Drying Tray, Aluminium/Stainless Steel

Quick Answer: The Drying Tray, Aluminium/Stainless Steel is a flat, shallow metal tray on which washed slides, small glassware and samples are laid out to dry, either on the bench or on the shelf of a drying oven. This laboratory drying tray is offered in either aluminium or stainless steel.

What a Metal Drying Tray Does at the Bench

A laboratory drying tray gives wet items a defined place to drain and dry instead of a paper towel at the edge of the sink. In a microscopy room that usually means washed glass slides and coverslip dishes after a practical, stained smears left to air-dry before examination, or staining jars turned upside down. In a general laboratory the same tray holds small beakers, watch glasses, crucible lids and filter papers carrying precipitates.

Metal is chosen over plastic because the tray can go into a hot air oven together with its load. Aluminium and stainless steel both tolerate the temperatures normally used for drying glassware, so the whole tray goes in and the whole tray comes out, handled with heat-resistant gloves, instead of a dozen small hot items being moved one at a time.

The two materials in the title behave differently. Aluminium is light and spreads heat quickly, so a loaded tray is easy to carry and warms evenly, but strong alkalis and some acids attack it, and it dulls or pits if left wet with salt or bleach solutions. Stainless steel is heavier, yet it stands up better to repeated washing, disinfectants and splashes of dilute acid, which suits trays that also see staining work.

Applications

• Air-drying washed microscope slides and coverslip dishes after a practical session
• Carrying a batch of small glassware into and out of a hot air oven
• Drying precipitates on filter paper in gravimetric exercises
• Holding stained smears flat while they dry before examination
• Catching drips under staining jars or dropping bottles on the bench

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Let the drying tray cool on a heat-resistant surface before stacking it or putting plastic items on it.
• Wash aluminium trays with a mild detergent and avoid caustic cleaners, which blacken and pit aluminium.
• Rinse off stain, salt or disinfectant residues promptly, even from stainless steel, so they do not dry into marks.
• Dry the tray fully before storing it, and store trays flat so the rims do not bend.

Why Choose LabEquip

Biology and chemistry departments usually order drying trays together with other bench metalware for slide and glassware handling. In the Microscope & Optics range this tray sits beside the matching carrying tray, made in the same two metals; send the material and quantity you want through the LabEquip contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I choose aluminium or stainless steel for a drying tray?

Choose aluminium if the tray will mostly carry rinsed items and weight matters, because it is light and warms evenly. Choose stainless steel if the tray will meet disinfectants, stains or dilute acids, or will be scrubbed daily, since it resists corrosion better.

Can the drying tray go in a hot air oven?

Yes, metal trays are commonly used on oven shelves for drying glassware and samples. Keep plastic and rubber items off the tray, set the oven to the temperature the load needs, and take the tray out with heat-resistant gloves.

Is it safe to dry microscope slides on a metal tray?

Yes. Lay washed slides on a lint-free cloth or filter paper on the tray so water drains away and they do not stick to the metal. Stained smears should stay flat until completely dry before a cover glass or immersion oil is applied.

Can I use the tray inside an autoclave?

Stainless steel is the usual choice for autoclave loads because it tolerates repeated steam cycles well. Aluminium can darken with repeated autoclaving, so many labs keep aluminium trays for dry heat and bench use.

How do I clean dried stain or residue off the tray?

Soak the tray in warm water with laboratory detergent and wipe with a soft sponge. On stainless steel, a little alcohol on a cloth usually lifts stubborn stain. Avoid steel wool and scouring powder on aluminium, as scratches make later stains harder to remove.

What is the difference between this drying tray and a carrying tray?

Both are flat metal trays, but a drying tray is where items sit to drain and dry, including inside an oven, while a carrying tray moves apparatus or specimens between bench, sink and cupboard. Keeping separate trays stops dirty and clean items being mixed.

Last Updated: September 2026