Laboratory Cold Storage Coolers and Chillers for Reagents, Samples, and Enzymes

Laboratory cold storage coolers and chillers are benchtop accessories that maintain temperature-sensitive enzymes, reagents, and samples at approximately 0 °C for up to four hours using pre-frozen phase-change gel — no ice, electricity, or dry ice required. Available in formats compatible with 0.2 mL PCR plates, 1.5/2.0 mL microtubes, 15 mL, and 50 mL conicals. MBP is a registered vendor for Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Vanderbilt University, and MD Anderson Cancer Center, and ships to labs across the US, Canada, and internationally.

Keep temperature-sensitive samples protected during laboratory workflows — contact customerservice@mbpinc.net for product recommendations, pricing, and procurement support.

Cold Storage Coolers & Chillers

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What Are Cold Storage Coolers and Chillers?

Laboratory cold storage coolers and chillers are bench-top temperature-control systems designed to keep temperature-sensitive reagents, enzymes, antibodies, cells, and biological samples cold during active laboratory work. They maintain low temperatures—typically around 0 °C or below freezing—without requiring ice, electricity (in passive systems), or immediate access to a freezer. These systems are widely used in molecular biology, PCR setup, nucleic acid extraction, enzyme handling, and cell-based assays where maintaining cold-chain conditions during pipetting and multi-step workflows is essential.

Gel-based benchtop coolers are the most common type. They are pre-frozen at approximately –20 °C and use phase-change materials to maintain samples near 0 °C for several hours, typically up to four hours depending on ambient conditions. This provides a clean, stable, and consistent cooling environment without melting ice or water contamination.

What you will find:

Benchtop tube coolers for PCR reagents and enzymes
Cryo tube chillers for 0.2 mL to 2.0 mL tubes
Insulated transport coolers for sample movement
Gel-filled cooling blocks for stable temperature control
Mini coolers for short-term cold storage (2–8°C range)
Freezer-compatible chillers for sub-zero handling
Rack-style coolers for organized tube placement
Portable cold boxes for field and clinical use

How to Choose Cold Storage Coolers and Chillers

Tube Format Compatibility

Coolers and chillers are designed around specific laboratory tube formats. Common configurations include holders for 0.2 mL PCR tubes and strips, 1.5/2.0 mL microcentrifuge tubes, 15 mL conical tubes, and 50 mL conical tubes. Some dual-sided designs combine multiple formats in a single unit, allowing simultaneous use for PCR plates on one side and microtubes on the other, improving workflow efficiency and reducing bench clutter.

Temperature Hold and Duration

Passive gel-based coolers maintain approximately 0 °C for several hours after being pre-chilled at –20 °C. Their performance depends on ambient temperature, workload, and sample frequency. Metal cooling blocks pre-chilled at –80 °C can achieve lower temperatures temporarily but warm more quickly. For workflows requiring long-duration or continuously controlled cooling, electrically powered thermoelectric chillers provide stable setpoints over extended periods.

Ice-Free vs Ice-Based Systems

Gel-based coolers eliminate the need for ice entirely, reducing condensation, contamination risk, and constant ice replenishment during experiments. Traditional ice buckets remain a low-cost option but require continuous maintenance and can introduce water exposure risks. Ice-free systems are preferred in workflows where moisture control and consistent temperature stability are critical.

Single-Sided vs Dual-Sided Designs

Single-sided coolers are suitable for workflows using one tube format consistently. Dual-sided coolers accommodate multiple formats—such as PCR plates and microtubes—within a single unit, making them more versatile for complex molecular biology workflows. Selection depends on workspace constraints and experimental diversity.

Dry Ice Compatibility

Some insulated cold storage systems are designed for use with dry ice, maintaining extremely low temperatures around –78 °C. These are used for short-term cryogenic handling, transport, or dispensing workflows where ultra-low temperature maintenance is required without active refrigeration.

