Australia's Science Forum

I want to buy Autoclave for our school for sterilizing agar plate. Could you please help me which one is better? or any other suggestion..
Thanks

Just buy a domestic pressure cooker. I'm sure they will be cheaper. They are easy to use and do the job effectively. I have been using one here for the 10yrs I have worked here.

Hi Rae,
Could you please tell me what size of pressure cooker would be better and also non-electric or electric ? Which brand do you use ?
Sorry I asked many questions because this is my first time I need someone's advice.
Thanks

I can only tell you what I have. Its non-electric so I use it over a hot plate as for size I guess it would depend on how many plates you are trying to sterilise at I time. I can do 40 in a large oven bag. It holds about 8 litres.

Thank you so much rae

I have a autoclave that, I think came from Haines, not sure how old it is. The brand is "All American" and is 15 L, holds 4 x 500mL Schott bottles. It requires a hot plate, but I just use a single domestic, plug in hotplate that works fine. My predecessor previously had a pressure cooker that needed a new rubber seal nearly every time it was used. I think she got so sick of it that she upgraded.

Before you use either an autoclave, or a pressure cooker, make sure you get some one to show you how to use it. You can get some very nasty burns from the steam. I always put a safety shield around mine when it is in use.

Many thanks Merilyn1,it was really helpful .I think I found it on Haines website.

We ended up buying a domestic pressure cooker from Target for $60.... Ronson RPA 800, 6L Electric. It does the job .

I use a domestic pressure cooker I bought from Aldi... but from teh safety Course a week ago apparently that is not good enough and we shoudl use a pressure cooker that shows what the INTERNAL pressure is- and autoclave bags.. I haven't found a cheap pressure cooker that complies.

Hadn't thought of that aspect of the domestic pressure cooker- I've only ever had the autoclave. Have you been able to buy small quantities of autoclave bags? I don't need to buy hundreds.

You can buy them from Labtek - 50 in a pack

Guess I'm lucky then. My pressure cooker has a gauge on it which tells you the internal pressure. I use oven bags in it and sterilise at 120 psi for 15 minutes. I then leave the entire thing to cool before opening it and disposing of the plates.

Our pressure cooker is a household one - reasonably old model. Hawkins brand. Holds approx 15 plates which i put into an oven bag and boil away for 25 - 30 minutes. Does the job. I am going on what the previous Lab Assistant was doing.

Many thanks Merilyn I was wondering what I was doing wrong with it. I thought it was me. Now I find out it was the pressure cooker. What a hoot.

Is it really that bad, Cindy? I thought she must have been exaggerating. Oh dear! Well at least you know it isn't you. Have you been able to buy more seals? I think she was buying them on-line.

Hi Rae,
What brand is yours. Id prefer to have a gauge.
Thank you
Cathy

Its a Prestige. But its very old so I don't know if you can still buy that brand.