Benchtop units

Benchtop units

Thermomixers
Block Heaters
Laboratory Shakers
Magnetic stirrers
Laboratory Water baths overview

Benchtop units for the molecular biology laboratory: thermomixers and heating block thermostats for temperature-controlled mixing and incubation, laboratory shakers (vortexers, orbital, roller, overhead, and rocking shakers) for a wide range of mixing applications, magnetic stirrers with and without heating, as well as digital laboratory water baths. All units are compact, benchtop-compatible, and designed for daily laboratory use.

Thermomixers / Thermomixers (heating only)

Thermomixers / Thermomixers for cooling and heating

Block Heaters / Block Heaters (heating only)

Block Heaters / Block Heaters for cooling and heating

Laboratory Shakers / Vortex Mixers

Laboratory Shakers / Circular/Orbital Shakers

Magnetic stirrers / Magnetic stirrers without heating

Magnetic stirrers / Magnetic stirrer with heating

Laboratory Water baths overview / Laboratory Water baths

Laboratory Shakers / Roller Mixers

Laboratory Shakers / Inverted Shakers

Laboratory Shakers / Rocking or Tumbling Shakers

Laboratory Shakers / for microtiter plates

Laboratory Shakers / Accessories: Spring clamps

Laboratory Shakers / Accessories: Test tube rack

Benchtop units: Thermomixers, shakers, stirrers, and water baths at a glance

Axon Labortechnik categorises compact, benchtop-compatible laboratory equipment for temperature control, mixing, and incubation as benchtop units — device classes that are required in virtually every molecular biology or biochemistry laboratory, but which differ significantly in their functional principle and application.

Thermomixers

Thermomixers combine precise temperature control with shaking motion in one device — for reactions that require simultaneous mixing and incubation, such as DNA/RNA extractions, enzymatic digests, or protein precipitation. The range is divided into models with heating function only (from €2,810.00) and models with cooling and heating function (from €2,576.00) for applications that also require temperatures below room temperature.

Heating block thermostats

Heating block thermostats temper samples in interchangeable blocks without shaking motion — the simpler and more cost-effective alternative to the thermomixer for applications where pure temperature control is sufficient (e.g., enzyme inactivation, denaturation). Available as models with heating function only from €400.00 as well as models with cooling and heating function for an extended temperature range.

Laboratory shakers

The shaker range covers almost every mixing application in the laboratory: vortexers for rapid mixing of small volumes (from €110.00), orbital shakers for cell culture and larger vessels (from €2,205.00), roller mixers for gentle mixing of blood samples and suspensions (from €456.23), overhead shakers for incubations with continuous rotation, rocking and tumbling shakers for gentle staining of gels and blots (from €3,400.00), as well as shakers for microtiter plates with adjustable speed from 100 to 1,200 rpm.

Magnetic stirrers

Magnetic stirrers mix liquids contactlessly via a rotating magnetic stir bar — standard equipment for buffer preparation, solution preparation, and chemical reactions. Available as models without heating from €339.00 and as models with heating from €394.00 for temperature-controlled approaches.

Laboratory water baths

Digital laboratory water baths with stainless steel lid for incubations, thawing processes, and enzymatic reactions at a constant temperature up to 99°C — available in three usable sizes from 5 to 22 litres (from €565.00).

Frequently asked questions about benchtop units

The most important questions regarding the selection between the different device classes for mixing, shaking, and temperature control.

Do I need a thermomixer or is a heating block thermostat sufficient?

A heating block thermostat is sufficient if only temperature control is required without the sample needing to be moved during incubation. A thermomixer is required if mixing and temperature control are to be performed simultaneously — for example, during lysis, extraction, or digestion steps where continuous mixing improves the reaction rate or yield.

Which laboratory shaker is suitable for my application?

A vortexer is suitable for rapid mixing of small volumes (Eppendorf tubes). Orbital shakers are the right choice for cell culture and larger Erlenmeyer flasks. Roller mixers are suitable for gentle mixing of blood samples, overhead shakers for continuous rotation during incubations, and rocking/tumbling shakers for staining gels and Western blots.

When do I need a device with a cooling function?

A cooling function is necessary if samples must be mixed or tempered at temperatures below room temperature — for example, for temperature-sensitive enzyme reactions or for direct cooling of samples after a heating step. Models with cooling and heating functions are available for both thermomixers and heating block thermostats.

What is the difference between a magnetic stirrer and a laboratory shaker?

A magnetic stirrer mixes liquids in a vessel via a rotating magnetic stir bar — suitable for homogeneous solutions such as buffer preparations. A laboratory shaker moves the entire vessel or several vessels simultaneously and is also suitable for suspensions, cell cultures, or multiple samples in parallel.