Which Drucker Diagnostics 24-Place Centrifuge is Right For Your Lab?

Drucker Diagnostics offers a 24-place centrifuge for clinical labs that need to process high sample volumes in a compact footprint. With the DASH Flex 24 now discontinued, the two current options are the all-new DASH 24 STAT centrifuge and the HORIZON 24 FLEX routine centrifuge. While all three spin samples using a horizontal rotor, they differ in maximum speed, tube capacity, and interface.

Our latest guide breaks down the key differences and specs for each model, so you can make the right choice for your workflows and sample types.

Understanding the DASH Flex 24

The DASH Flex 24 was designed as a dependable workhorse for labs processing standard tube volumes. It featured a digital, 10-setting interface and a horizontal rotor, reached a maximum speed of 4500 RPM and 3450 xg, and spun up to 24 standard 16 x 100 mm/10 mL blood tubes, along with 12 at 16 x 125 mm/15 mL tubes. For many clinical workflows built around blood chemistry and routine separations, that combination covered most STAT applications.

With the DASH Flex 24 discontinued, the DASH 24 is the recommended replacement.

From the Flex 24 to the DASH 24

The all-new DASH 24 was designed for the same workflows as the DASH Flex 24 and handles a broader range of tubes and volumes.

A wider out-of-the-box tube range. The DASH Flex 24 focused on standard 16 x 100 mm and 16 x 125 mm tube sizes. The DASH 24 keeps that 24-tube and 12-tube capacity and adds support for 0.5 to 2 mL microtubes and 50 mL conical tubes out of the box, so a single centrifuge can spin everything from microtubes to large-volume samples without a rotor change.

Higher performance. The DASH 24 reaches 4850 RPM and 4000 xg, slightly higher than the Flex 24’s 4500 RPM and 3450 xg. This added speed shortens spin times and helps labs process higher sample counts in a single shift.

A touchscreen interface. Where the DASH Flex 24 used a digital, 10-setting button interface, the DASH 24 features a 10-setting touchscreen. Labs can save custom protocols alongside pre-programmed presets for common STAT cycles, which makes repeat runs faster to set up and easier to standardize across operators.

More accessories included. Every DASH 24 ships with high-speed carrier buckets for 16 x 125 mm tubes and 50 mL tubes, plus an adapter set for 0.5 to 2 mL microtubes. A lab replacing a DASH Flex 24 can be ready to run on day one.

Where the HORIZON 24 FLEX Fits

The HORIZON 24 FLEX rounds out Drucker’s 24-place lineup for labs whose SOPs call for lower-speed separations. It uses a digital, 10-setting interface and a horizontal rotor, spins up to 24 tubes at 16 x 100 mm/10 mL and 12 at 16 x 125 mm/15 mL, and tops out at 3400 RPM and 2000 xg.

This lower maximum speed is often the deciding factor. Labs spinning samples that call for higher g-force or a wider range of sample types will be better served by the DASH 24. Labs whose work centers on lower-speed separations at standard tube sizes may find the HORIZON 24 FLEX a good match.

A Side-By-Side Comparison

Which Model is Right for Your Lab?

For most high-volume clinical labs, and for any lab replacing the DASH Flex 24, the DASH 24 is our recommended replacement. It preserves the throughput and tube capacity teams already depend on, adds microtube and 50 mL support without rotor swaps, runs faster, and features a touchscreen for custom cycle management.

If your workflows and SOPs stay within lower-speed separations at standard tube sizes like 10 mL and 15 mL, the HORIZON 24 FLEX might be the best fit for you.

Not sure which model is right for your lab? Contact our sales team to learn more, and ask about our risk-free 30-day evaluation program if you’d like to try a Drucker Diagnostics centrifuge on your own bench before deciding.