There are many types of pipette tips to choose from. Understanding which one is best for your pipette is crucial so you can select the right one and avoid costly experimental errors. So, how do you choose the pipette tip that is right for you?
The first thing to check when purchasing pipette tips is the material. High-quality pipette tips are made of pure polypropylene. Beware of plastic and metal additives often found in blue and yellow pen tips. These additives can contaminate your samples and cause trouble in demanding work. When choosing a filter-tipped pipette, make sure it has a polyethylene filter and is free of additives like cellulose.
Pipette tips are medical laboratory consumables manufactured using an injection molding machine. The final shape and quality of the tip depend on the design of the mold and the quality of the polypropylene injected into the mold. Make sure to purchase tips that have good build quality.
If your sample is contaminated, it will be ruined. Make sure to buy tips that are made according to quality standards and suitable for radioactive sample transfer, nucleic acid amplification, procedures, or any application that requires critical sample handling.
Not all pipette tips are compatible with every pipette. Therefore, make sure the tip you purchase fits your pipette rather than forcing it onto your pipette. It should fit snugly and hold securely without any extra force. Most pipette tip companies offer compatibility charts to help you select the appropriate tips. However, most tips are compatible with almost all popular brands of pipettes worldwide.
The popularity of low retention tips is growing exponentially, and for good reason. Often seen as a high-end tip, these tips may cost you more, but they are well worth it. When purchasing low retention tips from a professional pipette tips supplier, make sure the tips are not post-processed during manufacturing. Post-processing such as silicone coating can cause compounds to leach from the tip during use.
Pipette tips have many additional features such as calibration markings, barriers, etc. to ensure accuracy, precision, and ease of use. When purchasing one, check if additional features come with an added cost. If so, choose these tips for experimental needs when required. For example, barrier tips cost more than non-barrier tips. Therefore, you may consider keeping barrier tips reserved for sensitive applications where contamination can ruin your experiment and use sterile, non-barrier tips for other less-sensitive experiments.
