TABLE 1.

Table summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of each estimator along with their appropriate regions of validity

Estimator name	Strengths and weaknesses
Pick the best	This traditional estimator is simple to understand and calculate but has large standard error.
Naive Poisson	The naive Poisson is valid at low crowding, but if used with high crowding data can produce a strong bias. It can combine data across multiple different dilutions.
Poisson with cutoff	The Poisson with a cutoff is easy to calculate by hand. It can combine data from different dilutions. The resulting bias of the estimator can be controlled by setting the cutoff and is sufficiently small when data are uncrowded.
MPN	The MPN method is valid across all crowding levels and uses all available data. It can combine multiple experiments. The same method can be used for colony counts on plates and in tubes, viewing patches of a plate as equivalent to individual tubes. The method requires either a computer program or table to calculate. It produces an unbiased estimator and has the smallest standard error of all discussed methods.