A water bath is a laboratory equipment that is used to incubate samples at a constant temperature over a long period of time. Water bath is a preferred heat source for heating flammable chemicals instead of an open flame to prevent ignition. The other areas of its utilizations include warming of reagents, melting of substrates, or incubation of cell cultures. The water bath is robust and reliable equipment with an easy to clean stainless steel tank and sturdy metal outer case. The heating element is located inside the tank to facilitate rapid warm-up and responsive heating. The types of water bath are circulating water baths, non-circulating water baths, and shaking water baths. Water bath system finds usage in regular bacteriological and laboratory applications requiring incubation as well as general test procedures.

A laboratory water bath is used to heat samples. Some applications include maintaining cell lines or heating flammable chemicals that might combust if exposed to open flame. A water bath generally consists of a heating unit, a stainless-steel chamber that holds the water and samples, and a control interface. Different types of water baths offer additional functionality such as a circulating water bath that keep a more even temperature or a shaking water bath that keeps the samples in motion while they are heated.