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the best still air boxes for mycologists

The best still air boxes for mycologists

When it comes to mushroom cultivation, sterile technique is a make or break. One of the most important tools to help you reduce contamination when growing mushrooms at home is the still air box. A good still air box helps you master the art and science of cultivation and bring consistency and cleanliness to your cultivation practice. 

While you can make a still air box at home with easily accessible supplies, there are several pre-made still air boxes that can uplevel your cultivation. Let’s take a look at the pros & cons, so if you are ready to take this next step in your mushroom cultivation journey you have a good idea of your options.

Okay but first, what is a still air box? and why would i want one?

Can you grow mushrooms at home without a still air box? Yes. But if you are experiencing frequent contamination rates when innoculating, want to improve your yield or are cloning and working with liquid cultures, you may want to consider a still air box. This relatively simple yet powerful piece of equipment creates a controlled, enclosed workspace where air currents are limited, giving contaminants fewer chances to land on your materials. 

Still air boxes work by creating a controlled micro-environment that keeps ‘still air’ in the box preventing unwanted contaminants like bacteria, molds and yeasts from infecting your material. A still air box helps bring consistency, cleanliness and a little more control of the environment to your cultivation practice – particularly for transferring spores, inoculating grain, or working with agar. 

Although it is not going to be as effective and exact as a more advanced lab set up such as a flow hood, still air boxes are a fraction of the cost and more easily accessible, portable and space-saving – while still significantly reduce contamination risk!

The trade-off? SABs don’t sterilize the air; instead, they reduce movement of contaminants. Your technique—slow, mindful hand movements and consistent sanitation—is just as important as the box itself.

What tasks do you perform in a still air box?

  • Inoculation: Introducing spores or LC into grain bags or jars
  • Substrate Prep: Preparing a monotub (if size of your SAB permits)
  • Making spore prints
  • Agar work + culture transfers: Ready to clone and work with cultures? Maybe make the next epic strain? Probably need a flow hood if we are really talking, but this is a good place to start and practice!

What factors should i consider when buying a still air box?

There are many different still air boxes available on the market, for a variety of uses. Here are some factors to take into consideration when looking for a still airbox for mushroom cultivation and mycology. 

  • Size: Take inventory of the equipment you will need to be within hand reach to perform intended tasks (cloning, inoculation,, etc.). If you plan to pour agar plates or work with grain bags, a taller SAB may be preferred. 
  • Material: Make sure yours is made of clear, durable plastic so you ca see the work area easily. You also want the material to be easily cleanable and safe to sanitize with isopropyl alcohol. 
  • Portability: If you have limited space and are going to need to move/set up and take down the box often, look for a SAB that folds down for easy storage or consider models with lightweight frames that allow for easy set up.
  • Armholes & Ergonomic design: you want the armholes to be the right size (might want to consider adjustable options), and sit at the right height and width so you can comfortably work for longer periods of time. More comfort = less stress & better focus = higher success rates.
still air box

If you want to go for a DIY still air box using a plastic storage bin, this is going to be your cheapest option and probably the most easily accessible since you can use materials you might even already have at home. Plus you can customize it exactly how you want it – hello comfortably spaced arm holes! However, it may be less durable and with worse visibility (frosted plastic), potentially also taking up more space.

Here are some pre-made still air boxes available for purchase that decrease the chances of contamination and help maintain a sanitary and successful mushroom growing environment. For a little extra cost, you are looking at higher quality and greater reliability for your mushroom cultivation journey. 

how to make a still air box

Read the full DIY guide on how to make a complete still air box at home

Click here

Still air boxes for mushroom cultivation
- medicinal, sacred & edible

NocBox Still Air Box by Northspore - $74.99 USD

** USE CODE FUNGIACADEMY FOR 10% OFF**

NocBox Still Air Box by Northspore
  • Professional-grade
  • Great visibility & ergonomics - slanted front helps you see without bending
  • Large work area to space out items
  • Adjustable arm ports for different sizes and tighter seal
  • Waterproof surfaces, minimal seams, easy to wipe down
  • Portable: lightweight & collapsable, comes with storage bag
  • More complex setup than rigid bins
  • Higher cost than other options

Bella Bora Still Air Box Mycology - $45.00 USD

A 2′ × 3′ × 2′ upgraded SAB featuring scratch-resistant, bleach-safe plastic, double-layered elastic arm ports, side/back zippers, and a collapsible frame with carrying case.

