Multichannel pipettes

A 96-well plate has 8 rows and 12 columns. An 8-channel pipette fills one column per stroke, so twelve strokes fill a plate, for example the 8-channel pipette, 20–300 µl. A 12-channel pipette fills one row at a time and needs eight strokes, like the 12-channel pipette, 20–300 µl. Choose by how your plate layout and reservoirs are organised; many labs use 8 channels because it is lighter and suits strip tubes too. To transfer between different formats, there are pipettes with adjustable tip spacing, such as the 6-channel pipette with spacing from 9 to 20 mm.

Choose the range so your usual volume sits in the upper half: accuracy is best there. For PCR set-up and small reagent additions, a 0.5–10 µl or 2–20 µl multichannel is the right size. For ELISA, cell-based assays and most plate work, 20–200 µl is the common choice, and 20–300 µl gives room for full wells and washing steps. If you work across a wide spread of volumes, two pipettes with overlapping ranges are usually more accurate than one wide-range model.

A manual multichannel is robust, needs no charging and is fine for occasional plate work. If you fill many plates a day, an electronic model reduces the force in your thumb and wrist, which helps prevent strain injuries, and gives more reproducible results between users. It also offers modes such as multi-dispensing and mixing. The electronic 8-channel pipette, 15–300 µl is an example. Mechanical models like the 8-channel pipette, 20–300 µl remain the simple, durable choice. More models are in electronic pipettes.

A multichannel pipette needs tips that seal evenly on every cone; otherwise one channel aspirates less and your plate is uneven. The safest choice is the tips the pipette maker specifies, because the pipette's accuracy is tested with them. Universal tips can work, but check them for leaks and an even fit before routine use. Choose a tip volume that matches the pipette range, filter tips for PCR and infectious samples, and racked tips for fast loading. You will find tips in pipettes and pipette tips. Tell us your pipette model and we will match the tips: sales@luminixhealth.com.

A multichannel pipette delivers the same volume into several wells at once, usually 8 or 12, so a plate can be filled a row at a time. The channels have to sit on the plate pitch. A channel that does not seal on its tip delivers a different volume, quietly.

A piston pipette delivers a set volume of liquid by air displacement or, for viscous and volatile liquids, by positive displacement. A single channel is the ordinary tool. A multichannel repeats the same volume across a row of a plate. A bottle-top dispenser meters reagent from the bottle it sits on. The accuracy is a property of the pipette and of how it is used, which is why calibration and a certificate exist. Piston-operated apparatus is treated under ISO laboratory apparatus. The volume unit sits with the BIPM and NIST.

This shelf belongs to Liquid handling, inside Lab instruments. Luminix Health distributes this range for laboratory use.

The neighbouring shelves are Pipette stands, calibration & accessories, Single-channel pipettes, Bottle-top dispensers and Electronic pipettes. The category above this shelf is Liquid handling.

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