| Microcentrifuge Tube | Polypropylene (PP) | 0.5 mL, 1.5 mL, and 2.0 mL | Conical or tapered bottom; hinged snap cap or screw cap; often designed for fixed-angle microcentrifuge rotors | DNA and RNA purification, PCR preparation, protein precipitation, cell lysate processing | Low sample loss, small working volume, good chemical resistance, and broad compatibility with laboratory microcentrifuges | Limited sample volume; snap caps may be unsuitable for some high-speed, heated, or long-duration runs unless specifically rated | You need to process small samples quickly with minimal reagent consumption |
| 15 mL Conical Tube | Polypropylene (PP); some versions use polystyrene for lower-stress applications | 15 mL nominal capacity; practical working volume is commonly below the nominal fill level | Conical bottom for pellet collection; threaded screw cap; may be supplied sterile, graduated, or rack-compatible | Routine cell culture, bacterial harvesting, sample clarification, and general laboratory separation | Easy pellet recovery, clear graduations, convenient handling, and good compatibility with common swing-bucket rotors | The actual allowable RCF depends on tube construction, rotor, adapters, temperature, and run duration | You need a versatile medium-volume tube for routine biological samples |
| 50 mL Conical Tube | Polypropylene (PP); polystyrene is available for selected low-speed uses | 50 mL nominal capacity; commonly used with a reduced working volume to prevent leakage or splashing | Conical bottom, screw cap, molded graduations, and a wide upper body for manual handling and sample mixing | Mammalian cell culture, microbial pellets, precipitation, washing steps, and larger-volume sample preparation | High sample capacity, convenient pellet visibility, and broad availability in sterile and non-sterile formats | Requires a rotor or adapter designed for 50 mL tubes; large pellets may be harder to resuspend than in round-bottom vessels | You need to process larger biological samples using standard benchtop centrifuges |
| Round-Bottom Cell Culture Tube | Polypropylene (PP) or polystyrene (PS) | Typically 5 mL, 12 mL, or 14 mL, depending on the tube format | Rounded bottom; screw cap or plug-style closure; commonly used in swing-bucket racks | Cell culture handling, density-gradient work, washing cells, and samples where gentle resuspension is important | Promotes smooth liquid flow, reduces sharp pellet compaction, and is convenient for repeated washing and resuspension | Less effective than a conical tube for collecting a highly concentrated pellet; PS generally has lower chemical and impact resistance than PP | You prioritize gentle sample handling and easy resuspension over maximum pellet concentration |
| Thick-Wall High-Speed Tube | High-strength polypropylene or polycarbonate | Common formats include approximately 5 mL, 10 mL, 15 mL, and 50 mL, depending on the rotor system | Reinforced wall; screw cap or sealed cap; geometrically matched to a high-speed fixed-angle rotor | High-RCF clarification, nucleic-acid precipitation, membrane collection, and dense-particle separation | Designed for higher centrifugal stress than ordinary conical tubes; improved dimensional stability during demanding runs | Must be matched precisely to the specified rotor, adapter, fill volume, and maximum RCF; not interchangeable with standard tubes | You require high-speed centrifugation and have the exact rotor-tube specifications available |
| Ultracentrifuge Tube | Polypropylene, polyallomer, or polycarbonate, depending on the application | Often approximately 0.5 mL to 100 mL; exact sizes are rotor-specific | Thin-wall or thick-wall construction; open-top, screw-cap, or heat-sealable formats; designed for specialized ultracentrifuge rotors | Virus and vesicle purification, ribosome separation, membrane fractionation, and macromolecular studies | Supports very high centrifugal forces and density-gradient separations when used with the correct rotor system | Higher cost, specialized balancing and filling requirements, and strict compatibility rules for rotor, tube material, and sealing method | You need ultrahigh RCF or density-gradient separation that standard laboratory tubes cannot support |
| PCR and Strip Tube | Polypropylene (PP) | Approximately 0.2 mL per well; 8-well and 12-well strips are common | Thin-wall wells; individual or strip format; flat, domed, or optical caps; designed for thermal cycling and small-volume centrifugation | PCR, qPCR, genotyping, and short spin-downs before or after thermal cycling | Very low sample volume, efficient heat transfer, and compatibility with multiwell workflows | Not suitable for large-volume separation or prolonged high-speed centrifugation unless specifically rated for that purpose | You are working with amplification reactions or other sub-milliliter samples |
| Cryogenic Centrifuge Tube | Specialized polypropylene or other low-temperature-rated polymer | Commonly 1.0 mL, 1.5 mL, 2.0 mL, 4.5 mL, and 5.0 mL | Screw cap with sealing gasket or O-ring; external or internal thread; may include a self-standing base | Frozen cell pellets, biobanking samples, long-term storage, and centrifugation of cold specimens | Suitable for low-temperature storage when properly rated; secure closure and good resistance to repeated handling | Storage-temperature limits and centrifugation ratings are separate specifications; not every cryogenic tube is suitable for high RCF | You need one tube format for cold processing followed by controlled sample storage |
| Glass Centrifuge Tube | Borosilicate glass or other laboratory-grade glass | Commonly 5 mL to 100 mL, with capacity determined by the tube and rotor design | Rigid cylindrical or conical body; may use a stopper, screw cap, or open top; requires compatible holders or adapters | Organic-solvent work, selected analytical procedures, and applications requiring a rigid, reusable vessel | Good transparency, dimensional stability, and resistance to many organic solvents and gases | Breakage risk, higher mass, limited resistance to impact and thermal shock, and possible incompatibility with high-speed rotors | You need solvent compatibility or rigidity and the centrifuge is specifically approved for glass tubes |
| Specialized Sealed Tube | Polypropylene, polyallomer, polycarbonate, or glass, depending on the process | Usually 2 mL to 50 mL; formats are application- and rotor-specific | Sealed cap, gasket, heat seal, or pressure-rated closure; intended to reduce leakage, evaporation, or aerosol release | Potentially hazardous samples, volatile liquids, infectious materials, and procedures requiring containment | Improved containment and reduced risk of leakage or aerosol generation when used with an approved sealed rotor or safety cup | Sealing components may reduce usable volume; the tube, cap, rotor, and containment system must be validated as one assembly | Containment and operator safety are more important than convenience or lowest consumable cost |
