In a laboratory getting samples ready is really important for getting results. If you are working with cells or getting nucleic acid pure or mixing things together or just mixing something quickly you need tools like centrifuges, shakers, mixers, stirrers and vortexers to do your job.
The Lab Centrifuges, Shakers & Mixers | Stirrers & Vortexers category at MediDepot has a lot of instruments that are made to help people who work in laboratories do their jobs better. These laboratories can be for research or for clinics or for schools or for industries, over the United States of America.
This category is about tools that make work easier and faster. These tools help people do things the way every time and they can be used for many different things. For example they can be used for mixing things or for shaking them really hard. They can also be used to separate things quickly. The tools in this category are small. Can fit on a table or they can be big and have many functions. The laboratory instruments in this category work well are easy to use and are made to last. This makes them very important for people who need to process samples. The laboratory instruments are consistent. Have controls that are easy to understand. The tools are also very strong. Will not break easily. This category has laboratory instruments that are good, for many tasks, including sample processing tasks.
This guide is, about centrifuges, shakers, mixers, stirrers and vortexers. We will look at the types of centrifuges the features of shakers and what mixers, stirrers and vortexers can do. We will also talk about how to use centrifuges, shakers, mixers, stirrers and vortexers in your laboratory. The goal is to help you choose the centrifuges, shakers, mixers, stirrers and vortexers for the work you do in your laboratory.
Why Centrifuges, Shakers & Mixers Are Essential in the Lab
Laboratory workflows usually need some steps. These are the things that laboratory workflows often require:
- Separation: Dividing liquids from solids or different density fractions using centrifugal force.
- Mixing: Combining liquids or components to ensure homogeneity.
- Agitation and Suspension: Keeping particles in motion, preventing settling during incubation.
- Resuspension: Re-suspending pellets or precipitates following centrifugation.
- Sample Prep: Preparing biological, chemical, or environmental samples for downstream analysis.
Each device category in this collection has a job to do. The main goal of these device categories is to help us get repeatable results. This is important because it supports processes that come later like PCR, ELISA, spectroscopy, chromatography and cell culture. These device categories are very important for these processes to work properly. Each device category in this collection plays a part, in helping us achieve the results we need from PCR, ELISA, spectroscopy, chromatography and cell culture.
Laboratory Centrifuges. Precision Separation with Speed and Control
Laboratory centrifuges are useful machines. They spin around fast to separate things in a sample. This happens because the fast spinning creates a kind of force that pulls things apart based on how heavy or light they're
Laboratory centrifuges are used for lots of things like separating plasma purifying DNA and RNA isolating proteins and doing diagnostics.
When you need to pick a laboratory centrifuge you have to think about a things. You need to consider how fast the laboratory centrifuge can spin how much it can. What you are going to use the laboratory centrifuge for.
Key Features of Centrifuges
- Adjustable Speed Control for RPM and RCF : It lets you control the speed precisely which is great for sample types. You can adjust the Adjustable Speed Control to get the results, for the Adjustable Speed Control of your RPM and RCF.
- Multiple Rotor Options: Supports microplates, microtubes, conical tubes, and larger vessels.
- Balance Detection : Many models have a feature that can automatically detect if something is not balanced. This helps to protect the samples and makes the equipment longer. Balance Detection is a thing because it helps to keep everything running smoothly and safely.
- User Interfaces : They have displays. These displays have settings that you can program. This means you can set them to run in a way. This is good because it helps you get the results every time you use them. You can follow the steps and it makes things more reliable. User Interfaces, with these displays are very useful.
- Safety Features : These Safety Features include things like lid locks. The Safety Features also have, over-temperature protection.. The Safety Features have audible alarms. All these Safety Features work together to improve lab safety and make the lab a better place to work.
Centrifuge Types in This Category
Mini/Compact Centrifuges:
Compact units are great for benches that do not have a lot of space and for jobs that need things to be separated. These compact units are good for work with a microcentrifuge like when you need to pelleting cells or separate serum because they spin at slower speeds and can only hold small tubes. Compact units are perfect, for this kind of microcentrifuge work.
High-Speed & Multi-Function Centrifuges:
You can get a lot of use out of centrifuges that sit on a bench. These machines can spin things around fast. They also have parts that you can switch out which's very handy. This means you can use them for all sorts of jobs. For example you can use them with tubes and they can handle more work at one time. The bigger benchtop centrifuges are really good for this because they have RPM and RCF capabilities and interchangeable rotors. This makes them very flexible and useful, for different protocols, including the ones that need larger tube formats and increased throughput.
Clinical/Diagnostic Centrifuges:
These models are made for healthcare and things, like checking if people're sick. They need to work right and do the same thing every time, which is important when dealing with clinical samples.
