Centrifuge Tube Box

Quick Answer: The Centrifuge Tube Box is a lidded storage box with positions for conical centrifuge tubes, holding them upright and in order in a refrigerator, freezer or cold room. A centrifuge tube box is the larger-tube counterpart of a microtube box, sized for tubes such as the common 15 ml and 50 ml formats.

Storing Larger Tubes Upright

Conical centrifuge tubes cannot stand on their pointed tips, so once samples are spun and separated they need somewhere to be kept upright. The box gives each tube its own slot and puts a lid over the tops, keeping tubes vertical, caps clear of one another, and the whole set together as one unit for the trip to the freezer. Boxes for 15 ml tubes have more, narrower positions; those for 50 ml tubes have fewer, wider ones.

Storage of this kind suits serum and plasma aliquots, extracted soil or food samples, larger-volume glycerol stocks and cell pellets waiting for the next step. The fixed layout means each tube can be recorded by position, which is far easier than searching loose tubes in a freezer drawer. Boxes like this are commonly polypropylene, a plastic that stays serviceable at freezer temperatures.

Which tube size the box takes, how many positions it has and whether the lid is hinged are not given in the title. For tubes in active use at the bench, a rack such as the Universal Multi Rack 2 is handier, since tubes are loaded and unloaded repeatedly.

Applications

• Freezer storage of serum, plasma or urine samples in 15 ml tubes in clinical training labs
• Keeping extracted plant, soil or food samples chilled between analysis steps
• Storing 50 ml tubes of prepared media, buffers or glycerol stocks
• Carrying a full set of spun tubes to the cold room without disturbing pellets

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Set tubes down gently so pellets at the tip are not resuspended
• Label the lid and front edge, and keep a position map for each box
• Thaw frozen boxes on a tray, since condensation runs off the plastic
• Wash with mild detergent; a polypropylene box can generally be autoclaved once its rating is checked

Why Choose LabEquip

Clinical biochemistry and pathology labs, food and environmental testing labs and research groups holding many 15 ml or 50 ml samples in cold storage are the usual buyers. LabEquip lists the box in Biology Lab Products, next to the Centrifuge Tube Conical Bottom that it is built to hold; use our contact page to specify the tube size.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which tubes fit a centrifuge tube box?

Boxes are made for one tube size, most often 15 ml or 50 ml conical tubes. The tube diameter must match the positions, and skirted self-standing tubes may need wider slots than standard conical tubes.

Why not store conical tubes loose in a freezer drawer?

Loose tubes roll, tip and freeze at angles, which can smear pellets and make samples hard to find. A box holds every tube upright and gives each one a recorded position.

Can the box be used at −80 °C?

Polypropylene boxes are widely used in −80 °C freezers, but check the box’s minimum temperature rating and handle it carefully when frozen, as cold plastic is more brittle.

Should tubes be stored cap up?

Yes. Upright storage keeps liquid away from the cap thread, reducing leaks and contamination when the tube is opened, and keeps pellets at the bottom of the cone.

Can this box go in the centrifuge?

No. The box is for storage and transport only. Tubes are moved into the centrifuge rotor or its adaptors, and back into the box once spinning is finished.

How is the box cleaned after a leak?

Take the tubes out, wipe up the spill, then wash the box in warm detergent solution and rinse. If the leak was biological, treat the surfaces with disinfectant before washing.

Last Updated: September 2026