Totally get where you're coming from — we had a similar situation with our pH meters a couple of months ago. We started seeing weird readings, especially after using the autoclave. At first, we thought it was just the media temperature messing things up, but it turned out one of the interns accidentally cleaned the electrodes with the wrong solution. On top of that, the calibration was two weeks overdue. Now we’ve added everything to a checklist and made Monday mornings our dedicated time to check all the gear — balances, thermostats, even the timers.

What really made a difference was switching to calibration kits from a more reliable supplier. I randomly came across https://gentaur.co.uk/laboratory-equipment/  while hunting for pipette consumables. They’ve got a solid selection — everything from calibration weights to buffer solutions — and the prices aren’t through the roof like some other places. Plus, they ship fast, which has saved us more than once. Even new lab techs now know exactly where to go if something’s off. Honestly, it’s worth investing a bit upfront — saves you a ton of stress later.