If you work in the scientific sector and are required to specify the number of microbial colonies in samples, then you'll need an automated colony counter. There are a lot of these machines available today, but you can be confident in what you end up with by looking for these particular features. 

1. High-Quality LED Illumination

When using a colony counter with various samples, you want to have an easy time counting the number of microbial colonies. This all depends on the illumination that's provided by the colony counter. Ideally, you want to go with LED illumination because of the quality of lighting it provides.

You won't have any trouble making out microbial colonies in your samples and that helps you get accurate reporting results time and time again. LED illumination is a very bright type of light, but it's also energy-efficient and long-lasting. 

2. User-Friendly Design

You probably have a lot of other operations to deal with each day other than analyzing microbial colonies in samples. You thus want an easy time using the colony counter the moment it arrives at your lab. Different colony counters will vary in terms of their user-friendliness. To know what you're in store for as far as colony setup and operation, go through customer reviews to see what those in your industry feel about different colony counters. You'll eventually find a particular model that has been easy to use consistently and that's the one you want to go with. 

3. High-Resolution Camera

Another aspect that determines what type of results you have when trying to count microbial colonies in samples is the resolution of the camera. It needs to be as good as possible because then you won't have to question at all what you're seeing in the samples. The best way to go about finding a colony counter with a high-resolution camera is by trying these counters out in real time. You can do just that by visiting a supplier or attending trade shows where these products are on display. Using them in person will let you know exactly what different colony counters are capable of.

In terms of studying microbial colonies, you'll need a special device known as a colony counter. These units vary in price, designs, and features — but you can be confident in what you end up with by looking for the right details from the very beginning.