Choosing a Laboratory Homogenizer

By Carlton Hoyt, 08 May 2014

Wondering what the most important attributes are in choosing a homogenizer? Thanks to a recent survey (ref) we no longer need to wonder!  According to 219 customers, the following factors are the most important when purchasing a homogenizer:

Durability 92%
Low Maintenance 86%
Value 83%
Reproducible Results 78%
Variable Speed 78%
Service / Support 69%
Warranty 68%
Safety Features 66%
Vendor Reputation 62%

These are all good things to keep in mind when selecting a homogenizer, although I'm surprised the survey didn't mention throughput, capacity / sample size, or cooling.

The survey also asked respondents what kinds of homogenizers they used. These are the results:

Rotor-Stator 41%
Ultrasonic 30%
Bead Mill 17%
High-Pressure 7%
Other 6%

This isn't terribly surprising given the versatility of rotor-stators, the relative newness of laboratory-scale bead milling technologies, and the cost of high-pressure fluidized bed systems.

When choosing a homogenizer for yourself, though, don't just go with what's popular.  There's a lot of different homogenizers out there and the right one for you will depend heavily on your application.  If you have any questions about homogenizers or homogenization within your particular application, don't hesitate to contact us!  We're not only homogenization experts but we're also brand-agnostic, so we'll help you find whatever homogenizer is right for you.