considerably; they’re often more expensive than one might expect.
Finally, lab managers should understand how long an OEM intends to support a product past the end of production. This could affect the availability of replacement parts.
Purchasing a new lab freezer involves many considerations, but getting that information can be an uphill battle. However, by making a shortlist of options and collecting information on key metrics such as temperature recovery time, reliability and temperature uniformity, energy consumption, and operational expenses, buyers can confidently make a safe purchasing decision.