Because they are not the same category of equipment, and the comparison only looks reasonable on a price list.
Two Different Categories
A mechanical minus 80 freezer is an appliance with a compressor and a service contract. Cryogenic storage operates below roughly minus 130 degrees, where molecular motion effectively stops, and it is maintained by liquid nitrogen rather than refrigeration. The purchase is never a single item: it carries nitrogen supply, dispensing equipment, racking, monitoring and PPE.
Why Running Costs Diverge
A mechanical freezer consumes electricity. A cryogenic vessel consumes nitrogen continuously whether used or not, and its service life is set by its vacuum rather than its compressor.
The Comparison That Matters
Samples held above minus 130 degrees are not biologically static. Motion has resumed, ice recrystallisation proceeds slowly, and damage accumulates invisibly. For long term storage the two categories are not interchangeable at any price. Options are under storage vessels and the broader list in the procurement guide.