Shakers & Rockers
Shakers and rockers are really useful because they help move things in a controlled way. This is great, for mixing samples or helping reactions happen. Shakers and rockers can also be used to wash specimens gently. There are kinds of Shakers and rockers and they are used for different things, like the type of motion they make and what people need to use them for with Shakers and rockers.
Types of Shakers & Rockers
Orbital Shakers:
These machines create a motion that really mixes up the liquids in flasks, tubes and plates.
They are great for things, like cell culture, suspension growth mixing chemicals together and staining protocols.
Reciprocal/Linear Shakers:
Providing a back-and-forth motion, linear shakers support applications requiring gentle agitation such as hybridization, ELISA, and blotting procedures.
Rockers/Tilt Rockers:
Rockers are really useful for moving samples forth slowly. They are great for staining membranes and processing gels. These rockers are also good for tasks that need a slow and steady motion. The gentle tilting of rockers makes them perfect, for these kinds of applications. Rockers help with membrane staining and gel processing by giving them the motion they need.
Important Shaker Features
- Adjustable Speed and Angle : You can change the speed and angle of this thing to make it mix stronger or weaker. This means you have control over how intense the mixing's.
- Platform Compatibility : Many machines can work with microplates, test tube racks or flasks. The Platform Compatibility of these machines is really useful because they can accept microplates, test tube racks or flasks.
- Timer Functions: Support automated timing for standardized protocols.
- Quiet Operation & Stability: Essential for shared lab spaces.
Mixers, Stirrers & Vortexers
Mixers, stirrers and vortexers are useful tools. They help to mix things evenly like when you need to mix solutions or get pellets to dissolve again. Mixers, stirrers and vortexers are all good at mixing reagents. Each one of these tools like mixers, stirrers and vortexers is best, for kinds of samples and the amount of liquid you are working with.
Magnetic Stirrers
Magnetic stirrers work by using a field that rotates to turn a stir bar around inside a liquid. This is really good for mixing things all the time or for mixing and heating at the same time when you use it with a heating plate. Some common uses, for stirrers include:
- Dissolving solids into liquids
- Preparing buffer solutions
- Stirring reaction mixtures
The key features of these hotplate stirrers include things like adjustable speed control. They also have displays that show you what is going on.. They can work together with heating elements. This is really useful, for hotplate stirrers.
Vortex Mixers
Vortexers are really good, at mixing things and they do not use a lot of energy. They do this by shaking containers. People use Vortexers for a lot of things including:
- Resuspending pelletized cells
- Mixing reagents quickly before analysis
- Ensuring homogeneous solutions before pipetting
People who use mixers a lot like the new vortex mixers.
These vortex mixers have a feature that lets you change how fast they spin.
They are also made to fit in your hand, which is great, for people who have to use them all the time.
You can use these vortex mixers a lot. They will still be comfortable to hold.
Featured Instruments and Capabilities in This Collection
In the Lab Centrifuges, Shakers & Mixers category labs have a lot of things to choose from. This includes different Lab Centrifuges, Shakers & Mixers | Stirrers & Vortexers. Laboratories can find what they need. The Lab Centrifuges, Shakers & Mixers | Stirrers & Vortexers category has a selection. It has things that laboratories can use.
Laboratory Centrifuges
- Compact Bench Centrifuges : They do not take up a lot of space. These Compact Bench Centrifuges have speed settings that you can change to what you need. They are great for spinning microcentrifuge tubes that hold from 0.2 mL, to 15 mL of liquid. You can use these Compact Bench Centrifuges for lots of jobs.
- Multi-Rotor High-Speed Centrifuges: Larger units with interchangeable rotors supporting a range of tube formats, offering high RCF for advanced sample separation.
- Clinical/Diagnostic Models: Reliable performance for routine diagnostic sample prep under precise speed and time control.
These centrifuges are made to work every time. They are easy for the user to program. They work safely. The centrifuges do a job even in tough laboratory settings. They give performance and are simple, to use. The centrifuges are also safe to operate.
Shakers & Rockers
- Orbital Shakers: Deliver consistent orbital motion at adjustable speeds with stable platforms for microplates, shake flasks, and tube racks.
- Reciprocal/Linear Shakers: Provide controlled linear motion with adjustable amplitude and speed, suitable for hybridization and ELISA plates.
- Rockers & Tilt Rockers: Gently rock samples for staining and washing applications with adjustable tilt angles and quiet operation.
Shakers and rockers are really important for handling liquids and keeping things at the temperature. They help mix everything evenly or move it around gently. This is necessary for handling and when you need to keep something warm or cool for a while like, during incubation steps. Shakers and rockers make sure everything gets mixed up properly.
