Choosing the Right ULT Freezer for Your Lab
Deciding the right Ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezer to securely store your samples is an important decision for any lab. ULT freezers are a necessity in many labs. As their name says, the freezers are kept at ultra low temperatures, and designed to keep samples safe while maximizing storage capacity depending on what is needed.
Top Tips for Picking Your New ULT Freezer:
Performance
The most important feature of any ULT freezer is that it consistently achieves and maintains the proper temperature that your lab desires. A fast pull-down time (The time it takes a freezer to get to temp.), recovery time, strong doors and gaskets that are easy to maintain all contribute to ensuring an ULT freezer that performs well for your lab.
Security
Most samples in a lab will be stored at -80°C. It’s important to choose a freezer with an electronic lock system so you can be certain that your samples are safe 24/7. Well-insulated inner walls will also increase the defrost time and provide a longer response window in the case of an emergency. A remote temperature monitoring system is also critical to protect your samples in the case of an outage or if the freezer does not work properly.
Sustainability
You can help the environment and your pocket by choosing the right ULT freezer. Research the energy a freezer demands when making the decision to pick a new ULT freezer for your lab.
Noise
ULT freezers can be noisy, and the noise level is often a specification that is advertised. (Beware if not.) Some ULT freezers are equipped with a sound reduction system. Also look for a freezer that has vents in the rear to help with noise reduction.
Build
Make sure you are aware of the environment your new ULT freezer will be placed in. Do you need a right handed or left handed model? Stackable or bench? Make sure you take the area of the ULT freezer you need into account before making your purchase as well.
