| Many people find it difficult to really know the | | | | comparable storage capacity. They are more |
| difference between refrigerator types. Finding the | | | | effective at maintaining and trapping cool air than the |
| right model and brand of refrigerator to buy depends | | | | upright model as well. Chest refrigerators can bounce |
| entirely on your own personal refrigeration needs. | | | | back quickly to their regulated temperatures even |
| You might require a basic domestic fridge for | | | | when the door has been opened, exposing them to |
| in-house use, a low-temperature freezer for frozen | | | | the laboratory air. Upright refrigerators are less |
| goods, or a laboratory refrigerator for scientific | | | | efficient and take up more space, but they have |
| supplies. As an appliance, a refrigerator is somewhat | | | | more room for organization. This way, important |
| of an investment. That means that you'll want to | | | | samples are not misplaced or mixed up, and they can |
| make sure you've done all you can to pick the best | | | | be accessed easily. |
| one. | | | | Domestic Refrigerators |
| Laboratory Refrigerators | | | | We typically keep our household refrigerators around |
| Laboratory refrigerators store important medical and | | | | 38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike the laboratory |
| scientific materials at specific temperatures. Some are | | | | refrigerator, the items we store do not require quite |
| therefore very low temperature refrigerators for | | | | such careful temperature regulation. Domestic |
| items that need to be kept extremely cold. Others | | | | refrigerators do not vary as much in the sizes and |
| reduce humidity so that sensitive specimens stay | | | | shapes that they come in. Most are a standard size |
| safe or intact in a highly controlled environment. As | | | | with a top or bottom freezer compartment. You can |
| you might be able to tell, it is usually people in a | | | | store your frozen foods here, or purchase a |
| specific profession who use these types of | | | | separate sub-zero refrigerator, commonly called a |
| refrigerators. They are not used in households. With | | | | freezer. While laboratory refrigerators sometimes |
| their specific temperature regulation capabilities, | | | | have more than one solid or sliding glass door, |
| laboratory refrigerators are designed with much more | | | | domestic refrigerators open with a single, |
| detail and fine-tuned requirements than a typical | | | | outward-pull door. They usually feature sliding |
| home refrigerator. | | | | drawers for produce and compartments on the door |
| You can buy laboratory refrigerators in many designs, | | | | for eggs and cheese. |
| shapes and sizes. Generally speaking however, they | | | | You can adjust the temperature of your domestic |
| exist in two main categories: the chest freezer and | | | | refrigerator with a dial at your own leisure, whereas |
| the upright freezer. These models differ mainly in the | | | | most laboratory refrigerators are equipped with an |
| respective quantities of space that each one needs. | | | | alarm system. As soon as the internal temperature |
| Depending on the layout and available space in a | | | | undergoes any sort of change, the alarm will go off |
| laboratory, it is appealing to have a refrigerator that | | | | to notify lab personnel. Now that you know the |
| can fit conveniently under a lab counter. Small | | | | difference between refrigerator types, you can see |
| refrigeration units like these will reduce the risk of | | | | how the refrigerator's intended use largely defines |
| accidents because they are tucked out of the way | | | | the model you will choose to buy. Most people only |
| of any traffic. | | | | require a domestic refrigerator, but now you are |
| An upright refrigerator takes up a smaller amount of | | | | familiar with the higher-tech functions of laboratory |
| space in the lab than the chest freezer, but still has a | | | | models as well. |