Why invest in a quality laboratory bench?
The benchtop is much more than just a work surface. It forms the backbone of the laboratory, supporting sensitive equipment, chemical reactions, heavy instruments, and sometimes corrosive materials. Choosing the wrong benchtop can pose risks to samples, users, and experimental results.
By choosing a robust and suitable worktop, you guarantee:
- Operator safety
- Resistance to chemicals
- Equipment durability
- An optimal working environment
The different types of laboratory benches
There are several types of workbenches, depending on the activities carried out:
- Chemical bench: resistant to acids, solvents and chemical reagents.
- Biological bench: suitable for handling live samples and limited cross-contamination.
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Physical bench: supporting heavy loads for mechanical or optical equipment.
Main criteria for choosing a workbench
When selecting a lab bench, evaluate:
- The material of the worktop (laminate, stainless steel, ceramic, epoxy resin)
- Thermal resistance to support heating devices
- Chemical resistance depending on the reagents used
- Modularity options (storage, cabinets, integrated equipment)
Focus on the materials used for laboratory benches
The choice of material is crucial. Here are the main options:
The stainless steel worktop
Stainless steel is highly prized for its corrosion resistance, ease of maintenance, and hygienic appearance. It is an ideal option for biology, microbiology, or wet chemistry laboratories.
The epoxy resin benchtop
Widely used for its excellent chemical and thermal properties, epoxy resin offers very good value for money and great durability, particularly in demanding chemical environments.
The high pressure laminate benchtop
An economical solution for laboratories requiring less chemical resistance, laminate is suitable for simple handling or storage areas.
How much should I expect to pay for a laboratory bench?
Prices vary considerably depending on:
- Materials used
- From the size
- Integrated equipment (sinks, sockets, hoods, storage units)
For quality refurbished equipment like Rewake, you can access excellent lab benches at discounted prices without sacrificing reliability. This allows you to maximize your budget without compromising the safety and performance of your work environment.
In addition to your installation, also consider consulting our range of thermal cyclers for your PCR and molecular biology applications.
Setting up a laboratory bench: what to plan for
Designing a workspace around a laboratory bench requires consideration of ergonomics, safety, and functionality. Proper organization not only improves productivity but also reduces the risk of accidents.
Additional equipment to be integrated
To maximize the efficiency of your benchtop, it is recommended to integrate:
- Durable and secure electrical outlets
- Water drainage systems for integrated sinks
- Storage modules (drawers, cabinets, shelves)
- Workstation-specific lighting systems
- A stand for small measuring devices or scales
Optimizing safety on the benchtop
In a laboratory, safety is paramount. On your workbench, plan for:
- Chemical splash protection
- Spill absorption systems
- Easy access to first aid equipment
- Non-slip surfaces
Laboratory bench: for what types of laboratories?
The laboratory bench adapts to the needs of many sectors of activity:
- Pharmaceutical laboratories: for handling sensitive chemical and biological products.
- Research laboratories: for complex molecular biology or analytical chemistry protocols.
- Food laboratories: for quality control and microbiological analyses.
- Hospital laboratories: for diagnostics, microbiology, hematology and PCR tests.
Common mistakes to avoid when choosing a laboratory bench
To avoid compromising your workspace, here are the main mistakes to avoid:
- Underestimating chemical resistance: Choosing the wrong material can quickly damage your equipment.
- Ignoring ergonomics: Poor height or layout reduces comfort and increases musculoskeletal disorders.
- Forget modularity: opting for a non-scalable benchtop can limit adaptation to future developments in your laboratory.
- Neglecting maintenance: A material that is difficult to clean increases the risk of cross-contamination and premature deterioration.
How to effectively maintain your laboratory bench?
The durability of a laboratory bench depends largely on its regular maintenance:
- Clean up chemical spills immediately.
- Use products suitable for the worktop material (avoid abrasives on stainless steel or aggressive solvents on epoxy resin).
- Perform periodic checks for cracks or deterioration.
- Promptly replace damaged seals or coatings to prevent internal corrosion.
Proper maintenance significantly extends the life of your benchtop and maintains a safe working environment that complies with health and safety standards.