Bella Bora Still Air Box
  • Durable design made of clear scratch-resistant plastic + heavy-duty zippers
  • Compact foldable design that doesn’t compromise function and very easy to set up and take down– and comes with a great carrying case!
  • Zippered doors on side and back for easy access & cleaning
  • Tall in height so great if you are working with grain bags vs. jars
  • Higher price point compared to simpler boxes
  • Better materials often heavier and not as packable as thin PVC pop-ups
  • Collapsible & flexible designs may compromise some rigidity/stability

XXL STILL AIR BOX BY MUSHROOM TEC - $45 -$65 USD

A large 35″ × 23″ × 23″ pop-up box made from BPC-free plastic, with a built-in humidity/temperature gauge and a quick setup design for handling multiple bags or plates at once.

XXL Still Air Box by MushroomTec
  • Extra large workspace: Good for handling multiple grow bags, plates etc.
  • Includes humidity & temperature gauge, helping monitor environment
  • Quick pop-up design for easy set up & less exposure
  • BPC-free plastic
  • Large means harder to store & heavier to transport
  • Visibility issues - large boxes sometimes affect seeing fine details
  • Large size means more cost, value depends on how much you'll use

POP-UP SPACIOUS STILL AIR BOX (MEDICAL SALES SUPPLY) - $32.99 USD

A 35.5″ × 23.5″ × 23.5″ transparent PVC pop-up SAB with zipper closure and dual arm ports, designed for portability and easy deployment at a budget-friendly price point.

 

pop up spacious still air box by medical supply
  • Easy to set up, less complexity than rigid frame ones
  • Cost effective
  • Good for beginner or curious citizen scientists
  • Compact / saves space (because it folds flat for easy storage)
  • No sealed arm holes
  • PVC plastic can scratch, cloud or degrade over time
  • Zippers & folds can hold moisture and contaminants, cleaning is trickier

Still Air Box vs. Flow Hood

To be honest, flow hoods are the most reliable but not usually recommended for casual hobbyists because they break the bank a bit more and take up quite a bit of space. 

Once you’ve gained confidence with your sterile still air box technique, you may eventually feel ready to level up your lab setup. And that is where a laminar flow hood comes in.

Unlike a still air box, which relies on stillness to reduce contamination, a flow hood uses a HEPA filter and steady, unidirectional airflow to push contaminants away from your workspace. This creates a truly sterile “curtain” of air that makes inoculations, agar transfers, and cloning even more reliable and consistent. 

For many cultivators, a flow hood is the natural next step once they’re scaling up or working on multiple projects at once. That said, they’re a bigger investment—bulkier, less portable, and much more expensive than a still air box.

Our advice: Master your skills in a still air box first. With good technique, you’ll be surprised at how far you can go without ever needing a flow hood. And when you are ready, you’ll step into it with confidence and experience already under your belt.

life lessons mushrooms

Whether you’re just starting your mushroom cultivation journey or are ready to expand your home lab, there’s a few options when it comes to still air boxes. 

But remember, key is not just the tool you choose, but how you use it—moving slowly, sanitizing consistently, and respecting the sterile environment you’ve created.

Ready to take your cultivation to the next level?

Want to actually practice sterile technique in community with experienced teachers? Join us in beautiful Lake Atitlán, Guatemala for our Mushroom Cultivation Course.

In this hands-on training, you’ll:
– Work directly with Still Air Boxes and learn proper sterile workflow.
– Explore cloning, agar work, and grain inoculation with expert guidance.
– Connect with a global tribe of mycophiles passionate about fungi and sustainability.

Click here to learn more and join our next cohort.

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