Roller & Rotator Accessories

What are rollers and rotators accessories?

Rollers and rotators accessories are the interchangeable tube holders, clip assemblies, wheel inserts, and platform adapters that allow a base roller or rotator instrument to securely hold and mix different tube sizes and formats. A single rotator or roller body with the appropriate accessory set can handle blood collection tubes of various sizes, standard 1.5 mL and 2 mL microcentrifuge tubes, 15 mL and 50 mL centrifuge tubes, and bottles of different diameters. Without the correct holder, tubes may not sit securely during rotation, may not be mixed effectively due to poor contact with the roller surface, or may become unsecured and spill during the mixing cycle.

What you will find:

• Interchangeable Tube Carousels: Specialized discs for holding different diameters of test tubes and vials.

• Universal Rotating Plates: Versatile platforms that allow for a mix of clips to be mounted simultaneously.

• Replacement Roller Bars: Durable, easy-to-clean bars to maintain or expand the capacity of your tube rollers.

• Vessel Clips & Clamps: Secure mounting hardware for larger flasks and specialized containers.

• Horizontal & Vertical Tube Holders: Adapters that allow you to change the angle of rotation for specific protocols.

• Stacking Kits: Hardware designed to safely tier multiple rotators to save valuable bench space.

How to choose rollers and rotators accessories

Match tube holder specifications to your exact tube dimensions

Tube holders and clips are designed for specific tube outer diameters and lengths, and a holder designed for one tube format may not securely retain a different tube size. Blood collection tube holders are typically sized to match standard 13 × 100 mm or 16 × 100 mm Vacutainer-type tubes, while microcentrifuge tube clips hold 1.5 mL and 2 mL tubes by their caps.

Confirm holder compatibility with your specific roller or rotator model

Tube holders and wheel inserts from different manufacturers may not be interchangeable between roller and rotator models, since the mounting mechanism, wheel diameter, and rotation geometry differ. Confirm that the specific accessories you need are listed as compatible with your instrument model before purchase.

Choose the right wheel format for your mixing application

End-over-end rotators typically use a flat wheel with individual tube positions or a drum format with clip-type holders around the perimeter. Wheels with fewer positions hold tubes more securely at higher rotation speed; high-capacity drum formats allow more samples per rotation cycle at the cost of per-position security at higher speeds.

Consider multi-format holder sets for flexibility across tube sizes

Labs mixing different tube sizes benefit from a set of holders covering common formats — blood tube, microcentrifuge, and conical tube — allowing the same rotator to be reconfigured for different sample types without separate instruments per format.

Check that the roller surface contact area matches the bottle or tube being mixed

For tube rollers, the tube or bottle must contact both driving rollers simultaneously for uniform rolling. Bottles or tubes much wider or much narrower than the roller spacing may not roll uniformly, and roller spacing adjustment or specific bottle roller inserts that match the bottle diameter are needed to ensure even, controlled rolling.

Specifications context

Secure tube retention during rotation prevents tubes becoming loose and interrupting mixing. Rotator manufacturers design holders to specific torque and speed limits; exceeding the rated speed risks retention failure. As of 2026, multi-format rotator kits covering blood tubes, microcentrifuge tubes, and 50 mL conical tubes are the standard first accessory purchase, providing flexibility without separate orders per tube type.

Not sure which clip or carousel is compatible with your current hardware? The MBP team is here to assist—reach out for a custom quote on the accessories you need.