Choosing an Autoclave for a Beauty Salon
Which autoclave for a beauty salon and how much does it cost? Selection criteria from the GIS recommendations, cost components and external sterilisation.
An autoclave is a purchase you do not want to repeat. The questions start with "how much does an autoclave cost", while it would be better to start with "which autoclave for a beauty salon fits my tools and the number of clients". This article shows selection criteria based on the recommendations of the Chief Sanitary Inspector (GIS), and what the cost consists of. We do not recommend brands or models and we do not build a ranking. We only tell you what to ask the seller and how to check the answer.
Key takeaways
- The GIS recommendations (May 2026) indicate as the recommended method sterilisation with pressurised steam in sterilisers meeting at least the requirements of the PN-EN 13060 standard. They do not specify a class of device.
- Your own autoclave is not the only route. Sterilisation can be outsourced to an external provider with a quality management system (ISO or GMP), if you hold documents of regular cooperation.
- The price of the device is only part of the cost. Add packaging, indicators, biological tests, the yearly function check and time for documentation.
- For orientation, according to a shop catalogue reviewed on 2 November 2026, class B autoclaves with a capacity of 8-23 l cost from about 4,000 to about 6,300 PLN gross.
- Before buying, count your tools, the number of clients per day and the availability of service. Only then choose the chamber size.
What a salon needs and what a treatment room needs
The GIS recommendations concern hairdressing, beauty and tattoo services. For invasive aesthetic-medicine procedures reserved for medical staff they refer to Ministry of Health regulations: on requirements for premises and equipment of an entity performing medical activity (of 26 March 2019) and on handling medical waste (of 5 October 2017). This article is about beauty salons and studios. If you run a medical entity, the requirements are different and we do not discuss them.
Start with the question of whether you need a steriliser at all. The GIS recommendations require sterilisation of reusable tools that break the skin: they list, among others, nippers, pliers, tweezers, pedicure and manicure burs and cuticle scissors. Paper files must be single-use. If you replace some tools with single-use ones, you sterilise less. For tools that cannot be sterilised, the recommendations allow high-level disinfection (a product with bactericidal, mycobactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal and sporicidal action).
What exactly happens in the chamber is explained in the article on what an autoclave is and how it works. The difference from disinfection is covered in the article on sterilisation vs disinfection in a salon.
Selection criteria: standard, class, capacity, service
| Criterion | What to check | How we know |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance with the standard | Whether the manufacturer declares compliance with PN-EN 13060 and whether this follows from the technical documentation | GIS recommendations (chapter IV) |
| Device class | Whether the class fits what you sterilise (packaged tools, tools with channels) | Information from manufacturers and sellers; we did not read the text of the standard |
| Chamber capacity | How many packs one cycle holds and how many you need during a day | Depends on your salon |
| Cycle recording | Whether the device prints or stores cycle parameters (time, temperature, pressure) | GIS: you assess cycle effectiveness, among other things, by physical parameters |
| Service and inspections | Who carries out the yearly function check and where you get parts | GIS recommendations (chapter IV, point 2) |
| Manual and marking | A manual in Polish, manufacturer details, a declaration of conformity | Good purchasing practice |
The PN-EN 13060 standard
This is the only required feature of the device that the GIS recommendations indicate. We did not read the standard itself, because it is paid. Ask the seller on what basis they claim the device meets it, and ask for a document that confirms it. The phrase "compliant with Sanepid requirements from 2026" is not a document. In the Journal of Laws we found no regulation imposing such requirements on salons (more in the article on the qualifications of the person sterilising).
Class N, S, B
Manufacturers and sellers describe three classes of steriliser under the standard: N, S and B. Their descriptions suggest that class B has fractionated pre-vacuum and suits packaged loads and loads with channels, while class N is simpler and intended for unpackaged, solid tools. In a salon GIS recommends sterilisation packaging for tools and storing them in packs, so the question about class makes sense. However, this is information from sellers, not from the text of the standard or from the GIS recommendations. Check in the manual which loads the manufacturer permits in a given model, and match them to your tools and packaging. We write about packaging in the article on packaging tools for sterilisation.
Chamber capacity
Count how many sets (packs) you use per day. The GIS recommendations indicate that single-use materials and packs are prepared in advance, in a quantity sufficient for the number of clients that day. If you have few sets, a large chamber is a reserve you pay for. If you have many, a small chamber means more cycles and more entries in your documents.
What to ask the seller
- Which documents confirm compliance with PN-EN 13060 and the marking of the device?
- Which loads does the manual permit (unpackaged, packaged, with channels)?
- Who carries out the inspections and how much does the yearly check cost?
- What water should you use in the chamber according to the manual?
- Is the device subject to technical supervision rules? (we did not check this, so ask directly).
Documentation: log, test, cycle printout
An autoclave without records is just an expensive device. The GIS recommendations say that control of the sterilisation process covers the device, the load and the cycle. For a salon, in practice, this means the following elements:
- Assessment of every cycle with physical, chemical and biological indicators.
- Load control: a representative pack or a process challenge device with compatible chemical indicators, or checking the pack with type 5 or 6 chemical indicators in every pack (with a challenge device, types 4, 5 or 6 are allowed in selected packs).
- Biological control at least once a week.
- Device control at least once a year by an authorised service, unless the manufacturer advises otherwise, with inspection and maintenance records kept.
