Plastic Beakers

What Are Plastic Beakers?

Plastic beakers are shatterproof cylindrical laboratory vessels manufactured from polypropylene (PP) or polymethylpentene (PMP), designed for safe and lightweight liquid handling in environments where glass breakage is a concern. Polypropylene (PP) is the most commonly used material due to its strong chemical resistance to dilute acids, bases, alcohols, and most aqueous reagents, along with autoclavability at 121°C and permanently molded graduations that do not fade with use. Polymethylpentene (PMP) offers higher optical clarity and better heat tolerance, making it suitable for applications requiring visual monitoring of solutions. Choose PP plastic beakers for routine buffer preparation, aqueous reagents, teaching labs, and field use; choose glass beakers when working with organic solvents, high temperatures above ~135°C, or when maximum optical clarity is required.

What you will find:

• Options from 5mL for micro-work to 10,000mL for bulk prep.

• High-clarity polypropylene built for heavy reagent use.

• Options for Tri-corner beaker are also available.

• Molded-in graduations that never fade or rub off.

• Engineered for drip-free pouring and zero-waste transfers.

• Stock up with Case Packs or grab a single unit.

How to Choose Plastic Beakers

Material: Polypropylene vs. Polymethylpentene

Polypropylene (PP) beakers are the standard choice in most laboratories because they are autoclavable at 121°C, cost-effective, and resistant to a wide range of aqueous reagents including dilute acids and bases. They are typically translucent and designed for general-purpose laboratory workflows. Polymethylpentene (PMP) beakers, on the other hand, offer near-glass optical clarity (approximately 90% light transmission) and can tolerate higher temperatures up to around 175°C, making them suitable for applications where visibility of the solution is important during mixing or heating.

Graduation Type: Molded-In

Plastic beakers at MBP feature molded-in graduations that are permanently embossed into the wall of the vessel. These markings remain legible even after repeated autoclaving, chemical exposure, and washing cycles, making them more durable than printed alternatives and ideal for long-term reuse.

Volume Range

MBP supplies plastic beakers in sizes ranging from 5 mL to 10,000 mL. Small-volume beakers (5–50 mL) are used for micro-scale reagent preparation, while mid-range sizes (250 mL–1,000 mL) are standard for routine buffer preparation. Large-capacity beakers (2,000–10,000 mL) are used for bulk reagent mixing, media preparation, and large-scale laboratory workflows.

Tri-Corner Beaker Option

Tri-corner (tri-pour) beakers are a specialized plastic format designed with three pour spouts for controlled dispensing and reduced dripping. These are commonly used in reagent distribution stations, waste handling, and workflows requiring frequent liquid transfer. They are typically made from polypropylene and complement standard round-form beakers.

Compare Plastic Beaker Materials

Polypropylene (PP) beakers are autoclavable at 121°C, have a maximum dry heat tolerance of around 135°C, and are translucent in appearance. They are best suited for routine laboratory workflows involving aqueous reagents, buffer preparation, and general bench use where cost-effectiveness and durability are important.

Polymethylpentene (PMP) beakers are also autoclavable at 121°C but offer a higher heat tolerance of up to approximately 175°C. They provide high optical clarity, close to glass-like transparency, making them ideal for applications where visual monitoring of solution contents is required during mixing, heating, or reaction observation.

Polysulfone (PSF) beakers are designed for high-performance autoclave environments, with a maximum temperature tolerance of around 170°C. They typically have an amber-clear appearance and are used in workflows requiring repeated high-temperature sterilization cycles and enhanced durability under harsh laboratory conditions.

Specifications Context

Polypropylene (PP) has a density of approximately 0.91 g/cm³ and is chemically resistant to dilute acids (HCl, H₂SO₄), bases (NaOH, KOH), alcohols, and most aqueous buffers. However, it is not compatible with concentrated oxidizing acids (such as concentrated nitric or sulfuric acid) or halogenated organic solvents (such as chloroform, methylene chloride, or xylene). Molded graduations typically maintain an accuracy of ±5% of total capacity. PMP provides higher transparency and improved heat resistance compared to PP but is generally more expensive.

MBP stocks plastic beakers in a full range of sizes from 5 mL to 10,000 mL, including standard round-form and tri-corner designs for institutional laboratory use.

Browse Glass Beakers for high-temperature and solvent-resistant applications, explore Griffin Style Beakers for general laboratory workflows, or return to the Laboratory Glassware catalogue. Contact the MBP team for bulk pricing or institutional purchase orders.

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