Biorad Miniprotean review - (Aug/24/2016 )
I AM PLANNING TO PURCHASE Biorad Miniprotean Tetracell. CAN PEOPLE WHO USED THIS LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS GOOD OR NOT. WE ARE CURRENTLY USING HOEFFER SE260. GOOD SYSTEM BUT GEL CASTING IS BIT DIFFICULT. I HAD HEARD SOMEWHERE THAT BIORAD GEL CASTING LEAKS. PLEASE GUIDE. Thanks
Pros: Very easy to use/set up, quick to run (short gel length), no playing with spacers, back plates are very robust, easily replaced parts, cheap, Wide range of gel thicknesses available, loading guides available.
Cons: If casting gaskets are not brand new, they will leak, Front plates are weak and chip easily, short gel length means poor resolution in many cases, "tags" snap off combs (not a big problem, but it means that the end wells of your gel won't polymerize properly sometimes), transfer system requires a lot of buffer, cooling ice packs crack if overfilled, Lid can be placed on in the wrong orientation for transfer (but not gel running), tank can overflow as it has holes on the sides near the top