A laboratory autoclave is a pressure vessel that uses saturated steam under pressure to achieve sterilization – the complete destruction of all microbial life including bacteria, viruses, spores, and fungi. Autoclaves are the most reliable and widely used method of sterilization in research, clinical, pharmaceutical, and biocontainment laboratory environments. They are also the standard recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for moist heat sterilization of biological materials, contaminated labware, culture media, and infectious waste.
LabRepCo offers a comprehensive range of laboratory autoclaves and sterilizers from Getinge, Tuttnauer, Amerex, and Benchmark Scientific – covering every scale from compact benchtop units for routine sterilization to large floor-standing research and biocontainment autoclaves for high-volume and high-containment applications. Browse by autoclave type or contact a LabRepCo specialist at 800-521-0754 to identify the right model for your laboratory.
In laboratory settings the terms autoclave and sterilizer are frequently used interchangeably, but there is a technical distinction. A sterilizer is any piece of equipment that destroys all living organisms – this includes dry heat sterilizers, chemical sterilizers, plasma sterilizers, and steam sterilizers. An autoclave specifically refers to a pressurized steam sterilizer – the most common type used in research and clinical laboratories.
All autoclaves are sterilizers, but not all sterilizers are autoclaves. For the vast majority of laboratory sterilization applications involving glassware, instruments, liquids, culture media, and biological waste, a steam autoclave is the correct and most validated choice.
Selecting the right autoclave starts with understanding the two primary steam sterilization cycle technologies and how they match to your load types.
| Cycle Type | How It Works | Best For |
| Gravity Displacement | Steam enters the chamber and gravity forces air downward and out through a drain. Simpler, lower cost, slower air removal. | Solid unwrapped instruments, glassware, non-porous loads, liquids, and culture media. The most common cycle type in research labs. |
| Pre-Vacuum (Dynamic Air Removal) | A vacuum pump actively removes air from the chamber before steam injection, ensuring full steam penetration even into porous materials and wrapped instrument packs. | Wrapped instruments, porous loads (animal bedding, caging materials), complex device configurations, and any load where air pockets would prevent steam contact. |
Getinge’s research laboratory autoclaves offer both gravity and pre-vacuum cycles, along with specialized cycles for liquid sterilization, waste decontamination, and custom validation protocols. Contact LabRepCo to discuss cycle requirements for your specific application.
Use the questions below to narrow down the right autoclave type for your laboratory:
| Your Requirement | Recommended Autoclave Type |
| Routine benchtop sterilization of small loads – glassware, instruments, media | Benchtop autoclave (7.5L to 84L) from Tuttnauer or Benchmark Scientific |
| Sterilization of large vertical loads – bioreactors, bottles, carboys | Top loading autoclave from Amerex |
| High-volume research lab – large chamber, diverse load types, validation requirements | Research laboratory autoclave (Getinge) with gravity and pre-vacuum cycles |
| BSL-2/BSL-3 biocontainment – double-door pass-through, liquid effluent treatment | Biocontainment autoclave (Getinge) with sealed chamber and effluent decontamination |
| Quick sterilization of inoculating loops, needles, and small metal instruments | Infrared or dry heat sterilizer (Benchmark Scientific) |
Understanding what is and is not compatible with steam autoclave sterilization is essential for protecting both equipment and personnel.
| Category | Description | Browse |
| Research Laboratory Autoclaves | Floor-standing and large-format Getinge autoclaves for high-volume research labs. Gravity and pre-vacuum cycles, multiple chamber sizes, full validation support for GLP and GMP environments. | View All |
| Biocontainment Autoclaves | Getinge double-door pass-through autoclaves for BSL-2 and BSL-3 containment environments. Liquid effluent decontamination and sealed chamber design for maximum biosafety. | View All |
| Top Loading Autoclaves | Amerex top-loading autoclaves for sterilization of large vertical loads including bioreactors, carboys, and bottles. Ideal for microbiology, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical labs. | View All |
| Benchtop Autoclaves | Compact benchtop autoclaves from Tuttnauer and Benchmark Scientific – 7.5L to 84L chamber sizes for routine laboratory sterilization with a minimal footprint. | View All |
| Infrared and Dry Heat Sterilizers | Benchmark Scientific infrared and dry heat sterilizers for rapid sterilization of inoculating loops, needles, glass pipettes, and small metal instruments without steam or chemicals. | View All |
A sterilizer is any equipment that destroys all microbial life – including dry heat, chemical, plasma, and steam sterilizers. An autoclave is specifically a pressurized steam sterilizer and is the most commonly used and most validated type of sterilizer in research and clinical laboratories. For most laboratory applications involving glassware, instruments, liquids, culture media, and biological waste, a steam autoclave is the correct choice.
Standard laboratory autoclave cycles operate at 121 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit) at 15 PSI (103 kPa) for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the load. Some cycles use 134 degrees Celsius at higher pressure for shorter cycle times or more challenging loads such as prion-contaminated materials (though standard cycles are not sufficient for prion decontamination – extended cycles at 134 degrees Celsius for 18+ minutes are required). Always validate cycle parameters for your specific load type.
Use a gravity cycle for solid unwrapped instruments, open glassware, aqueous solutions, and liquids – these loads do not require deep steam penetration and gravity air removal is sufficient. Use a pre-vacuum (dynamic air removal) cycle for wrapped instrument packs, porous materials, animal bedding, cage materials, and any load where trapped air pockets could prevent steam contact. Many Getinge research autoclaves offer both cycle types in a single unit, providing maximum flexibility across different load types.
Validation frequency depends on regulatory environment and institutional policy. In GLP and GMP environments, autoclave validation is typically required annually and after any significant maintenance or repair. All cycles should be monitored routinely using biological indicators (Geobacillus stearothermophilus spore strips), chemical indicators, and temperature and pressure recording. LabRepCo can provide documentation support for autoclave qualification in regulated laboratory environments.
A biocontainment autoclave is a double-door pass-through sterilizer specifically designed for use in BSL-2, BSL-3, and other high-containment laboratory environments. The double-door configuration allows contaminated materials to be loaded from inside the containment zone and retrieved as sterile waste from outside, preventing any cross-contamination between containment and clean areas. Liquid effluent decontamination systems neutralize all condensate and drain water before discharge. Biocontainment autoclaves are required in any BSL-3 facility and recommended for high-throughput BSL-2 environments processing significant volumes of biological waste.
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