Laminar Flow Cabinet: Horizontal vs Vertical, Which Wins?
Updated: Sep 28
The short version
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Prices: laminar flow cabinets in stock
Laminar flow cabinets cost from £3,831 to £5,653, depending on size and airflow direction. All units we stock are Haier Biomedical clean benches certified to ISO 14644-1 Class 5.
Vertical laminar flow cabinet, 3 ft | £3,831 |
Vertical laminar flow cabinet, 4 ft | £4,370 |
Horizontal laminar flow cabinet, 4 ft | £4,481 |
Horizontal laminar flow cabinet, 5 ft | £5,653 |
See the horizontal 5 ft, horizontal 4 ft, vertical 4 ft and vertical 3 ft product pages for live pricing.
Laminar flow or biosafety cabinet: which do you need?
Choose a laminar flow cabinet to protect the sample from the room. Choose a biosafety cabinet when you also need to protect the operator from the sample.
In a laminar flow cabinet, clean air moves from the filter, across your work and out towards you. Anything aerosolised on the bench travels to your breathing zone.
Laminar flow cabinet | Class II biosafety cabinet | |
|---|---|---|
Protects the sample | Yes | Yes |
Protects the operator | No | Yes |
Protects the environment | No | Yes |
Typical use | Media pouring, plant tissue culture, sterile assembly | Cell culture, clinical microbiology, pathogens |
Standard | BS EN ISO 14644-1 (air cleanliness) | BS EN 12469 (safety cabinets) |
Price | £3,831–£5,653 | £5,595–£16,780 |
“ If anything on the bench could harm the person using it, a laminar flow cabinet is the wrong cabinet. — LS Scientific |
Horizontal vs vertical: which laminar flow cabinet?
Choose a horizontal laminar flow cabinet for flat, shallow work such as plate pouring. Choose a vertical (downflow) cabinet for tall items, shallow benches or long sessions. Both give the same air cleanliness; they differ in how the air meets your work.
Horizontal laminar flow cabinet | Vertical (downflow) laminar flow cabinet | |
|---|---|---|
Filter position | Back wall | Overhead |
Air direction | Back to front, across the work | Top to bottom, onto the work |
Best for | Flat work, plate pouring, long shallow items | Tall equipment, stirrers, larger vessels |
Bench depth | Needs more | Needs less |
Comfort | Air blows towards your face | Air passes downward, more comfortable |
Our sizes | 4 ft · 5 ft | 3 ft · 4 ft |
The rule: work flat and shallow, go horizontal. Work tall, on a shallow bench or leaning over for long periods, go vertical. Downflow cabinets and vertical laminar flow cabinets are the same design.
The horizontal 5 ft unit is the widest we stock and the usual pick for busy media rooms.
The vertical 3 ft unit ships with a stand on castors, UV delay start and a safety interlock: the practical entry point for a small lab.
Choosing: size and specification checklist
Most single-operator labs should choose a 4 ft cabinet with an airflow alarm. Pick 3 ft for tight benches and 5 ft if you need room for a stand, burner and stacks of plates.
3 ft: one operator, single tasks, tight benches.
4 ft: the standard choice for most single-operator labs.
5 ft: room for a stand, burner and stacks of plates.
Airflow alarm: the most useful feature. Without it, a clogged filter goes unnoticed.
Front-access filters: far cheaper to service.
Stainless steel work surface for repeated disinfection.
UV lamp: helpful between sessions, but not a substitute for cleaning.
Noise: ask for the dB(A) figure if the cabinet sits in an occupied room.
Install and test: keep the airflow clean
Site a laminar flow cabinet away from doors, walkways and air-con, run it for 15–30 minutes before use, and have it validated every year.
Site away from doors, walkways, air-con outlets and windows.
Keep 300 mm clear above the cabinet. No ducting is needed, since it recirculates to the room.
Run it for 15–30 minutes before use to purge the work zone.
Validate every year and after any move, filter change or repair: airflow, HEPA integrity and particle counts.
Replace pre-filters every 6–12 months. Expect a HEPA filter to last 3–5 years.
Our lab design and installation service covers siting, and our UKAS-traceable calibration team handles annual cabinet validation.
Need operator protection? Class II biosafety cabinet prices
If you need operator protection, use a Class II biosafety cabinet: ours start from £8,961. They protect the operator, the sample and the room.
Intelligent Series Class II A2, 3 ft | £8,961 |
Intelligent Series Class II A2, 4 ft | £9,579 |
X-Series Class II A2, 4 ft | £13,506 |
X-Series Class II A2, 5 ft | £14,661 |
Start with the X-Series Class 2 Type A2, 4 ft, or read our biosafety cabinet guide to compare classes. For chemical fumes, you need a fume cupboard instead.
Related guide: Setting up a clean bench for sample prep or media pouring? See types of micropipette, and which one your lab needs.
FAQ: laminar flow cabinets
What is a LAF cabinet?
LAF stands for laminar air flow. A LAF cabinet is the same as a laminar flow cabinet, laminar flow hood or clean bench: an enclosed bench that delivers HEPA-filtered air in a smooth stream to keep samples sterile.
Is a laminar flow cabinet the same as a fume hood?
No. A fume cupboard protects the operator from chemical vapours. A laminar flow cabinet protects the product and offers no operator protection.
Can I use a laminar flow cabinet for cell culture?
Only for Hazard Group 1 cell lines with no risk to the operator. Most mammalian cell culture, primary human material and viral vectors need a Class II biosafety cabinet.
What is a downflow cabinet?
A downflow cabinet is a vertical laminar flow cabinet: the HEPA filter sits overhead and clean air flows down onto the work surface.
Does a laminar flow cabinet need to be ducted?
No. It recirculates filtered air into the room, so installation is simpler and cheaper than a ducted biosafety cabinet.
How much does a laminar flow cabinet cost?
From £3,831 for a 3 ft vertical unit to £5,653 for a 5 ft horizontal unit. Class II biosafety cabinets start at about £5,600.
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