The B2402 is the BeadBath Duo 2 L — a dual-chamber dry-bead heat-transfer bath that uses heated thermal-conductive beads (instead of water) to provide tube / vessel temperature control. Sold at $865, the BeadBath replaces the water bath workflow with a water-free alternative that eliminates evaporation, biocide-maintenance overhead, contamination risk, and the splash / spill hazards of open water baths. The "Duo" designation marks the dual-chamber design — two independent temperature zones in the same chassis for parallel multi-temperature workflows (e.g., 37 °C in one chamber + 65 °C in the other for sequential enzyme-reaction protocols).
Author confidence note (MEDIUM): No specific B2402 brochure in available corpus. Specs sourced from universe label. Confirm exact bead specifications, temperature range per chamber, chamber dimensions, and dual-zone control characteristics with Benchmark Scientific technical support at first procurement.
Voltage options: This unit can be ordered with European voltage requirements (230V/50Hz). Contact us to order.
Key Specifications
| SKU | B2402 |
| Type | Dry-bead heat-transfer bath, dual-chamber ("Duo") |
| Mechanism | Heated thermal-conductive beads (no water) — tubes / vessels embedded in bead bath for direct heat transfer |
| Chamber design | Dual chamber — two independent temperature zones |
| Capacity | 2 L total (across both chambers) |
| Voltage | 115 V or 230 V, 50–60 Hz (discrete variants) |
| Sister capacity SKU | B2410 (BeadBath Duo 10 L, $1,475) |
| Sister technology family | myBath Digital water bath family (B2000) — water-based alternative |
| List price | $865 |
Why a BeadBath — Water-Free Alternative
The BeadBath is a water-bath alternative with meaningful workflow advantages over traditional water baths:
| Aspect | Water bath (myBath B2000 family) | BeadBath (B2402 / B2410) |
| Heat-transfer medium | Water | Heated thermal-conductive beads |
| Evaporation | Yes — periodic top-off + lid management required | None — no liquid to evaporate |
| Biocide maintenance | Required for biocide-treated baths | Not required — dry beads don't support microbial growth |
| Periodic drain / clean / refill | Required (months to years cycle) | Not required — beads are durable, periodic vacuum / wipe |
| Contamination risk | Water can become contaminated; carries to next sample | Lower — no water-mediated cross-contamination |
| Splash / spill hazard | Yes — open water at 30–95 °C | None — dry beads stay in chamber on tip / spill |
| Tube ergonomics | Floating racks / immersed racks | Tubes pressed directly into bead bath — no rack required for many workflows |
| Temperature uniformity | Excellent (water convection) | Good (bead conduction) — confirm spec per workflow |
| Maintenance overhead | Moderate (water management + biocide) | Minimal (periodic bead vacuum / wipe) |
Pick the BeadBath (B2402) when:
- Workflow values water-free convenience (no evaporation, no biocide, no drain / clean / refill)
- Contamination-sensitive workflows where water-mediated cross-contamination is a concern
- Splash / spill-sensitive bench environments (tissue culture rooms, clean-bench environments)
- Dual-temperature workflows — the Duo's two independent chambers support sequential 37 °C / 65 °C / 95 °C reactions in the same chassis
Pick the myBath water bath (B2000) when larger capacity (4–12 L) is the workflow driver and water-bath maintenance overhead is acceptable.
Why "Duo" — Dual-Chamber Multi-Temperature Workflow
The Duo's dual-chamber design is the key workflow feature: two independent temperature zones (e.g. Chamber A at 37 °C for an enzyme reaction, Chamber B at 65 °C for inactivation) in a single instrument. This lets sequential enzyme protocols run on one bath instead of two, supports parallel different-temperature workflows for two investigators or protocols at once, gives method-development flexibility to compare two temperatures simultaneously, and delivers bench-space efficiency — one Duo chassis equals two separate baths' worth of capability.
BeadBath Duo Capacity Comparison
| SKU | Capacity | Best for | List price |
| B2402 / -E (this product) | 2 L | Single-investigator dual-temperature workflows; bench-space-constrained | $865 |
| B2410 / -E | 10 L | Multi-investigator / shared-facility dual-temperature workflows | $1,475 |
Application Profile
Sequential enzyme-reaction workflows — restriction digest at 37 °C → enzyme inactivation at 65 °C in same instrument.
Daily-use enzyme reactions — restriction digests, ligation reactions, denaturation steps, hybridization at standard temperature setpoints.
Tissue culture / cell culture facilities — water-free design eliminates water-bath contamination concerns in TC rooms.
Clean-bench / clinical bench — splash-free, contamination-resistant operation.
Field-deployment laboratory kits — environmental / agricultural / mobile-lab workflows where water-bath logistics are impractical.
Multi-temperature method-development — protocol-development comparing reactions at two temperatures simultaneously.
Bench-space-constrained labs — one Duo chassis replaces two separate water baths.
Educational laboratory teaching — undergraduate / graduate molecular biology coursework where water-free maintenance simplifies student-cohort lab management.
BSL2 / contamination-sensitive workflows — water-free design supports stricter contamination-control protocols.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the BeadBath differ from a water bath? It uses heated thermal-conductive beads instead of water — eliminating evaporation, biocide maintenance, and the splash / spill hazards of an open water bath.
What does the "Duo" designation mean? A dual-chamber design with two independent temperature zones, so one chamber can run at 37 °C while the other runs at 65 °C simultaneously.
What capacity does the B2402 provide? 2 L total across both chambers; the sister B2410 offers 10 L ($1,475) for multi-investigator or shared-facility workflows.
What voltage options are available? 115 V (US) or 230 V; the 230 V EU-plug configuration is available by special order at the same $865.
Ordering & Configuration
Confirm bead specifications. Different BeadBath bead chemistries have different temperature ranges and thermal properties. Confirm bead spec at order, particularly if workflow includes uncommon temperatures (very low ambient or very high >100 °C).
Pair with appropriate tube formats. BeadBaths typically accept standard tube formats (0.5 mL / 1.5 mL / 2.0 mL / 15 mL / 50 mL) embedded directly in the beads — confirm tube-format compatibility at order.
Confirm voltage and plug type. 115 V / 230 V chassis; a 230 V EU-plug configuration is available by special order at the same $865.
Plan periodic bead maintenance. Beads are durable but accumulate dust, lab debris, and lint over time — periodic vacuum / wipe maintenance preserves heat-transfer performance.
Confirm at quote: voltage and plug type, intended dual-temperature workflow, tube-format mix, bead-spec confirmation, and lead time.
Warranty: Per Benchmark Scientific standard capital-equipment terms — confirm at quote.
Benchmark Scientific bath technologies — pick the right modality:
- myBath Digital (B2000 family) — Water bath, 2–12 L, in-bath immersion workflows
- myBath CR Circulating (B2023 family) — Circulating water bath, 10–20 L, external-loop workflows
- BeadBath Duo (B2402 / B2410, this family) — Dry-bead bath, dual-chamber, water-free workflows
Pick the BeadBath Duo for water-free dual-temperature workflows; sister bath technologies cover water-based and external-loop workflows.
