Orbital vs Reciprocal Shakers: Which Is Best for Your Lab Needs?

By Your Health Magazine

Your Health Magazine

. http://yourhealthmagazine.net

More Health News & Research Articles

Orbital vs Reciprocal Shakers: Which Is Best for Your Lab Needs?

Not sure if an orbital shaker or a reciprocal shaker provides better value for your research? While they are both common lab shakers, their properties and usage are not similar.

You should understand their characteristics before making a purchase. And you should always work with reputable lab equipment manufacturers for your research needs. 

Pexels

Overview of Orbital Shakers

An orbital shaker moves samples in a circular motion. It creates a smooth, continuous flow for consistency.

What it is

It offers gentle, uniform agitation across all cells. Its low shear mixing minimizes stress. It works great for shear-sensitive fluids. You will find orbital shakers in most facilities due to their general mixing properties.

Applications

Orbital shakers are popular lab equipment for mixing. They are used for cell culture, protein expression, solubility studies, molecular biology, and more.

Advantages

It is a fantastic choice for handling delicate biological samples due to its low-energy processing. It also provides uniform mixing across multiple vessels, producing a stable environment. On top of that, it is used for surface aeration, which is critical for cell growth. 

Overview of Reciprocal Shakers

Reciprocal shakers are a versatile mixing tool that can handle both gentle and vigorous mixing. 

What it is 

They move in a linear back-and-forth motion in a straight line. They are usually very adjustable, offering flexibility for different research needs.

Applications

It is often used for liquid-liquid extraction, dissolving solids into liquids, and mixing dense samples. They are highly effective at breaking up solids as well as performing DNA extractions. You will find them for quality control in many facilities and labs. They can be used for testing food packaging and more.

Advantages

They deliver stronger mechanical agitation than orbital motion, making them a better choice for solid-liquid extractions. 

Direct Comparison: Key Factors to Consider

Let’s take a look at this lab shaker comparison to decide the right addition to your lab.

Motion type

What type of materials are you dealing with? Different samples require different mixing techniques. You need to understand the specifications of the project before making a purchase.

Mixing intensity

If you mostly deal with gentle mixing, orbital shakers are a better choice. However, if you need vigorous mixing regularly, reciprocal shakers are much more useful.

Shear stress

Orbital shakers minimize shear stress. They are excellent for sensitive samples. Reciprocal shakers are tougher on the materials. They cannot avoid degradation as easily. That’s why they are mostly used for robust samples that can handle higher shear stress.

Application-Based Selection Guide

After looking at the differences of their key features, it’s time to look at the lab shaker comparison in terms of applications.

Choose an orbital shaker if you need:

• Cell culture growth (great for bacteria, yeast, and suspension mammalian cells)
• Gentle mixing of biological samples
• Excellent aeration and oxygen transfer

On the other hand, choose reciprocal shakers if you need:

• Extract liquids from solids
• Uniform mixing of high-viscosity liquids
• Gel staining or washing

Additional Considerations

On top of your application needs, you also need to consider the following factors when choosing the right orbital or reciprocal shakers. If you can’t decide between the two options, you can speak to specialized consultants like IKA for tailored advice.

Weight capacity

Define the number of vessels for the experiment, as well as the total load per batch. It prevents wastage by getting an over-powerful shaker that exceeds your needs. And it also ensures you will not overload the equipment. 

Software integration

Do you need full lab software integration? Or advanced sensors for safety/data analysis? This will determine how advanced the model should be. You can plan your budget accordingly.

Environmental compatibility

Most shakers need refrigerated environments or incubators to operate. This requires additional energy sources. There may be environmental regulations to follow to make sure the lab settings are up to standard. 

Hybrid Solutions and Alternatives

There are hybrid solutions available, which allow you to get the best of both worlds.

Vortex mixers

They are compact laboratory tools that rapidly mix and homogenize small volumes of liquids. Vertox mixers are commonly used for DNA extraction, enzyme analysis, and protein analysis. They are efficient and versatile. You can rely on them for high reproducibility and consistency.

Rocking shakers

They are gentle mixers that offer low-foaming agitation. They operate in a 2D or 3D motion for delicate samples. Researchers often use rocking shakers for staining or destaining gels, cell culture, and general lab mixing.

In conclusion

Pexels

Orbital and reciprocal shakers are very common tools for mixing. You should understand their different properties to determine a suitable system for your lab. If you work with a diverse range of experiments that require both gentle and vigorous mixing, hybrid solutions or getting both devices might be a great idea.