Steam is the most preferred, least expensive and most reliable method of sterilizing your non-heat-sensitive instruments and equipment for surgery. Whether you're shopping for a portable tabletop model or a fixed room-size steam sterilizer, here are some factors to consider, purchasing insights and thumbnail sketches of eight autoclaves.

Belimed Infection Control Belimed VS Series Sterilizers (800) 457-4117 writeOutLink("www.belimed.com",1) Price: $43,850 to $99,060 FYI: Designed for surgery center applications, Belimed vertical sterilizers run flash, pre-vac and gravity cycles, offer four chamber sizes and are available single- or double-doored, the company says. Self-contained and serviced from the front, they can stand abreast or directly adjacent to walls and equipment, and can include integrated steam generators.