Should I buy lab equipment from an auction?

Used and refurbished biosafety cabinets available from American Instrument Exchange, tested and warrantied. Click HERE for more details.

Hi everyone,

This is a repost from a few years back. We’ve been getting a lot of calls lately from customers disappointed in the functionality of equipment they’ve purchased from auction. While auction sites can occasionally yield bargains on lab equipment, they can also be risky. Read below for more info….

A customer recently called us looking for a biosafety cabinet and needed to have the unit shipped in a hurry. But four months ago this same customer said that he was going to try to get a used biosafety cabinet at a lower price from an auction.

No hard feelings, we said at the time. Best of luck and please keep us in mind in the future. And we meant it – money is tight for some labs and if you think you can get a good deal on equipment elsewhere you should go for it. That’s business.

So that’s what he did, and he got what he initially thought was a good deal for a used Baker biosafety cabinet, Class II Type A2, for about $2,600 from an auction. The unit came with no warranty and used filters but he figured “Hey, at that price I still have plenty of room to work out any problems.”

But then he had to arrange for removal of the unit from the auction site, as well as freight pick up and transportation, all of which was a headache and wound up costing him over $1,000. The movers didn’t realize they also had to pick up the stand so the customer had to pay another $400 for them to go back and get that. It took three weeks from the date of the auction just to get the BSC with a stand into his lab.

When he received the unit and inspected the biosafety cabinet he found a crack in the glass sash. That was another $800 to replace, plus another three week lead time.

He had to dispose of the old HEPA filters and replace them with new HEPA filters. Parts and labor for this work was over $1,500, plus shipping and travel time cost, and all that was another four-week lead time.

So by the time he finally thinks he’s up and running he’s into this used Baker biosafety cabinet for over $6,000 and it has been ten weeks since he purchased the unit.

But when he tried to certify the machine it still had problem. The motor needed to be replaced and some of the wiring for the UV bulb had burned out. That worked cost him another $1,600.

At the end of the day this “bargain” on a biosafety cabinet ended up costing him almost $8,000, plus a lot of time and a lot of aggravation, and it still didn’t work.

“If I had ordered from you in the first place,” he said, “I’d have spent less money and would have had a working unit three months earlier.” We were able to supply him with a Baker SG404 with new filters and a stand for less than he’d put into the biosafety cabinet he had purchased from auction, and we were able to deliver in less than three weeks.

The moral of the story: if you’re buying a used biosafety cabinet, you need to know what you’re getting into, and only buy a unit that has been fully tested, with new HEPA filters, and comes with a warranty.

We reliably have a large supply of used and refurbished biosafety cabinets in stock and available from Baker, Nuaire, Labconco, Thermo Scientific, and more. We supply new HEPA filters with all biosafety cabinets and we put the units through a certification here to make sure they’ll work properly when they arrive in your lab. We also provide a 90-day warranty with all our equipment.

So if you’re looking for a used and refurbished biosafety cabinet please call or email us today for information on pricing and availability. Thanks!

(Side note: none of this is intended to badmouth equipment auctions. They can be great to work with and most of the people conducting the auctions are honest and helpful, and sometimes – sometimes – there are bargains to be found. So depending on your risk tolerance and patience you might end up with a good deal. But for something large, complicated, and delicate, you’re taking a significant and potentially costly risk.)

American Instrument Exchange has been a reliable source for used laboratory and scientific equipment for over 50 years, buying and selling equipment since 1969. Our surplus lab equipment is reconditioned for many types of laboratories, including biotech, biomedical, medical research, chemical, pharmaceutical, and university and hospital research laboratories. All lab equipment listed on our website is in stock and ships from our 30,000 square foot warehouse in Massachusetts. Our facilities include a fully equipped shop with highly trained technicians who thoroughly test each instrument before it reaches your laboratory. Please visit our website at https://www.americaninstrument.com/.

Mettler Toledo XPR106H dual range analytical balance

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Click here to see used and refurbished Mettler Toledo XPR106H from American Instrument Exchange.

Most of our customers know that we are big fans of Mettler Toledo balance, and the XPR series units are no exception. Take the Mettler XPR106H dual range unit, for example. With a semi-micro fine range readability of 0.002mg to 41g capacity, and a full range readability of 0.005mg to 120g, this unit provides accurate and precise weighing for a variety of different applications.

Mettler Toledo XPR106H

Mettler XPR analytical balances feature several integrated functions such as the StaticDetect, StatusLight, and LevelControl which work together to ensure all relevant weighing conditions are met, delivering you accurate, valid results every time. To further increase weighing stability, excess heat is automatically removed by the Active Temperature Control system. The MinWeigh warning function makes sure your sample meets the minimum weight requirement for accuracy.

An intuitive touch screen streamlines operation for quick access to menus and tasks and allows you to set up shortcuts, all while using multiple fingers to enter data. Regularly used task methods can be stored in the balance for quick future recall. Easily transfer data to a PC, printer, or bar code reader via four USB or Ethernet ports. No more manual transcriptions. Use the LabX software to automatically generate a customized report, securely save data in a centralized database, access results at any time, and maintain regulatory compliance. 

Key features of the XPR106DUH include StaticDetect which identifies electrostatic charges and warns if tolerances are exceeded; StatusLight that uses colored lights on terminal to indicate when balance is ready for weighing;iIntegrated LabX software that automatically saves all data results and provides high process security; Fully Automatic Calibration Technology (proFACT) which performs internal calibrations automatically and at pre-programmed intervals; SmartTrac program facilitates dosing in small increments to a target weight; draft shield doors that open automatically with the push of a button; a SmartGrid weighing platform that reduces effect of turbulence, shortening stabilization time; LevelControl which provides warning when balance is not level and corrects within seconds; SmartSens infrared sensors that allow for hands-free operation; a seven-inch color touchscreen that provides clear visibility of weighing results—is easy to use even with gloves on; and the draft shield dismantles completely for easy cleaning.

So if you’re in the market for a gently used, recent vintage analytical balance, be sure to give us a call or email about the Mettler XPR106H. Thanks, and we looking forward to working with you!

https://youtu.be/Ed1NQsoDs1I

American Instrument Exchange has been a reliable source for used laboratory and scientific equipment for over 50 years, buying and selling equipment since 1969. Our surplus lab equipment is reconditioned for many types of laboratories, including biotech, biomedical, medical research, chemical, pharmaceutical, and university and hospital research laboratories. All lab equipment listed on our website is in stock and ships from our 30,000 square foot warehouse in Massachusetts. Our facilities include a fully equipped shop with highly trained technicians who thoroughly test each instrument before it reaches your laboratory. Please visit our website at https://www.americaninstrument.com/.