Borosilicate Glass Petri Dish

Quick Answer

A borosilicate glass Petri dish is a shallow, flat-bottomed glass dish with a matching lid, used to hold culture media, samples, or small specimens for observation, and made from borosilicate glass so it can be sterilised by dry heat or autoclaving without warping.

Description

Petri dishes are a basic piece of borosilicate laboratory glassware found in microbiology, biology, and general life-science labs, where they hold agar or other growth media for culturing bacteria, fungi, or cell samples. The borosilicate glass construction gives the dish good resistance to thermal shock, which matters because Petri dishes are routinely sterilised in an autoclave or hot-air oven before use and need to survive repeated heating and cooling cycles without cracking.

Beyond microbiology, a shallow glass dish of this kind is also useful anywhere a flat, transparent, easy-to-clean surface is needed for observing small specimens, evaporating a small liquid sample, or holding solids during a demonstration. Because it is reusable glass rather than single-use plastic, it is a practical choice for teaching labs and facilities that prefer to sterilise and reuse their dishes rather than dispose of them after each session.

Specifications

Applications

• Culturing bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms on agar media
• Holding and observing small solid specimens under a microscope or hand lens
• Small-scale evaporation or drying of liquid samples in a school or college lab
• General-purpose sample display and short-term storage in a teaching or research setting

Care & Handling

• Sterilise by autoclaving or dry heat before use in microbiology work, following your lab’s standard protocol
• Allow the dish to cool gradually after sterilisation rather than exposing it to sudden temperature change
• Clean thoroughly between uses to remove all traces of media or sample before re-sterilising
• Store the lid and base together, stacked or racked, to keep the interior surfaces free of dust
• Handle by the sides rather than pressing down on the centre of the base, which is the thinnest area

Why Choose LabEquip

As a genuine piece of borosilicate laboratory glassware, this Petri dish sits alongside the rest of our lab glassware range. Pair it with related apparatus from our chemistry lab equipment catalogue, and contact us if you need a specific diameter confirmed before ordering.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a borosilicate glass Petri dish used for?

It is used to hold culture media for growing bacteria or fungi, to observe small specimens, and for general small-scale sample handling in biology and chemistry laboratories, taking advantage of its flat, transparent, easy-to-clean surface.

Why is borosilicate glass used for Petri dishes instead of ordinary glass?

Borosilicate glass resists thermal shock far better than ordinary soda-lime glass, so the dish can go through repeated sterilisation cycles in an autoclave or hot-air oven without cracking from the rapid heating and cooling involved.

Can this Petri dish be autoclaved?

Yes, borosilicate glass Petri dishes are generally suitable for autoclave or dry-heat sterilisation; follow your laboratory’s standard sterilisation protocol and allow the dish to cool gradually afterwards.

What size does the Petri dish come in?

Petri dishes of this type are supplied in standard laboratory diameters; confirm the exact size you need at the time of enquiry so we can match it to your culture plates or application.

Is glass or plastic better for a reusable Petri dish?

Glass, and borosilicate glass in particular, is the better choice where a dish needs to be sterilised and reused many times, since it tolerates repeated autoclaving without degrading the way some plastics can.

Can LabEquip supply Petri dishes in bulk for a laboratory or college?

Yes, LabEquip supplies borosilicate glass Petri dishes in bulk for institutional and laboratory buyers; contact us with your required quantity and specifications.

Last Updated: September 2026