Cryo Box (Cardboard)

Quick Answer: The Cryo Box (Cardboard) is a cryovial storage box made of moisture-resistant coated cardboard, fitted with a card grid divider that holds vials upright in rows. A cardboard cryo box is a light, disposable choice for keeping vials in mechanical freezers, including −80 °C units.

Card Boxes for Vial Storage

Cardboard vial boxes have long been used in laboratory freezers because they are light, stack neatly and are simple to label. The card is given a water-resistant finish, and the divider slots together to form square cells deep enough for cryovials. When the samples are no longer needed, the whole box is discarded once its contents have been dealt with under your waste plan.

This format suits labs that store many sample sets for a fixed period, such as a research project or a teaching year, and that would rather not wash and reuse boxes. A large stock also takes little room until needed, because the boxes are supplied flat or nested. Card is less suited to long-term storage with frequent access, because each trip out of the freezer adds condensation that the card slowly absorbs.

For liquid nitrogen storage, or for boxes that must be autoclaved and reused, choose the polypropylene Cryo Box (PP) or a polycarbonate box. The divider size, box height and coating of this cardboard version are not stated in the title, and for microtubes rather than vials there is the Cardboard Box for Micro Centrifuge Tubes.

Specifications

Applications

• Project-length storage of cryovials in −80 °C freezers
• Archiving sample sets that will be discarded together at the end of a study
• Teaching labs issuing one box per group for a term’s frozen stocks
• Temporary storage while vials are catalogued before transfer to long-term plastic boxes

Care & Handling

• Keep boxes dry on the bench and return them to the freezer promptly
• Write on the lid and front end with a solvent-resistant marker, or use freezer-grade labels
• Do not stack heavy plastic boxes on cardboard ones, particularly after thawing
• Retire a box once its corners soften or the divider starts to lean

Why Choose LabEquip

Research groups, hospital labs and colleges that archive many vials in mechanical freezers and prefer a disposable format are the usual buyers of card boxes. LabEquip supplies them in the Biology Lab Products range; send vial size and quantity through our contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a cardboard cryo box be used in liquid nitrogen?

Cardboard boxes are intended for mechanical freezers. For liquid nitrogen tanks, use a plastic box rated for cryogenic temperatures, since card can absorb liquid and weaken when it is lifted out.

How is this box different from a cardboard microtube box?

The cryo box is deeper and its grid cells are sized for cryovials, which are taller and often wider than microcentrifuge tubes. Using the right box keeps vials upright with their caps clear of the lid.

Will the box soften in a −80 °C freezer?

The coating resists frost, and a box kept closed and cold stays firm for a long time. Softening comes from repeated warming, condensation and wet handling, so return boxes to the freezer promptly.

Can the grid divider be replaced?

In many cardboard boxes the divider is a separate insert that lifts out. A worn divider can be changed, but the new one must match the box’s inside dimensions and your vial size.

Is cardboard less hygienic than plastic?

Cardboard cannot be washed or disinfected thoroughly, so it is replaced rather than cleaned. For work where boxes need regular decontamination, or where spills are likely, plastic boxes are the practical option.

How should cardboard boxes be labelled for the freezer?

Use freezer-grade labels or a solvent-resistant marker on the lid and at least one end. Include the owner, contents, date and box number, and keep a matching grid map for every vial.

Last Updated: September 2026