Ultrasonic cleaning is the first link in the reprocessing chain — cleaning before packaging, monitoring and record-keeping — yet it is the step clinics buy with the least structured information. This comparison puts eight cleaners sold to Canadian dental and medical clinics side by side across ten published parameters: tank capacity, frequency, power, heating, timer, degas, basket, compliance statement, price band and warranty. Every figure below comes from the manufacturer's own specification sheet or a Canadian dealer listing, with the source and read date noted, and the last section shows where the published sheets are silent — which is itself a buying decision.
Quick facts
- Provincial guidance strongly recommends ultrasonic washers for any semi-critical or critical device with joints, crevices or lumens, and requires an item to be completely immersed and rinsed thoroughly after cleaning (PHO/PIDAC, 3rd ed., p.29).
- In Ontario, gross debris must be removed before an item goes into the ultrasonic bath, and the bath solution must be changed daily or more often if visibly soiled (RCDSO, IPAC v3, p.20).
- Published frequency for the eight units below runs from 32–38 kHz to 60 kHz; published tank capacity from 1.2 to 14.4 litres.
- Three of the ten parameters are frequently missing from published sheets: timer range, drain, and the standards under which the unit is listed. Ask the dealer in writing.
- Cleaning is step one. Ontario still requires a biological indicator in a process challenge device on each day the sterilizer is used and for each type of cycle used that day (RCDSO, IPAC v3, p.24).
What the standard requires before you compare specifications
Four documents shape what a cleaner has to do in a Canadian clinic, and none of them is a product spec sheet.
The national standard covers the whole chain. The current Canadian reprocessing standard is CSA Z314:23, "Canadian medical device reprocessing in all health care settings" — "the second edition of CSA Z314 … It supersedes the previous edition published in 2018 under the title Canadian medical device reprocessing," and its scope applies to health care settings that include "dental general and surgical facilities." The 2023 edition introduced "new and expanded requirements for decontamination of reusable medical devices (Clause 11), covering handling (point of use cleaning, sorting, sharps, and fluid management), retrieval and transport to the decontamination area, sorting and disassembly, preparation, cleaning, rinsing and drying, decontamination after manual cleaning, and disinfection of semi-critical medical devices" (CSA Z314:23 listing, scope and edition notes). Clause text itself sits behind the standard's paywall, so treat dealer summaries of specific clauses as claims to check against your copy.
Provincial guidance names the equipment and the rules for using it. "Ultrasonic washers are strongly recommended for any semi-critical or critical medical equipment/device that has joints, crevices, lumens or other areas that are difficult to clean," with the manufacturer's instructions followed for use and maintenance, equipment completely immersed, a thorough rinse after cleaning, and a bath solution changed "at least daily or more frequently if it becomes visibly soiled or if the manufacturer's instructions specify more frequent changes" (PHO/PIDAC, provincial guidance on cleaning, disinfection and sterilization, 3rd ed., p.29). Ontario's dental standard repeats the two operational rules a buyer should test a machine against: "Gross debris must be removed from instruments prior to placement in an ultrasonic cleaner. In addition, ultrasonic cleaning solutions must be changed daily or more frequently if they become visibly soiled" (RCDSO, IPAC v3, p.20). That second rule is why a drain valve and an easy-to-empty tank are not cosmetic features.
The cleaner is not a washer-disinfector and not a sterilizer. Provincial guidance defines an ultrasonic washer as "a machine that cleans medical equipment/devices by the cavitations produced by ultrasound waves," separate from a washer-disinfector, which "provides low-level disinfection" and is "not to be used for high-level disinfection" (PHO/PIDAC 3rd ed., Glossary and p.30). The international washer-disinfector standard draws the same boundary from the other direction, covering machines used "for cleaning and disinfection of reusable medical devices" and stating that it "does not include requirements for machines which are intended to sterilize the load, or which are designated as 'sterilizers' and addressed in other standards" (ISO 15883-1:2024, Abstract and Scope).
The instrument, not the cleaner, decides the validated method. ISO 17664-1:2021 "specifies requirements for the information to be provided by the medical device manufacturer for the processing of critical or semi-critical medical devices (i.e. a medical device that enters normally sterile parts of the human body or a medical device that comes into contact with mucous membranes or non-intact skin)" (ISO 17664-1:2021, Abstract). In practice: the instrument maker's instructions tell you whether ultrasonic cleaning is allowed, at what temperature, with which chemistry and for how long. The cleaner you buy has to be able to hold those parameters.
One live question to ask each dealer: how the unit's performance is verified day to day. A Canadian supplier has published the position that the traditional foil test is no longer an acceptable method and that under CSA Z314:23 (Clause 11.6) ultrasonic cleaners are to be verified daily using a commercial test method (Maxill, ultrasonic testing note); we could not read that clause directly, so confirm the exact wording in your copy of the standard, and confirm which test consumable the dealer supplies. Ultrasonic cleaning test strips are sold in Canada in the hundreds-of-dollars range per pack, which affects running cost.
