A still-air box gives you a sheltered space for open plates and jars. It does not filter air. Its job is to keep room drafts away from your work while you move your hands with care.
Before buying one, put the items you use for a normal transfer on a table: plates, jars, a tool rest, and the container that holds your clean supplies. Measure that footprint. A box that fits one plate in a product photo may feel cramped once your hands and jars are inside it.
Check the working space
Start with the opening. You should reach the back of the box without rubbing your sleeves against the walls. Check the height with your tallest jar in place. If you use bags, allow enough room to open one without pushing it against the roof.
Look at the base, too. A stable, flat surface makes it easier to wipe down between sessions. A clear panel helps you see the edge of a plate and the tip of a tool. Thin plastic walls can flex when you move your arms, so check how the box holds its shape during work.
Set it up for quiet air
Pick a surface away from vents and open windows. Bring in only what you need. Wipe the work surface and the items you will handle, then give the air in the box time to settle after moving things around. Keep your hands slow and avoid crossing an open plate with a used tool or the outside of a jar.
A still-air box will not fix dirty spawn, a contaminated culture, or rushed handling. If contamination appears, review the whole sequence before buying another enclosure.
When an FFU makes sense
An FFU pushes filtered air through a broad face. It gives you easier access to a larger work area, which helps when you pour several plates or handle multiple bags in one session. The tradeoff is cost, power, bench space, and filter care. The 2×4 ft unit in our catalog has a 24 × 48 in. face and needs 4–6 in. behind its intake.
You can do careful work in either setup. Buy the space that fits your current process, then improve your technique inside it. No product removes the need to keep tools, hands, and containers out of the clean work path.
How this guide was made: Flowhoods has not independently tested commercial still-air boxes. Use the measurements and access checks above to compare a box with your own work area.