Cold Storage System Types

Gel-based benchtop coolers are ideal for routine molecular biology applications such as PCR setup and enzyme handling. Metal cooling blocks offer brief sub-zero cooling for short, temperature-sensitive steps. Ice bucket systems provide low-cost cooling for high-throughput or general use applications but require continuous replenishment. Dry ice coolers are used for ultra-low temperature handling and short-term cryogenic workflows. Thermoelectric chillers provide programmable, continuous temperature control for advanced or automated laboratory setups.

Specifications Context

Modern gel-based benchtop coolers are engineered using phase-change materials that stabilize near 0 °C for several hours after being pre-conditioned at –20 °C. Dual-format systems have become increasingly common in molecular biology laboratories because they reduce the number of separate cooling devices required on the bench. As of 2026, these ice-free systems are widely adopted in PCR and nucleic acid workflows due to their consistency, cleanliness, and ease of use compared to traditional ice-based cooling methods.

Connect with the MBP team today to discuss your specific temperature-hold requirements and find the ideal chiller configuration for your laboratory’s daily demands.

FAQ

Laboratory benchtop coolers and chillers are insulated or phase-change cooling blocks placed on the lab bench to maintain temperature-sensitive reagents, enzymes, cells, and samples at or near 0 °C or –20 °C without requiring proximity to a freezer or ice machine. They are used in PCR setup, enzyme aliquoting, cell-based assays, and any workflow where reagents must remain cold through a multi-step protocol lasting up to four hours.

Most gel-based benchtop coolers (pre-frozen overnight at –20 °C) maintain temperatures of approximately 0 °C for up to four hours on the lab bench at room temperature. CoolCube™-style dual-sided systems and similar phase-change designs meet this four-hour benchmark. Metal cooling block inserts can briefly maintain –20 °C but warm faster than full gel systems; confirm hold time in the product specification for your ambient temperature conditions.

Laboratory benchtop coolers are available with wells for 0.2 mL PCR strip tubes and plates, 1.5 mL and 2.0 mL microtubes, 15 mL conical tubes, and 50 mL conical tubes. Multi-format systems (e.g., dual-sided coolers) accommodate PCR plates on one face and 1.5/2.0 mL tubes on the other in a single unit, reducing the number of cooling accessories needed for a typical molecular biology setup.

Gel-based benchtop coolers require neither electricity nor ice during use — they are simply placed in a –20 °C freezer overnight to charge the integrated phase-change gel, then used on the bench for up to four hours. This eliminates the mess and condensation of traditional ice buckets and removes reliance on an ice machine. Electrically powered thermoelectric benchtop chillers are also available for applications requiring continuously maintained setpoints, but they are distinct products requiring a power connection.

Cooling blocks are typically solid aluminum or metal inserts that absorb heat from tubes through thermal conduction; they require pre-chilling in a freezer and have shorter hold times than gel systems. Coolers (benchtop coolers) use gel or phase-change material to maintain 0 °C to –20 °C for up to four hours without ice or electricity. Chillers are active thermoelectric or compressor-based instruments that continuously regulate temperature and are better suited for extended protocols or temperature ranges below –20 °C.

MBP carries Globe Scientific consumables including coolers and chillers that maintain reagents, enzymes, and temperature-sensitive samples on the bench. Globe Scientific mini coolers are designed for 1.5 mL and 2.0 mL tube formats and are pre-chilled in a standard –20 °C freezer. For current stock, pricing, and order quantities, contact MBP via the Quick Order tool or inquiry form at mbpinc.net.

For PCR master mix and primer preparation, a dual-format benchtop cooler that accommodates both 0.2 mL PCR strip tubes or plates and 1.5 mL microtubes is the practical choice. Pre-chill the cooler overnight at –20 °C and use it at the bench during setup to keep master mix components cold without freezing. This maintains enzyme activity and reduces pipetting errors associated with warming reagents during multi-tube setups.

MBP supplies cold storage coolers and chillers to labs across the United States, Canada, and internationally, with purchase order and Quick Order procurement available at mbpinc.net. MBP is a registered vendor for Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Vanderbilt University, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Eurofins, among other leading institutions. Contact the MBP team directly for volume pricing or specific product sourcing.

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