Medical & Lab Freezers

Lab Freezers: What You Need To Know

Whether your healthcare office is the final link in the cold chain for vaccines, you need long-term storage for donated blood, or your scientific laboratory needs a place to store specimens and samples, medical and lab freezers are available for your specific application.

Choose from undercounter, chest, or full-size vertical freezers with one or two doors. Because consistent temperatures throughout the unit are necessary, laboratory freezers include wire shelving or storage baskets for maximum airflow, and fans may assist in air circulation. Choose from units that are purpose built, or designed for general medical or scientific use.

Units typically include digital thermostats and data-logging or access for add-on probes. Best practices dictate a unit should measure the temperature in a central, interior location, not from the door panel. Glycol probes can simulate the likely temperature inside vaccine bottles and other products.

Common Questions About Medical Freezers

What is a lab freezer?

A lab freezer, also referred to as a laboratory freezer, scientific freezer, or pharmaceutical freezer, is a freezer designed specifically for storing sensitive medical products and samples. Purpose-built medical and scientific freezers include vaccine freezers, blood banks, and units built for general medical use.

What factors should I consider when choosing a lab freezer?

• Temperature: Ensure the unit you're purchasing operates in the temperature range required by the product you'll be storing. For example, most frozen vaccines should be held at temperatures between 5 and -58 degrees Fahrenheit, while other vaccines require an ultra-low temperature unit that reaches temperatures well below -58 degrees Fahrenheit. Purpose-built units may be designed specifically for vaccine storage, blood storage, or other products.
• Monitoring and logging capability: For medical freezers, ensuring consistent temperatures are maintained is just as important as meeting them. Ideally, look for a unit with a temperature probe and data logger, or the ability to add one. Many medical and pharmacy freezers also include alarms that sound when doors open or temperatures go out of range. Depending on what you are storing, there may be stringent regulations regarding monitoring capabilities and failsafes.
• Storage space: Choose a unit that has more than enough storage space for your needs on your operation's busiest days. When your unit isn't filled to capacity, consider placing water bottles in the unfilled area to maintain consistent temperatures.

Can you use a medical freezer for food?

Medical freezers that are specifically designed for storing sensitive pharmaceutical and biological samples and products shouldn't be used for food storage. Operators should label and monitor these sensitive products properly; storing food in the same unit isn't recommended under health agency best practices. Water bottles may be used to maintain temperature consistency in the unit, but they should be labeled "do not drink."

Should I choose a lab freezer with manual defrost?

Keeping your laboratory freezer free of frost buildup is essential to maintaining consistent temperatures and running smoothly. Many of these units include a self-defrost feature that temporarily increases the temperature without taking it out of range. If you choose a unit with manual defrost, though, you'll need a second freezer to store products while you complete this process.

Can I store frozen vaccines in a combination unit?

Because of potential temperature fluctuations, frozen vaccines should never be stored in a refrigerator and freezer combination unit unless it's specifically designed as a vaccine freezer and the compartments are completely separated with separate compressors. Units that switch between refrigerated and frozen storage, such as portable units, are acceptable as long as conditions are monitored closely and frozen vaccines aren't exposed to out-of-range temperatures.

What type of door should I choose?

Glass panels enable operators to monitor the unit's contents without opening the door but may not be ideal in the case of a power failure. If you don't have access to a backup battery or generators, a unit with solid doors can maintain temperatures longer than a glass-door unit until a solution is found.