Pros and Cons of a Used Environmental Chamber

Are you thinking of purchasing a climate chamber or environmental chamber for your laboratory and are considering choosing a used climate chamber or a discounted climate chamber?

In the following article, we will outline the pros and cons of buying a used climate chamber and offer our opinion on the matter.

The Pros of Buying a Used Environmental Chamber

As with any second-hand market, the advantages of buying a used climatic chamber can be summed up in one word: price.

However, this is not a minor detail. Climatic chambers are highly precise laboratory instruments, and their price reflects the value of the technology employed.

A new standard climate chamber typically costs between €10,000 and €25,000, depending on volume and performance; extended-range environmental simulation chambers typically cost up to €45,000. The actual price always depends on the configuration and the test to be performed: for updated ranges and cost factors, consult the 2026 climate chamber price guide.

On the other hand, used climate chambers can be found at prices ranging from 4,500 to 7,000.

In short, there is a saving of over 50% on the price of a new one , and it is therefore understandable to choose a discounted climate chamber if your budget does not allow for the purchase of a new product.

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The Cons of Buying a Used Environmental Chamber

On the other hand, there are many disadvantages to buying a used climate chamber. Let's summarize them briefly:

• Technology: Climatic chambers are technologically advanced instruments built to last. Many of the products found on the used market are now dated and are resold because they are no longer capable of performing many of the tests on state-of-the-art materials.
• Warranty: Not all products found on the used market are guaranteed. Since this is a major purchase, the presence or absence of a warranty shouldn't be underestimated. You risk saving today only to lose out tomorrow.
• Assistance: when you purchase a new climatic chamber, you establish a direct line with the manufacturer, who generally guarantees prompt after-sales assistance for the product.
• Customization: When purchasing a new climatic chamber, you can request any modifications from the manufacturer to meet the specific needs of our climatic tests. This is not possible with a used climatic chamber.

All things considered, we recommend purchasing a new product and considering a discounted or used climate chamber only if your budget doesn't allow for other alternatives.

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The FDM Climate Chamber

FDM climate chambers meet all the above-mentioned warranties for new products. Our warranty ranges from 12 months to 5 years , and customer support is always available, with remote technical support that responds quickly and easily . You can find it here. 

FDM products also implement the best technology on the market , and the innovative revoFACE assists the operator throughout every stage of the process. Finally, FDM technicians are happy to listen to the customer's specific needs in order to carry out any customizations necessary for the product they will purchase.

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Reference Standards

• IEC 60068-3-5 — Confirmation of the performance of temperature chambers. Mandatory performance verification for qualification of used and refurbished equipment.
• IEC 60068-3-6 — Confirmation of the performance of temperature/humidity chambers for combined climate chambers.
• ISO/IEC 17025 — Requirements for calibration laboratories certifying sensors after reprocessing.
• Dir. 2006/42/EC (Machinery Directive) — Applicable to significant post-revamping CE recertification.
• EU Reg. 517/2014 (F-Gas) — Mandatory technical license and traceability for chambers used with fluorinated refrigerants.
• Legislative Decree 81/2008 (Consolidated Safety Act) — Risk assessment and conformity of used work equipment.
• EU Regulation 2019/2019 — Ecodesign requirements, energy efficiency limits applicable at commissioning.

Authoritative Sources

• IEC – International Electrotechnical Commission. IEC 60068-3 series for test chamber qualification.
• ACCREDIA. Italian accreditation body for calibration laboratories.
• INAILpublishes guidelines for used machinery safety and risk assessment.
• UNI – Italian Standards Organization. Implements EN/ISO standards on recertification and revamping.

Frequently Asked Questions about Used Climatic Chambers

How to evaluate a used climate chamber before purchasing?

Technical due diligence must include: (1) visual inspection of the internal chamber (corrosion, insulation delamination, door gasket seals); (2) verification of maintenance history with documented logbook, recorded F-Gas interventions, annual calibrations; (3) functional test at the extreme setpoint (typically -40 °C and +85 °C) with recording of pull-down times (target < 60 min between extremes); (4) rapid 9-point thermal mapping with independent thermometers to evaluate the current gradient; (5) refrigerant seal test (pressure drop < 10% in 24h); (6) verification of humidification setpoint 85 °C/85% RH with stability ± 3% RH. Be careful with chambers with phase-down refrigerants (R404A, R23): evaluate future conversion costs. Ideal machine age 3-8 years; over 12 years high probability of PLC/HMI obsolescence.

What technical and contractual guarantees should I request from the seller?

A professionally reconditioned used chamber must include: a minimum 12-month warranty (ideally 24 months) on refrigeration, humidifier, sensors, and PLC; a reconditioning certificate listing replaced/overhauled components; sensor calibration certificate with PT100 uncertainty ≤ 0.2°C and RH ≤ 1.5%; an IEC 60068-3-5 qualification report for usable volume with a spatial gradient ≤ 2°C; CE declaration in accordance with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC if the chamber has undergone significant revamping (PLC replacement, compressor replacement, circuit replacement); complete manuals in Italian and English; and an F-Gas registration of the refrigerant being charged. For GMP/ISO 17025 applications, an IQ/OQ/PQ re-baseline is also required after on-site installation.

Which phase-down refrigerants pose a risk?

Regulation 517/2014 imposes a progressive phase-down of high-GWP fluorinated refrigerants. R404A (GWP 3922): banned from 2020 for maintenance of new systems > 40 t CO₂eq; declining availability, price quintupled in 5 years. R23 (GWP 14,800): used in the low stage of the cascade for -70/-80 °C, severe phase-down from 2025. R134a (GWP 1430): still available but subject to decreasing quotas. R508B (GWP 13,400): critical for ULT cascade substitution. Current alternatives: R449A (GWP 1397) and R448A for MT; R170 ethane / R744 transcritical CO₂ for LT; R469A / R473A / R471A for ULT/HALT at very low temperatures. Check the compatibility of the system with HFO/natural refrigerants when purchasing used units and estimate the retrofit cost (typically 15-30% of the chamber value).

What real savings does a used vs. new chamber offer?

A reconditioned used climatic chamber typically costs 30-55% of the equivalent new price (e.g. 1000 L volume range -40/+180 °C: new €45-70 k€, used reconditioned €18-30 k€). Delivery time: 4-8 weeks for used vs. 16-32 weeks for new. The 10-year TCO should be compared considering: (a) energy consumption: used pre-2015 consumes 20-40% more (~3,000-5,000 kWh/year difference, equal to €900-1,500/year); (b) maintenance: 3-8% value/year; (c) reconditioning/revamping after 5-8 years (€5-10 k€); (d) phase-down refrigerant upgrade (€4-12 k€). The economic break-even is typically favorable for used equipment up to 7-9 years of residual life. For low-frequency users (< 2,000 h/year) or start-up laboratories, second-hand is strategically valid.