What Is an Orbital Shaker? Types & Uses

Last verified: October 6, 2026. An orbital shaker is a laboratory instrument with a flat platform that moves in a circular, orbiting path, agitating whatever is clamped or placed on it. It is used to mix liquids gently, to keep cells and particles suspended, to add air to a liquid culture, and to keep samples moving during incubation or staining steps. The motion resembles swirling a drink in a glass, repeated steadily and at a controlled speed for as long as needed.

The problem it solves is one of consistency and labor. Many procedures call for liquid to be kept moving gently for minutes or hours: growing a culture, washing a membrane, binding a reagent to a surface, or dissolving a material into a solution. Doing this by hand is impractical and gives uneven results. An orbital shaker keeps the movement constant, frees the user to do other work, and lets many containers be agitated at once with the same motion.

This page is general educational information, not clinical, laboratory, or safety training. Always follow your institution’s procedures and the manufacturer’s instructions for the shaker and containers you use.

How an Orbital Shaker Works

A motor inside the base drives an eccentric mechanism that moves the platform in a small circle. Two settings matter most: speed (how fast the platform completes its circles) and orbit diameter, sometimes called the throw, meaning the width of the circle the platform traces. A larger orbit gives a more vigorous swirl at the same speed, which affects how much a liquid is agitated and how much air mixes into it. Smaller orbits are gentler and common on shakers for microplates and delicate samples; larger orbits suit flasks of culture medium where aeration is the priority.

The platform is usually fitted with a surface that grips containers, such as a non-slip mat, or with clamps, racks, or holders designed for particular vessels. Many shakers have a digital controller to set speed, run time, and sometimes a timer or program, and many have a safety feature that limits operation to the rated load.

Who Uses an Orbital Shaker, and Why

Orbital shakers are found in nearly every biology and chemistry laboratory, and in teaching labs, quality-control labs, and core facilities. Common uses include:

Growing microbial and cell cultures in suspension. Flasks of medium are shaken so cells stay suspended and oxygen from the air reaches the liquid. For the flasks commonly used for this, see what an Erlenmeyer flask is. Cultures may be grown at the bench or, more often, in a temperature-controlled setting.
Washing, staining, and incubating. Gels, membranes, tissue sections, and plates are rocked or swirled in solutions during washing, staining, and blocking steps.
Immunoassay and plate work. Microplates are shaken gently during binding or incubation steps to improve contact between reagents and surfaces.
Dissolving and extracting. Solids are dissolved in solvents, or compounds extracted from materials, with continuous gentle agitation.
Mixing reagents over time. Where a gentle, sustained mix is needed rather than a brief burst, a shaker is the usual choice.
Environmental and food sampling. Samples are shaken in solutions as part of extraction or preparation steps.

Types of Orbital Shakers

Standard benchtop orbital shakers. These sit on a bench and are the basic form. They suit routine mixing, washing, and room-temperature work.
Mini and microplate shakers. Compact units sized for microplates and small tubes, often with small orbits and higher speeds.
Incubating orbital shakers. These combine the shaker with a temperature-controlled chamber, so cultures can be grown at a set temperature. These are covered in more detail in what an incubator shaker is.
Stackable shakers. Designed so multiple units can be placed on top of each other to save bench space, which is useful in busy labs.
Large-capacity and floor-standing shakers. Built for heavy loads, such as multiple large flasks, in process development or teaching labs.
Shakers for use inside incubators. Some models are designed to be placed in an existing incubator, and are built to cope with the warm, humid environment. Whether a given model is rated for that use is a specification to check.
Variants with different platform accessories. The same base may accept flask clamps, tube racks, plate holders, or universal platforms, depending on what the lab runs.

