The A1700 is the Benchmark Agarose LE (Low EEO) in 25 g pack — the smallest pack-size of the standard molecular-biology-grade agarose family, sold at $67 for evaluation, low-throughput, or first-procurement workflows. LE (Low EEO) is the workhorse agarose grade for DNA electrophoresis at 0.5 % – 3 % gel concentrations — covering the fragment-size resolution range from large fragments (>10 kb) at low concentration to small fragments (~100 bp) at high concentration.
Author confidence note (MEDIUM): Brochure exists in corpus as image-only PDF (no text layer extractable). Specs sourced from universe label and standard LE-grade agarose conventions. Confirm exact gel-strength and EEO values with Benchmark Scientific technical support at first procurement.
Key Specifications
| SKU | A1700 |
| Type | Standard molecular biology grade agarose, Low EEO (LE) |
| Pack size | 25 g (smallest pack-size in the LE family) |
| Per-gram cost | $2.68/g |
| Typical gel concentration range | 0.5 % – 3 % (covers fragment sizes from >10 kb down to ~100 bp) |
| Sister LE pack-size SKUs | A1701 (100 g, $162, $1.62/g), A1705 (500 g, $563, $1.13/g) |
| Sister specialty agarose SKUs | A1801-31 (3:1 high-resolution, $360/100g), A1801-HR (HR PCR-grade, $388/100g), A1801-LM (low-melt, $449/100g) |
| Sister format | A2501 / A2505 EZ Pack Agarose Tablets (pre-measured tablets vs powder) |
| List price | $67 |
Why LE (Low EEO) — Standard Molecular Biology Grade
Electroendosmosis (EEO) is the bulk flow of solvent through the agarose matrix during electrophoresis — high EEO causes band distortion, particularly for larger DNA fragments. LE (Low EEO) agarose is processed to minimize electroendosmotic flow, producing sharp, well-resolved bands across the standard DNA-electrophoresis fragment-size range.
Pick the LE grade (A1700 family) when:
- Workflow is standard DNA electrophoresis at 0.5 % – 3 % gel concentration
- PCR product checks, restriction-digest analysis, plasmid prep verification, DNA-size estimation
- Daily-throughput general-purpose electrophoresis where the standard LE grade covers the workflow
- Cost-optimized procurement vs specialty agaroses (HR, LM, 3:1)
Pick a specialty agarose when the workflow demands:
- A1801-HR (PCR-grade HR) — high-resolution sequencing-prep / cloning-prep workflows
- A1801-LM (low-melt) — recovery of intact DNA from gel slices for downstream cloning
- A1801-31 (3:1) — high-resolution separation of small / mid-range fragments
Pack-Size Economics — A1700 / A1701 / A1705 LE Family
| SKU | Pack size | List price | Per-gram cost | Best for |
| A1700 (this product) | 25 g | $67 | $2.68/g | Evaluation, low-throughput, first procurement |
| A1701 | 100 g | $162 | $1.62/g | Standard institutional procurement |
| A1705 | 500 g | $563 | $1.13/g | High-throughput / multi-investigator facility procurement |
Pick the 25 g pack for first-time procurement, evaluation, or workflows running <10 standard gels per quarter. Step to the 100 g pack for routine institutional use; step to 500 g for high-throughput / shared-facility procurement at the lowest per-gram cost.
Application Profile
Standard DNA electrophoresis — the workhorse application. PCR product visualization, restriction-digest analysis, plasmid-prep verification, DNA-size estimation against ladder standards.
Educational laboratory teaching — molecular biology coursework demonstrating DNA gel electrophoresis fundamentals; the small pack-size supports first-time-use student-cohort exercises at low procurement cost.
Method-development workflows — protocol-development comparing gel concentration / running conditions across fragment-size ranges.
Multi-investigator shared lab procurement — small-pack option for individual investigators in a facility that also stocks larger LE packs for high-throughput work.
Backup / bridge procurement — small-pack option for labs running short on the 100 g or 500 g supply during reorder cycle.
Ordering & Configuration
Pair with electrophoresis chassis. Confirm horizontal gel electrophoresis chassis inventory at order — the agarose is workflow-incomplete without a chassis (Benchmark Scientific BR5000 / BV101 / BV1010 series).
Pair with running buffer. Confirm 1× TAE or 1× TBE running buffer inventory (or stocks of 50× TAE / 10× TBE concentrate per workflow).
Pair with DNA stain. Confirm GelGreen / GelRed / SYBR / EtBr stain inventory per facility safety policy.
Confirm at quote: workflow throughput sizing (pack-size selection), specialty-agarose pairing (HR / LM / 3:1) if needed, electrophoresis chassis pairing, and lead time.
Warranty: Per Benchmark Scientific standard reagent terms — confirm at quote.
Benchmark Agarose LE family — pick the right pack:
- A1700 (this product) — 25 g ($67, $2.68/g) — evaluation / low-throughput
- A1701 — 100 g ($162, $1.62/g) — standard institutional
- A1705 — 500 g ($563, $1.13/g) — high-throughput / facility procurement
Pick the 25 g pack for evaluation or first-time procurement; step to larger packs for ongoing high-throughput workflows; step to specialty agaroses (A1801 family) for high-resolution / low-melt / mid-range fragment workflows.