- Sterile material in paper-film packaging, in closed cabinets or drawers, is stored for no longer than 2 months.
The person authorised to carry out decontamination is responsible for an effective sterilisation process, including the choice of indicators. The recommendations do not define who that is. How to keep the records is described in the article on the sterilisation log, and the basics in the articles on sterilisation and documentation and on biological tests. The workstation layout in which the autoclave has its place is described in the article on the decontamination workflow in a beauty salon.
How much an autoclave costs: what the cost consists of
Prices change, so treat the data below as an illustration, not a price list. In the catalogue of one online shop with equipment for studios, which we reviewed on 2 November 2026, the first page covered 29 autoclaves. Class B autoclaves with a capacity of 3 to 23 l had list prices from about 4,000 to about 6,300 PLN gross. The only class N autoclave (3 l) cost about 2,750 PLN gross. A second shop showed prices in a similar range, although the page did not clearly distinguish net and gross. Prices in other shops may differ.
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Device | For orientation, as above; check whether the price includes a printer, delivery and training |
| Sterilisation packaging | Used up in every cycle; single-use packaging can be sterilised only once (GIS recommendations) |
| Chemical indicators and biological tests | Indicators in every cycle or pack, biological control at least once a week |
| Yearly function check | By an authorised service, unless the manufacturer advises otherwise; agree the price before buying |
| Ultrasonic cleaner, cleaning and disinfecting products | The GIS recommendations indicate an ultrasonic cleaner as a safe and effective washing method |
| Time | The cycle, packaging and entries in documents take time after each working day |
A complete cost estimate for opening a salon is in the article how much it costs to open a nail salon. A used autoclave may be cheaper, but then check the inspection records and the availability of service. The recommendations require inspection and maintenance records to be kept.
External sterilisation as an alternative
The GIS recommendations allow sterilisation at a specialised external provider that has a quality management system (ISO or GMP) and guarantees a sterile product. You must hold documentation confirming regular sterilisation: a contract, invoices, a log of tools collected and returned. You hand tools over in secured packaging and tightly closed containers, which you wash and disinfect after each use.
| Own autoclave | External sterilisation | |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | Purchase of the device and equipment | No equipment purchase |
| Running cost | Materials, inspections, time | Service fees, transport |
| Process control | You run it yourself: indicators, tests, records | On the provider's side; you keep the movement documents |
| Flexibility | You sterilise when you need to | Depends on the collection schedule and your stock of packs |
For a small number of clients, external sterilisation is sometimes the simpler solution. The calculation depends on your prices and the number of treatments. Work it out for your salon before you decide.
Documents for both variants, including the sterilisation procedure and card and the autoclave maintenance and inspection register, are in the NailsReady Foundation package. Information on the official recommendations is on the website of the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate.
Frequently asked questions
Which autoclave should I choose for a beauty salon?
The GIS recommendations indicate sterilisation with pressurised steam in sterilisers meeting at least PN-EN 13060 and do not specify a class. Match the choice to your tools, packaging and number of clients. Sellers usually point to class B for packaged loads, but that is commercial information. Check in the manual which loads the manufacturer permits.
How much does an autoclave for a beauty studio cost?
According to a shop catalogue reviewed on 2 November 2026, class B autoclaves with a capacity of 8-23 l cost, for orientation, from about 4,000 to about 6,300 PLN gross, and a small class N autoclave about 2,750 PLN gross. Add materials, tests and the yearly function check.
Do I have to have my own autoclave?
No. The GIS recommendations allow sterilisation at an external provider with a quality management system, provided you hold documents of regular cooperation. You can also limit the number of reusable tools by using single-use ones where possible.
Can I buy a used autoclave?
In the GIS recommendations we found no ban on buying used equipment. Ask for the inspection records and check whether a service covers the model. The GIS recommendations require a function check at least once a year and keeping inspection records.
Will a UV or dry steriliser replace an autoclave?
We did not find these devices in the GIS recommendations. The recommended method is sterilisation with pressurised steam. For tools that cannot be sterilised, high-level disinfection is allowed. Before you buy other equipment, ask the seller for a document confirming it is used for sterilisation, and ask the county state sanitary inspector, who can give an opinion on your procedures, about its suitability.
Legal status as of: 2 November 2026
Legal basis: Article 16(1)-(3) of the Act of 5 December 2008 on preventing and combating infections and infectious diseases in humans (consolidated text: Journal of Laws 2025, item 1675, amendments published after this text were checked); "Hygiene and sanitary recommendations and requirements of the Chief Sanitary Inspector for beauty services" (GIS, May 2026; chapters III-V and the general part). Prices: the catalogue of one online shop (as of 2 November 2026; indicative prices, not an offer); a second shop was checked only briefly. Not checked: the text of the PN-EN 13060 standard (a paid standard) and its classes N, S, B (the description of the classes comes from information from sellers and manufacturers), rules on medical devices and CE marking, rules on technical supervision of pressure equipment, Ministry of Health regulations for medical entities, manufacturers' offers.
Last reviewed: 2 November 2026
Sterilisation documents for your autoclave
A sterilisation procedure, a sterilisation card and an autoclave maintenance and inspection register that you can adapt to your chosen device are in the NailsReady Foundation package. Check the scope of documents on the package page.
See the Foundation package