home Products Water Baths & Circulators How to choose a Water Bath

How to choose a Water Bath

What is a Water bath?

Water Bath is a commonly used laboratory device that typically water as the heat transfer medium. Through integrated heating and temperature control systems, it provides samples immersed in the bath with a uniform, stable, and precise temperature environment.

Dry Baths vs

Feature	Water Bath	Dry Bath
Heating medium	Water (or silicone oil)	Metal block (e.g., aluminum, silver alloy)
Temperature range	RT +5~ 100 °C	RT+5 ~ 150 °C
Heating rate	Slow	Fast
Capacity	Large-volume samples (measured in L)	Small-volume, fixed samples (measured in mL)
Special applications	Volatile, toxic samples and large-volume solutions	Samples sensitive to water vapor or prone to contamination

Know More

1. Common Application Scenarios

2. Temperature Range & Accuracy

3. Temperature Control Method & Uniformity

4. Circulation Pump

5. water bath with magnetic stirrer

6. Programmable Function

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Help You Choose

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Common Application Scenarios

Enzymatic Reactions

Microbial Cultivation

Protein Processing

Chemical Reaction Heating

Sample Preparation

Molecular Biology

Key parameters for selecting laboratory water bath

Temperature Range & Accuracy

Temperature Range

Since the boiling point of water is 100 °C, the temperature control range of a standard water bath is generally RT+5 ~ 100 °C. If higher temperatures are required, an oil bath or dry bath is recommended. For applications that need cooling below room temperature, a cooling bath or dry bath should be used.

Temperature Accuracy

This refers to the deviation between the displayed temperature and the actual average temperature in the bath. For example, a Temperature accuracy of ±0.5 °C means that when the display shows 100.0 °C, the actual temperature is between 99.5 °C and 100.5 °C. Our water baths offer a control accuracy of ≤±0.5 °C.

Temperature Control Method & Uniformity

PID Control

A mainstream technology that ensures stable temperature regulation and minimizes fluctuations.

Temperature Uniformity

Refers to the temperature difference between different points within the working area of the device. For example, a uniformity of ±0.5 °C means that the temperature difference between any two points in the bath does not exceed 1 °C. Our water baths provide a temperature fluctuation of ≤±0.5 °C.

For higher precision requirements, a circulating pump can be optionally equipped

Circulation Pump

For any scientific experiment that requires precise temperature control and uniformity, installing a circulation pump is not an “optional feature” but a “necessity.”

Circulation Types

Internal Circulation

The internal circulation pump circulates the liquid within the water bath, improving temperature uniformity throughout the tank.

2.External Circulation (cooling Bath Circulator)

Split-type cooling Bath Circulator uses a circulation pump to deliver the temperature-controlled liquid to external devices, providing a stable cooling source for other equipment.

3.Internal & External Circulation

Combines internal forced circulation within the tank and the ability to output temperature-controlled liquid to external devices via an interface, offering maximum flexibility for laboratory applications.

Feature	Without Circulation Pump (Static Water Bath)	With Circulation Pump (Circulating Water Bath)	Role of Circulation Pump
Heat Transfer Method	Relies on natural convection of water	Forced convection.	Actively breaks temperature stratification, achieving highly efficient heat transfer.
Temperature Uniformity	Poor	Excellent	Ensures that every point in the water bath is very close to the set temperature.
Temperature Accuracy	Low	High	Sensor(usually near the heater) measures the uniformly mixed water temperature.Provides real temperature feedback
Recovery Time	Slow	Fast	Quickly eliminates temperature Quickly eliminates temperature fluctuations after opening the lid or placing samples.

Internal Circulation

External Circulation

Internal & External Circulation

water bath with magnetic stirrer

A magnetic stirrer water bath is a laboratory device that integrates precise temperature control with magnetic stirring. It heats the bath liquid through built-in elements while driving a stir bar in the sample container with magnetic force, ensuring consistent mixing and uniform heating.