5 Top Tips for Choosing an Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer

Ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers are a mainstay in many biological labs. Kept at -80°C, these freezers are designed to keep samples safe, while maximizing storage capacity depending on the laboratory footprint.

With a lifespan of up to 15 years, purchasing a new ULT freezer can be a daunting task. The following guide highlights the top five elements you need to consider when deciding which ULT freezer to purchase.

Top tips for picking your new ultra-low temperature freezer:

• Security

Your most precious samples will often be stored at -80°C. By choosing a freezer with an electronic lock system and built-in temperature monitoring, you can be certain that your samples are safe, 24/7, both from unauthorized access or from power outages. Thick, well-insulated inner walls will increase the warm-up time of a freezer and provide a longer response window in an emergency.

• Performance

What can ULT freezers be used to store?

• Bacteria

• Cells

• Spores

• Pollens

• Protozoa

• DNA

• Tissue (research use only)

• Chemical preservation

The most important feature of any -80 freezer is that it consistently achieves and maintains that temperature. Fast pull-down and recovery times, robust inner doors with gaskets, and broad, easy-to-maintain door gaskets all contribute to ensuring a uniform and consistent temperature for your samples.

• Sustainability

Choosing a sustainable freezer helps to save both the planet, and your energy bill. The new CryoCube F740-series of ULT freezers are the only freezers that bear the new ACT Label, providing full accountability and transparency for not only their power consumption, but manufacturing, lifespan, and recyclability at end-of-life as well, making the F740, F740i, and F740hi smart choices when choosing a new freezer.

• Sound

Bothered by the noise of your ULT freezer? The CryoCube F740i from Eppendorf has an improved sound level of only 41.3 dB. These systems are equipped with a proprietary sound reduction system, where our special easy-to-access front vent with filter and special rear balcony vent keep the noise level whisper quiet.

• Customized Solutions

Before ordering your freezer, double check the laboratory footprint. Key variables to decide on include: number of compartments, door configurations (left- or right-handed) and voltage. Eppendorf ULT freezers have built-in inverter technology which enables the same freezer to be used on 100, 115, 208 and 230 V, just by changing the power cable, in addition to functioning as an in-line voltage stabilizer.

For further information on the impact of freezing and cold storage on sample quality, download this white paper.