ABSTRACT In order to refine further the technique of mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry efforts are being made to combine the desirable features of sector based tandem instruments with those of triple quadrupole mass spectrometers. This has resulted in the construction of tandem mass spectrometers which incorporate both sector type analyzers and quadrupole mass filters. These so-called hybrid instruments, designed specifically for mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry applications, are appearing in a variety of geometries each with unique features. This review describes the hybrid instruments reported to date and discusses general considerations for evaluating hybrid instruments with regard to applications.