Table 1 — Eight models, ten published parameters
| Model | Tank capacity (published) | Frequency | Power | Heating (published max) | Timer | Degas | Basket / drain | Compliance statement on sheet | Published warranty | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coltene BioSonic UC125 / UC125H | 4.8 L tank, 3.8 L fill | 55 kHz (C-Power, load-adjusted) | 100 W | Heating model (UC125H); no temperature range published | Selectable run times with countdown; no range published | Yes — dedicated degas button | FingerGuard baskets (¾ or full size) available; drain not published | Not stated | Not stated on the technical sheet | Quote-based |
| Coltene BioSonic UC150 | 1.75 US gal / 6.6 L tank, 1.5 US gal / 5.7 L use | 48–50.5 kHz | 160 W without heater; 440–560 W with heater | Yes; temperature values shown on the display, range not published | Not published | Yes — degassing cycle | Baskets available for cassettes and beakers; drain port | Not stated | 2 years | US$1,584 list |
| Coltene BioSonic UC300 | 14.4 L tank, 11 L fill | 40 kHz | 300 W | Not stated | Not published | Not stated | Large or twin FingerGuard baskets; built-in drain with tube | Not stated | Not stated | US$3,036 list |
| SciCan StatClean | 1.6 US gal / 6.0 L tank; working range 3.35–5.0 L | Not stated on the published sheet | 120 W (current sheet); an earlier revision listed 260 W | Two ceramic heaters under the tank; range not published | 1–30 minutes | Yes — degas option | Hands-free drying basket; drainage valve | Not stated | Not stated | CA$5,273 list |
| Midmark QuickClean QC1-01 | 1.2 US gal / 4.5 L | 32–38 kHz (Frequency-Leap) | 110 W input, 100 W output | 140 °F / 60 °C | 1–99 minutes | Not stated on the spec sheet | Full-size safety basket included; drain not published | UL 61010-1:2012; CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 61010-1:2012; EN 60601-1-2:2007; EN 61326:2013; FCC CFR 47 Part 15B | 3-year limited | Quote-based |
| Tuttnauer Clean & Simple CSU3H | 3.0 US gal / 12.7 L (CSU1: 0.85 US gal / 3.2 L) | 60 kHz | Not published | Built-in heater on H models; range not published | Not published | Not published | Stainless basket or accessory kit sold separately; drain not published | ETL / cUL listed per dealer listing | 2.5, 5 and 10-year limited (dealer catalogue) | US$1,394.95 list (CSU1 US$494.95) |
| L&R SweepZone 310R | 3.25 US gal / 12.3 L | 43 kHz ± 2 kHz | 400 W input, 3.4 A | Not stated — no heater on the published spec | Remote digital timer; range not published | Not stated (SweepZone power modulation) | Baskets and cassette accessories available; recessed tank with separate generator | "Designed and Manufactured in the USA"; no standard listed | 30 months | Quote-based |
| Branson Bransonic CPX2800H | 2.8 L / 0.75 US gal | 40 kHz | Not published | Up to 69 °C / 156.2 °F | 0–99 minutes digital | Yes — degassing up to 99 minutes | Tank cover included; trays are accessories; built-in pour drain | 120 V units carry CSA/UL or equivalent (per user documentation) | Not stated | Quote-based |
Sources for Table 1, read 2026-09-17: COLTENE BioSonic brochure (UC50DB, UC125, UC300 technical information); COLTENE BioSonic UC150 technical sheet; SciCan StatClean specification sheet, revision R5 and revision R3; Midmark QuickClean specification sheet; Tuttnauer Clean & Simple specifications via Lab Equipment; L&R SweepZone 310R product specifications; Bransonic CPXH series brochure.
Table 2 — Published prices and Canadian availability
| Unit | Published price | Currency as listed | Source (read 2026-09-17) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SciCan StatClean | 5,273.00 | CAD | DF Dental Solutions product listing |
| Tuttnauer Clean & Simple (variable: 1, 3 and 6-gallon sizes, with or without basket) | 199.00 – 4,199.99 | CAD | DF Dental Solutions product listing |
| Coltene BioSonic UC150 | 1,584.00 | USD | Duraline Systems product listing |
| Coltene BioSonic UC300 | 3,036.00 | USD | Duraline Systems product listing |
| Branson Bransonic / Elmasonic Select class units | 756.00 – 5,020.00 | USD | Duraline Systems ultrasonic category search |
| Canadian-brand alternative: Flight SonicArc 3.2 L / 6.5 L / 10 L / 22 L | 559.00 / 859.00 / 979.00 / 1,399.00 | CAD | DF Dental Solutions product listings |
| CliniEco 6 L benchtop, dual-frequency 32/48 kHz, timer and heater | 599.00 | CAD | CliniEco product page |
| CliniEco 6.5 L benchtop, digital timer, degas and heater, 40 kHz — not currently orderable in Canada | 349.00 | CAD | CliniEco product page |
Dealer listings are point-in-time and move with promotions, freight and exchange rates: prices above are what the store published on the read date, in the currency the store declared. Several units are quoted rather than listed, which is common for equipment sold through a service channel.
