Which Incubator, Furnace, Environmental Chambers To Choose For Your Lab

Many customers wonder, what considerations should they take into account when choosing an incubator, furnace, environmental chambers,

We will explain in a few words what they are and what they are used for. We hope this article Will help you in your choice.

What to Consider

Purpose of use:

-Incubation for growth purposes.

-Heating for drying, relaxation, hardening, softening purposes.

-Heating for stability and corrosion testing purposes.

Working temperature:

What is the temperature range, what is the accuracy, stability and temperature uniformity required.

Is it necessary to drop to temperatures below room temperature.

Chamber size:

Is the chamber desktop or floor, what is the required volume, what are the dimensions of the shelves and what is their number.

Additional requirements:

-In incubation for growth purposes-Is there a need for 2CO infusion? Do you need a shaker ?, Do you need a light?.

-Heating for drying, relaxation, hardening, softening purposes. Is it necessary to create a temperature profile, shielding gas flow, chimney for evacuating gases and vapors.

Is it necessary to lower the temperature to minus temperatures, is it necessary to control the humidity.

Incubation for growth purposes

Heating laboratory incubator

Incubator with shaker

Growth incubator

Heating for drying purposes, relaxation hardening softened

Drying and heating oven

Heating for testing purposes

Heating test chamber only

Cooling + Humidity test chamber

To summarize in points:

1. Laboratory Incubators – Controlled Growth & Stability

Use Cases:

• Microbiological studies

• Cell cultures

• Pharmaceuticals

• Food safety testing

Types to Consider:

• Standard Incubators – For basic heating (ambient +5°C to ~70°C)

• CO₂ Incubators – Ideal for cell and tissue culture

• Refrigerated Incubators – Useful for samples needing temperatures below ambient

• Shaking Incubators – For suspension cultures or fermentation

Key Features to Look For:

• Temperature uniformity

• Internal volume and footprint

• Contamination control (HEPA filtration, antimicrobial coatings)

• Easy-to-clean interiors

2. Laboratory Furnaces – High-Temperature Processing

Use Cases:

• Ash content determination

• Heat treatment of materials

• Ceramic and metallurgy research

• Materials science

Types to Consider:

• Muffle Furnaces – General-purpose, fast heat-up time

• Tube Furnaces – Great for gas atmosphere processing

• Ashing Furnaces – Specifically designed for organic matter incineration

Key Features to Look For:

• Max temperature (usually 1100°C to 1800°C)

• Chamber size and insulation quality

• Programmable temperature control

• Safety certifications and exhaust options

3. Environmental Chambers – Simulating Real-World Conditions

Use Cases:

• Stability testing (ICH guidelines)

• Product development

• Shelf life testing

• Climate simulation

Types to Consider:

• Temperature Chambers – Simulate hot/cold conditions

• Humidity Chambers – Add control over RH (% Relative Humidity)

• Thermal Shock Chambers – Rapid temperature cycling

• Walk-In Chambers – For large-volume testing or bulk samples

Key Features to Look For:

• Temperature & humidity range and accuracy

• Control system and data logging

• Size and modularity

• Energy efficiency

MUNRO is a leading company in the production and marketing of incubators, furnaces and stability chambers for the laboratory and industry.

Our company represents the leading companies in the world for the production of incubators, furnaces and environmental chambers