IKA lab instruments

Magnetic stirrers

First, consider how much you need to stir and whether heating is required. For small batches up to 250 ml without heating, the topolino is sufficient. As soon as a flask needs to be brought to temperature, the material of the base plate is decisive: aluminium transfers heat quickly, while ceramic is chemical-resistant. If you need to document processes or integrate them into the laboratory network, choose the RET basic with Wi-Fi and LAN.

• topolino: up to 250 ml, 500 to 1800 rpm, without heating
• C-MAG HS 7: up to 10 l, 1000 W, ceramic plate 180 x 180 mm
• RCT basic: up to 20 l, 800 W, 50 to 1500 rpm, IP 54
• RET basic: up to 20 l, 800 W, 50 to 1700 rpm, Wi-Fi and LAN

Overhead stirrers

For viscous media, pastes and volumes above 20 litres, an overhead stirrer with shaft is designed for the task. The key selection criterion is torque at the stirring shaft in Ncm together with maximum viscosity in mPas. The MICROSTAR range covers small volumes at low viscosity, while EUROSTAR 20 and 60 cover the class up to 60 litres and 50,000 mPas. The RW 20 digital has two mechanical speed ranges, with the lower range providing high torque for pastes.

• MICROSTAR 7.5 digital: up to 5 l, 7.5 Ncm, up to 4,000 mPas
• EUROSTAR 20 digital: up to 25 l, 40 Ncm, up to 10,000 mPas
• EUROSTAR 60 digital: up to 60 l, up to 50,000 mPas
• RW 20 digital: up to 20 l, 150 Ncm in range I, 60 to 2,000 rpm

ULTRA-TURRAX dispersers

For the T range, first select the drive according to batch size, then select the tool according to the sample. The T 10 basic is a handheld device for millilitres, the T 25 digital is the standard device for beakers and flasks up to 2 litres, while T 50 and T 65 are for the move into pilot-scale operation. All four operate up to 5,000 mPas. T 18 and T 25 are supplied as drive units without a tool, so you select the dispersing tool separately.

• T 10 basic: 0.5 to 100 ml, 8,000 to 30,000 rpm
• T 25 digital: 1 to 2,000 ml, 3,000 to 25,000 rpm
• T 50 digital: 0.25 to 30 l, 600 to 10,000 rpm
• T 65 digital: 2 to 50 l, 1,000 to 9,500 rpm

Rotary evaporators

Three questions determine the choice: which solvents you use, how often, and whether vacuum and cooling water are already available in the laboratory. For low-boiling solvents, the RV 3 water bath up to 99 °C with manual lift is sufficient. Higher-boiling solvents or oil-bath operation require the 180 °C capability available from the RV-8 range onwards. The RV 10 has a motorised lift with safety stop and is available as a complete set with vacuum pump and recirculating chiller.

• RV 3 V: heating bath up to 99 °C, manual lift, up to 300 rpm
• RV 8 V: water-oil heating bath up to 180 °C, manual lift
• RV 10 digital: heating bath up to 180 °C, motorised lift, 5 to 280 rpm

Mills

Analytical mills reduce samples for analysis; they do not replace a coarse crusher. The criteria are Mohs hardness, feed particle size, and whether the material is brittle or fibrous. Brittle material is impact-milled, fibrous material is cut, and a separate cutting blade is available for the A 11. Both mills can be cooled. If you need an integrated balance and temperature monitoring, choose the MultiDrive control.

• A 10 basic: up to 50 ml, up to 5 Mohs, particle size up to 6 mm, 25,000 rpm
• A 11 basic: up to 80 ml, up to 6 Mohs, particle size up to 10 mm, 28,000 rpm
• MultiDrive control: 1,000 W, 3,000 to 20,000 rpm, integrated balance

Thermostats and recirculating chillers

The first question is the operating range. An immersion circulator heats baths and can only cool with external cooling. If you need to operate below room temperature, for example for reactors or rotary evaporators, you need a recirculating chiller. The current devices are called RC 2 GREEN and HRC 2 GREEN, operate with R290 refrigerant and are the IKA-designated successors to the RC 2 basic, which was discontinued in July 2026.

• RC 2 GREEN basic: 800 W cooling capacity at 20 °C, down to -30 °C, R290
• HRC 2 GREEN basic: -20 to +100 °C, stability ±0.05 K, up to 21 l/min

Shakers and incubators

For a standard shaker, the decisive factors are the permitted shaking load including attachment and the speed range. If cultures need to grow at 37 °C, you need an incubator shaker with controlled heating; operation below room temperature also requires cooling. The INC 125 FS combines an incubator and shaking platform in 125 litres, while the INC 125 FC cools down to -5 °C and decontaminates at 100 °C.

• KS 260 basic: up to 7.5 kg, 0 to 500 rpm
• KS 4000 i control: up to 20 kg, 10 to 500 rpm, +5 to 80 °C, 90 l
• INC 125 FS digital: 125 l, 10 to 300 rpm, 20 mm stroke
• INC 125 FC digital: 125 l, -5 to 100 °C, stability ±0.2 K at 37 °C

Pipettes

The volume range and number of channels follow from the application; the remaining choice is mechanical or electronic. The PETTE range is mechanical and autoclavable at 121 °C. The IKA PEN is electronic, supplied with a factory calibration certificate in accordance with ISO 8655 and documents calibrations via the app. For 96-well plates, choose the 12-channel PETTE.

• IKA PEN 0.5 to 10 µl: electronic, 0.01 µl increment, accuracy ±1.0 % at 10 µl
• PETTE vario 0.5 to 10 µl: mechanical, 0.01 µl increment, autoclavable at 121 °C
• PETTE multi 12-channel 20 to 200 µl: 0.2 µl increment

Chemistry and synthesis

The heated magnetic stirrer runs continuously, often with a synthesis block and round-bottom flask instead of an oil bath. The rotary evaporator then removes the solvent, while a recirculating chiller keeps the reactor or condenser at temperature.

Pharmaceutical and quality assurance

Reproducibility and documentation are crucial here. The RET basic logs via LAN and Wi-Fi, the IKA PEN provides a calibration certificate in accordance with ISO 8655, and dispersers with electronic control maintain speed to within one per cent.

Food and environmental analysis

Size reduction comes before analysis: dried plant material goes into the analytical mill, while fibrous samples are processed with the cutting blade. An ULTRA-TURRAX with a fine tool homogenises dairy products and emulsions, while a saw-tooth tool handles leaves and roots.

Life science and molecular biology

PCR preparations require very small volumes from 0.5 µl, cell suspensions require a disperser with an autoclavable tool, and cultures require an incubator shaker with a stable 37 °C. Thermo shakers with Peltier technology heat and cool microtitre plates directly at the workstation.

Education and practical courses

Where many workstations need to be equipped with straightforward devices, we recommend the topolino for dilution series, the C-MAG HS 7 for routine heating, and the RV 3 V as an entry into distillation with manual lift and water bath.

Process engineering and scale-up

When 2 litres become 20 or 50, the device range must scale with them without changing the tool concept. The T range extends from beakers to pilot plants, the EUROSTAR range up to 60 litres and 50,000 mPas, and the LR laboratory reactors model processes on a litre scale.