2016 Lab Ovens User Survey
Learn the most common applications and more from our latest lab oven survey results.
Trevor Henderson BSc (HK), MSc, PhD (c), is the creative services director at Lab Manager. He has more than two decades of experience in the fields of scientific...
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Laboratory ovens are common instruments in most laboratories and are used across most scientific disciplines. Lab ovens are most commonly less than 12 cu.ft. in volume, although a great variety of sizes are available in benchtop, stackable, and floor-standing models. Over 25 percent of survey respondents reported using larger ovens in their labs. While lab ovens are most commonly used for heating and drying (77% of respondents), they find a variety of other uses including evaporating (49%), temperature-linked experimentation (47%), sterilization (14%) and baking (13%).
Top 5 Questions You Should Ask When Buying a Lab Oven
- What temperature range do you require? (Does the product have reserve temperature capacity?)
- What accuracy and uniformity does the product have? (Will my sample be damaged or will my experiment only function in one “sweet spot”?)
- Are interior chamber space / weight of my sample and floor space in the lab a match to application and lab?
- Do I need any computer interfaces, alarms or safety devices on my oven?
- Are accessories like data loggers, viewing windows and modifications like access ports available from the manufacturer to suit my specific needs?
Types of lab ovens used by survey respondents:
| General Purpose Oven | 78% |
| Mechanical Convection Oven | 18% |
| Gravity Convection Oven | 15% |
| Vacuum Oven | 22% |
| Microwave Oven | 19% |
| Other | 5% |
Main applications respondents use their lab ovens for:
| Heating and drying | 77% |
| Evaporating | 49% |
| Temperature-linked experiments | 47% |
| Sterilization | 14% |
| Baking | 13% |
| Annealing | 6% |
| De-gassing samples | 4% |
| Die-band curing | 1% |
| Other | 9% |
Nearly 24% of respondents are engaged in purchasing a new lab oven. The reasons for these purchases are as follows:
 | Replacement of an aging system | 35% |  |
 | Addition to existing systems, increase capacity | 35% | |
 | Setting up a new lab | 25% | |
 | First time purchase | 5% |
Top 10 features/factors respondents look for when purchasing a lab oven:
| Safety | 80% |
| Ease of use | 64% |
| Low maintenance/operating costs | 61% |
| Price | 50% |
| Temperature ranges ambient +40°C to 200°C / 250°C | 45% |
| Controlled airflow to provide uniform temperature heat distribution | 42% |
| Service and support | 41% |
| Warranty | 40% |
| Ease of installation | 35% |
| Double wall for insulation | 34% |
For more information on lab ovens, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers, visit www.labmanager.com/lab-ovens