Trigger Happy: Sleek New Pipette Fillers Duel For Honors As Top Gun

Date: October 26, 1998Comparison of Pipette Fillers In the golden age of chemistry, it was said that a good chemist could identify specific compounds by the mere taste and touch of a substance against the tongue, lips, and fingers. It has also been said of this same period that there was no such thing as an old chemist. Although chemists today may not have the same adventurous, if foolhardy approach, they have perhaps traded unbridled enthusiasm for caution. The horrible death from radium poisoning that Marie Curie suffered in the name of science has served as an object lesson to many of those who would dare to follow in her footsteps. The evolution of laboratory apparatus from mouths and fingers to thoroughly modern test tubes and petri dishes has witnessed an increase in the longevity of the once-endangered experimenter. In addition to preserving our friend the common lab scientist, new instruments for containing and handling volatile liquids have offered greater speed and accuracy in laboratory experiments, improving the exactitude of computational sums by critical decimal places. The workhorse of the typical bio-lab today is the pipette aid. Variously known as a pipette filler or controller the pipette aid has saved the culinary palates of countless researchers. The pipette aid itself has evolved from what some would describe as a rudimentary turkey baster design to some very sophisticated instruments. No longer do experimenters have to toil and fret over the messy business of filling and refilling pipettes. The modern pipette aid is a technological marvel of digitized fluid release and sanitary control offering a host of accessories and functions that most scientists probably didn't know they needed. In the following profile, some of the leading pipette aids produced by ten of the most popular manufacturers will be compared according to criteria ranging from fluid capacity to price. Becton Dickinson: Falcon Frontier Becton Dickinson Becton Dickinson, located in Franklin Lakes, N.J., makes the Falcon® Express and Falcon Frontier™ Pipet-Aids which have several features unique to the industry. The Falcon Express is the first pipette-aid to offer an alignment system that allows the user to position serological pipets in the nosepiece attachment consistently. Once the pipette and nosepiece are joined according to complementary alignment marks, the pipette can be locked into place, eliminating accidental detachment. When not in use, the Falcon Express can be placed in a detachable stand that accommodates both the pipette aid and an attached pipet without causing backflow or contamination. For researchers who feel as if they're chained to their pipette aid once the process of pipetting has commenced, the new stand provides the freedom to interrupt one's experiment to pursue other activities in the laboratory. The Falcon Frontier is a microprocessor-controlled model that can be programmed and ready to use in less than 20 seconds. A digital readout and push-button user interface make the chore of pipetting one of the simple pleasures of laboratory work. Have you ever felt abondoned once a purchase has been made? Falcon's Pipet-Aid Assurance Program is one of the first of its kind to give customers a long-term support structure after the point of sale. In addition to a toll-free telephone number that connects customers directly to a service technician, customers receive free rubber inserts for their units twice a year. At $5 apiece, this can add up to a significant savings. Other free replacement parts are also available through the program. Bel-Art: Max Memory Pipette Bel-Art Bel-Art's Mopet™ Pipettor is touted as the fastest pipettor available. Mopet can pick up and dispense as much as 10 ml in 3 seconds or will fill a 100 ml pipette in 10 seconds. Its power makes it ideal for volumes over 5 ml , and recharging only takes 5.5 hours. The Mopet accepts all standard glass and plastic pipettes from 1.0 ml to 100 ml. For complete microprocessing control, the latest innovation in pipetting is the Max Memory Pipettor. The Max is the first portable pipetting aid with a built-in memory. In order to program the memory for a given volume, simply dispense the desired volume in "set" mode. After that, switch to "run" mode and the pipettor will automatically aspirate and dispense the proper volume (up to 25 ml) for as long as 8 hours. Once the unit is programmed, however, you're not stuck in one speed of operation. A thumb-wheel adjustment allows the user to accelerate or reduce the speed of pipetting "on the fly." There is no need to stop and reprogram the unit. Perhaps giving credence to the stereotype of the absent-minded scientist, the Max is virtually researcher-proof. The unit compensates for researchers' seemingly inherent wistfulness by including an automatic "sleep" function that turns the power off while the unit is idle. The last recorded setting is saved into memory so that researchers