Shakers, rockers and rotators are key items of equipment for mixing and agitating a wide range of sample types in many biological, clinical or industrial laboratories.

They comprise a basal electric motor unit which drives a moving platform, deck, rotisserie, roller, drum or other support to which the samples are secured, often with the help of an adapter. The motor speed may be adjustable, to offer a gentle mixing motion through to a more vigorous high-speed mixing action.

Shakers typically provide either a reciprocal to-and-fro, orbital or wrist motion, rockers a wave or see-saw motion, and rotators rotate their samples either in a horizontal or vertical plane, with adjustable models offering tilts at all angles in between.

Different models of shakers, rockers and rotators are designed to accommodate tubes, microplates, culture flasks, bottles or similar vessels. Minishakers are small and space-saving, other shakers, rockers and rotators are standard benchtop, although some are free-standing and stackable. Other models are humidity or CO₂ resistant and specifically designed for operation inside refrigerators, incubators or other controlled enclosures. Some shakers may themselves be heated, incubating or refrigerated, and are supplied with a cover to control their own temperature and humidity.

Many shakers, rockers and rotators are microprocessor controlled, with programmable functionality, digital displays and alarms.

Typical applications of shakers, rockers and rotators include:

• Cell culture and microbial culture
• Molecular biology, PCR, genomics and proteomics, including gel and blot processing
• Clinical chemistry and haematology
• Dissolving, suspending or mixing media, chemicals or other preparative solutions