Waters vs Agilent

[pincer]

Currently, my boss asks me to purchase a LCMS for quantitative pesticides analysis (EPA 8321b). I have to select between Agilent 6410 and Waters ACQUITY TQD. One of my friends uses Agilent 6410 for his research and he recommends Agilent. Can anyone using ACQUITY TQD give any comment? Which one is better?

[vlepak]

You can ask your Waters rep whether there is such instrument in your area that you could take a look at before making the decision (I found it very helpful to see instruments before buying) and look at your friend's Agilent, your friend also would be a good source of info and hep with hands-on experience on a new to you instrumentation.
Can not say about LC_MS as we use GC-MSs but dealing with both Waters and Agilent for years I would never buy another Waters instrument. Waters is the worst company I have ever dealt with, tech support has to be requested online to call you, then wait several days for a response (every time or need to contact multiple times to get any response, for example, to make them replace defective parts. And their prices, in my opinion, are unreasonably higher).
If there are ever any problems with instrument you would save weeks (months) of down time if dealing with Agilent instead of Waters.

[Alexandre]

For 8321B both MSs are equally overkill. The Agilent and Waters are world leaders in sci. instrumentation and major competitors. I would be surprised to hear about bad service from any of them. My experience is in Europe, Asia and AU, however only in big metropolises.

No need for check samples, both MSs will easily do 8321B.

So just compare other little things that may be important to you - price, software, other instument in the lab etc

In our lab we have inst from both manufactures and for the next budget I want to buy two LCMSMSs - Agilent and Waters, though for pesticides but for different reasons and purposes than you.

[pincer]

Thanks a lot! Alex and Vlepak.

The price for both system is pretty close. Good thing for Agilent: Agilent has a service engineer in my city and I do see the system in my friend's lab. My friend think the software is very self-explained and very easy to understand and use.
Good thing for Waters: the system is UPLC and has a ESI/APCI ion source. These features indicate the potential ability to apply to other fields.

It is really hard to make a decision. Any more suggestion? Can anyone using ACQUITY TQD give any comment?

[tlahren]

I have never worked with a Waters system but people in my lab have and they all swear they will never buy another one.

My $0.02.

[Karen01]

I have never worked with a Waters system but people in my lab have and they all swear they will never buy another one.

My $0.02.

I only have a little experience with one Water's Mass Spec, but I have a LOT of years experience using their LC's and software (Empower/Millenium/ExpertEase), The LCs and the LC software I have always liked and bought when I could.

- Karen

[lmh]

demo both yourself. Only you can choose in the end. There is so much personal preference, and so many individual features to your lab that will make one more suited than the other.

[sketcher]

I find the reply above regarding Waters support inaccurate. Waters phone support is available either by sending in a request via the website and they will typically call you within an hour or two or you can pick up the phone and get someone right away. Waters will also provide as much assistance as they can on Agilent products. Sometimes it is easier to get Agilent support from Waters, depending on the question.

[TheProphet]

it really depens what you wanna do with it. For research i personally think that the agilent systems are quite good. We have a agilent 6410 here on the lab and it works good. Only thing that bothers is the software! A lot of bugs in the beginning. Our next LC-MS will be probally a waters system.

TheProphet