Paraffin Ovens for Histology, Embedding & Tissue Processing
When accurate embedding medium temperature is vital in histology, pathology and tissue-processing workflows, a dedicated paraffin ovenโalso known as a tissue embedding oven, wax-melting oven, or histology paraffin heaterโprovides the precision and stability required. ARES Scientific offers a selection of paraffin ovens engineered for warming paraffin wax and embedding media with uniform heat, minimal temperature drift, and excellent chamber stability. These ovens directly support downstream processes in tissue embedding, microtomy/sectioning, staining, forensics, and clinical diagnostics, ensuring consistent results and high-quality morphology preservation.
Our paraffin oven lineup includes natural-convection and forced-air designs, chamber volumes from 30 L to 160 L, and controlled temperature ranges typically from +30 ยฐC to +80 ยฐC or higherโideal for melting paraffin wax, maintaining embedding medium, and conditioning tissue blocks prior to sectioning. These ovens are widely used in research labs, pathology departments, university histology cores, veterinary diagnostic labs, forensic labs, and microbiology facilities. Each unit provides stable thermal performance, hygienic stainless-steel interiors, easy-to-clean surfaces, and safety features tailored for regulated sample-processing environments.
ARES Scientific helps facilities evaluate key specificationsโsuch as chamber volume, airflow style, temperature uniformity, heat-up time, over-temperature protection, and accessory compatibilityโto select the best oven for their embedding workflow. Whether you're performing high-throughput sample processing, preparing slides for microscopy, or maintaining strict temperature criteria for clinical-grade tissue work, our paraffin ovens support sample integrity, operator safety, workflow efficiency, and documentation traceability.
Key Selection Factors for Paraffin Ovens
- Temperature range & uniformity: Look for precise control and stability within the +30 ยฐC to +80 ยฐC rangeโthe sweet spot for melting paraffin, maintaining embedding media, and preventing thermal artifacts.
- Chamber volume & format: Common chamber sizes range from ~32 L to ~161 L. Choose capacity based on cassette throughput, batch size, embedding workflow, and available bench space.
- Airflow type: Natural convection ovens offer simple, stable heating for routine embedding. Forced-air models improve temperature uniformity, recovery time, and consistency for high-volume histology and pathology labs.
- Safety and compliance: Prioritize ovens with over-temperature protection, low-air-exchange or gas-tight chambers, stainless steel interiors, and clinical-ready construction for regulated environments such as hospital pathology and forensic labs.
- Application suitability: Ensure the oven is specifically designed for paraffin or wax media. General-purpose drying ovens do not offer the uniformity, temperature stability, or low-airflow control required for embedding and tissue processing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Paraffin Ovens
What is a paraffin oven used for in histology?
A paraffin oven melts and maintains paraffin wax or embedding media at precise temperatures for tissue embedding. It ensures wax remains fluid, consistent, and at the correct viscosity before tissues are embedded, cooled, trimmed, and sectioned on a microtome. This step is essential for high-quality histology and pathology slide preparation.
What temperature range should I look for in a paraffin oven?
Most paraffin ovens operate from +30 ยฐC to +80 ยฐC, providing ideal conditions for melting and maintaining paraffin wax without overheating or degrading the embedding medium. Some models support slightly higher temperatures for rapid melt cycles.
How do I choose between natural convection or forced-air paraffin ovens?
Natural convection models are excellent for routine embedding with moderate throughput. Forced-air paraffin ovens offer faster heat recovery, superior temperature uniformity, and more consistent performanceโideal for busy clinical labs, histology cores, or facilities processing high sample volumes.
Are paraffin ovens different from general-purpose drying ovens?
Yes. Paraffin ovens are specifically engineered for wax and embedding media, offering highly uniform heating, low-airflow environments, and controlled temperature bands that prevent wax overheating. General-purpose ovens lack the stability and chamber design needed for embedding applications.
What chamber size is appropriate for my lab?
Select chamber size based on cassette volume, embedding throughput, and bench space. Standard paraffin ovens range from ~32 L (โ1 cu.ft) for smaller labs to ~161 L (โ6 cu.ft) for high-throughput histology or pathology departments.
Memmert Universal Paraffin Oven 1.1 cu ft
Quoteโข Setting temperature range +20 to +80 ยฐC
โข Working temperature range at least 5 ยฐC above ambient temperature to +80 ยฐC โขSetting resolution temperature 0.1 ยฐC โขTemperature sensor 2 Pt100 sensors DIN Class A in 4-wire-circuit ...
Memmert Universal Paraffin Oven 2.6 cu ft
Quote
Memmert Universal Paraffin Oven 3.8 cu ft
Quoteโข Setting temperature range +20 to +80 ยฐC
โข Working temperature range at least 5 ยฐC above ambient temperature to +80 ยฐC
โข Setting resolution temperature 0.1 ยฐC
โข Temperature sensor 2 Pt100 sensors DIN Class A in 4-wire-circui...
Memmert Universal Paraffin Oven 5.7 cu ft
Quote