Transferpette^® electronic Pipette Testimonial

Testimonial from a prominent research university.

"I've been working in the lab for 27 years. I prepare DNA and run Southern blots with 100+ samples, perform multiple tube FACS analyses, set up PCR reactions, do radioimmuno assays in multiwell plates, and do lots of tissue culture in multiwell plates. That's a lot of pipetting!

Over time I began to experience pain in the thumb joints of my pipetting hand. At some point, the pain became constant, and has been constant for the last few years. I couldn't pipet for any length of time without stopping to stretch and massage my hand. NSAIDS were a fact of life.

Any time a company came around with a new pipette touted as being more ergonomically designed, I'd try it out. Electronics took care of the pipetting stroke, but were often large and uncomfortable to use over a long period, and tip ejection still hurt. I also found that they were programmed for many functions which I might have used, but the programming was far from intuitive, and who wants to spend forever reading the manual when you just want to get the work done? Pipets with easy tip ejection usually called for proprietary tips, and the pipetting stroke hurt over time. With a limited lab budget, I couldn't convince myself to spend money to solve part of my problem. I used repeaters as much as possible when accuracy was not an issue and I could work with the limited volumes they offer, and found it hurt to use those, too. I was beginning to contemplate my next career. Then along came my BrandTech rep and the new line of electronic pipettes.

I tried a Transferpette 20 - 200µl and found that I could program it practically without looking at a manual, it was comfortable in my hand, it was light, and, wonder of wonders, I could pipet and eject a tip and it didn't hurt! Then I saw the promotional price and bought it. I was still skeptical, though, until the first time I set up 100 digests and it STILL didn't hurt - amazing! I kept staring at my hand, waiting for the pain which never happened. People saw me staring at my hand and asked "What's wrong?" They looked at me strangely when I said "My hand doesn't hurt!" After a couple of days with no pain while pipetting I told everybody who'd listen. I still had to try the 100 - 1000ul and the multichannel before I bought them in case this was a fluke, but I demoed both and purchased them. I also love the Handy Step [electronic repeating pipette] - extremely comfortable to use, and almost unlimited choice of volumes. Guess I'll break down and buy that, too.

I've used every mode of my Transferpette except reverse pipetting. I did have to read the manual to figure out gel loading and mixing, but the manual was easy to follow - relatively painless.

I like the ability to set the # of steps when using the dispense mode - not something I've found on other pipets. I like the design - very comfortable to use. Ditto the programming. I LOVE that it doesn't hurt to pipet anymore. I not only recommended the Transferpette to my colleagues, I let your rep have a mini product show in my lab when he brought me the demo units and told everybody that came that it doesn't hurt when you use these things.

Unfortunately, I think the damage to my hand has been done, and I'll always have some pain - but not when I use my Transferpettes. And I know I'm not making things any worse. That's a comfort. Guess I won't have to change careers just yet!"