Eppendorf has already established itself as a leader in the production of instruments in the separation technology field. The MiniSpin Centrifuge is another example of a good quality innovative product from this company. This personal centrifuge can accomodate twelve 1.5 or 2.0 ml Eppendorf tubes, however adapters for 0.2 ml, 0.4 ml and 0.5 ml tubes are also available. Maximal rotation speed is 13,400 revolutions per minute (r.p.m.), which is approximately 12,100 x g. The device has an unique spherical shape and its compact footprint requires limited space on the laboratory bench. The MiniSpin is not equipped with a cooling system, however there is only a slight sample temperature elevation during longer centrifugation periods (e.g. 12º
C after 20 min. at maximal rotation speed). One very nice feature of this device is that the rotor can be removed and autoclaved. This is extremely useful as it provides additional protection against RNase degradation during RNA isolation procedures.
This last feature is one of the reasons we purchased the MiniSpin Centrifuge. In order to create a compact laboratory station for RNA preparations, we purchased the MiniSpin along with a personal thermocycler and a set of pipets dedicated "for RNA only". We have had the centrifuge for a few months now and we are still convinced that it was a good choice. It runs quietly and has a short braking time. And if you have to centrifuge dozens of samples a day, these features are important for making your daily laboratory life much easier. The MiniSpin device also has a nice design, which is rare among laboratory equipment. Removal and placement of the rotor is very easy and the rotor itself is very light. A practical "quick run" button allows for a fast spin down of samples, which is so often necessary in many molecular biology protocols.
It should be however pointed out that we also encountered a few problems when operating the centrifuge. We realised that it is very sensitive to becoming imbalanced. Sample imbalance happens from time to time and most of centrifuges manage to handle this problem for short centrifugation times. In our case, an imbalanced centrifugation run resulted in slight damage to the device. Obviously, it was an operator error, however it indicates that the device is somewhat fragile. Another, though minor problem due to its rarity, concerns difficulties with the opening of the lid. On a few occasions it was necessary to press the "open" button several times to activate the opening mechanism.
Nonetheless the MiniSpin Centrifuge is a useful portable device, easy to use and maintain. Surprisingly for Eppendorf, the price for this centrifuge is affordable in comparison to some of its competitors. This is another reason that I can recommend the MiniSpin for any molecular lab.
Michal Janitz, M.D.
Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics
Berlin, Germany