Lab Ovens, Incubators, Washers and Water Baths
Drying and vacuum ovens, general-purpose and CO2 incubators, glassware washers, water baths and lab water systems, planned with the benches, power and plumbing they need. Free layout review, delivery and installation.
Talk with a lab equipment specialist: (801) 855-8560 · Sales@Labs-USA.com
Shop Lab Ovens and Lab Water Systems Online
A vacuum oven and the lab water systems that supply washers and water baths, available directly from the Labs USA store. Each card opens the item pictured (price shown is the starting price). Request a quote for forced-air ovens, incubators, glassware washers, installation or volume orders.
Heating, Incubation and Washing Equipment for Working Labs
Almost every lab needs a way to dry, heat, incubate and clean. Labs USA supplies the everyday thermal and washing equipment that does it: laboratory drying ovens and vacuum ovens, incubators, water baths and dry block heaters, glassware washers, and the lab water purification systems that feed them.
We quote this equipment with the room, not one box at a time. An oven needs a bench that can carry it and a circuit that can power it; a washer needs hot water, pure water and a drain; an incubator needs a quiet spot away from doors and vents.
Getting those details right before ordering is what keeps a project on schedule. Our team checks the layout, utilities and clearances with you, then supplies, delivers and installs the equipment together with your casework and benches. Starting from a blank room? Our free lab design service turns a sketch into a layout and an equipment list, and the laboratory equipment hub covers fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, safety cabinets and the rest of the room.
Lab Ovens, Incubators and Washers We Supply
Each card below opens a guide, product or category page for that equipment type. Most labs combine several: a microbiology lab usually needs an incubator, a water bath, a drying oven for glassware and a washer, while a QC lab may run two ovens and a refrigerated incubator side by side.
We supply ovens, incubators and water baths from established lab manufacturers including SHEL LAB (Sheldon Manufacturing) and LabStrong Fi-Streem, and glassware washers from Steelco. See the full list of lab equipment manufacturers we supply.
Laboratory Ovens: Types and How to Choose
A laboratory oven holds a chamber at a set temperature, usually from a few degrees above room temperature up to about 250 to 300 °C, for drying glassware, removing moisture from samples, curing coatings and adhesives, and heat-treating parts.
The airflow design matters more than the size: it decides how evenly the chamber heats and how hard the oven is on light or powdery samples.
| Oven type | How it heats | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravity (natural) convection | Warm air rises and circulates without a fan | Powders and light samples that a fan would disturb; general drying | Slower recovery after the door opens; less even temperature across shelves |
| Forced-air (mechanical) convection | A blower moves heated air across every shelf | Glassware drying, moisture tests, curing and full loads that need even heat | Can scatter fine powders; check uniformity specs at your set point |
| Vacuum oven | Heats under reduced pressure so liquids evaporate at lower temperatures | Heat-sensitive samples, solvent removal, drying without oxidation | Needs a vacuum pump; solvent vapors must be trapped or vented safely |
| High-temperature oven or furnace | Heavier insulation and elements for much higher temperatures | Ashing, annealing and work above normal oven range | Higher power draw, more heat into the room, often 208/240V |
What to decide before you request a quote
- Process and temperature: what you are drying or heating, the set point, and how long a cycle runs.
- Uniformity: how close every shelf must stay to the set point; forced-air ovens usually hold tighter uniformity than gravity ovens.
- Capacity: chamber volume and the number of shelves for your largest load, with room for air to move around it.
- Controls and records: digital set point, over-temperature protection, timers, alarms and data output if your quality system needs it.
- Solvents and vapors: a standard oven is not designed for flammable vapors; drying solvent-wet material needs a vacuum oven with proper trapping or an oven rated for that use.
For a deeper walk-through of drying oven types, cycle planning and loading, read our laboratory drying oven selection guide. If you need a vacuum oven now, the Fi-Streem 31 L unit in the shop row above can be ordered online.