can pick up where they left off. The Max accepts both glass and plastic pipettes from 1 to 75 ml with a mouth outer diameter of 3 to 9.9 mm. The pipette holder is autoclavable, and for added protection a replaceable 0.2 micron filter prevents overfilling (which makes the hands-on business of pipetting a little less sloppy by eliminating those bothersome elbow puddles that tend to accumulate on the surface of table tops.) Biohit/Vanguard: Proline XL Biohit Biohit, whose products are mported into the United States by Vanguard International, makes the Proline XL Macrovolume Electronic Pipettor. One important feature of this instrument, which has less to do with its operation than how it has been marketed, is that it is ISO 9001 certified certified by ISO 9001 standards. Though some might argue that the certification is simply an investment in bureaucracy rather than good science, the pragmatic significance of having one's instruments registered by ISO is obvious for anyone considering doing research in the private sector. In fact, by some accounts ISO certification has already become standard in the European market. ISO certification, which is voluntary will, no doubt, become compulsory for any lab conducting research in the near future. Many companies with the foresight to see that this day is on the horizon have acted to bring their products up to standard. In addition to this forward-thinking regard for accreditation, the Proline can be adapted for nongraduated and graduated glass or plastic pipettes. Adaptors are included with the unit, which can be used with most common pipet sizes. The Proline XL can also be used as a pipettor and dispenser and can be fitted with both 5 ml and 10 ml disposable tips. Another feature that makes the Proline XL unique is that it has two different function controls. For manual pipetting two trigger-style buttons on the handle allows the user to adjust the speed as well as the aspiration and dispensing mode. However, for repetitive operations over the course of many hours, days, or weeks, as may be the case, the programmable keyboard allows the user to input the fluid volume and the desired function mode and the pipettor does the rest. The results of pipetting are always reproducible owing to the programmable memory, and for a 25 ml graduated pipette in p-mode, the Proline has an innaccuracy of 0.5% and an imprecision of 0.5 percent. BrandTech Scientific BrandTech Scientific's entry into the pipette controller market is the Accu-Jet. In addition to having all of the standard features offered by the competition, the Accu-Jet has two outstanding qualities that are worthy of mention. The first of these is a dual-mode charger (120V/60Hz) that delivers high current for a quick recharge. The Accu-Jet can be fully recharged from empty in only 6 hours. When fully charged, the charger automatically switches to pulsed or trickle charging for extended battery life. The nicad battery is capable of 8 hours of continuous operation and can be charged while in use. BrandTech executives are very sensitive about the innovations they have made with their power cell, and one of their complaints is that a competitor claims to provide the same longevity in hours of operation when in actuality, the competitor's unit runs down after 6 hours--a fact that becomes apparent only after the instrument has been purchased. The Accu-Jet provides a steady source of power for the entire 8 hours of operation without reduction in speed or performance. Perhaps the most impressive feature of the Accu-Jet is its four-mode operation. By manipulating just two buttons on its handle, a researcher can aspirate, gravity or power dispense, and soft blowout. The soft blowout function allows the user to purge the pipette of any remaining liquid that adheres to the glass without interrupting the contents of the culture flask. The pressure-sensitive control buttons adjust the dispensing speed depending on how delicately or aggressively the buttons are depressed. At full speed, the Accu-Jet is capable of pumping 50 ml in 10 seconds. Even with all these added features, the Accu-Jet weighs in at a slim and trim 7.2 oz. Compared to other pipette aids, an ounce here and a gram there might not seem like much of a difference, but in the long run those few extra scintillas begin to add up. With repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome on the rise, light-weight pipette fillers might be the best choice. It becomes an issue of diminishing returns when the pipette controller outlasts the user. Many pipette aids that have longer battery life also tend to carry a heavier battery. Thus, quicker recharge and a lighter battery, as in the case of the Accu-Jet, is ultimately more practical and may also cut down on worker's comp claims and lost wages. Brinkmann Instrument Brinkmann Instrument's Eppendorf Easypet is the perfect compromise for those who want features such as cordless operation, continuous recharging, and touch-control adjustable speed without