Deciding new HPLC: Agilent 1260 or Waters Breeze

[88TSodium]

Hi all,

I have been tasked for searching new HPLC for the lab and I am a newbie with no experience at all with HPLC. All I know are only the theory of HPLC. I have seen the instrument during my university year but didn't have chance to operate it.

The HPLC will be used to separate samples which may contains glucose, fructose, maltose, maltotriose, and some higher saccharides.

We got offer from Agilent and Waters. Here are the details:
1. Agilent:
1260 Infinity series Isocratic pump, autosampler and RI Detector + 1290 Infinity Thermostatted Column Compartment, chemstation software.
2. Waters:
1515 Breeze Isocratic system, RI Detector, Autosampler, Breeze 2 software.

Both have some +/- in specification e.g. pump pressure, precision and accuracy; autosampler's injection cycle time; Detector's noise and drift.
I have asked some users of both brand in my area and I can say both are good in after sale service.

For anyone who ever work with both, please help to advise and/or share some experience, information or something that I need to ask to the supplier? and which one is better according to your experience.

Thank you very much.

[Gerhard Kratz]

For your applications I would recommend to have always a constant temperature to operate. You will need to run at elevated temperatures. That is the critical point for your decision.

[HippyLabRat]

Can you get the 1260 with Waters Empower?
Thats what I'd do.

[Karen01]

Can you get the 1260 with Waters Empower?
Thats what I'd do.

I run that way but I already had an Empower Workstation and just had to get an add-on license to control the 1260... I think it is the best of both worlds ( I like teh 1260 hardware but I am not a Chemstation fan). It would be very expensive to Empower separately from Waters without a system purchase.

BTW what column for you intend to use? IMO an Aminex HPX-87P is best for monosaccharides IMO and is run at 80C so make site your column heater will go that high. I know the one we have on the 1260 does.... Not sure what comes with the Breeze system.

If you think you might also want to look at organic acids (and you might) then you need a UV detector, preferably a PDA (DAD). It'scheaper to buy detectors as part of a system purchase.

For di and higher saccharides I would recommend using either an amino or amide column. We also have Acquity UPLCs so for that we use the Acquity Amine UPLC column with an Evaporative light scattering detector (the UPLC RI detector can work for isocratic work)

I Have not had good look with Amino columns because our sample are too dirty and the amine too reactive... The amide holds up better as it less reactive.

- Karen

[88TSodium]

For your applications I would recommend to have always a constant temperature to operate. You will need to run at elevated temperatures. That is the critical point for your decision.

The coumn oven for both are able to work up to 100C (or more)

@hippyLabRat
Why Empower? How about Breeze 2 software?

@Karen01
We are going to use Aminex HPX87C for regular operation and perhaps for better separation of higher saccharide will run HPX87C in series with HPX42C.
I am not so sure about the organic acids, i think the future application will be other group of saccharide e.g. sugar alcohol.
ELSD is too pricey, and requires more maintenance.

So, what I conclude from the answers above (@HippyLabRat and @Karen01), Agilent 1260 is preferable. Am i right?

[HippyLabRat]

Breeze is ok for basic analysis, but its really pretty neutered compared to Empower. I'd go with Empower to save myself the potential need for upgrade later. But I guess it depends on what you're doing exactly.

[88TSodium]

Ok, thanks for the comments from all of you. It gives me some insight.

[Rob Burgess]

I would go for simply a isocratic pump either - you'll be limiting yourself way too much.

I'm not too sure why manufaturers even offer them these days - they are pretty much redundant IMO.

[88TSodium]

Thank you very much for the comments, inputs and insights. We finally decided to buy quaternary in case future application will need gradient elution.