Consultants’ Comments

• “Fast and great for handpieces.”
• “Quiet unit.”
• “Easy to load and unload.”
• “Instruments are very hot at the end of the cycle.”
• “The condensate tank lid is very hard to take on and off.”
• “Takes up a lot of counter space for a small-capacity unit.”

Description

The M3 UltraFast Automatic Sterilizer is a steam-flush pressure-pulse sterilizer. It features one-step loading operation, push-button cycle selection and an automatic door. The door tray is stainless steel and has an ergonomically designed handle for balance and comfort. The M3 UltraFast has a top-fill water reservoir with a water level sensor and a front reservoir drain with on-board drain tube storage. A condensate tank that traps expelled steam is intended to be housed in a cabinet below the sterilizer. The tank has a quick release lid, a carrying handle and a water level sensor to indicate when full. The M3 UltraFast has three pre-programmed cycles (wrapped, unwrapped, and low temperature), an automatic door that opens to begin the drying process, and chamber surface heaters that remove moisture during the dry cycle. An LCD display indicates cycle selected, exposure time, temperature and pressure. M3 UltraFast also features on-board user instructions and interactive training CD. M3 UltraFast Automatic Sterilizer was evaluated by seven consultants in over 1500 uses during an eight-month period. This sterilizer received a 91% clinical rating.

Equipment Features

M3 UltraFast is a very good sterilizer for quick turnaround of a low volume of instruments and handpieces. Unwrapped instruments can be sterilized in six minutes; wrapped instruments require 10 minutes. Drying time is in addition to sterilization times. Operation of the unit is simple via a touchpad and LCD display on the front of the unit. A single tray is approximately 12”x7”x1” and has a handle that stays cool to the touch. Water capacity is 1.2 gallons. The condensate tank is designed like a pitcher for easy emptying, which is required after 11-12 cycles. Storing the condensate tank in a cabinet below the sterilizer, as the manufacturer recommends, is convenient, but a significant amount of steam escapes and may affect the cabinet material. After loading the tray, the door closes automatically when the cycle is started, and it opens automatically when sterilization is complete. Forty-three percent of consultants found M3 UltraFast better than other sterilizers they had used, and 43% found it to be equivalent. Eighty-six percent of consultants would switch to M3 UltraFast, and 100% would recommend it.