Laboratory Incubators: General-Purpose, CO2, Refrigerated and Dry Block
An incubator holds a stable, usually lower temperature for hours or days so cultures can grow and samples can be tested under controlled conditions. Typical microbiology work runs at 35 to 37 °C; environmental and food tests often run cooler.
Where an oven is judged on how fast it heats, an incubator is judged on how steady it stays, how quickly it recovers after the door opens and how well it avoids condensation.
| Incubator type | Temperature range (typical) | Common uses | Plan for |
|---|---|---|---|
| General-purpose (gravity or forced-air) | A few degrees above room temperature to about 70 °C | Bacterial cultures, clinical microbiology, teaching labs | A stable room; keep away from doors, windows and supply vents |
| CO2 incubator | Near 37 °C with controlled CO2 and humidity | Mammalian cell culture, IVF and tissue work | CO2 cylinder or house gas, regulator, humidity pan and contamination control |
| Refrigerated / BOD incubator | Below and above room temperature, commonly 20 °C for BOD tests | Biochemical oxygen demand, stability studies, plant and insect work | Heat rejection from the compressor or thermoelectric unit; floor space for tall units |
| Shaking incubator | Room temperature to about 60 to 80 °C with an orbital platform | Liquid cultures that need agitation and aeration | A level, sturdy surface or floor stand that handles vibration |
| Dry block (dry bath) incubator | Ambient to about 100 °C or higher in aluminum blocks | Tubes and vials; enzyme reactions; replaces a water bath without water | Block sizes matched to your tubes |
A few practical points carry over from project to project. Keep incubators off bench runs that also carry vibrating equipment, leave the rear and side clearance the manufacturer asks for, and give CO2 units a protected place for the gas cylinder with a chain or bracket. Stacking two incubators saves floor space but needs a stacking kit approved by the manufacturer.
Lab Oven vs Incubator: Key Differences
Ovens and incubators look alike and both hold a set temperature, which is why they are often confused. The quick rule: an oven removes moisture or applies heat; an incubator keeps living material at a steady, gentle temperature. Using one for the other usually ruins the work: an oven is too uneven and too hot at low set points for cultures, and an incubator cannot reach drying temperatures.
| Laboratory oven | Laboratory incubator | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Drying, curing, baking, heat treatment | Growing cultures, holding samples at a stable temperature |
| Typical range | Room temperature + about 10 °C up to about 250–300 °C | Room temperature + about 5 °C up to about 70 °C (refrigerated models go below room temperature) |
| Air and humidity | Vents moisture out of the chamber | Holds humidity in; some models control CO2 |
| What matters most | Heat-up time, uniformity at high set points, over-temperature safety | Stability, uniformity at low set points, door-opening recovery, contamination control |
| Door | Single insulated door | Outer door plus a glass inner door so you can see samples without losing heat |
| Typical users | Chemistry, QC, materials, glassware prep | Microbiology, clinical, cell culture, environmental BOD testing |
Some labs ask for a combination unit. A few manufacturers offer models that cover both low incubation temperatures and moderate drying temperatures, but a dedicated unit for each job usually performs better and avoids cross-contamination between dirty drying loads and clean cultures.
Laboratory Glassware Washers
A laboratory glassware washer cleans, rinses and dries glassware in one cycle, with spray arms and injection spindles that reach inside narrow-neck flasks, pipettes and bottles. It replaces hand scrubbing, gives repeatable results and reduces the risk of residue carrying into the next test.
Undercounter washers fit under a standard bench run; freestanding models hold more and often add forced hot-air drying.
The decision that drives the quote is the load: how many pieces a day, what shapes, and how clean they must be. Racks and inserts are chosen for your glassware, and the final rinse is usually done with purified water so mineral spots do not affect results. Plan the utilities early: washers typically need hot and purified water feeds, a drain and a dedicated circuit, often 208/240V. Our customers most often trip over the purified-water supply, so we size the water system together with the washer.
Compare models on the laboratory dishwasher page, see sizes and rack options for undercounter glassware washers, and use the lab glassware washer buying guide to plan capacity and installation.
