PCR Tube Rack

Quick Answer: A PCR tube rack is an open plastic rack with rows of small wells that hold PCR tubes and tube strips upright during reaction set-up. Its lettered and numbered grid helps you track each sample as master mix, primers and template go into the tubes.

Setting Up Reactions in Order

PCR tubes are too small and light to stand on their own, and a tube that tips while its cap is open can lose its contents or pick up contamination. The rack grips each tube by its tapered lower part so caps can be flipped open with one hand and a pipette tip can reach the bottom without pushing the tube over.

A common routine is to line up empty tubes following a written plate map, dispense the shared master mix into every tube, then add each template last and close that cap straight away. Working across the grid in one fixed direction makes it obvious which positions have already received sample.

Unlike the covered version, this rack is open on top, which makes it quicker to load at the bench but gives no protection once reactions are made. Many labs keep an open rack in the set-up hood and switch to a lidded rack or box for storage.

Care & Handling

• Reserve a rack for the clean set-up area and label it so nobody carries it into the room where products are analysed.
• Clean with mild detergent or a DNA-removing wipe; keep acetone and similar solvents away from the plastic.
• Colour-code racks by project or user when several people share one hood.
• Confirm the rack’s material before autoclaving, since only some plastics survive it without warping.

Specifications

Where the Rack Is Used

• Master mix set-up for routine PCR in teaching and research labs
• Arranging tubes for gradient PCR runs that find the right annealing temperature
• Holding tubes during small-volume DNA extraction steps
• Organising sequencing or restriction digest reactions before incubation

Why Choose LabEquip

Teaching labs running student PCR practicals and research groups doing daily set-ups use open racks because they load fast and wipe clean easily. LabEquip includes this rack in its Biology Lab Products range and can supply matching PCR tubes; ask about colours and quantities through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a PCR tube rack different from a microcentrifuge tube rack?

A PCR tube rack has small, closely spaced wells for thin-walled PCR tubes, while a microcentrifuge tube rack has larger holes for 1.5 and 2 ml tubes. A PCR tube dropped into a microtube hole sits loosely and tips easily.

Does the rack keep reactions cold?

No, a plain plastic rack has no cooling of its own. For enzymes and master mix that must stay cold, stand it on crushed ice or use an aluminium cooling block made for PCR tubes.

Can I load strips of eight tubes into this rack?

Yes. PCR racks are generally spaced to accept both single tubes and connected strips, so a strip of eight goes down a column exactly as eight loose tubes would.

How do I avoid mixing up samples in the rack?

Sketch a grid map before starting, write sample names on tube sides or caps and add template in a fixed order. Closing each tube as soon as it receives its sample shows at a glance which positions are done.

Can a PCR tube rack be autoclaved?

That depends on the plastic. Polypropylene racks usually tolerate autoclaving, while other plastics may warp. For PCR, wiping with a DNA-decontaminating solution is often more useful than sterility, because stray DNA is the real concern.

Why do labs use a different rack after amplification?

Amplified DNA is present in enormous copy numbers, and traces left on a rack can seed the next set-up with template. A separate post-PCR rack stops that route of contamination.

Last Updated: September 2026