We are going to buy a real time PCR instrument for our laboratory and we received a quotation from BioRad, Applied Biosystem and Roche companies. The price of all three makes is feasible with our financial position. We need a suggestion to procure a real time PCR instrument, who is the best in multiple perspective, i.e, what are the pros and cons of each.
Please convey your suggestions, i will take your suggestions under advisement and thanking you in advance.
Although I have found the Applied Biosystems machine reliable, the software is not user friendly and it is difficult to get the data produced in a usable form. I also had trouble getting help from technical support that actually addressed my problem and had to come up with my own solution to the problem. The BioRad machine is equally reliable and I have found that the software is more user friendly and gives output in the order you input the samples (the AB software jumbles it up). I'd go with the BioRad machine and software.
Our laboratory is a part of the Government Hospital, and however, it will be mainly used for research purpose.
Applied Biosystem is good and reliable, when compared to others, but technical support plays major role, check it out in your region.
Annadurai, If you have basic knowledge in working with MS excel, applied biosystems (Now part of Life Technologies) will do best. Regarding the technical support, in Chennai, they have enough support, I think.
In my opinion, Applied Biosystem - Step one plus is an excellent machine. The software is very user friendly. Here, in North-East India, out of all the companies, Life technologies are very prompt in their service. It must be better there in Chennai being a major city (as compared to Shillong here). It is a robust system, provides core i 7 loaded Dell laptop. Easy to use, low maintenance, doesn't eat much desk space and also looks good and fits well with other instruments in the lab. The most important of all - its experiment performance is satisfactory.
Good luck.
Dear Annadurai,
We use Roche LightCycler 480. Full recommendation for that, very reliable, robust and lot of technical support from company, at least in EU. Reagents are somewhat expensive but I have never compared the prices to other companies.
Main question - what PCR systems do you want to use: make your own or buy "ready for use"? For "ready for use" - just see recommendations of manufacturer.
If custom, from my experience: BioRad is best. Software and system is very flexiable. Roche LightCycler 96 - is worst for custom usage. Roche LightCycler 480 is good but old system. StepOne software is not good for me.
But another question - how many different dyes you whant to use?
High resolution melting? BioRad selll software for such analysis separately.
I can vouch for Applied Biosystems machine (7900). Reliable, robust and sensitive.
Also Applied Biosystems are one of the old real time manufactures.
My lab has used ABI and Biorad. In our experience biorad has worked really the best and this season I replaced my older icycler with the newer one.
I prefer biorad as the service is good and the machine is very very robust and data across is plates is very comp[arable. Its not so with ABI in my hands.
I have selected Roche based on validated data available on kits used in pathogen testing. This potentially opens the door to industry with my research.
Relatively it can be said that all the equipment is good. Your decision should be based on its characteristics rather than on the brand itself. Take into account the following points: Plate equipment allows many reactions at the same time but is less accurate than air injection equipment.
Air injection equipment have more homogeneous efficiencies so they will be useful for relative quantification. The plate equipment is more massive so they are more useful to work with genetic libraries and absolute quantifications. Something very important is the lamp. The best lamps are led or laser. The detection system with optical fiber is also better since this improves the precision and sensitivity. Finally, if you are going to use commercial kits, verify that the wave lengths are working and compatible with the equipment. Different brands have a preference for certain chemistries and for certain wavelengths and many reagents are not interchangeable.
I wish you happy PCRs
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