Pipette Tips

What Are Pipette Tips?

Pipette tips are disposable polypropylene cones that attach to the shaft of an air-displacement pipette, forming the liquid-contact surface for aspiration and dispensing. The seal between the tip collar and the pipette shaft is the single most important factor in volumetric accuracy; a poorly fitting tip introduces systematic volume error that causes the instrument to deviate from its calibrated specification. Tips span micro volumes (0.1–10 µL) through standard (20–200 µL and 100–1,000 µL) to high-volume (up to 1,250 µL), with variants for filtered aerosol protection, low-retention liquid release, extended reach into deep vessels, and wide-bore dispensing of viscous samples. 

What you will find:

• Universal Fit Pipette Tips – Available in volumes from 0.1 µL to 5000 µL, including low-retention and extended-length options, with sterile rack, bulk bag, and non-sterile refill formats.

• LTS Compatible Pipette Tips – Feature PosiStop seals for use with Rainin-style pipettes and are offered with GreenRack systems, reload stacks, and empty rack frames.
  
  
  
  

How to Choose Pipette Tips

Collar Size and Pipette Compatibility
Tip collar diameter determines fit: 3.8 mm collar for ≤10 µL pipettes; 6.1 mm collar for ≤200 µL; approximately 7.5–8.0 mm collar for P1000 pipettes. Universal fit tips use these standard collar sizes and are compatible with Eppendorf Research, Rainin Classic (non-LTS), Thermo Finnpipette, and Sartorius/BioHit. Rainin LTS and Eppendorf epT.I.P.S. use proprietary collar geometry and require instrument-specific tips.

Filtered vs Non-Filtered
Aerosol-barrier filter tips contain a hydrophobic PE or cellulose plug that blocks aerosol and liquid from reaching the pipette barrel; required for PCR, qPCR, and RT-PCR setup, RNA extraction, and work with biohazardous samples. Non-filter standard tips are appropriate for buffer, media, and reagent dispensing where cross-contamination through the barrel is not a concern.

Low-Retention vs Standard Polypropylene
Low-retention tips are injection-moulded from hydrophobic polypropylene with reduced surface energy or coated to minimise liquid adhesion on the inner wall. They improve accuracy at ≤10 µL and for dispensing viscous, protein-containing, or organic solvent samples. Standard PP tips leave small residual volumes in the tip after dispensing; this residue is negligible at 200 µL but significant at 2–5 µL.

Extended-Length and Wide-Bore
Extended-length tips (also called long tips or gel-loading tips) reach into deep 15 mL and 50 mL tubes, cryovials, and electrophoresis gel wells. Wide-bore tips have an enlarged aperture for dispensing viscous samples, cell suspensions, and tissue lysates without shearing.

Packaging Format
Hinged 96-tip racks are standard for manual pipetting. Reload inserts fit into reusable rack bases to reduce per-tip cost and plastic waste. Bulk bags provide the lowest cost per tip for non-sterile applications.

Specifications Context

Pipette tips are certified DNase-free, RNase-free, ATP-free, human DNA-free, PCR inhibitor-free, and pyrogen-free per independent lot testing. Virgin polypropylene free of additives, antistatic agents, and dyes is the standard material. ISO 8655 compliance for the pipette system depends on tip-pipette seal quality; confirm tip compatibility with your specific pipette model.  Sorenson Bioscience universal and filtered tips, Globe Scientific, and Nest Scientific lines are stocked by MBP Inc. 

Not sure which tip fits your current project best? The MBP team is just a message away. We’ll help you find the perfect match and get a quote headed your way.