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.
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 | 66% |
| Microwave Oven | 34% |
| Mechanical Convection Oven | 26% |
| Gravity Convection Oven | 19% |
| Vacuum Oven | 17% |
| Safety Oven | 4% |
| Other | 6% |
Lab oven applications as reported by survey respondents:
| Heating and drying | 84% |
| Evaporating | 43% |
| Temperature-linked experiments | 36% |
| Baking | 16% |
| Sterilization | 11% |
| De-gassing samples | 7% |
| Die-bond curing | 4% |
| Annealing | 3% |
| Other | 7% |
Nearly 34% of respondents are engaged in purchasing a new lab oven. The reasons for these purchases are as follows:
| Addition to existing systems | 47% |
| Replacement of an aging system | 41% |
| Setting up a new lab | 3% |
| First time purchase | 9% |
Top 10 features/factors respondents look for when purchasing a lab oven:
| Safety | 86% |
| Ease of use | 69% |
| Low maintenance/operating costs | 69% |
| Price | 59% |
| Controlled airflow to provide uniform temperature heat distribution | 52% |
| Temperature ranges ambient +40°C to 200°C / 250°C | 51% |
| Ease of installation | 50% |
| Warranty | 48% |
| Service and support | 47% |
| Energy efficient | 39% |
For more information on lab ovens, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers, visit www.labmanager.com/lab-ovens