moving into the next echelon of computerized pipette aids. In fact, the Easypet has most or all of the luxury items that discriminating users have come to expect from pipette aids, minus the overdeveloped "brain"that gives some of the premier pipette aids their expensive price--in some cases more than double the cost of the Easypet. Brinkmann obviously had comfort in mind when they designed the contoured body of the Easypet. With a ribbed handle that is shaped like a pistol grip, The Eppendorf Easypet is ready for action and can be holstered in an optional wall holder that keeps a crowded workspace free of clutter. In addition, the Easypet is the lightest pipettor yet, with a total weight of 6.7 oz. As suggested by its redundant array of safety precautions, the Easypet is intended for the most delicate of laboratory experiments. There is a separate fine control for sensitive procedures that greatly reduces or eliminates splashing. And unlike many pipettors that have only autoclavable nose cones, the Easypet permits the entire assembly of pipet connnector, filter, and housing to be autoclaved at 121°C. Corning Costar: Stripettor, Stripettor Jr. Corning Science Products Corning Science Products has made a strong entry into the pipette battle with the one-two punch delivered by its Stripettor and Stripettor Jr. Corning Costar has avoided the high-end market for pipettors, instead concentrating on the midrange of pipetting affordability. What it has developed in the Stripettor series is a compact and versatile instrument that delivers reliable pipetting at a reasonable price. Corning has been in the business of containing biohazardous material for years. For those who have experimented with their own version of penicillin in the kitchen, the Corning trademark should be a familiar one. It makes sense, then, that the company would venture into the production of experimental lab equipment of a more rigorous sort. After all, botulin toxin can't be much harder to deal with in the laboratory than it is in the home. The Stripettor, like its domestic relatives, comes prepared for the worst kind of abuse. With an autoclavable nose cone that is fitted with a replaceable 0.2 µm hydrophobic sterilizing filter, it's ideal for working with some of the more exotic chemical compounds. The Stripettor Jr. operates on a 110V AC pump for uninterrupted use that is well suited for working under sterile hoods, while the Stripettor is free to roam about the laboratory with a rechargeable 9V nicad battery with the unit able to operate during recharge. There is nothing more bothersome than having to wait for a battery to charge, or worse, having to let the battery drain completely before recharging it. The Stripettor does away with such minor upsets. And so you don't have to plug it in everywhere you go, the Stripettor has an LED light that lets you know when it's time to recharge. Drummond Scientific Drummond Scientific invented the first Pipet-Aid 26 years ago and held the patent on this technology for 20 years. Since then, Drummond has attempted to corner the pipetting market by providing a pipette for every purpose. Part of the reasoning for this strategy is that people who start out with some of the company's inexpensive baseline products will eventually move up to more advanced models once product loyalty has been firmly established. With this thought in mind, Drummond eases its customers into the world of pipetting with a sturdy and reliable pipette aid simply called Pipet-Aid. Pipet-Aid is the archetype of the modern pipette controller. With an ergonomically designed handle and button controls, Pipet-Aid is everything that you might expect of the typical pipette controller, in form if not in function. Although it doesn't have some of the fancy motorized features and fine-tune control that some of its descendants have evolved, it does provide reliable macrovolume pipetting that can be used with biohazardous materials. What makes the Pipet-Aid exceptional is its patented Dual Pump Filtration Unit. When combined with the Pipet-Aid Biohazard Filter Kit, the pump has a retention efficiency of 99.9999+percent for 0.1 micron particles and droplets. The Portable Pipet-Aid is Drummond's midrange pipettor. The portable version of Drummond's original Pipet-Aid does not differ appreciably from its landlocked predecessor. With the addition of a NiMH battery, the Portable Pipet-Aid is capable of 2,000 consecutive pipet cycles without recharging. The Ni-MH battery is an important step forward in battery technology that affords up to 30 percent longer running time per charge than the nicad battery. It is also less affected by the so-called "memory effect" caused by the repeated charging and incomplete discharging of the battery, resulting in gradually depreciating performance. However, at just under 10 ounces the Portable Pipet-Aid is one of the heaviest pipette aids in its class. Perhaps its most significant innovation is a failsafe nosepiece that uses dual hydrophilic and hydrophobic 