The H3565-180HD is the 180-liter SureTherm™ CO₂ incubator with High Heat Decontamination cycle — the mid-tier of Benchmark Scientific's SureTherm CO₂ incubator line. Where the base H3565-180 (no-HD) handles standard CO₂-controlled cell-culture work, the HD variant adds a high-heat decontamination cycle that thermally decontaminates the chamber between use periods or after suspected contamination events — eliminating the need to disassemble the incubator and surface-decontaminate manually. The chamber temperature uniformity is ±0.1 °C, achieved through a six-sided heating system combined with a low-speed internal fan for uniform air circulation without external air exchange. The 180-liter chamber size is the workhorse capacity for institutional cell-culture cores running multiple PI groups' cultures simultaneously.
Voltage options: This unit can be ordered with European voltage requirements (230V/50Hz). Contact us to order.
Key Specifications
| Chamber volume | 180 L |
| Temperature range | Ambient +5 °C to 60 °C |
| Temperature uniformity | ± 0.1 °C |
| CO₂ control | Yes (range and accuracy per Benchmark Scientific spec — consult brochure for current spec band) |
| Decontamination | High Heat Decontamination cycle (HD — this variant's defining feature) |
| Heat distribution | Proprietary six-sided heating system |
| Air circulation | Low-speed internal fan (no external air exchange) |
| IncuView Live Cell Imaging compatibility | Yes (with optional integrated microscope shelf — H3565-180-LCI, sold separately) |
| Voltage | 120 V (US Plug) |
| List price | $9,717 |
Application Profile
Mammalian cell-culture maintenance. The dominant use case for any CO₂ incubator — adherent and suspension mammalian cell lines (HEK293, CHO, Jurkat, K562, primary cells) require humidified 5 % CO₂ at 37 °C with the temperature uniformity that the SureTherm's six-sided heating system delivers (±0.1 °C across the chamber).
Primary-cell and stem-cell culture. Sensitive cell types where temperature gradient or humidity variation across the chamber would compromise viability — the SureTherm's no-external-air-exchange design and tight temperature uniformity support primary culture and iPSC / stem-cell maintenance.
Multi-PI shared core facilities. 180 L volume hosts cultures from multiple research groups simultaneously — large enough that each group can have a dedicated shelf without crowding.
Long-term colony / biofilm cultivation. Cultures requiring weeks-to-months continuous incubation benefit from the HD decontamination cycle for periodic chamber decontamination without breaking the run.
Post-contamination recovery. Where a contamination event would otherwise require chamber disassembly + manual surface decontamination + re-equilibration (typically 1–2 days of downtime), the HD cycle automates the decontamination + return-to-service in a single overnight cycle.
Cell-line bank rotation. Cores rotating cells through revival → expansion → bank → recovery benefit from the HD cycle for periodic chamber decontamination between cell-line rotation events.
Design Architecture
Six-sided heating system. Heat is supplied from all six chamber walls (vs typical 3-side or 4-side heating in lower-tier incubators) — produces the ±0.1 °C uniformity spec by eliminating cold-spots at chamber corners and walls.
Low-speed internal fan. Air circulates uniformly through the chamber without external air exchange. The "no external air exchange" design is important for contamination control — outside air introduces the dominant contamination vector in cell culture; sealed-chamber circulation eliminates it.
±0.1 °C temperature uniformity is the spec class for SureTherm — competitive with mid-tier dedicated cell-culture incubators at meaningfully lower price than research-grade premium brands.
High Heat Decontamination cycle (HD). Programmable thermal cycle that raises chamber temperature to a decontamination set-point (typically 90–120 °C in this class of incubator — confirm current spec) for a defined duration, then returns to operating temperature. Eliminates microbial contamination from the chamber surface without disassembly. The HD variant is the mid-tier in the family — for O₂ control on top of HD, step up to H3565-180HDO2.
Optional IncuView LCI (Live Cell Imaging). With the optional H3565-180-LCI integrated microscope shelf (sold separately), the H3565-180HD becomes a live-cell-imaging instrument — internal microscope and large external display let cells be viewed without removal from the incubator, eliminating temperature fluctuations and contamination risk inherent in external-microscope cell-checking. Cells viewed locally on the integrated display, or remotely via a wifi-enabled phone, tablet, or computer (Windows-only for remote viewing).
Patent-pending IncuView LCI technology is the differentiator for SureTherm in the CO₂ incubator market — first-to-market integrated live-cell-imaging at this price tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the "HD" in H3565-180HD mean? High Heat Decontamination — a high-heat cycle that thermally decontaminates the chamber between use periods or after a suspected contamination event, without manual disassembly.
What is the chamber volume and temperature uniformity? 180 L chamber with ±0.1 °C temperature uniformity, achieved via a six-sided heating system plus a low-speed internal fan; range is ambient +5 °C to 60 °C.
Can the H3565-180HD do live-cell imaging? Yes, with the optional H3565-180-LCI IncuView integrated microscope shelf (sold separately), which lets cells be viewed without removal from the incubator.
How does the H3565-180HD compare to the other SureTherm 180 L models? The base H3565-180 ($9,717.00) has no HD or O₂ control; the H3565-180HD ($9,717) adds High Heat Decontamination; the H3565-180HDO2 ($13,429) adds O₂ control for hypoxia/hyperoxia studies.
Is CO₂ supply included? No — the CO₂ gas cylinder, regulator, and tubing are not included and are typically supplied from existing facility CO₂ infrastructure.
Ordering & Configuration
Standard configuration. The H3565-180HD ships with the instrument, internal shelving, CO₂-port hardware, 120 V US power cord, operator's manual, and packaging materials. CO₂ supply (gas cylinder, regulator, tubing) is not included — typically supplied from existing facility CO₂ infrastructure.
Optional accessories:
- H3565-180-LCI — IncuView Integrated Microscope Shelf for 180 L SureTherm (live-cell imaging upgrade; works with H3565-180, H3565-180HD, and H3565-180HDO2)
Family alternatives:
- H3565-45 — 45 L SureTherm CO₂ Incubator (smaller chamber, lower price)
- H3565-180 — Base 180 L SureTherm CO₂ Incubator (no HD, no O₂ control)
- H3565-180HDO2 — Top-tier 180 L with HD + O₂ Control (for hypoxia / hyperoxia studies; $13,429)
Use the quote request to specify: voltage and plug type, IncuView LCI inclusion (and confirm Windows compatibility for remote viewing if desired), CO₂ infrastructure availability at install (regulator + tubing + cylinder), training (one-day on-site typical for cell-culture-incubator commissioning), and lead time. Pre-installation site survey typical for first-time SureTherm install where CO₂ infrastructure isn't already in place.
Warranty: Manufacturer's standard Benchmark Scientific warranty applies. Service network covers HD-cycle calibration and IncuView LCI shelf integration.
SureTherm 180L family selection:
- H3565-180 ($9,717.00) — base 180 L CO₂ incubator without HD or O₂ control
- H3565-180HD ($9,717) — 180 L with High Heat Decontamination (this product)
- H3565-180HDO2 ($13,429) — 180 L with HD + O₂ Control for hypoxia / hyperoxia studies
The HD variant earns its premium when periodic chamber decontamination is part of the workflow — multi-user cores, contamination-prone protocols, or facilities where downtime from manual decontamination is operationally costly.
