Shaking Water Baths

Shaking water baths, or water bath shakers, are ideal for mixing or agitating samples while immersed in water at a defined and controlled temperature. In contrast to air-based incubators, water baths are able to transfer heat more rapidly and efficiently. There is also less heat loss from the air when the incubator enclosure is opened. Shaking water baths are thus ideal for applications that call for faster incubation while ensuring minimal changes in temperature. Some applications include hybridization, bacterial culturing, cell aeration, and molecular biology assays. Capacity can vary between vendors from small bench-top models to large, industrial-size models. Shaking movements may be linear or orbital with an adjustable shaking speed. Some features to consider are temperature range and uniformity, display, programmability, construction quality, low water level indicator and available platforms for customization.