Water Baths and Lab Water Purification
A laboratory water bath holds water at a steady temperature, commonly from a few degrees above room temperature up to around 99 °C, to warm reagents, thaw samples and run reactions that need gentle, even heat. Digital controllers, a lid to cut evaporation and an over-temperature cutoff are the features most labs look for.
Sizes run from a few liters to about 24 liters or more. For typical costs and options, see the digital water bath price guide.
Lab water purification supports almost everything on this page. Washers need pure water for the final rinse, water baths stay cleaner with purified water, and many tests specify a water grade. Distillation stills and cartridge purifiers produce Type II water for rinsing and general use, while Type I systems polish water further for sensitive analysis.
Compare grades and system types on the lab water purification systems page or go straight to lab water purifiers for distilled water.
Placement, Power and Utilities for Ovens, Incubators and Washers
Most problems with this equipment start with where it is put. Ovens and washers are heavy and give off heat and moisture; incubators are sensitive to drafts and temperature swings. Run through this checklist before a quote is final.
- Bench or table load: confirm the bench, shelf or table is rated for the full weight of stacked ovens or incubators plus their load.
- Electrical: voltage and amperage for each unit; large ovens and washers often need 208/240V and a dedicated circuit.
- Clearances: leave the side, rear and top space the manufacturer specifies so heat can escape and doors can open fully.
- Heat and ventilation: several ovens in a small room add real heat; tell your mechanical engineer how many units will run at once.
- Vapors: ovens that dry samples with solvent residue need venting or a vacuum oven with a cold trap; never place them where vapors collect.
- Water and drains: hot and purified water feeds plus a drain for washers; a nearby sink or drain for emptying water baths.
- Gas: CO2 supply for CO2 incubators, with cylinder restraint and a regulator.
- Stable spot for incubators: away from doors, windows, supply diffusers and equipment that vibrates.
Heavy units often sit best on a dedicated table rather than a long bench run. See lab workstations and tables for steel and phenolic tables, and stainless steel casework for wash areas. The lab startup scope planner builds a bench and utility list from your room size and lab type.
Applications: Ovens, Incubators and Washers by Lab Type
The right mix of equipment depends on what the lab tests. These are the lab types we equip most often, with the thermal and washing equipment that usually anchors each one. Each card opens a page with layouts and furniture for that kind of lab.
Project example: equipment table for autoclaves
Heavy sterilizing and heating equipment needs furniture built for it. For a pharmaceutical testing lab in Salt Lake City we supplied a custom welded steel equipment table sized for its autoclaves. Read the Nelson Laboratories equipment table project.
How to Buy Lab Ovens, Incubators and Washers From Labs USA
Share the scope
Tell us the process, temperatures, load sizes and room, or send a floor plan or equipment list.
Equipment and utility review
We match oven, incubator and washer types to your work and flag the power, water, drain and gas each needs.
Quote and cut sheets
You get a line-item quote with cut sheets for approval by your lab manager, architect or quality team.
Delivery and installation
Equipment ships with your benches and casework so the room goes in once, in the right order.
Startup
We coordinate final utility connections with your contractors so the equipment is ready to run.
Lead times and availability
Lead times vary by manufacturer, size and options. Some common sizes are in stock at select manufacturers, subject to confirmation, so tell us if your schedule is tight and we will check faster options. Your quote states the confirmed lead time for the exact model and configuration.
Budgeting
Ovens, incubators and washers range widely with size, controls and options. The lab furniture cost guide helps budget the benches and casework around them, and qualifying businesses may be able to deduct equipment purchases under Section 179 for laboratory equipment (check with your tax advisor).
Lab Oven, Incubator and Washer FAQs
What is the difference between a lab oven and an incubator?
Should I choose a gravity convection or forced-air lab oven?
When do I need a vacuum oven?
Can I dry samples containing flammable solvents in a standard lab oven?
What does a CO2 incubator need?
What utilities does a laboratory glassware washer need?
Can I stack lab ovens or incubators?
Do you sell water baths and lab water systems?
How long do ovens, incubators and washers take to arrive?
Do you install lab ovens, incubators and washers?
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