How an Orbital Shaker Differs From Adjacent Equipment

Reciprocating (linear) shaker. A reciprocating shaker moves a platform back and forth in a straight line, a motion that is more vigorous in one direction. The orbital shaker’s circular path produces a swirling effect in the liquid. Which suits a task depends on the application, and some shakers offer both motions.
Rocking or platform rocker. A rocker tilts a platform up and down, moving liquid in a wave across a flat container. It is often chosen for gels and membranes where a gentle wash across a surface is wanted.
Vortex mixer. A vortex mixer spins a single tube in a rapid small circle to mix it thoroughly in seconds. It is for brief, intense mixing of individual tubes, whereas an orbital shaker provides sustained, gentle mixing of many containers.
Magnetic stirrer. A stirrer uses a spinning magnetic bar inside a container to mix a liquid. It works with one container at a time, requires a stir bar in the liquid, and is better suited to mixing larger volumes, while a shaker moves the container itself with nothing placed in the sample.
Incubator shaker. An incubator shaker adds temperature control to shaking; an orbital shaker on its own does not regulate temperature.
Bioreactor. A bioreactor is a more controlled vessel that regulates conditions such as gas, pH, and temperature, usually at larger scale. Flasks on a shaker are often the first step before scaling to one.

Practical Notes for Research-Administration, Procurement, and Lab-Management Readers

Choose by the application, not by speed alone. The orbit diameter, maximum load, and speed range together determine suitability. A shaker that works well for plates may not handle heavy flasks, and one built for heavy loads may be poorly suited to small plates.
Load capacity and balance. Shakers are rated for a maximum load, and unbalanced or overloaded platforms cause vibration, noise, and wear. Users should respect the manufacturer’s limits, and the platform should be used with properly secured containers.
Safety. Flasks and plates can come loose and spill or break, which is a particular concern with biological or chemical contents. Secure containers with clamps or holders, use secondary containment where appropriate, and follow your institution’s biosafety and chemical safety procedures. Shaking can also generate aerosols from open containers, which matters when working with hazardous or infectious material.
Heat and environment. Standard shakers produce a small amount of heat from the motor, and not all are rated to run inside a warm, humid incubator or a cold room. Check the rating before placing one in a special environment.
Continuous operation. Many shakers run for long periods, sometimes overnight or for days. Duty-cycle ratings, alarms for power interruption, and good housekeeping reduce the risk of failure that ruins a culture.
Shared use and scheduling. In shared facilities, clear booking and cleaning rules prevent cross-contamination and disputes over platform space.
Maintenance and cleaning. Spills should be cleaned promptly, since they can damage the motor or mat. Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance guidance.
Lifecycle cost. Because shakers are mechanical and run for long hours, the quality of the drive and bearings affects lifespan. A cheaper unit may need earlier replacement.

The Short Version

An orbital shaker moves a platform in a circular path to keep liquids in samples gently and continuously agitated. It is used to grow suspension cultures, wash and stain gels and membranes, run plate-based assays, and dissolve or mix materials over time. It differs from a vortex mixer in providing sustained gentle mixing for many containers, from a reciprocating shaker in its circular motion, and from an incubator shaker in lacking built-in temperature control. Orbit size, speed range, and load capacity are the specifications that decide whether a given model fits the work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an orbital shaker used for?

It is used to mix and agitate liquid samples gently, including growing suspension cultures, washing and staining gels and membranes, incubating plates, and dissolving or extracting materials.

What is the difference between an orbital shaker and a vortex mixer?

A vortex mixer mixes one tube vigorously for a few seconds. An orbital shaker provides gentle, sustained agitation and can hold many flasks, tubes, or plates at once.

What is the difference between an orbital shaker and an incubator shaker?

An incubator shaker combines shaking with temperature control in an enclosed chamber. A basic orbital shaker only moves samples and does not control temperature.

What does orbit diameter mean?

It is the width of the circle the platform traces. A larger orbit gives more vigorous swirling at a given speed and more aeration, while a smaller orbit is gentler and suits plates and small tubes.

Can an orbital shaker be used inside an incubator?

Some models are designed for it, and others are not. The warmth and humidity can damage equipment not rated for them, so check the manufacturer’s specifications.

How do I choose between an orbital and a reciprocating shaker?

It depends on the application. Orbital motion swirls liquid and is common for cultures and general mixing, while reciprocating motion moves the platform back and forth and is used for other protocols. Follow the method you are working from.