Who should shortlist this counter?
Shortlist the Bel-Art F37862-0002 if you routinely count several plates by hand and want a pen that combines marking with stored counts. Its manual mark-and-store workflow offers up to 35 separate sample IDs. [1] [2] For occasional small batches, paper tallying or a manual clicker may be the more proportionate choice: buy the extra organization only if you will use it.
This is a count-registration tool, not colony recognition: the operator selects colonies on plate covers, and pressing the pen marks the cover and registers a count with audible and visual feedback. [2] Camera-based automated detection is a different workflow, not a demonstrated capability of this product. The pen helps register your selections; it does not decide which visible features to count. [2]
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What you gain over a separate tally
The practical attraction is combining a visible mark and a registered count in one action, rather than maintaining an independent tally alongside marking. The beep and LED indicate registration; they do not decide whether the chosen mark represents a colony. [2] That distinction matters when comparing it with a cheaper tallying method: the added convenience concerns the operator’s bookkeeping, not a replacement for judgment.
There are 35 independent sample IDs, a sum across IDs, and up/down counting for recounts. A counting lock is available for pauses, sound can be switched off, and the display has a backlight. [1] [2] The documented maximum is 9999 per ID; at that limit the count stops increasing. That is a capacity limit, not an accuracy rating. [2] Decide whether these controls solve a recurring inconvenience before treating them as reasons to spend more.
Memory behavior is the buying watchout
Record counts before manual shutdown. The manual says switching the counter off clears memory, whereas automatic shutdown after three minutes of inactivity does not clear memory. [2] These are materially different outcomes for someone expecting to review several plates later. Make external recording part of your workflow rather than assuming the counter is a permanent record.
The manual also warns that pressing the up/down button again while both arrows are flashing clears the selected sample ID’s memory. [2] Read the controls before relying on stored results. If your priority is durable records, plan the recording step first; a convenient handheld count is not, by itself, your finished record. The value here depends on whether that extra recording step fits your existing paperwork.
Package, protection, and purchase timing
The manual lists the counter, one red pen, one black pen, and an installed 3V lithium battery. [2] The maker page additionally lists a protective storage case. [1] A microscope, magnifier, or lightbox is not listed as included; the manual places the magnifier and lightbox among related products. [1] [2] Budget separately if your established viewing setup needs those items.
For protection, the manual advises capping unused pens and says not to use the counter when damaged, with the battery lid open, or when the unit or operator’s hands are wet. [2] Follow your institution’s safety SOP rather than treating this buying guide as laboratory procedure.
The current Amazon offer for F37862-0002, ASIN B015T19QOU, accepts orders but is temporarily out of stock without an estimated delivery date; do not rely on it for a fixed deadline. [3]
Buy for the workflow, or skip it
- Shortlist it if you already select colonies manually and want marks and counts registered together, with several plate counts kept under separate IDs. [2]
- Choose paper tallying or a manual clicker for small, occasional batches when a separate tally is manageable and stored IDs would add little value.
- Skip it if your purchasing requirement is automated recognition or improved optics: the documented functions are marking, counting, and count review, not those upgrades. [1] [2]
The reason to pay for this design is a better fit with your manual counting routine, not an assumed improvement in scientific results. Shortlist it for recurring multi-plate bookkeeping; keep a simpler tallying method when that is all your work needs.
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Check the Bel-Art F37862-0002 offer on Amazon
Sources
The maker-linked original two-page manual bears the historical imprint 02/13; that does not guarantee the revision shipped with a current order. [2]