Autoclave Purchase

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MariaQ
Posts: 84
Joined: 02 Sep 2015, 08:41
Job Title: Boss
School: Central Coast Grammar
State/Location: NSW

Autoclave Purchase

Post by MariaQ »

Hi All, Im looking to purchase an autoclave, one off the ones that looks like a pressure cooker but plugs into power. Does anyone have any experience?? Likes/ dislikes, stainless steel versus aluminium?? Thanks for any info. :coffee: MariaQ
Merilyn1
Posts: 1476
Joined: 12 Mar 2013, 08:10
Job Title: Labbie
School: Wollondilly Anglican College
Suburb: Tahmoor
State/Location: NSW

Re: Autoclave Purchase

Post by Merilyn1 »

Hi Maria
We have an All American steriliser. They are really good, easy to use and seem pretty reliable. I currently have one that is a plug in - you still have to adjust the power level based on the pressure, it is not automatic. In a previous school, I had the same brand but it needed to sit on a hotplate. We had one of the single, domestic hotplates (cost about $60) for it. The IEC lab hotplates are too tall. This worked just as well, and as a bonus, I felt there was less to go wrong with the unpowered one.
Regardless of the one you go with, all valves, seals etc on these sterilisers are replaceable.
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melsid
Posts: 355
Joined: 07 Apr 2013, 07:11
Job Title: Lab Rat
School: PHS
State/Location: NSW

Re: Autoclave Purchase

Post by melsid »

Hi Maria,
We have the All American one that is unpowered. I just sit it on my IEC hotplate (not too tall for our lab setup) and I now know exactly what temperature setting to use to get it up to the correct temperature & pressure and keep it there for 15 mins. As Merilyn said, there is much less that can go wrong with an unpowered one.
Highly recommended!!
MariaQ
Posts: 84
Joined: 02 Sep 2015, 08:41
Job Title: Boss
School: Central Coast Grammar
State/Location: NSW

Re: Autoclave Purchase

Post by MariaQ »

Hi Guys, I currently have a pressure cooker that I use, but I like the idea of the powered one as I assume you can set to turn off? Or at least have a timer, sometimes I forget I have left the pressure cooker on.

Thanks for your replies!

MariaQ
MariaQ
Posts: 84
Joined: 02 Sep 2015, 08:41
Job Title: Boss
School: Central Coast Grammar
State/Location: NSW

Re: Autoclave Purchase

Post by MariaQ »

:D Hi Guys,

I have just found in the back of a cupboard that I have an non electric All american 15L sterilizer/ autoclave :cheesy: so now I would like recommendations and pics or item codes if possible of the type of hot plate you use :w00t: Thanks for your replies! MariaQ
Merilyn1
Posts: 1476
Joined: 12 Mar 2013, 08:10
Job Title: Labbie
School: Wollondilly Anglican College
Suburb: Tahmoor
State/Location: NSW

Re: Autoclave Purchase

Post by Merilyn1 »

We had something similar to the single hotplate from Haines ($63). I just thought that sitting it on the IEC plate that is tall and not very big, put the steriliser in a precarious position, so preferred the lower, larger, single hotplate.
Before you use the steriliser you have, check all the seals around the valves are in good shape - look for rubber that looks perished. After that, maybe put a perspex screen around it when you run it for the first time.
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