Laboratory shakers are essential tools for agitating, mixing, or aerating samples in scientific research, yet "shaker" is a broad label that covers a surprising number of very different machines. This guide explains the main types of laboratory shakers, what each one is built for, and how to choose the right laboratory shaker for your lab. It is written for lab managers, researchers, and technicians who are specifying equipment and want to match the machine to the work rather than the marketing. Picking the wrong motion or speed range matters, because it can shear fragile samples, mix unevenly, or tie up budget in capacity you never use.
A laboratory shaker holds one or more vessels on a moving platform and agitates their contents without anyone having to stand over them. The shaking motion keeps samples in suspension, improves oxygen transfer, speeds up dissolution, and ensures reagents reach every part of a sample evenly. That makes laboratory shakers indispensable tools across biology, chemistry, environmental science, and the wider life sciences.
Because the work ranges from gentle mixing of delicate cell cultures to rapid mixing of robust chemical reactions, no single shaker handles every job. Whether you need to gently mix samples or vigorously agitate samples, understanding the different shaker types is the first step to accurate experimental outcomes and consistent, reproducible results.
The clearest way to tell shakers apart is by the type of motion they produce. That movement pattern determines how aggressively a sample is mixed, which vessels suit the platform, and which applications the shaker is appropriate for. Speed range, load capacity, and optional temperature control then refine the choice within each category.
The sections below walk through the main types of laboratory shakers in turn, from the everyday orbital shaker to specialised incubator shakers and platelet shakers.
Orbital shakers are the workhorse of most laboratories. The platform moves in a smooth, circular motion in the horizontal plane, swirling liquid around the inside of each vessel. That circular shaking motion creates a gentle vortex that mixes thoroughly while drawing oxygen into the liquid, which is exactly what aerobic cell culture needs.
Orbital shakers provide gentle mixing without excessive shear forces, making them ideal for culturing microbes, washing blots, solubility studies, and general mixing. Orbital shakers typically operate across a wide speed range, commonly from around 25 to 800 rpm, with the orbit diameter and speed together setting how vigorous the mixing is.
A smaller orbit at higher speed suits microbial flasks, while a larger orbit at slow speed gives a more uniform distribution for gentler work. Because orbital shakers pair a broad speed range with an even circular motion, they remain the default choice when a lab can only buy one shaker. Most orbital platforms accept flask clamps, test tubes racks, or a non-slip mat so you can swap between different vessels as the work changes.
Linear shakers, also called reciprocating or reciprocal shakers, move the platform in a straight back and forth motion rather than in a circle. This back and forth action produces a more vigorous, sloshing agitation that suits applications where you want energetic mixing rather than a gentle swirl.
Reciprocating shakers are effective for vigorous mixing tasks such as liquid-liquid extractions, suspending sediment, and DNA extraction, where you need to pull compounds out of solid samples. Because the action is more aggressive than an orbital swirl, linear shaking is usually reserved for robust samples that will not be damaged by the extra energy.
Thermoline offers a versatile two-in-one Orbital/Linear Shaker (TS-OL-4E) that switches between orbital and linear motion with minimal changeover time. With an adjustable speed range of 20 to 500 rpm and optional plate accessories for different vessels, a combination shaker like this is a practical choice for labs that need both mixing styles but only have bench space, or budget, for one machine.
Rocking shakers, often called rockers or see-saw shakers, produce a gentle see-saw motion that tilts the platform slowly up and down so liquid washes gently from one end of a vessel to the other. There is no fast spinning or sloshing, just a slow speed wave that keeps samples bathed without stressing them.
That gentleness is the whole point. Rocking shakers are used for delicate mixing tasks such as washing blots, gel staining and destaining, membrane washing, antibody incubations, and mixing blood samples, where vigorous agitation would damage the sample or introduce bubbles. Thermoline's Rocker Shaker (TS-RK-4E) is an adjustable-speed shaker with a generous non-slip platform that holds Petri dishes, flasks, culture flasks, and test tubes, making it a flexible fit for histology, molecular biology, and immunology benches.
Three-dimensional shakers combine a tilting motion with an orbital path, so the platform moves through a continuous rolling, swirling action rather than a single plane. The gentle 3D motion provides uniform distribution across the whole vessel without the shear forces of high-speed orbital shaking.
This makes 3D shakers a strong choice for staining and destaining gels, blending viscous solutions into a homogenous mixture, and gently mixing sensitive samples that need full coverage. Thermoline's 3D Shaker (TS-3D-4E) uses a 9° tilt angle and a 10 to 70 rpm speed range to deliver thorough, even mixing while remaining gentle enough for delicate work. A nutating mixer works on a similar principle, using a gentle three-dimensional rocking motion that is popular for immunoprecipitation and gentle resuspension.
Wrist-action shakers simulate human hand shaking, swinging clamped flasks through an arc to deliver intense agitation. The motion concentrates energy at the vessel, which makes wrist-action shakers well suited to dispersing solids, extracting compounds, and breaking up stubborn suspensions that gentler shakers cannot move.
Because the agitation is so vigorous, this shaker type is reserved for robust samples and securely clamped vessels rather than open plates or delicate cultures.
Platform shakers provide uniform agitation across multiple containers at once, which is why large-platform models are popular in busy labs running many flasks or bottles together. Heavy-duty platform shakers can support substantial loads, with some industrial models rated for loads up to 68 kg.
Microplate shakers are a compact relative built specifically for 96-well and 384-well plates. They run a small, fast orbit that mixes every well evenly, and are crucial for high-throughput screening assays, ELISA work, and other plate-based protocols where uniform mixing across the plate determines the quality of the result.