Choosing the right used laboratory bench
Investing in a high-performance laboratory bench requires evaluating several technical criteria before purchasing:
1. The type of surface
Depending on the intended use, favor:
- Stainless steel: perfect for microbiology laboratories and sterile environments.
- Epoxy resin: ideal for resisting corrosive chemicals and high temperatures.
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High pressure laminate: good compromise for teaching or simple analysis laboratories.
2. Modularity
A modular workbench makes it easy to add new equipment or storage modules without replacing the existing installation.
3. Load capacity
Make sure the benchtop can support the weight of your measuring devices, centrifuges, thermal cyclers, and other heavy instruments. A reinforced steel structure is often recommended.
Using the laboratory bench in a connected environment
More and more laboratories are adopting connected equipment. Therefore, your laboratory bench must include:
- Secure multi-socket electrical connections
- Ethernet and USB connection ports
- Sufficient space to integrate modern instruments, such as a thermal cycler or PCR analyzer
Connectivity enables faster data collection, partial automation of analyses and better sample traceability.
Why buy a refurbished laboratory bench?
At Rewake, we firmly believe in the value of refurbished laboratory equipment:
- Significant savings: Refurbished equipment can cost up to 50% less than new equipment.
- Quality Guarantee: Our worktops are checked, refurbished and tested to meet the highest quality standards.
- Ecology: extending the lifespan of equipment significantly reduces the environmental footprint.
Choosing a reconditioned workbench is therefore a decision that is smart, economical and eco-responsible.
Conclusion: Choosing the Perfect Lab Bench for Your Science Projects
Whether you're in biomedical research, teaching, or the pharmaceutical industry, the laboratory bench remains a central element of your work environment. It must combine robustness, safety, ergonomics, and modularity to adapt to your methods and the evolution of your equipment.
At Rewake, we help you select the best benchtop for your needs, with reliable and competitively priced refurbished solutions. Also discover our complementary equipment to optimize your laboratory, such as our range of thermal cyclers.
Need personalized advice on designing your scientific workspace? Don't hesitate to contact our specialized team!
Selling used laboratory benches: a smart solution
The market for used laboratory benches is experiencing remarkable growth, particularly in the academic, industrial, and hospital sectors. Purchasing refurbished laboratory furniture offers excellent value for money while limiting your environmental impact.
At Rewake, all our used workbenches are rigorously selected and reconditioned to guarantee:
- Compliance with safety and robustness standards
- Perfect functionality of surfaces and load-bearing structures
- Professional cleaning and restoration
The sale of used laboratory benches therefore perfectly meets the needs of laboratories in the creation, expansion or modernization phase, without compromising the quality or reliability of their work facilities.
Laboratory bench furniture: the importance of a suitable installation
A laboratory bench furniture must be designed as a truly multifunctional workstation. The choice of furniture directly influences the quality and fluidity of research, testing, or production activities.
Among the elements to consider:
- Dimensions : to adapt to heavy equipment (microscopes, centrifuges, spectrophotometers) and guarantee user ergonomics.
- The material : stainless steel, epoxy resin or high-pressure laminate, depending on the type of chemical, biological or physical activity.
- Additional modules : storage, shelves, integrated sinks, secure electrical outlets and integrated LED lighting.
Good laboratory bench furniture improves productivity while securing sensitive experiments. At Rewake, we help you create tailor-made solutions to maximize your laboratory's space and performance.
Buying a laboratory bench: how to make the right choice?
Purchasing a laboratory bench should be carefully considered to ensure a sustainable investment that meets your specific needs. Here are our practical tips:
1. Define your primary use
A cell biology laboratory will not have the same requirements as an organic chemistry or pharmaceutical analysis laboratory.
2. Favor modularity
A scalable layout allows you to adapt your working environment as your laboratory evolves technically and organizationally.
3. Anticipate maintenance
Choosing easy-to-maintain materials reduces operating costs and extends the lifespan of your furniture. Choose surfaces that are resistant to chemicals and high temperatures.
At Rewake, we support you in your purchase of laboratory benches by offering you reliable reconditioned models, immediately available and adapted to your budget.
To complete your scientific setup, also discover our range of reconditioned thermal cyclers, essential for molecular biology and genetic research laboratories.