How to read the ten parameters
1. Frequency: match the cleaning challenge, not the marketing. The units in Table 1 run from 32–38 kHz, 40 kHz and 43 kHz up to 55 kHz and 60 kHz. Lower frequencies produce larger cavitation bubbles and remove heavier soil; higher frequencies produce smaller bubbles that reach tighter crevices and are gentler on delicate items. Because the instrument manufacturer's processing instructions come first, buy the range your mixture of instruments is validated for, and confirm that at least one published frequency falls inside it.
2. Tank capacity and use capacity are different numbers. A 6.6 L tank with a 5.7 L use capacity, or a 6.0 L tank with a 3.35–5.0 L working range, tells you the volume you may actually fill to — which is what determines how many cassettes fit. Specify capacity in the units your instrument inventory uses (cassettes, not litres) and ask the dealer to state those numbers in writing.
3. Heating is a specification only if a temperature range is published. Midmark publishes up to 60 °C and Bransonic up to 69 °C; several other sheets state that heating exists without stating a range. Since detergent instructions and instrument instructions cite temperatures, an unpublished range is an open question at acceptance testing.
4. Degas and drain decide whether staff can follow the daily-change rule. Ontario requires the bath solution to be changed daily or when visibly soiled. A unit with a drain valve and a documented degas cycle supports that routine; a unit without a drain means lifting and tipping a full tank after every shift, which is the point at which documented routines quietly stop being followed.
5. The compliance statement on the sheet is the one you can show an auditor. Midmark lists UL 61010-1:2012, CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 61010-1:2012, EN 60601-1-2:2007, EN 61326:2013 and FCC Part 15B. Branson documents CSA/UL listing for the 120 V models. Others state origin or a dealer listing (ETL/cUL) rather than a standard. Electrical listing does not make a cleaner a compliant reprocessing process, but it is the part of compliance that a device can carry on paper — the process side is your protocol, bath tests and logs.
Table 3 — Consumables that set the running cost
| Product | Published price | Pack / dilution | Source (read 2026-09-17) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CliniEco multi-enzyme ultrasonic cleaning concentrate | CA$59.97 (3 × 4 L) | 4 L concentrate, diluted 1:200 — up to 800 L of working solution | CliniEco product page |
| Germiphene Super Sonic ultrasonic cleaning solution | CA$214.99 | 30 mL × 48 unit doses | DF Dental Solutions listing |
| Germiphene Wash-Checks U ultrasonic cleaning test strips | CA$370.99 | 100 strips per pack | DF Dental Solutions listing |
| Crosstex Efferzyme ultrasonic cleaning tablets | US$39.95 | 52 tablets per box, 2 tablets per gallon | Prestige Dental Products catalogue |
| Tuttnauer Clean & Simple Ultra tablets | US$54.95 | 64 tablets per box | Prestige Dental Products catalogue |
Two arithmetic notes, with stated assumptions. A 4 L concentrate at 1:200 makes 800 L of working solution, which is 2.5 cents per litre at CA$19.99 — if your tank is 6 L and you change it daily, 260 working days per year, you use about 1,560 L of solution per year, roughly 2 bottles. The same calculation should be run for tablets: at two tablets per gallon, a 52-tablet box treats 26 gallons, so a clinic changing a 1.2 US gallon tank daily will buy several boxes a year. These are worked examples, not quotes.
What comes after the cleaner? Packaging, monitoring and records
A cleaner decision only pays off if the rest of the chain is in place: cleaning, then packaging, then monitoring, then records. Ontario's dental standard requires that a biological indicator be placed in a process challenge device and used to test the sterilizer each day it is used — and for each type of cycle used that day — with the log book retained at least 10 years from the last entry and an air removal test at the beginning of each day the sterilizer is used (RCDSO, IPAC v3, p.24). The weekly biological indicator cadence used in some United States settings under the CDC guideline and AAMI ST79 is a different jurisdiction's baseline; it does not replace the Ontario daily requirement. Provincial guidance also requires that reprocessed items be distinguishable from unprocessed ones, which is where external chemical indicators, indicator tape and labelling come in (PHO/PIDAC 3rd ed., p.30).
