Orbital Shakers

What are orbital shakers?

Orbital shakers are laboratory mixing platforms that move their platform surface in a horizontal circular (orbital) motion at controlled speed, agitating the contents of vessels clamped or placed on the platform by inertial forces as the platform traces a circular path. The circular orbit creates a mixing pattern in flask liquids that promotes oxygen transfer from the headspace into the culture broth, which is the rate-limiting step for aerobic bacterial and yeast cultures grown in shaking flasks. Orbital shaker speed, orbit diameter, and fill volume together determine the mixing intensity and oxygen transfer rate in a culture.

What You Will Find:

• Orbital Shaker Accessories: A comprehensive range of universal spring platforms, adjustable roller bars for non-standard vessels, stacking decks, and toolless MAGic Clamp™ magnetic holders for flasks and microplates.

How to choose an orbital shaker

Choose an incubated orbital shaker for bacterial, yeast, or mammalian culture

Incubated orbital shakers maintain above-ambient temperature inside an integrated chamber, allowing cultures to grow at their optimum temperature while being agitated. This format is commonly used for microbial culture, protein expression, fermentation screening, and other temperature-controlled applications.

Choose a refrigerated shaker for cold-temperature incubation or hybridization

Refrigerated orbital shakers maintain temperatures below ambient, typically from approximately 4°C to room temperature, making them suitable for enzyme reactions, nucleic acid hybridization, and other temperature-sensitive workflows requiring agitation.

Match orbit diameter to your flask size and culture volume

Orbital shakers are available with different orbit diameters, commonly 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, and 5 cm. Smaller orbits are generally used for smaller flasks and lower volumes, while larger orbits provide increased liquid movement and aeration for larger flasks and higher culture volumes.

Select a speed range appropriate for your application

Different applications require different shaking speeds. Microbial culture often operates at higher speeds to support oxygen transfer, while hybridization, staining, and washing procedures typically require gentler agitation. Selecting a shaker with a broad speed range increases flexibility across applications.

Confirm platform size and maximum load capacity

Platform dimensions determine how many flasks, bottles, or microplates can be processed simultaneously. Maximum load capacity should accommodate the combined weight of vessels and media to ensure stable operation during continuous shaking.

Specifications context

The oxygen transfer rate in a shaking flask depends on shaking speed, orbit diameter, flask geometry, and fill volume. Appropriate combinations of these variables improve mixing efficiency and culture performance. Stackable orbital shakers remain a common solution for laboratories that require multiple simultaneous culture conditions while conserving bench and floor space.

Ready to stabilize your shaking protocols? Explore our digital orbital shakers and dynamic platform accessories, and contact the MBP team for a quote today.