For somebody new to the idea of ultrasonic cleaning it can be difficult to decide which ultrasonic cleaner is best for them. Fortunately, picking the ultrasonic cleaning equipment that will work best for your specific project is quite simple, all you need to do is ask yourself a few questions:

• What size tank do I need?
• Do I need heat in my tank?
• Is a parts basket necessary?
• What kind of cleaning chemistry will work best?

What size tank do I need?

The easiest way to answer this question is to look at your parts, measure the largest of them, and buy a matching tank. While this is the simplest way, it may not be the most cost effective. The cost of an ultrasonic cleaning tank increases quickly with it’s size, so if you only have a few large parts and many smaller ones it would be silly to buy a larger tank to accomodate them.

Click here to see a model grid showing sizes and other specs for quick comparison of the Crest Powersonic units: Crest Ultrasonic

Do I need heat in my tank?

Crest 2600HT ultrasonic cleaner

The short answer to this question is “yes”, the long answer is no with a “but”. An ultrasonic cleaner works best at between 140 and 170 degrees F, so a heated tank will greatly increase it’s cleaning potential. You could always fill your tank with hot water and new solution each time, but many find this to be a hassle and not cost affective.

Is a parts basket necessary?

A parts basket has two important functions. First, it holds the parts up off the bottom of the tank, preventing inhabition of ultrasonic transmission. Second, it alows for easy removal of parts from the tank.

What kind of cleaning chemistry will work best?

This is kind of like asking “How far is up?”. Everybody’s cleaning application will vary to some degree, and thus need a different kind of cleaning solution. It’s important to do the research and find out what ultrasonic cleaning solution will work for your specific cleaning application.