Mixers & Stirrers
- Magnetic Stirrers and Hotplate Stirrers : You can use them with or without heat. They have temperature control. You can adjust the speed. This means you get results when you are preparing buffers mixing solutions and doing chemical reactions, with Magnetic Stirrers and Hotplate Stirrers.
- Vortexers: Rapid and versatile, vortex mixers are indispensable for quick mixing in tubes from microcentrifuge to conical sizes.
These mixers and stirrers are really helpful for the work we do in the lab every day. They make it easy to mix things together. We get the same results each time. The mixers and stirrers also work fast which is great, for our daily lab tasks that need these mixers and stirrers to mix things quickly.
Selecting the Right Equipment for Your Lab Needs
Choosing the most appropriate centrifuge, shaker, or mixer depends on several operational factors:
1. Application Requirements
- For separation tasks (blood fractions, DNA/RNA extraction), prioritize centrifuges with appropriate speed and rotor options.
- For solution mixing and agitation, select shakers and rockers with adjustable motion types.
- When you need to mix things fast you can use vortexers and magnetic stirrers. These tools are great for getting the job done quickly. Vortexers and magnetic stirrers give you the results you want in a short amount of time. They are very good, at mixing. They do it fast. You can count on vortexers and magnetic stirrers to help you with your work.
2. Sample Volume and Format
Think about the kinds of tubes or containers you use all the time like microcentrifuge tubes, conical tubes, culture flasks or microplates. Then pick the platforms that work with tubes, conical tubes, culture flasks and microplates. This way you can use the platforms with the types of tubes or vessels you need such, as tubes and microplates or conical tubes and culture flasks.
3. Speed & Control Precision
Digital interfaces and controls that can be programmed make things more repeatable and precise. This is especially true in places where a lot of things are happening at the time or where there are a lot of rules to follow. Digital interfaces and controls that can be programmed are really useful, in these situations because they help with reproducibility and precision of interfaces and controls that can be programmed.
4. Footprint & Lab Space
Benchtop units are really useful because they do not take up a lot of space. This means you can use the rest of the workspace for things.
Larger multi-function devices are better, for facilities that have to deal with a lot of samples. These facilities need devices that can handle a volume of samples.
Benchtop units and larger multi-function devices are both options it just depends on what you need. If you need something a benchtop unit is a good choice. If you need something that can handle a lot of samples a larger multi-function device is the way to go.
5. Safety & Ergonomics
When you are buying a machine you should look for models with lid locks. This is important for safety. Models with imbalance detection are also good. You want a machine that's quiet when it is operating.. It is nice when the surfaces are easy to clean. These features are great because they make the machine safe and comfortable to use. You will really like models, with these features like secure lid locks and to-clean surfaces. They make a difference.
When you match what your lab needs to do with what each machine can do you will get the results things will get done faster and you can count on the results being good. Your lab will work better. You will have more reliable results, from each instrument.
Best Practices for Centrifuge, Shaker & Mixer Use
The effective use of these instruments also depends on doing things the way every time, which is basically following routine best practices:
Regular Calibration and Maintenance
You need to make sure that the speed controls and the timers and the temperature settings are all working correctly. The speed controls and the timers and the temperature settings have to be checked all the time to make sure they are accurate. This is important for the speed controls and the timers and the temperature settings to be calibrated.
Balanced Loading
For centrifuges, always balance sample tubes to prevent excessive vibration and protect the rotor.
Clean Surfaces and Platforms
Wipe down shaker platforms, stirrer heads, and vortexer pads to prevent cross-contamination and ensure steady motion.
Proper Tube Selection
Match tube sizes to rotor or platform holders designed to secure them safely during operation.
User Training & Safety Protocols
Provide training on proper use, emergency shutdowns, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure safe operation.
Essential Sample Processing Tools for Every Lab
The Lab Centrifuges, Shakers & Mixers | Stirrers & Vortexers category at MediDepot has a lot of laboratory instruments. These Lab Centrifuges, Shakers & Mixers are made to help people work with samples precisely quickly and safely. The Lab Centrifuges, Shakers & Mixers category includes things that spin fast like centrifugation and things that shake gently. It also has tools that mix things quickly like mixers and help people prepare solutions. All of these Lab Centrifuges, Shakers & Mixers are really important, for people who work in science.
This collection is really helpful, for laboratories. It works well. Can be set up in different ways. The controls are easy to use. This means laboratories can get the results every time they do an experiment. It also helps them get samples ready quickly and work more efficiently. This collection supports laboratories in getting results and helps with sample preparation tasks, which makes laboratories more productive.
Explore the full range of centrifuges, shakers, mixers, stirrers, and vortexers to find the right solutions that elevate your lab’s performance and support your analytical goals with confidence.
