The Specific Care Required for Choosing a Medical Refrigerator

Just like with everything else, different facility needs a different refrigeration unit for its unique storage needs which is why choosing a refrigeration unit industry of scientific, medical, and laboratory refrigeration can be a daunting task. That is the reason why we have decided to create this little guide for you in order to find the right type of medical refrigerator for your needs.

The main difference between medical or laboratory refrigeration and household refrigeration is in the freezer. Residential refrigerators, for example, include a freezer compartment, which is not the case with medical and laboratory ones. A combination refrigerator-freezers is a big no-no for any kind of medical or laboratory storage needs. Regardless of the type, refrigerator-freezers are not designed with a focus on temperature stability which means that they are not a “safe” place to keep the more sensitive items. While some refrigerator-freezer units are great to keep ice packs, beverages, and staff items, they are not recommended for storing any type of vaccine. So, if you need both freezer and refrigeration temperatures for storing specific things, opt for slimmer side-by-side or stackable units.

When it comes to medical needs, choose to buy a medical deep freezer in order to accommodate all of your needs. These types of freezers are available in a range of sizes, types, and models, so choosing the right one can be pretty easy. All you need to do is to consider your medical needs and the free storage space in order to determine whether to choose a chest or upright medical deep freezer. When choosing a medical refrigerator, always consider the space around it. Generally speaking, built-in capable units are costly, however, they are worth the investment as they are a safer cold storage.

Usually, there is no standard or universal temperature setting for vaccines or biological samples, however, it is recommended the medical refrigerator to be set between 2 and 8ºC. Medical and laboratory freezers, on the other hand, have different requirements depending on the type of stuff they are storing. Ultra low laboratory freezers can reach temperatures ranging between -45º and -85ºC, while other have different temperature classes like -35º, -30º, and -25ºC. The most standard freezers, on the other hand, can run between -10º and -20ºC. Thus, before you make any decision, you need to take into account the items you want to store and at what temperature they need to be stored. Plasma, biological samples, vaccines, and other sensitive material have different temperature needs, so make sure you consider all of the options on the market.