Purchasing Guide: Cold Storage

Laboratory cold storage solutions such as freezers, refrigerators, and cryogenic storage tanks are critical to keeping valuable reagents and priceless samples safe. With sustainability becoming more important for many labs, energy efficiency is an important factor to consider when buying these products. Reliability is also a must-have, given the importance of the materials stored in most cold storage units. For a list of laboratory cold storage manufacturers, see our online directory: labmanager.com/coldstorage-manufacturers

7 Questions to Ask When Buying Cold Storage Solutions:

1. How stable is the chamber temperature?
2. What storage capacity will you need now and in the future?
3. What features are available to improve the energy efficiency of the equipment?
4. What back-ups are available in case of power failure?
5. How long does it take for the temperature to recover after a door opening?
6. What data logging features are available with the unit?
7. Is your facility equipped to accommodate products with 220V power draw?

Purchasing Tip

Cold storage products like ultra-low temperature freezers are very large. Ensure that all the doorways in your facility are wide and tall enough to fit the freezer through before you order.

Security

Cold storage hardware houses critical samples that need to be secured properly. For tips on implementing proper security measures for your cold storage units, visit: www.labmanager.com/cold-storage-security