Top Rated Mixing and Blending Equipment – Ratings & Comparison in 2024
Due to the fact that the mixing and blending equipment that can be found in today’s market is very diverse, it may be more or less difficult for a prospective buyer to make the right decision. Since it can be rather hard to find just what you’re looking for, we’ve thought about giving you a helping hand by creating a web page destined for this purpose. As such, this site will assist you in finding the right mixing and blending equipment.
Mixers, blenders, and agitators are now being used in a broad variety of fields which may range from the chemical process industry to the food or pharmaceutical industry. The first of these domains requires the use of the formerly mentioned pieces of equipment due to its need to mix and blend substances such as detergents, rubber compounds, chemicals, fertilizers, and in some situations, even explosives. In the food industry, mixers and blenders are utilized to prepare anything from flavors and spices to cake mixes. Finally, the pharmaceutical application of these devices is related to common drug components such as lactose, cellulose, or starch, which are normally employed to stabilize and homogenize the content of pills and other forms of medication.
Professional blenders depend on the operating principle and the mechanism they rely on. You can choose between tumbler blenders, convective units, and fluidization models, depending on the application you have in mind. Two of the most common units you’d find in a laboratory nowadays consist of magnetic stirrers and vortex mixers. Regardless of the task you may need to perform with the help of one of these two options, what you need to take into account is that the properties of the materials you’ll be blending or mixing can be very different depending on the nature of the used substance.
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How to choose the best mixing and blending equipment
In order to make your research process significantly easier, we’ve decided to give you a helping hand. As such, we have created a straightforward guide that can hopefully shed light on all the important details you ought to consider when prospecting the market for lab or industrial fluid mixing blending and process equipment. It should be noted that your requirements and preferences have a say when it comes to selecting the perfect product, as do your estimated budget and the applications you plan to use the device for.
Performance
Whether you intend to buy a magnetic stirrer or a vortex mixer, one of the first things you ought to know about your chosen model is whether it has a satisfactory performance. Unfortunately, the power of these products isn’t as easy to tell as in the case of a sump pump, for instance, as they don’t come with a motor of which the performance can be specified with the help of a horsepower figure.
Product descriptions where the wattage is jotted down for the convenience of the prospecting buyer are very rare. Therefore, you will have to go through a little trouble and refer to several mixing and blending equipment reviews, as past customers have their opinions about the products they’ve spent a pretty penny on. What’s more, in the event that one of these individuals has run into an issue, it is very likely that he or she will take the time document it using an online market’s rating system, such as Amazon.
Ease of use and convenience
Another factor you have to take into account is whether or not the model you plan to buy is easy to use or not. Most vortex mixers are fairly straightforward as they function thanks to a simple operating process. Additionally, one can replace the plate with different heads that can hold one or more tubes so that the operator’s interference is close to non-existant.
The same rule applies in the case of a magnetic stirrer, but the design of such a product varies largely from one unit to the next. The best cheap magnetic stirrer might not come with a hot plate or with a support stand. What this means is that you’ll have to purchase them separately, should you need the services provided by these products. The best hot plate with magnetic stirrer might take a toll on your budget as we have noticed that most of the critically acclaimed products in the line have price points of about three hundred dollars or more.
Size
Although it might look like a trivial feature to ponder on, the dimensions of the product actually matter a great deal. For one, you’ll have to place and store the item somewhere in the laboratory. It’s very likely that it takes up a certain space on your countertop or lab bench. If you regularly use your best hot plate with magnetic stirrer, you’re very likely to become unable to use that space any longer.
Aside from where you’re going to store the device, you also have to check whether or not it is a great fit for the flasks you might need to use for your samples. Fortunately, most of the mixing and blending devices we’ve come across have detailed product descriptions so that you’re probably going to be able to perform some measurements and check whether your Berzelius or Erlenmeyer glasses or your test tubes might be compatible with the dimensions of the device.
