Cryo Rack

Quick Answer: The Cryo Rack is a bench rack that holds cryovials upright in rows while they are filled, labelled, capped and prepared for freezing, and while thawed vials wait to be opened. A cryovial rack keeps small, top-heavy vials steady and in order during work in a biosafety cabinet.

Holding Vials at the Bench

Cryovials are narrow, and many stand on a small skirted or star-shaped foot, so they tip easily when set down alone. The cryo rack gives each vial a well, which matters when a whole row is being filled with cell suspension in freezing medium against the clock. Freezing media containing DMSO should not sit at room temperature for long, so a rack laid out in advance shortens the time between aliquoting and the start of controlled cooling.

In many cryovial racks the wells are shaped to grip the vial’s base, stopping it from turning while the cap is unscrewed, so vials can be opened with one hand while the other holds a pipette. Whether this rack has that feature, and how many positions it has, are not given in the title; nor is its material, though plastic racks for this use are commonly polypropylene or polycarbonate and can be disinfected.

The term ‘cryo rack’ is also used for metal inventory racks that hold stacks of cryo boxes inside freezers and liquid nitrogen tanks. This listing sits with the plastic vial ware in the biology range; if you need a freezer inventory rack instead, say so when you enquire. For storing the vials themselves, see the Cryo Box (PP) and the Cryo Vial-Internal Thread.

Specifications

Applications

• Aliquoting cells in freezing medium into a row of cryovials inside a biosafety cabinet
• Labelling vials and fitting cap coders before freezing
• Holding thawed vials briefly while they are wiped with ethanol and opened
• Staging vials in box order before they are transferred to a cryo box

Care & Handling

• Wipe the rack with 70% ethanol before placing it in the biosafety cabinet
• Load vials in the same order as the box map, so positions carry across
• A polypropylene rack can generally be autoclaved; check its rating first
• Keep bench racks out of liquid nitrogen unless they are rated for it

Why Choose LabEquip

Cell culture labs, IVF and stem cell units, and biobanks that prepare many vials at a time are the usual buyers of cryovial racks. LabEquip supplies them with vials and boxes in Biology Lab Products; tell us the vial size and number of positions you need through our contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cryo rack used for?

It holds cryovials upright at the bench while they are filled, labelled, capped or thawed. This keeps narrow vials from tipping and keeps them in the same order as the freezer box map.

Can I open vials one-handed in a cryovial rack?

Racks with shaped wells grip the vial base so it does not spin, which lets you unscrew the cap with one hand. Make sure the wells match the base design of your vials.

Can the rack go into the freezer with the vials?

Bench racks are generally used at room temperature, and vials are moved to a controlled-rate freezing container or cryo box for freezing. Only put a rack in the freezer if it is rated for that temperature.

Why should vials be filled quickly when freezing cells?

Freezing media often contain DMSO, which protects cells during freezing but harms them at room temperature. Having vials ready in a rack keeps the time between adding medium and starting to cool short.

How is the rack cleaned?

Wipe it with 70% ethanol before and after use in the biosafety cabinet. Wash it with mild detergent after spills, and autoclave it only if the plastic is rated for that.

Is this the same as a freezer inventory rack?

Freezer inventory racks are usually metal frames that hold stacks of cryo boxes in freezers and liquid nitrogen tanks. This listing is grouped with the plastic vial ware, which points to a bench rack for vials; mention it when you enquire if you need an inventory rack.

Last Updated: September 2026