Upgrading Your Lab: The Benefits of Investing in Benchtop Equipment

While upgrading your equipment may seem like a significant expense, using old equipment may cost you in more ways than one. This article will explore the benefits of updating your lab's benchtop equipment.

1- Reduced maintenance costs:  

  • Investing in new equipment, which is often more durable and reliable, can save you money in the long run by reducing the need for maintenance and repairs on old or low-quality equipment, which will eventually need to be replaced. Frequent breakdowns can also result in lost productivity, impacting your bottom line.
  • New equipment is often designed to be maintenance-free or sold with a warranty, which can eliminate unexpected expenses related to the operation of your tool.
  • Newer equipment may also be more energy-efficient, which can help reduce your overall operating costs.

2- Time-saving and increased efficiency: 

  • Benchtop equipment helps automate repetitive or complex tasks, streamlines workflows and reduces the need for manual intervention, allowing you to complete tasks faster and with fewer errors. Additionally, rockers, shakers, stirrers, and rotators can be used for various applications, making them a versatile addition to any lab.
  • New or improved features can help improve your lab's productivity. For example, electronic pipettors like the HandyStep Touch include multiple dispensing modes, which can save time and reduce the risk of errors. While some vortexer, like the Heathrow Vortexer, allows you to customize the mixing speed for different types of samples easily. Newer models are also more user-friendly and easy to operate, reducing the need for extensive training and allowing researchers to focus on their experiments.
  • New equipment can also increase employee morale. By reducing the time spent on simple and repetitive tasks and streamlining dull operations, your staff can focus on more meaningful aspects of their work. It also demonstrates you appreciate them and understand their needs.

3- Improved accuracy and precision:

  • Benchtop equipment is designed to be precise, accurate, and consistent over time, helping to minimize errors, increase reproducibility, and reduce the risk of variations in experimental data. Upgraded equipment typically offers higher precision and accuracy or can incorporate advanced technologies, leading to more reliable results.
  • Updated equipment may also be designed to minimize sample contamination or degradation, leading to higher-quality samples and improved data integrity.
  • Modern equipment can also include software and digital interfaces that can streamline data collection and analysis, improving the accuracy and completeness of your records.

4- Improved ergonomics and user comfort: 

  • Ergonomic features, designed with the user's comfort and safety in mind, are another benefit of upgrading your benchtop equipment. Incorporating cushioned grips, adjustable heights, and angled handles can reduce repetitive strain injuries (RSI) and fatigue on the user's hands and wrists. This can be particularly important for lab technicians who spend long periods pipetting or performing other repetitive tasks.
  • RSIs can lead to indirect costs in productivity, the potential for experimental error, and quality of life issues that extend to everyday activities. [3]
  • While no pipette can compensate for poor posture, or remind you to break periodically to rest your hands, new pipettes, like the VistaLab Ovation line of ergonomic manual and electronic pipettes, offer many advantages. Rather than simply decreasing dispensing pressures or changing the grip, which may shift the injury potential to a different location, VistaLab designed their non-axial pipettes from the ground up.[3] You can browse VistaLab's collection of ergonomic liquid handling instruments here.

5- Increased safety: 

  • Safety is always a concern in the laboratory, and newer equipment often includes features that can help reduce the risk of accidents or damage to samples. For example, some centrifuges, like the Sprout Plus Mini-Centrifuge, include automatic shut-offs if the lid is opened, reducing the risk of sample contamination or damage. New features may also include alarms alerting the user when the equipment is malfunctioning. 

Conclusion

Whether you're looking to improve your lab's workflow, increase accuracy and precision, reduce operating costs, or improve comfort and safety, upgrading your equipment may be an excellent investment. 

With so many options available, you're sure to find the right piece of equipment to meet your specific needs. For assistance with purchasing decisions or to learn more about any of the products mentioned here, contact us at sales@ultident.com. To check out our existing promotions on benchtop equipment and other supplies, visit our promotions page here.

Resources

[1] https://cryostarindustries.com/5-benefits-to-upgrading-your-lab-equipment/

[2] https://www.usalab.com/blog/the-benefits-of-upgrading-your-lab-equipment

[3] https://vistalab.com/repetitive-strain-injury-in-the-laboratory/