0.8 um filters that prevent pipetting once a filter has become contaminated by fluid. This double barrier filter can shield particles as small as 0.1 um. The Portable Pipet-Aid XP is truly a generational leap in technology, departing from its progenitors in bold fashion. Unlike the hulking Portable, the XP is a meager 7.5 ounces and joins the growing trend, or should we say shrinking trend, in pipette aids that have been scaled down to accommodate the demands of the laboratory. A brand new XP "gravity drain" model also comes equipped with interchangeable colored nosepieces for easy identification. Like the Portable, the XP has an easily replaceable Ni-MH battery. In fact, the entire chassis of the XP is designed for ease of cleaning and repair. Drummond also has one of the fastest turnaround times in the industry for repaired instruments, returning them to their owners in as little as 48 hours. Matrix Technologies: Cellmate Matrix Technologies Matrix Technologies of Hudson, New Hampshire is the manufacturer of the CellMate™ Battery Powered Serological Pipettor. As its name suggests, the CellMate is suited for operating at close quarters under less than ideal conditions. By eliminating the pipettor's umbilical, and replacing it with a rechargeable battery, the user is free to move within the confines of their sterile environment, ideal for work under laminar flow hoods. In addition to its portability, CellMate also comes with a Matrix Army Knife. The army knife can be used as an all-purpose tool for opening bottles, giving manicures, or prodding ones fellow researchers when appropriate. Jencons Scientific: Powerpette Plus Jencons Scientific Jencons Scientific has a complete range of pipette fillers--from the Powerpette and Powerpette Plus up to the Powerpette Digital. These instruments come in sleek and colorful designs lending a certain aesthetic appeal to the otherwise unglamorous business of pipetting. The Powerpette and Powerpette Plus offer all of the features that experimenters have come to expect from their pipettors, such as a mode switch for three-speed variable dispensing, a low-battery light, and an assortment of hydrophobic filters. The Powerpette Plus has additional speed controls that permit gravity dispensing, aspiration, and blowout with push-button accuracy. In addition these instruments come in six different colors from blue/green and mint to pink and yellow. Besides the practical applicability of designating colored instruments for specific functions (such as pink for distilled water or yellow for hydrochloric acid), the novelty of providing experimenters with their very own colored pipettor might encourage them to clean and calibrate the instrument from a sense of pride of ownership. On the other hand, a territorial instinct might set in, causing heated disputes as battles for the highly sought-after mauve Powerpette sparks intense rivalry among lab technicians. Researchers will just have to decide for themselves whether they want to introduce this seed of temptation into their laboratories. Rounding out the Jencons line of pipette aids is the Powerpette Digital. This instrument is truly the Cadillac of pipette fillers. With a digital microprocessor control, programmable functions, and multidispensing controlled by a keypad, the Powerpette Digital ups the ante in the ongoing quest for ultimate pipetting perfection. The Powerpette Digital has one other feature that at least ten percent of the population will appreciate: a rotatable adaptor head that accomodates south paws. This seems like a particularly good idea since an unusually large number of scientists are lefties. Rainin Instruments Glassmaster Pipette Some of its attractions include a pistol-grip handle and a turquoise-colored nose cone, and most important of all, it is virtually noiseless during operation. How many times have you been rudely awakened by the sound of some inconsiderate upstart pipetting within earshot? With the Glassmaster, you can rest easy, enjoying countless hours of quiet meditation. The Glassmaster shifts from high-speed aspirating to low speed dispensing with the simple flip of a switch. Speed control can be further refined with two triggers that rest comfortably beneath the fore and index fingers. For gravity dispensing, the dispense trigger is disabled altogether. During portable operation, the Glassmaster can be used for approximately 8 hours after a full night's charge. If a complete charge was not achieved or extended use is required by some unforeseen deadline, a low-battery indicator alerts the user when 1 hour of operation remains. In emergencies, the Glassmaster can even be used while it is charging. The Glassmaster generously includes a complete package of spare hydrophobic filters, a bench stand, and a charging unit. Author Brent Johnson can be reached at bjohnson@the-scientist.com. Comparison of Pipette Fillers

Trigger Happy: Sleek New Pipette Fillers Duel For Honors As Top Gun

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