8 Strip PCR Tubes

What Are 8-Strip PCR Tubes?

8-strip PCR tubes are a connected row of eight individual thin-wall polypropylene tubes supplied as a single unit, designed for simultaneous processing of eight reactions per strip. The strip format accommodates multichannel pipettes at standard 9 mm well spacing, reducing setup time compared to handling individual tubes one at a time. Available in 0.2 mL for standard thermal cycler blocks and 0.1 mL for fast-block or low-profile instruments. Caps are available attached (dome or flat) or as separate cap strips for labs that prefer independent tube and cap management. 8-strip tubes are the most efficient manual format for 8- or 16-sample PCR batches — choose 0.2 mL for standard blocks, 0.1 mL for fast-block cyclers.

What you will find:

• 0.2 mL 8-strip PCR tubes for standard thermal cyclers

• Clear 8-strip tubes for general PCR applications

• White 8-strip PCR tubes for improved qPCR signal detection

• Optically clear strip caps for real-time PCR assays

• Flat cap 8-strip tubes for tight sealing performance

• Attached cap strip tubes for faster workflow setup

• DNase- and RNase-free PCR strip tubes for clean reactions

• Thin-wall 8-strip tubes for fast and even heat transfer

• Compatible strip formats for most PCR and qPCR instruments

How to Choose 8-Strip PCR Tubes

Volume: 0.2 mL vs 0.1 mL
Standard 0.2 mL strips fit conventional tall-block cyclers, including Bio-Rad T100, Eppendorf Mastercycler, and Applied Biosystems Veriti. Low-profile 0.1 mL strips are required for fast-block instruments such as the Applied Biosystems StepOnePlus, Bio-Rad CFX96 Fast, and Roche LightCycler 480, where the shallower well reduces thermal equilibration time and supports faster cycling protocols.

Cap Style: Dome vs Flat, Optical vs Separate Cap Strip
Attached dome caps are the standard choice for endpoint PCR, where no fluorescence is read through the cap lid. Flat optically clear attached caps — or separately purchased optical cap strips — are required for real-time qPCR when detection occurs through the top of the tube; dome caps attenuate fluorescence and compromise Ct consistency. Separate cap strips offer flexibility to mix dome and flat caps on the same strip.

Attached vs Separate Caps
Attached caps prevent cap mix-ups and reduce handling steps in high-throughput setups. Separate cap strips (tube strip + cap strip sold together in the same bag) allow independent tube loading and cap seating — preferred when using automated liquid handlers or when labelling the cap exterior is important.

Colour Options
Clear strips are standard; assorted colour packs (clear, red, yellow, blue, green) allow colour-coded sample tracking. White polypropylene strips increase qPCR fluorescence signal in bottom-read optical configurations by reflecting emission back through the detector.

Strip Rigidity
Split-apart strips (perforated between tubes) allow individual tubes to be broken off from the strip — useful when fewer than 8 reactions are needed and waste reduction matters.

Specifications Context

8-strip tube walls are typically 0.25–0.35 mm thick virgin polypropylene free of additives, antistatic agents, and dyes. Certified DNase-free, RNase-free, human DNA-free, and PCR inhibitor-free per independent lot testing. Standard packs contain 120 strips (960 reactions) for 0.2 mL format; 0.1 mL packs are often 120 strips as well. As of 2026, Axygen (Corning) PCR-0208-C and equivalent Globe Scientific formats are widely distributed through North American channels. 

Contact the MBP team now if your workflow depends on speed and accuracy; this format keeps everything simple without losing control over your reactions.