Plate Shaker vs Orbital Shaker, What is the difference?

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A plate shaker and an orbital shaker are both laboratory equipment used to mix or agitate samples, but they work in different ways.

A plate shaker is a device that sits on a laboratory bench and uses a reciprocating motion to shake samples that are placed on a flat platform. This type of shaker is commonly used to mix liquids or grow cultures in petri dishes.

A plate shaker is needed in a laboratory for several reasons:

  1. Mixing and agitation: Plate shakers use a reciprocating motion to shake samples that are placed on a flat platform. This type of shaker is commonly used to mix liquids or grow cultures in petri dishes. The reciprocating motion ensures that all the particles are evenly mixed and suspended, which is important for many laboratory procedures such as growing bacterial cultures, preparing media, and chemical reactions.
  2. Incubation: Plate shakers are often used to grow and maintain bacterial cultures in a laboratory setting. The reciprocating motion of the shaker provides a gentle agitation that keeps the cells suspended in the culture medium and helps to distribute nutrients and oxygen evenly.
  3. Consistency: Using a plate shaker ensures consistency in the mixing of the samples, this is particularly useful in experiments that require precise and consistent mixing of the samples.
  4. Efficient: Plate shakers can mix large volumes of samples at a faster rate than manual mixing or other types of shakers, thus increasing the efficiency of laboratory procedures.
  5. Versatility: Plate shakers are versatile, can be used in various fields of research such as microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and more.

An orbital shaker, on the other hand, uses a circular motion to shake samples that are placed in a container. This type of shaker is commonly used to mix powders or suspended solids in a liquid. Orbital shakers can also be used for cell culture, staining, and other laboratory applications.

An orbital shaker is needed in a laboratory for several reasons:

  1. Mixing and agitation: Orbital shakers are commonly used to mix powders or suspended solids in a liquid. The circular motion of the shaker ensures that all the particles are evenly mixed and suspended, which is important for many laboratory procedures such as cell culture, staining, and chemical reactions.
  2. Incubation: Orbital shakers are often used to grow and maintain cell cultures in a laboratory setting. The circular motion of the shaker provides a gentle agitation that keeps the cells suspended in the culture medium and helps to distribute nutrients and oxygen evenly.
  3. Consistency: Using an orbital shaker ensures consistency in the mixing of the samples, this is particularly useful in experiments that require precise and consistent mixing of the samples.
  4. Efficient: Orbital shakers can mix large volumes of samples at a faster rate than manual mixing or other types of shakers, thus increasing the efficiency of laboratory procedures.

In summary, plate shakers are used for mixing liquids or growing cultures in petri dishes, while orbital shakers are used for mixing powders or suspended solids in a liquid.

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Such as Centrifuges

Incubators

Difference between Orbital Shakers & Vortex Mixers

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An orbital shaker and a vortex mixer are both laboratory equipment used to mix liquids, but they have different functions and uses.

An orbital shaker is a device that moves a platform or tray in an elliptical or circular motion, which in turn agitates the liquid samples placed on it. It is mainly used for mixing liquids in flasks, bottles, or test tubes, and is suitable for culturing cells, incubating samples, and other similar applications.

A vortex mixer, on the other hand, is a device that generates a rapid, circular motion in the liquid sample by spinning a small platform or probe at high speeds. It is mainly used for mixing small volumes of liquid quickly and efficiently, such as for preparing a sample for analysis or mixing reagents.

In summary, an orbital shaker is used for mixing larger volumes of liquid over a longer period of time, while a vortex mixer is used for quickly mixing small volumes of liquid.

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Difference Between Vortex Mixers vs Centrifuges

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Centrifuges and vortex mixers are both commonly used in laboratory settings, but they serve very different purposes.

A centrifuge is a laboratory instrument that uses centrifugal force to separate particles in a liquid mixture based on density. This is done by spinning the mixture at high speeds, causing the heavier particles to be forced to the bottom of the container and the lighter particles to rise to the top. Centrifuges use centrifuge tubes can be used for a variety of tasks, such as separating blood into its various components, purifying proteins, and isolating DNA.

