CO2 incubators are an essential piece of equipment for labs working with cell cultures, so it is important that careful consideration is given to the different options available for purchasing one. A CO2 incubator helps maintain a cell’s temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide levels, but how these levels are maintained differ between direct heat and water jacket incubators.
Direct heat incubators have heating elements that surround the growth chamber and warm by conduction, while a water jacket incubator sits within a water-filled container that gets heated instead. These two different heating methods have implications for the growth conditions within the chamber, have different requirements for operation and maintenance and differ in price point.
Download this white paper to learn how the two heating methods compare and explore which option is right for your lab.