A homogeniser or sonicator breaks open cells, disrupts tissue, or reduces particle size in a biological or chemical sample using mechanical shear, high-frequency sound waves, or rapid agitation against small beads. Molecular biology researchers, protein biochemists, pharmaceutical formulation scientists, and genomics laboratory staff rely on this equipment to release the contents of a cell or evenly disperse a sample before extraction, analysis, or further processing. Browse new and used homogenisers and sonicators from verified sellers on Machinery Masters.

What Are Homogenisers & Sonicators?

A homogeniser breaks apart cells or tissue and evenly distributes particles within a sample using mechanical force, most commonly a rapidly spinning rotor-stator blade, rapid agitation against small beads, or high pressure forced through a narrow valve. A sonicator instead uses high-frequency sound waves, generated either by a probe placed directly into the sample or by an ultrasonic bath surrounding the sample container, to create microscopic bubbles that collapse and generate the shear forces needed to break open cell walls and membranes. Both approaches achieve a similar end result, a disrupted sample ready for extraction or analysis, but the right choice depends heavily on how tough the starting material is and how much heat the sample can tolerate during processing.

Sonication generates heat as a side effect of the ultrasonic energy involved, so many protocols run it in short pulses with cooling in between to protect heat-sensitive proteins and nucleic acids. Bead mill and high-pressure homogenizers, by contrast, tend to suit tougher samples such as bacteria, yeast, and plant material, where a cell wall resists the gentler shear a rotor-stator or sonicator alone can provide. It is worth noting that this laboratory and biotech equipment category is distinct from the industrial homogenizers used in dairy and food processing, which handle bulk liquid streams rather than small biological samples.

Homogeniser & Sonicators Brands

IKA, known for its Ultra-Turrax range of rotor-stator homogenizers
Branson (Branson Ultrasonics), known for its Sonifier range of ultrasonic cell disruptors
Qsonica, a specialist manufacturer of probe sonicators for laboratory use
Bertin Technologies, known for its Precellys range of bead mill homogenizers
OMNI International (now part of Revvity), known for its Bead Ruptor bead mill homogenizers
Silverson, known for its high-shear rotor-stator laboratory and inline mixers
Thermo Fisher Scientific, whose Fisherbrand Model 120 Sonic Dismembrator is widely used
Bandelin, known for its Sonopuls range of ultrasonic homogenizers
Hielscher Ultrasonics, known for laboratory and industrial-scale ultrasonic homogenizers
MP Biomedicals, known for its FastPrep range of bead-beating homogenizers

Please verify this brand list against current Machinery Masters marketplace inventory before publishing, as available stock changes over time.

Homogenisers & Sonicators Product Types

Homogenisers and sonicators divide into a handful of formats depending on the disruption method used and how tough the sample material is.

Rotor-Stator Homogenisers

Rotor-stator homogenisers use a rapidly spinning blade inside a stationary sleeve to shear and mix a sample, disrupting soft tissue and emulsifying liquids without the aerosol generation ultrasonic methods can produce. This format is a standard choice for general tissue homogenisation and small-batch emulsification work.

Probe (Tip) Sonicators

Probe sonicators place a metal tip directly into the sample and deliver high-frequency ultrasonic energy right at the point of contact, giving strong, localised disruption suited to cell lysis and DNA shearing. Labs use this format constantly for releasing proteins and nucleic acids from cells during extraction workflows.

Bath Sonicators

Bath sonicators surround the sample container with ultrasonic energy through a water bath rather than inserting a probe directly into the sample, which suits gentler applications and simultaneous processing of multiple sealed tubes or vials.

Bead Mill Homogenisers

Bead mill homogenisers agitate a sample rapidly against small ceramic, glass, or steel beads, physically grinding open tough cell walls that resist gentler methods. This format is the standard choice for disrupting bacteria, yeast, spores, and plant material.

