If there’s one indispensable tool for microbiology labs worldwide, it’s the incubator.

At a minimum, an incubator must be temperature-stable and homogeneous. Most manufacturers meet this standard (although a few surprises still pop up occasionally).

No, the real difference between two incubators lies elsewhere.

To help you choose the model best suited to your needs, we surveyed the SuperMicrobiologistes community.

The results? Five suppliers stand out clearly.

Discover them in this article!

Summary :

• Hettcube from Hettich

Hettcube from Hettich

For over 120 years, Hettich has been a renowned German manufacturer, primarily known for its centrifuges. About a decade ago, the company expanded its expertise to include incubators… with considerable success!

Hettich offers a range of refrigerated and non-refrigerated incubators, with capacities ranging from 56 to 520 liters.

Their standout feature lies in their innovative airflow system, which combines the benefits of natural and forced convection. Air circulates within the wall (radiant heat) rather than directly in the chamber, as well as through the tray adjustment openings, ensuring a very gentle internal airflow. This design minimizes the drying out of plates, eliminates hot spots, and reduces thermal losses when the doors are opened.

The 3 Key Strengths of Hettich’s HettCube Incubators

• Energy Efficiency: HettCube incubators consume very little energy, around 50 watts per hour, thanks to optimized insulation and an efficient airflow system. This is both an economical advantage for your budget and an ecological benefit for the planet.
  
• Space-Saving Design: Their tall, narrow design resembles that of a refrigerator. With a footprint reduced by half compared to other models (for the same usable volume), HettCube incubators are perfect for laboratories where every centimeter counts.

• Time-Saving Features: The airflow guidance system, combined with effective insulation, eliminates the need for an inner glass door, allowing for quick opening and closing. Additionally, the door closes automatically—very handy when your hands are full of Petri dishes.
  
• Simple and Efficient Programming: HettCube incubators are easy to program, with an intuitive interface and temperature curve visualization. Data is recorded over a two-year period.

What SuperMicrobiologists say about Hettich incubators ? (Survey Verbatims) : 

“Our comparative tests revealed that, in our setup, each HettCube incubator saves us approximately €500 in electricity per year.”

“ Simple to adjust and easy to start programs.”

“Large internal storage capacity despite a small footprint.”

The other incubator suppliers mentioned by the SuperMicrobiologistes in our survey are: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Pol Eko, Memmert, and Binder.