Vortex mixers, sometimes grouped with other shakers, create a rapid swirling motion in a single tube or small vessel pressed against the head. They are designed for mixing small volumes in test tubes or vials, resuspending a pellet, or blending a reagent in seconds rather than over a long run. A vortex mixer is the fastest way to mix samples in small volumes at the bench and a staple of almost every molecular biology and microbiology lab.
Incubator shakers, also called shaking incubators, combine shaking with temperature control inside a sealed cabinet, so cultures can be agitated and held at a set temperature at the same time. The way incubator shakers combine agitation and heat makes them essential for microbial cultures, where they maintain stable temperature during microbial fermentation and are crucial for protein expression. Many bacterial protocols run at body temperature, and incubator shakers maintain temperatures up to 37°C with precise control, while refrigerated models extend the range below ambient for stability testing.
Some incubator models add humidity control and programmable settings, giving researchers precise control over speed, temperature, and time across a long run. Thermoline supplies refrigerated shaking incubators for exactly this kind of temperature-controlled cell culture incubation and fermentation work.
Platelet shakers are a specialised shaker type built for blood banks and pathology. They provide continuous agitation at slow speed to keep platelet concentrates viable during storage, and are usually paired with a temperature-controlled cabinet so the platelets stay at the correct temperature. Thermoline's platelet shaker range is designed for this gentle, around-the-clock duty.
Laboratory shakers support a wide range of applications across scientific research and routine sample preparation. In microbiology, shakers are used for culturing microbes and aerating broth cultures; in molecular biology they help mix samples for DNA extraction and protein work; and in chemistry they drive reactions toward a homogenous mixture. Environmental and water labs use shakers in wastewater treatment testing and soil leaching studies. Across all of these fields, the ability to agitate samples consistently is what keeps results accurate and reproducible.
With so many types of laboratory shakers available, a few key factors quickly narrow the field. The goal is to match the shaker to your sample and experiment purpose rather than the headline specification.
Choose shakers based on sample type and experiment purpose. Delicate work, such as gels, blots, and blood samples, points to a rocking shaker or 3D shaker. Cell culture, extractions, and dissolution work point to an orbital or reciprocating shaker. Plate-based assays point to a microplate shaker. If you genuinely need both gentle and vigorous mixing, a combination orbital/linear shaker covers more ground from a single footprint.
Once the motion type is settled, match the practical specifications to your real workload. Check the platform size and the largest of your different vessels, the load capacity in kilograms once everything is full, and whether the shaker offers adjustable speed across the range you need. A standard shaker with a broad, adjustable speed range from roughly 25 to 800 rpm will handle most everyday testing requirements.
Beyond motion type, a few key features separate a basic shaker from one that earns its place. Programmable settings let you save speed and time profiles for repeat runs, while additional features such as overload protection and imbalance detection guard the motor and the samples. For labs with changing experimental needs, important features like interchangeable platforms, a clear digital display, and quiet operation make the shaker far easier to live with day to day.
If your protocol needs heat, humidity control, or refrigeration as well as agitation, an incubator shaker is the right laboratory shaker rather than a standalone unit. Holding temperature and shaking in one cabinet protects sensitive samples and saves valuable lab space.
A laboratory shaker is capital equipment that should hold its performance for years, so local support, parts availability, and the option to customise matter as much as the data sheet. Thermoline designs and manufactures its laboratory shakers in Australia, backs them with a 24-month parts and labour warranty, and has supported laboratories, universities, and hospitals since 1970. If a standard shaker does not quite fit your protocol, the in-house engineering team can advise on the ideal shaker configuration or a custom build.
Thermoline's shaker range covers the motions most Australian labs need: the 3D Shaker (TS-3D-4E) for gentle three-dimensional mixing, the Rocker Shaker (TS-RK-4E) for delicate washing and staining, and the two-in-one Orbital/Linear Shaker (TS-OL-4E) for everything from cell culture to extraction. Refrigerated shaking incubators and platelet shakers round out the range for temperature-controlled and clinical work, all designed and built in-country and backed by the same team that services them.
How often should a laboratory shaker be serviced or calibrated?
For general mixing, an annual check of speed accuracy and platform stability is usually enough. Labs working under an accreditation scope such as NATA may need more frequent verification of rpm and, for incubator shakers, temperature. Servicing the drive mechanism and inspecting platform fasteners on a regular schedule prevents wear and keeps the motion consistent.
Can I run a laboratory shaker inside a cold room?
Some shakers are rated for use in a cold room or refrigerated environment, but not all are. Standard bench shakers can suffer from condensation and lubricant issues at low heat, so confirm the model's rated operating range before placing it in a cold room. If you need both shaking and a controlled temperature, a dedicated incubator shaker is usually the more reliable solution.
Why does my shaker "walk" or vibrate across the bench?
Walking is almost always a sign that the platform is unbalanced or overloaded, or that plates vibrate loosely against each other. Distribute vessels evenly around the centre, stay within the rated load capacity, and make sure the shaker sits on a level, stable table board with its feet making full contact. Persistent vibration at certain speeds can also indicate worn mounts that need attention.
Do I need flask clamps and accessories, or is a non-slip mat enough?
A non-slip mat is fine for slow speed work and lighter vessels such as Petri dishes and culture plates. For higher speeds, taller flasks, or small vials that could tip, dedicated flask clamps or a fixed test tubes rack hold vessels securely and keep the load balanced. Most platforms accept interchangeable accessories so you can adapt the same shaker as your vessels change.
What speed range should I look for when buying a general-purpose shaker?
It depends on the work, but a broad, adjustable speed range gives the most flexibility. Gentle applications such as staining and mixing blood samples typically run at slow speed, while microbial cultures and extraction often need several hundred rpm. A shaker that covers from low double digits up to a few hundred rpm will handle most everyday laboratory tasks without locking you into one type of application.