As a bio hobbyist, this is fantastic! I don't do enough volume of PCR to think of it as expensive, but your use case of high-volume/automatic sounds fantastic! (And so many other types of reagents and equipment are very expensive).
Some things that would be cool
- Along your lines: In general, cheap automated setups for PCR and gels
- Cheap/automatic quantifiable gels. E.g. without needing a kV supply capillary, expensive QPCR machines etc.
- Cheaper enzymes in general
- More options for -80 freezers
- Cheaper/more automated DNA quantification. I got a v1 Quibit which gets the job done, but new ones are very expensive, and reagent costs add up.
- Cheaper shaking incubator options. You can get cheap shakers and baters, but not cheap combined ones... which you need for pretty much everything. Placing one in the other can work, but is sub-optimal due to size and power-cord considerations.
- More centrifuges that can do 10kG... this is the minimum for many protocols.
- Ability to buy pure ethanol without outrageous prices or hazardous shipping fees.