On the other hand, a vortex mixer is a laboratory instrument that uses a rotating motion to quickly and efficiently mix liquid samples. It works by creating a vortex motion in the liquid, which causes all the particles to be thoroughly mixed together. Vortex mixers are often used for tasks such as homogenizing biological samples, mixing small volumes of liquid, and dissolving powders.

One of the main differences between these two instruments is the speed of rotation. Centrifuges typically spin at much higher speeds than vortex mixers, which generates large g-forces. These g-forces can be used to separate particles based on density. Vortex mixers, on the other hand, typically have lower speed rotation and generate less g-forces, which is sufficient to mix the liquid samples.

Another difference between these two instruments is the size of the samples they can handle. Centrifuges can typically handle larger sample volumes than vortex mixers, which are more suitable for small samples.

In summary, centrifuges and vortex mixers are both valuable tools in a laboratory setting, but they serve very different purposes. Centrifuges are used to separate particles in a liquid mixture based on density, while vortex mixers are used to quickly and efficiently mix liquid samples. Understanding the differences between these two instruments can help you make informed decisions about which one is best suited for your particular task.

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A Mini Centrifuge of the Highest Quality

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Looking for any lab equipment with premium features, durability, and low cost is a difficult challenge, this can be especially true for centrifuges. The centrifuge is quickly becoming one of the most commonly used piece of equipment in the lab. With such daily grind, it is important that you have a centrifuge you can rely on. This is where the Heathrow Scientific Sprout Mini Centrifuge comes in. Coming from a company known for its innovation and dedication to high quality, the Sprout Mini Centrifuge is designed for easy and reliable operation.

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Saving Money with Lab Bundles at Pipette.com

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Between pipettes, tips and other pieces of laboratory equipment, getting the level of reliability and accuracy that you need from your experiments can be expensive. Although many decide to purchase these products individually on an as-needed basis, the best way to get the most out of your purchases is to invest in lab bundles. Our Pipette.com experts outline the benefits of these bundles, as well as examples of some the best bundles we offer below.

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Saving Money with Lab Bundles at Pipette.com

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No matter how well you perform your experiments, without a proper balance, your results are going to be skewed and all your hard work will go to waste. A proper lab balance is essential to ensure that your samples are weighed as accurately as possible and allow your technicians to rest easy without having to worry about skewed weight measurements. At Pipette.com, we offer numerous quality lab balances that are designed to get you the best results. Below, we explore three of these options: the Sartorius Quintix Balance, Benchmark Accuris Analytical Balance, and the Ohaus Adventurer Pro Analytical Balance.

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Reliable ELISA Equipment & Products

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In order to detect and quantify substances such as peptides, proteins, antibodies and hormones, many laboratories use an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, in order to get optimal results, you need to be sure to select the right equipment, including your pipette, plates, and washer. Our experts at Pipette.com outline some of the best ELISA equipment available below to ensure that you can get the results that you need for a very reasonable price.

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Multichannel Pipettes: 3 Reasons You Should Upgrade

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With the variety of pipettes available on the market, you might wonder which features make a multichannel pipette unique. Quality pipettes are going to cost you, but the level of quality that they offer is a big step up from less advanced product lines. Our experts at Pipette.com have compiled the following article as an overview of the reason why premium multichannels are worth the upgrade from basic and standard designs.

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Ergonomic Multichannel Pipettes to Reduce RSI

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Although you might look at the more technical features of pipettes when making your purchasing decisions, spending hours in the lab makes ergonomics a very important factor to consider. At Pipette.com, we offer numerous ergonomic multichannel pipettes to give you a comfortable experience that can really benefit the results of your experiments. Lightweight materials, ergonomic shape design, and low tip insertion forces allow for easy pipetting. Ergonomic multichannel pipettes are ideal for those looking for comfort on top of accuracy and precision.

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