Hi
I am looking for best cost effective CO2 incubator for animal cell culture facility. There are lot of models by various companies with different features. As such, so many options and hence, a more confusion. What are the prime features for a CO2 incubator and which is the best selling model for the same?
Hi Varsha,
It totally depends on what cultures you are planning for your work currently and also in future. Thermo Scientific is one good and trustworthy brand for various types of CO2 incubator, as incubator in lab is long term investment and they do provide good maintenance plans.
Hi Disha
Thankyou for your reply, I am looking for growing adherent and semi adherent cell lines including hybridoma monoclones. Thermo has lot many models. I know water jacketed is the best option but in this category also there is a huge no. of models with lot many similar features (like IR sensors, high density insulation, dual temp probes, two stage CO2 gas hookups, etc,). Now-a-days incubators come with O2 controller as well. Can you suggest if this is necessary to include in featuring out the best model?
Thanks
What is nice to have as an option is auto- sterilization, it will make your work easier and will reduce the risk of contamination. I have now a Binder incubator with this feature and very happy using it.
O2 controller is rarely needed, unless you do cancer cell research were you might consider some experiments in hypoxic conditions, or other very specific experiments. Keep in mind that in order to achieve 1-5% O2 atmosphere the incubator will consume a lot of nitrogen (to push out oxygen) and such experiments could be very expensive. If you really need hypoxic conditions, I would suggest you choose as a second incubator a small volume incubator with O2 controller.
Hi Varsha,
I agree water jacketed incubators are better option also as Dragosmentioned O2 controller is not needed in every lab. If you have opportunity it will be nice to do a survey in nearby research labs working with cultures of your interest to know what models they are using currently and then inquire from thermo about updates with features. Also any time you can call companies to ask about models. Here I'm posting a link from biocompare which might be helpful although its old.
http://www.biocompare.com/Editorial-Articles/177091-Improvements-in-CO2-Incubators-for-Cell-Cultures/
@Dragos
Thankyou for the information on O2 control necessity. I too would prefer an auto-sterilization incubator which reduces the risk for contamination and I guess with auto-sterilization feature there is no need for HEPA filters.
The link sound useful to me Disha.
Thank you
@Varsha
Auto-sterilization means that the incubator could be programmed to do a cycle of sterilization which involves: to take out samples, CO2 sensor (in my case is simple, plug&play), water from the water pan, after that you press start for sterilization and the temperature will rise to more than 180 Celsius which will kill everything (or mostly everything) inside. You still need to take care how you work. The advantage is that you don't have to manually do the decontamination of the incubator which usually means cleaning everything inside with a solution of disinfectant, a process which could be a source of contamination by itself.
@Dragos
There are many models which do not have HEPA filters. Instead they have something called as direct heat technology CO2 incubators. I am still perplexed to decide which is the best.
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