The Magnificent Seven: Top-rated lab products awarded new Seals of Quality at Virtual Analytical Summit 2021

From plasmid isolation kits to infrared imaging systems, find out the latest products to join the exclusive ranks of lab equipment most loved by scientists across the world

23 Feb 2021

Meg Hicks

Student / Graduate

There are four levels of Seal of Quality — Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze — which are allocated to products based on the number of reviews they receive and the average rating of those reviews

The seven latest laboratory products to win a coveted Seal of Quality have been revealed at the SelectScience^® Virtual Analytical Summit 2021.

Seals of Quality recognize the top 0.1% of products that consistently receive the highest customer review ratings on SelectScience^® and are designed to help scientists and healthcare professionals worldwide see at a glance the instruments and services their peers recommend the most.

SelectScience CEO Kerry Parker and Editor Dr. Matt McArdle announced some of the latest recipients at this week’s SelectScience^® Virtual Analytical Summit 2021, including Eppendorf’s Research^® Plus Pipettes, which have won a Gold award for receiving over 130 reviews from scientists, with an average star rating of 4.5 out of a possible five. Commenting on their ease of use in a review on SelecScience, Pedro Moura Alves, from the University of Oxford, writes: "The multichannel is really handy and robust, as well as easy to work with."

'A true testament'

Another product awarded a Gold Seal of Quality is Zymo Research’s ZymoPURE™ II Plasmid Maxiprep Kit, designed to provide fast and efficient plasmid isolation. "We are so grateful to receive the Gold Seal of Quality for our ZymoPURE™ II Maxiprep Kit,” said Aaron Clausen, Product Manager at Zymo Research. “It's wonderful to see so many positive reviews on SelectScience that are truly a testament of Zymo Research's mission to provide the most reliable, innovative, and valuable biomedical tools to our customers."

In a recent five-star review, Szilvia Nagy, assistant professor at Semmelweis University, agreed the kit delivers: “This is a superfast kit, easy to use and excellent quality. In less than 15 minutes, the pure DNA is in your hand. If I increase the volume of the used bacteria solution, I can get really concentrated plasmid at the end. I truly love the Zymo products!"

The Odyssey^® CLx Infrared Imaging System, from LI-COR Biosciences, also receives a Gold Seal of Quality. Consistently recognized for its reproducibility and ease of use, this imaging system has proven to be an excellent tool for providing quantitative western blotting results. Saviana Barbati, of King’s College of London, is one of 120 reviewers who have shared their opinion on the Odyssey^® CLx Infrared Imaging System. She writes: “It's an instrument that guarantees high-quality results. The software is really good, and it is very easy to use."

INTEGRA’s ASSIST PLUS and Gamry Instruments’ Interface 1010E Potentiostat have been awarded Silver and Bronze Seals of Quality respectively. Previously announced as a Scientists’ Choice Award winner in 2019, the ASSIST PLUS pipetting robot continues to receive excellent feedback, having accrued over 85 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7 stars out of five.

'Extremely delighted'

VistaLab, meanwhile, is celebrating yet another Seal of Quality, this time for the ali-Q™ aliquoting pipet controller. In recognition of receiving 50 or more reviews from scientists globally, with an average rating of 4.7 stars out of five, the ali-Q™ has been awarded a Bronze Seal of Quality.

VistaLab's ali-Q™ aliquoting pipet controller has been awarded a new Bronze Seal of Quality

Grace Soong, Product Marketing Manager at VistaLab, said: “We are extremely delighted to receive our fourth Seal of Quality for the ali-Q aliquoting pipet controller. This completes our trifecta as it joins VistaLab’s two other lines of pipetters, MLA and Ovations, in receiving this award”.

With its innovative design, many scientists have recognized the ali-Q™ aliquoting pipet controller as integral to their labs, as articulated by reviewer Philip Gorman, of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, who writes: "I love the features of this pipette. The aliquoting function is very helpful, especially when working with multiple cell cultures. The design makes it easy to hold for long periods of time."

In addition, VistaLab’s Ovation^® ESC Electronic Single Channel Pipettes, which had previously received a Bronze Seal of Quality, have now been awarded a new Silver, having received 75 or more reviews with an average rating of 4.5 stars out of five.

Other top-rated products highlighted during the virtual awards ceremony were the Mastersizer 3000 by Malvern Panalytical and the Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC System by Agilent Technologies, which won a Gold and a Bronze Seal of Quality respectively late last year. There are only around 60 lab products worldwide that are eligible to display this prestigious award, with new winners announced quarterly.

SelectScience CEO Kerry Parker said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our reviewers around the world for sharing their valuable opinions and also to congratulate the recipients of our Seals of Quality awards. They have been recognized by the people who matter most, their customers.”