The lists of liquid handling robots include all models we are aware of on the market today. We have included images and vendor links for each robot. In addition, we have links to articles and reviews Rave Robot has written for each system. If you want us to add another robot or want to contribute a review, please let us know.
If you already know what a liquid handling robot is, you can jump directly to our Liquid Handling Robot List Table of Contents.
If you don’t know what a liquid handling robot is and want to get a little more in depth, check out our article post: What is a Liquid Handling Robot? On the other hand, if you already know what a liquid handling robot is or just want to see list of the different types of robots. read on.
Below is a collection of lists of liquid handling robots we have found while searching for our own laboratory automation needs. There are likely to be systems we’ve missed especially since new systems are designed and released each year. Please comment if there are liquid handling robots you would like added to the list. When you do, we will research and add them. If you have an experience with or want to review a liquid handling robot, write it up. When you do, we will be happy to help you format and post your review.
Many of the details listed below were found on the vendors’ websites and do not come from Rave Robot’s direct experience unless we state so. All details are intended to help readers delineate models. They are not intended to make a statement of equivalent value. If you find a mistake, please tell us and we will fix it.
Robot List Table of contents
We have sub-divided the liquid handling robot list into 6 categories:
- Rave Robot Preferred liquid handling robots
- Low volume liquid handling robots (nL – uL)
- Intermediate volume liquid handling robots (uL – mL)
- High volume liquid handling robots (mL – L)
- Multi-channel liquid handling robots (no independent volume control)
- Everything else
Rave Robot Preferred liquid handling robots
Below is the short list of liquid handling robots we have extensive experience with and and have written articles about them.
Hamilton MicroLab Star
Description:
- Volume range: 0.5 uL – 1 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: 8-16
- Liquid handling technology: Air displacement
- Multi-channel arm: 96 or 384 well head
- Plate movement: 2 channels with pads or iSWAP
- Deck Sizes: STARlet, STAR, STAR+
- Scripting language: Venus
Articles:
What To Do With All My Data? A Primer on Hamilton STAR Data Handling
10 Tips for Writing Methods on a Hamilton STAR You Might Not Know
How to Choose a Liquid Handler for Sterile Cell Culture
Adding a 3D Model to Your Hamilton Star Deck Layout
How to write a hitpick method in hamilton venus/
Manufacturer Link:
Tecan Freedom EVO Series
Description:
- Volume range: 0.5 uL – 1 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: 8 or 16 channels
- Liquid handling technology: Liquid displacement
- Multi-channel arm: 96 or 384 well head
- Plate movement: Robotic Manipulator Arm (RoMa)
- Deck Sizes: 75, 100, 150, 200
- Scripting language: EVOware
Articles
Fix Some Unexplained Tecan Freedom EVO System Stops
Fix Tip is Broken Error in Tecan EVOware for Tecan EVO Robot
Q&A: How to Export and Import Scripts for Tecan EVOware
Manufacturer Link:
Want to see lists of other types of liquid handling robots? If so, you have a couple choices. For instance, you can read on, or follow the link back to the table of contents. In addition, if you need a reminder about what a liquid handling robot is or how a liquid handling robot is used, you can follow this link to the intro.
Low volume liquid handling robots (nL – uL)
Labcyte ECHO
Description
- Volume range: 2.5 nL – 5.0 uL
- Parallel liquid handling:
- Liquid handling technology: Acoustic
- Multi-channel arm: N/A
- Plate movement: none
- Scripting Language: Unknown
Vendor Link:
SPT lab tech Mosquito LV
Description
- Volume range: 25 nL – 1.2 uL
- Parallel liquid handling: 8 or 16 channel
- Liquid handling technology: Positive displacement
- Multi-channel arm: N/A
- Plate movement: Mobile 5 plate deck
- Scripting Language: Unknown
Vendor Link:
SPT lab tech Mosquito HV
Description
- Volume range: 500 nL – 5 uL
- Parallel liquid handling: 8 or 16 channel
- Liquid handling technology: Positive displacement
- Multi-channel arm: N/A
- Plate movement: Mobile 5 plate deck
- Scripting Language: Unknown
Vendor Link:
SPT lab tech Dragonfly
Description
- Volume range: 200 nL – 4 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: 10 channel
- Liquid handling technology: Positive displacement
- Multi-channel arm: N/A
- Plate movement: Single plate moving platform
- Scripting Language: Unknown
Vendor Link:
Bio Molecular Solutions Myra
Description:
- Volume range: 1 uL – 50 uL
- Parallel liquid handling: 1 channel
- Liquid handling technology: unknown
- Multi-channel arm: none
- Plate movement: none
- Scripting language: Unknown
Vendor Link:
Want to see lists of other types of liquid handling robots? If so, you have a couple choices. For instance, you can read on, or follow the link back to the table of contents. In addition, if you need a reminder about what a liquid handling robot is or how a liquid handling robot is used, you can follow this link to the intro.
