Graduated Cylinders

What Are Graduated Cylinders?

Graduated cylinders are tall, narrow borosilicate glass or polymer vessels calibrated with multiple volume graduation marks, used to measure liquid volumes at bench scale — more accurately than beakers (±5% capacity) but less accurately than volumetric flasks (±0.05–0.1% capacity). They are the everyday volumetric tool in chemistry, biology, and clinical labs for measuring reagent volumes, preparing buffer dilutions, and transferring liquids where a precise but not analytically exact volume is required. Class A borosilicate glass graduated cylinders at MBP conform to ASTM E1272 / ISO 4788 tolerances. Choose Class A cylinders for applications where stated volume accuracy matters; choose Class B for routine measurements where a fast approximate reading is sufficient.

Product Range at MBP

• Class A high-accuracy measuring cylinders

• Class B general use graduated cylinders

• Clear single-scale graduated cylinders

• Dual-scale (mL/oz) measuring cylinders

• Autoclavable laboratory measuring cylinders

How to Choose Graduated Cylinders

Class A vs. Class B

Class A graduated cylinders conform to ASTM E1272 / ISO 4788 Class A tolerances — e.g., ±0.5 mL for a 100 mL cylinder, ±2.0 mL for a 1,000 mL cylinder. Class B tolerances are twice as wide as Class A. Class A cylinders are appropriate for protocols specifying cylinder-grade volume accuracy; Class B for routine lab measurements where tight tolerances are not required.

Single Scale vs. Dual Scale (mL/oz)

Single-scale cylinders are marked in mL only — cleaner graduation lines, easier to read, preferred for labs working exclusively in metric units. Dual-scale cylinders carry both mL and oz markings, useful in labs operating across metric and US customary units or for customer-facing applications requiring oz notation.

Autoclavable Glass vs. Plastic

Borosilicate glass graduated cylinders are autoclavable at 121°C, resistant to all common lab reagents, and reusable indefinitely with careful handling. PP plastic cylinders are shatterproof and autoclavable at 121°C but are not suitable for organic solvents or high heat above 135°C.

Size and Base Type

Common sizes: 10 mL, 25 mL, 50 mL, 100 mL, 250 mL, 500 mL, 1,000 mL, and 2,000 mL. Hexagonal bases provide better bench stability than round bases — important in high-traffic labs where tip-over risk is a concern.

Specifications Context

Borosilicate glass graduated cylinders conforming to ASTM E1272 / ISO 4788 are calibrated "to contain" (TC) the stated volume — the mark indicates the volume held in the cylinder, not delivered from it (Class A volumetric flasks are also TC). Reading technique: for aqueous solutions in glass, read the bottom of the curved meniscus at eye level to eliminate parallax error. Borosilicate 3.3 has a strain point of 515°C; autoclave tolerance is 121°C for standard sterilisation cycles. As of June 2026, MBP stocks Class A and Class B graduated cylinders in single and dual-scale formats for labs in the US, Canada, and worldwide.

Reach out to the team at Molecular Biology Products Inc. (MBP) to request a quote for your lab requirements.