2017 CO2 Incubator Survey Results

Learn what our readers are using CO2 incubators for in their labs, and much more in our 2017 survey results

Written byErica Tennenhouse, PhD
| 2 min read

CO2 incubators are designed to copy a cell’s natural environment with a relative humidity of around 95 percent, a temperature of 37°C and a pH of 7.2 to 7.5. They are most common in biology labs performing tissue or cell culture and are used in any process where cells need to be cultured for a few hours or many weeks or where cells need to be expanded or maintained.

Top 6 Questions You Should Ask When Buying a CO2 Incubator

  1. What measures have been taken in the design to avoid contamination and what features are included to remove contamination?
  2. How does the CO2 sensor contribute to optimal cell growth?
  3. How does the humidity contribute to optimal cell growth?
  4. Ask for the uniformity and accuracy data versus asking for a water jacket or air jacket.
  5. Do you need O2 control to simulate the environment for your experiment accurately?
  6. Calculate the total cost of ownership on the product over one year including product price, install, regular cleaning labor, material like HEPA filters, etc.

Types of CO2 incubators used by survey respondents:

Water Jacketed64%
Air Jacketed35%
Direct Heat21%
Gel Jacketed1%
Other1%

Primary purpose of CO2 incubators as reported by survey respondents:

Research68%
Clinical22%
Quality Control9%
Other8%
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)3%

Nearly 51% of respondents are engaged in purchasing a new CO2 incubator. The reasons for these purchases are as follows:

Replacement of an aging system
37%
Upgrading existing equipment
21%
Addition to existing systems, increase capacity
19%
First time purchase
9%
Setting up a new lab
2%
Other
12%

Top 10 features/factors respondents look for when purchasing a CO2 incubator:

Performance of product85%
Stable CO2 control80%
Low maintenance / easy to clean74%
Value for price paid73%
Ease of use67%
Low operating costs64%
Service and support61%
Warranties60%
Safety and health features59%
Fast recovery times58%

For more information on CO2 incubators, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers, visit www.labmanager.com/incubators

See the latest survey results here

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