Intermediate volume liquid handling robots (uL – mL)
Beckman Biomek i-series
Description
- Volume range: 0.5 uL – 1.0 mL (1 mL syringe)
- Parallel liquid handling: 8 channels standard
- Liquid handling technology: Liquid displacement
- Multi-channel arm: 96 or 384 well head
- Plate movement: yes
- Deck Sizes: i5, i7
- Scripting Language: Biomek 5.0
Manufacturer Link
Beckman Coulter Biomek i-series
Eppendorf epMotion
Description:
- Pipetting volume: 1 uL-1 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: 8 channels standard
- Liquid handling technology: Air displacement
- Deck Sizes: 5070, 5073, 5075
Vendor Link:
Tecan Fluent
Description
- Pipetting volume: 0.5 uL – 1 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: 8 or 16 channel
- Liquid handling technology: Liquid displacement or air displacement
- Multi-channel arm: 96 or 384 well head
- Native storage option
- Scripting language: FLUENT control
Vendor Link:
PerkinElmer Janus G3
Description:
- Pipetting volume: 1 uL – 1 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: 8 channels standard
- Liquid handling technology: Liquid displacement
- Multi-channel arm: 96 or 384 well head
- Native storage option
- Scripting language: Unknown
Vendor Link:
Hamilton MicroLab Nimbus
Description:
- Parallel liquid handling: 4 Liquid handling channels
- Multi-channel arm OR
- Co-Re paddles
Vendor Link:
Hamilton MicroLab Prep
Description:
- Pipetting volume: 0.5 uL-1 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: 2 channels
- Liquid handling technology: Air displacement
- Multi-channel arm: 8 well head
- Plate movement: 2 channels with Co-Re paddles
- Deck Size:
- Scripting language: Venus
Vendor Link:
Hamilton MicroLab Vantage
Description:
- Pipetting volume: 0.5 uL – 1.0 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: 8 – 16 channels
- Liquid handling technology: Air displacement
- Multi-channel arm: 96 or 384 well head
- Plate movement: Robot plate move arm or Co-Re paddles
- Deck Size: 1.5 m or 2.0 m
- Scripting language: Instinct or Venus
- Native storage option
Vendor Link:
Opentrons OT-2
Description:
- Volume range: 1 uL – 1 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: 1 channel
- Liquid handling technology: unknown
- Multi-channel arm: 8 channel
- Plate movement: none
- Scripting language: Open source (python, etc.)
Vendor Link:
Hudson Robotics Solo
Description:
- Volume range: 1 uL – 10 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: none
- Liquid handling technology: unknown
- Multi-channel arm: 8 and 12 channel option
- Plate movement: possible
- Scripting language: Unknown
Vendor Link:
Want to see lists of other types of liquid handling robots? If so, you have a couple choices. For instance, you can read on, or follow the link back to the table of contents. In addition, if you need a reminder about what a liquid handling robot is or how a liquid handling robot is used, you can follow this link to the intro.
High volume liquid handling robots (mL – L)
Labminds REVO
Description
- Volume range: 500 mL – 2 L
- Parallel liquid handling: up to 12 liquids plus Water
- Liquid handling technology: Peristaltic
- Multi-channel arm: N/A
- Plate movement: N/A
- Deck size: N/A
- Scripting language: Unknown
Manufacturer Link
Want to see lists of other types of liquid handling robots? If so, you have a couple choices. For instance, you can read on, or follow the link back to the table of contents. In addition, if you need a reminder about what a liquid handling robot is or how a liquid handling robot is used, you can follow this link to the intro.
Multi-Channel liquid handling robots
Agilent Bravo
Description
- Volume range: 300 nL to 250 µL
- Parallel liquid handling: N/A
- Multi-channel arm: 96 and 384 channels
- Plate movement: none
- Deck size: 9 plate positions
- Scripting language: Unknown
Manufacturer Link
Analytik-jena Cybio Felix
Description:
- Multichannel arm with 12 plate positions
Manufacturer Link:
Agilent Vertical Pipetting Station
Vendor Link:
Agilent Vertical Pipetting Station
High Res Biosolutions Prime
Description:
- Volume range: 0.5 mL – 1.0 mL
- Parallel liquid handling: unknown
- Liquid handling technology: unknown
- Multi-channel arm: 96, 384
- Plate movement: yes
- Scripting language: Unknown
Vendor Link:
Want to see lists of other types of liquid handling robots? If so, you have a couple choices. For instance, you can read on, or follow the link back to the table of contents. In addition, if you need a reminder about what a liquid handling robot is or how a liquid handling robot is used, you can follow this link to the intro.
