The Best Biosafety Cabinets According to Our Product Reviewers

Although similar and frequently referred to collectively as “hoods”, biosafety cabinets (BSCs) and fume hoods are not the same thing. The main difference is the type of protection they provide. A fume hood is a ventilated enclosure that primarily protects personnel by removing hazardous chemical fumes and volatile vapors from the work area. BSCs not only protect personnel from hazardous particulates like bacteria and viruses, they also provide samples protection from contamination.

Choosing the right type of protective “hood” is integral to ensure the appropriate level of lab safety. To help you select the right option for your lab, this article will drill down into the differences between fume hoods and BSCs, break down the three classes of BSCs, as well as share real user reviews from the Biocompare product investigator team.

While a fume hood protects the individual handling the material and a BSC protects the individual, environment, and the material, another difference between the two is that fume hoods typically vent into the atmosphere, while BSCs may recirculate air back into the lab after filtration. For more ways in which the two pieces of equipment differ, see the table below.

By offering protection to both the user and the material, BSCs are essential for applications where sterility is important—such as for cell culture. The HEPA filtration makes BSCs integral for handling viruses, pathogens, genetically modified microorganisms, as well as recombinant DNA.

BSCs are classified based on the level of protection each provides against biological agents. Class I is most similar to a fume hood, and is only suitable for low-level Biosafety Level (BSL-1, 2 or 3) containment. Classes II (of which there are different types A1, A2, B1, B2 or C1) and III offer greater containment; Class III offers the highest level of protection and is essential for any work with risk group level 4 agents.

Factors to consider when purchasing a fume hood or BSCs are similar to considerations for most other large pieces of lab equipment and include price, size, flexibility, customization, energy efficiency, noise levels, ergonomics, as well as connectivity. For more details on all those factors and more, read Biocompare’s “What to Consider When Purchasing a Biosafety Cabinet” guide.

In addition, product reviews from scientists are a great way to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of various hoods and BSCs. Check out some of Biocompare's recent hood and BSC related product reviews below.

Biosafety cabinet user reviews

ESCO

ESCO’s Labculture Class II Type A2 BSC was hailed by a graduate student at University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, who said “Smart interface that displays a wide array of settings. ULPA filter allows for greater air purification. Isocide coating ensures reduction of bacterial growth in the hood.” The reviewer also noted that this BSC was “super expensive” but said it was “worth the long-term investment”.

ESCO’s Airstream Class II Type A2 BSC was similarly endorsed by a UNED post-doctoral researcher who wrote “It preserves the biosecurity of the operator and has a high-quality motor that has shown to significantly reduce energy consumption compared to other cabinets that we have used, which reduces extra costs.” Calibration can require advanced knowledge, the post-doc said, but that disadvantage was outweighed by all the positives.

Labconco

 The Logic+ Class II BSC from Labconco got top marks from a University of Georgia poultry science post-doctoral researcher who found it “easy to handle, user-friendly, and spacious.” The only negative was that they had to “maintain the window pane at level to avoid beeping.”

Labrepco

 A lab manager at Columbia University was a fan of the LabGard ES Class II Type A2 BSC, which was reported  to be “a great, reliable biosafety cabinet that has lots of space.” The review noted that they could even fit “3 people working at once.”

Nuaire

NuAire’s Class II Type A2 BSC earned a five-star review from a researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston who found the BSC to feature “easy to control light and ventilation; it has a panel showing when it is secure to use.” They also wrote “This cabinet has a good sensor for the sash, an alarm goes off when the glass is too high. As soon as you turn the cabinet on, you can see when it is the right time to start using the cabinet (green lights on the top).”

Thermo Fisher Scientific

 A post-doctoral researcher at Medical University of Graz gave  Thermo’s Herasafe 2030i Class II A2 BSC five stars across the board (overall, performance, and ease of optimization). Advantages include it is “spacious and easy to operate with a touchscreen” and “is useful for sterile handling of cell culture and preventing contamination.”

Thermo’s 1300 Series A2 Tissue Culture Hood was given a five-star performance rating but only one star for ease of optimization by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill research specialist who said “I have not had any issues with contamination with this hood which is great and I love that the UV light turns off automatically after 30 minutes. However, the glass has to be in a very, very specific position for the alarm to not go off. …This is a great hood but the ergonomics of this product needs some serious work.”

Selecting the right “hood” is crucial for lab safety. Biocompare's product reviewers have tested and evaluated a variety of BSCs from multiple vendors. As shown above, their reviews are thorough and include discussion of features, benefits, and limitations. If you are involved in purchasing decisions for lab equipment, insights from our product reviews as well as product details from our comprehensive directory will help you make informed decisions when choosing equipment for your lab.

Fume Hoods vs Biosafety Cabinets

This table originally appeared in Biocompare’s 2023 article on “Biosafety Cabinet and Fume Hood Comparison”.