That is why the ultrasonic tank, the seal, the indicator and the log belong in one budget line. Clinical teams evaluating the cleaning step can start with the sterilization compliance hub, compare an enzymatic ultrasonic concentrate at CA$19.99 for 4 litres against the doses in Table 3, or benchmark a 5-pack biological indicator trial — a paid trial pack, CA$12.99 — against their current monitoring consumable before committing to a year's supply.
Sources
- CSA Z314:23, Canadian medical device reprocessing in all health care settings — edition notes and scope
- PHO/PIDAC, provincial guidance on cleaning, disinfection and sterilization in all health care settings, 3rd ed. (May 2013)
- RCDSO, Standard of Practice: Infection Prevention and Control in the Dental Office (v3)
- ISO 15883-1:2024, Washer-disinfectors — Part 1
- ISO 17664-1:2021, Processing of health care products — Information to be provided by the medical device manufacturer, Part 1
- COLTENE BioSonic technical information (UC50DB, UC125, UC300)
- COLTENE BioSonic UC150 technical sheet
- SciCan StatClean specification sheet (R5)
- SciCan StatClean specification sheet (R3, earlier revision)
- Midmark QuickClean ultrasonic cleaner specification sheet
- Tuttnauer Clean & Simple ultrasonic cleaning system specifications
- L&R SweepZone 310R ultrasonic cleaning system specifications
- Bransonic CPXH series ultrasonic baths brochure
- Maxill technical note on ultrasonic cleaner verification and the foil test
- DF Dental Solutions catalogue (StatClean, Tuttnauer, Flight SonicArc listings)
- Duraline Systems ultrasonic cleaner listings
- Prestige Dental Products ultrasonic cleaners catalogue
- CliniEco Medical ultrasonic cleaner and solution product pages
Related reading
- Ultrasonic cleaning solutions: a complete guide to instrument reprocessing — chemistry, dilution and change intervals behind the running-cost table above.
- Ultrasonic cleaner vs manual scrubbing — when the automated first link is worth the capital cost, and when it is not.
- Ultrasonic cleaner maintenance — the routine that keeps a purchased unit inside its published performance.
- Enzyme vs neutral ultrasonic chemistry — which soil type drives which detergent choice.
- clinic consumables
- printable sterilization log
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ultrasonic cleaners does a two-chair dental clinic need?
One correctly sized unit is normally enough; the decision is tank length, not count. Measure the longest cassette or instrument tray your practice uses and compare it with the published tank dimensions and the longest item that fits, which several manufacturers publish. If the practice reprocesses continuously through the day, a unit with a drain valve and a fast fill reduces the queue in the decontamination area.
What frequency should a dental clinic look for?
There is no single answer, because the instrument manufacturer's processing instructions define what is validated for that instrument. Published frequencies in this comparison run from 32–38 kHz to 60 kHz. Lower frequencies remove heavier soil, higher frequencies reach tighter crevices and are gentler on delicate items. Buy a unit whose published frequency band matches the instruments you reprocess most.
Is the foil test still accepted for checking an ultrasonic cleaner?
A Canadian supplier has published the position that the foil test is no longer an acceptable verification method and that under CSA Z314:23 (Clause 11.6) cleaners are to be verified daily with a commercial test method. We could not read that clause directly because the standard is sold behind a paywall, so treat it as a claim to verify in your own copy of the standard and to confirm with your dealer at acceptance testing.
Do I need a heated ultrasonic cleaner?
Heating matters when the detergent instructions or the instrument instructions specify a temperature. Midmark publishes up to 60 °C for the QuickClean and Branson publishes up to 69 °C for the CPXH series, while some other sheets state that heating exists without publishing a range. If your instructions cite a temperature, buy a unit that publishes the range and confirm it with a thermometer at acceptance testing.
Can an ultrasonic cleaner replace disinfection or sterilization?
No. Provincial guidance defines an ultrasonic washer as a machine that cleans by cavitation and treats washer-disinfectors separately, and states that washer-disinfectors may be used for low-level disinfection only. Cleaning always precedes disinfection or sterilization, and critical items must be sterilized after cleaning.
Why do some of these spec sheets omit the timer or the standards?
Published sheets are marketing documents with different levels of engineering detail, and they change. One current SciCan StatClean sheet lists 120 W while an earlier revision of the same sheet lists 260 W, which is a reminder to record which revision you quoted. For any parameter your process depends on, get the number in writing on the quotation, and file it with the equipment record.
What else should be in the same purchase as the cleaner?
At minimum: the cleaning chemistry and a documented dilution, a basket that keeps instruments separated, test consumables for your verification routine, a solution change schedule that meets the daily rule, and the monitoring consumables for the sterilizers downstream. Cleaning without packaging, monitoring and records leaves the compliance question open at the step where inspectors look next.
CliniEco Medical holds MDEL #35334.
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