Everything Else
Andrew Alliance Andrew+
Description:
- Volume range: Pipette dependent
- Parallel liquid handling: 1 channel
- Liquid handling technology: air displacement
- Multi-channel arm: pipette dependent (8 or 12 channel)
- Plate movement: yes
- Scripting language: OneLab
Manufacturer Link:
Unchained Labs Big Kahuna
Description:
- Volume range: Unknown
- Parallel liquid handling: 5 channel?
- Liquid handling technology: unknown
- Multi-channel arm: unknown
- Plate movement: unknown
- Scripting language: Unknown
Manufacturer Link:
Want to see lists of other types of liquid handling robots? If so, you have a couple choices. For instance, you can read on, or follow the link back to the table of contents. In addition, if you need a reminder about what a liquid handling robot is or how a liquid handling robot is used, you can follow this link to the intro.
Tell us about other Liquid Handling Robots
Did we miss any good liquid handling robots? If so, let us know!
If you have experience with one of the above liquid handling robots, please leave a comment. When people want to write reviews or update lists, we are quick to contact them.
Check out Rave Robot’s List page for other lab automation equipment lists. In addition, you can visit our home page for more of our content.
Visit our other liquid handling robot links
What is a Liquid Handling Robot?
How to Choose a Liquid Handler for Sterile Cell Culture?
Protein Purification Robot List
Automated Bioreactors and Cell Culture List
Check out Rave Robot’s List page for other lab automation equipment lists. In addition, you can visit our home page for more of our content.
The CyBio FeliX is a liquid handling robot missing from this list
Thanks for letting me know! I found the system and added it to the list. It looks pretty similar to the the Agilent’s multi-channel arm robots (Bravo and V-Prep). Do you have any experience with the system? We’d love to see a review of it.
Kelcy, what are your thoughts on the OpenTrons compared to more expensive liquid handling options? Heard any reviews or advice? We’re specifically working on mammalian adherent cell culture assays, typically in 96 well plates.
Hi Soroush, I have not had direct experience with OpenTrons, but have worked with automation engineers who have. In general, the consensus was that the open-source libraries and capabilities were not yet up to snuff and the tech support left something to be desired. As I mentioned this is second hand knowledge and while it was sufficient to steer me in different liquid handler directions, it is possible that my source was mistaken or if correct, that things have gotten much better as DiY opensource programming has gotten better. I would suggest you consider liquid handlers beyond the OpenTrons for your cell culture needs. Kieran wrote a great article about things to consider when selecting a liquid handler for cell culture (https://raverobot.com/how-to-choose-a-liquid-handler-for-sterile-cell-culture/). If you are just looking for a list of liquid handlers that all are known for their utility for cell culture including automated bioreactors you can check out our automated bioreactor and cell culture list (https://raverobot.com/automated-bioreactors-and-cell-culture/). If you do choose to pursue the OpenTrons system or any oter and want to talk about it, please let me or Kieran know. Hope this helps. Let us know if you have other questions.
-Kelcy
I’ve got an older Packard BioSciences liquid handling robot (model CR208000) I’m working on getting running again.
Perkinelmer seems to own what’s left of them, but only has a manual that wasn’t much help.
Anyone have ideas on RS232 commands for this beast? I’d like to knock together some sort of modern interface to it.
It used to run with EasyPrep software on DOS.
I must admit I’m not familiar with this model and a search for the model number did not yield anything… Is this a MultiProbe system?
Yes, It’s an older Multi-probe 208 system. It also came with a double-diving-board platestak with barcode reading. I’d like to find the serial commands for this too.
I would add the Dynamic Devices Lynx to this list as well. I would love to hear about people’s experience with their Volume Verified Pipetting (VVP) technology. If it works, it seems like it would make liquid class development a lot easier!
I would also add the Perkin Elmer Sciclone in the “Multi-Channel liquid handling robots” section as well.
Also, while I am not a huge fan of the Software, the Qiagen Qiagility would fit here as well. This only useful if your protocol is PCR setup like.
Hi Kelcy – would love to see the Flowbot ONE from http://www.flow-robotics.com featured on the Rave Robot page. It even has a disco party mode so you can rave with your robot in the lab.
Hi Dan, We’d welcome an article about the Flowbot ONE. If you’d like to send us an e-mail of introduction to a user who would be interesting in being interviewed about their experiences or want to to write a review of their own, we can reach out to them and get started. You can e-mail us at raverobot@gmail.com.