Price
Almost anyone who is involved in some sort of lab-related activity is well-aware of the fact that laboratory equipment does not come cheap. If, for example, what you have on your mind is getting a device that you can utilize both for mixing and for blending, you can rest assured as it exists, but it costs about eight hundred dollars or more.
If you plan to buy these two kinds of devices separately, you’re likely to spend approximately two hundred dollars for each. Therefore, you ought to be prepared to make an investment. Due to the value of these products, we urge you to stay safe and choose a model that’s backed by a warranty of at least a year.
Types of mixing and blending equipment
In order to save you some time, we have put together a short selection that can help you when it comes to deciding on a particular model. If you keep on reading, you’ll come across various types of mixing and blending equipment that we have chosen to review. Each category is described in detail, so it wouldn’t hurt if you took the time to check out the info presented in the following lines. Also, we have put together a short list of the popular alternatives available on the market today, and we have done so based on the feedback garnered by these units.
Best magnetic stirrer
Unlike other pieces of equipment used in laboratories nowadays, a magnetic stirrer proves its worth specifically for chemistry and biology applications. In most cases and in order for them to function properly, these devices need the presence of a magnetic bar inside the glass or container of any kind. This makes it possible for the plate to interact with the stir bar and create a rotating field. Sometimes, this process can occur even when the bar is not inside the glass or flask as there are stirrers that can do their job thanks to a longer pole where the glass is positioned.
Stir bars have many shapes and sizes and differ largely from one model to the next. Some are coated in glass, although the most common coating material these days would be Teflon. The magnetic stirrer can have a heating element with a variable wattage that can range from a hundred watts to several thousand. Although it was initially invented in the United States in the 19th century, the magnetic stirrer is largely being used today, which only goes to show just how practical it is.
IKA 3368001
IKA is one of the world-known brands in the industry of manufacturing high-quality mixing and blending equipment. That’s why it comes as no surprise that this product is built according to the quality standards imposed by the company. This device is a Topolino magnetic stirrer that’s affordable and perfectly capable of doing what it’s supposed to do. In most cases, you’re likely to see that the product costs a little under eighty dollars, although this price depends on the online retailer you will choose for your purchase.
What makes the IKA 3368001 one of the top recommended choices in the line? For one, it has a brushless motor that’s a winner in terms of durability. Secondly, it offers users plenty of customization settings thanks to the rotary dial it comes with. In actuality, the speed range is infinitely variable. This product is intended for use with quantities up to 250 milliliters.
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Best vortex mixer
Also known as a vortexer, a vortex mixer is primarily utilized in labs for mixing small amounts of liquid. The device proves its worth in areas such as cell culture, microbiology, as well as biochemical and analytical analysis. It is somewhat counterproductive nowadays to choose a vortexer that comes with just one plate that cannot be replaced. The fact of the matter is that most manufacturing companies try to make their devices as user-friendly as possible, which is why they make them compatible with two to four plates.
As is the case with the magnetic stirrer we were mentioning earlier on, even vortexers can feature a heating element that allows them to perform their task with up to four plates that accept microplates with heights up to 40 millimeters. The speed of a vortex mixer can range from 100 to 3,200 rpm, depending on the model you will end up choosing. Several models we’ve stumbled upon can be set in such a way so that they run continuously, whereas others have limited time settings that let owners set specific time spans. Another variation involves running the device just when there is any pressure applied to the piece made of rubber.
Heathrow Scientific HS120209
This Heathrow Scientific model is one of the most versatile devices that are available for sale in today’s market given the fact that it offers plenty of adjustable settings. For one, the product is equipped with a mixing head that can hold up to seven different-sized tubes. In addition, buyers can also utilize a standard assay plate, if that is what they need to do. Just like other products in the same line, the Heathrow Scientific unit comes with a rotary dial that allows owners to select any rotational speed ranging from 1,000 to 3,000. A single intermittent option is available, as well.
Another reason you may feel tempted to select this option is that it comes with an easily removable head, which means that cleaning and maintaining this unit will not be a nuisance. It’s also worth pointing out that the vortexer has been equipped with elastomeric feet, which prevent any movement while the device is operating.
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