Vestfrost VTS 258 review: Vestfrost are known for their superb freezers which are not only sold into the laboratory market, but also into the food and beverage sector too. In this month’s blog I take a closer look at the VTS 258 Ultra Low Temperature (ULT) freezer and evaluate some of its features and functionality.
Who is Vestfrost?
Vestfrost is a Danish manufacturer of refrigerators and freezers including ULT freezers. As already mentioned, they are popular in the laboratory market as well as the food and beverage sector. The company was originally founded in 1963. Today, they have over 120 partners worldwide and have manufactured over 18 million instruments. They employ nearly 500 people and currently make 86 different models.
Vestfrost VTS 258 overview
The Vestfrost VTS 258 is a premium ULT freezer capable of reaching temperatures as low as -86°C. It is ideally suited for storing temperature sensitive items such as biological research samples, chemicals and viruses. It is an upright ULT freezer which has a total capacity of 256 litres (gross) or 237 litres (net). This equates to exactly 144 cryo boxes (2 inches in diameter) or 14,400 vials (2ml in capacity).
Vestfrost VTS 258 features and functionality
The VTS 258 is fitted with a key door lock, which is useful if you need to keep its contents secure. It also has an inbuilt alarm for when the door is left open or if there is a power or temperature probe failure. Users can also program different high/low temperature alarms which will work independently from any temperature monitoring system you may already have.
Users are able to export data directly onto a USB which may be useful for record keeping. However, most users will probably have their own temperature monitoring system like Eupry or Contronics which will not only record the temperature but also alert you by email/phone if the temperatures fall outside pre-defined thresholds.
Vestfrost VTS 258 freezer conclusion
The ULT market is a very competitive one with many other manufacturers offering similar models. The Vestfrost VTS 258 will be suitable in a variety of different settings, from clinical to industrial. The instrument itself is built using durable materials and the finish is of a high standard.
However, it does seem a bit mean to only offer a 1-year warranty when other manufacturers are offering 2, 3 or even 5 years warranty.
Pros
- Excellent build quality.
- Superb temperature uniformity and stability.
- Castors fitted as standard.
Cons
- Only 1-year warranty.
- Its height means it will struggle to pass through a standard door frame.
- At 64dB it can seem a bit noisy for some.
- No auto defrost means that ice will build up over time.
How Henderson Biomedical can help
Henderson Biomedical is an authorised UK distributor of Vestfrost’s biomedical line of refrigerators, freezers and ULT freezers. If you would like more information on the VTS 258 ULT freezer or require some help and advice on other Vestfrost models, please contact us on 020 8663 4610 or make an enquiry via our online form.