High-Pressure Homogenisers

High-pressure homogenisers force a sample through a narrow valve or nozzle at very high pressure, generating intense shear forces suited to larger-volume cell disruption and fine emulsification work in process development and scale-up applications.

Homogenisers & Sonicators Applications and Uses

Homogenisers and sonicators support sample preparation tasks across molecular biology, protein research, and formulation work, with the right method depending on sample type and downstream requirements.

Cell Lysis for Protein and Nucleic Acid Extraction

Researchers use sonicators and homogenisers to break open cells and release proteins, DNA, or RNA for downstream extraction and purification, choosing the disruption method based on how resistant the starting cell type is.

Tissue Homogenisation for Sample Prep

Rotor-stator homogenisers routinely process animal and plant tissue samples into a uniform suspension, preparing material for extraction, histology, or further analysis.

Emulsification and Particle Size Reduction

Formulation scientists use rotor-stator and high-pressure homogenisers to create stable emulsions and reduce particle size in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and research formulations.

DNA Shearing for Sequencing Library Preparation

Genomics labs use probe sonicators to fragment DNA into the specific size range required before building a sequencing library, making sonication a routine step immediately ahead of next-generation sequencing workflows.

Microbial and Tough-Sample Cell Disruption

Bead mill homogenisers handle bacteria, yeast, fungal spores, and plant material that resist gentler disruption methods, making them the standard choice whenever a sample's tough cell wall would otherwise limit extraction yield.

How to Choose a Homogeniser or Sonicator

A handful of practical factors determine which homogeniser or sonicator suits a laboratory's workflow.

Match the disruption method to your sample type. Choose a rotor-stator or probe sonicator for soft tissue and easily lysed cells and a bead mill or high-pressure homogeniser for bacteria, yeast, or plant material with tough cell walls.
Consider heat sensitivity, since sonication generates heat that can damage proteins or nucleic acids without adequate cooling or pulsed operation.
Check sample throughput needs, since some formats process one sample at a time while others handle multiple tubes or a full plate simultaneously.
Consider containment requirements, since sonication can generate aerosols that need managing when working with potentially hazardous samples.
For used equipment, check the probe or horn condition for wear, confirm amplitude or power output still calibrates correctly, and inspect bead mill motors and seals before buying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a homogeniser and a sonicator?

A homogenizer typically uses mechanical force, such as a spinning rotor-stator blade, beads, or high pressure, to break apart a sample, while a sonicator uses high-frequency sound waves delivered through a probe or bath to achieve the same result. Many labs keep both, since the right choice depends on the sample's toughness and how much heat it can tolerate.

Which is better for tough samples, a bead mill or a probe sonicator?

A bead mill generally handles tough samples such as bacteria, yeast, and plant material better than a probe sonicator, since the physical grinding action of the beads breaks open resistant cell walls more reliably than ultrasonic shear alone. Probe sonicators remain a strong choice for softer, more easily lysed cells and applications such as DNA shearing.

Can homogenisers cause sample heating, and how do I prevent it?

Yes, sonication in particular generates heat as a side effect of the ultrasonic energy involved, which can denature proteins or damage nucleic acids if left unmanaged. Running short pulses with cooling periods in between, and keeping the sample on ice throughout processing, are standard ways to limit heat build-up.

What is the difference between new and used homogenisers and sonicators?

New homogenisers and sonicators come with a manufacturer warranty and current calibration, while used equipment offers meaningful cost savings and suits labs that can confirm probe or horn condition, amplitude calibration, and motor or seal condition on bead mill units. It is worth testing performance on a test sample before relying on used equipment for critical work.

How can I find homogenisers and sonicators on Machinery Masters?

Browse the Machinery Masters marketplace for new and used homogenisers and sonicators from verified sellers, and use the filters to narrow results by brand, disruption method, and configuration. Contact a seller directly to confirm specifications, service history, and pricing before you buy.

Homogenizers & Sonicators

Homogenizers & Sonicators