How Much Do Liquid Handler Consumables Cost?

Are you searching for high-quality, cost-effective liquid handler consumables? Such as pipette tips, microplates, tubes, filters, and syringes. Whether you're running a research lab, a diagnostic facility, or an automated production line, the right consumables for your liquid handling systems are essential for ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility. But with so many brands and types of consumables available, how do you know you're getting the best value for your money?

Here is a breakdown of the liquid handler consumables price ranges

1. Pipette Tips Price

Pipette tips are the most commonly used consumables in liquid handling platforms. They are often used in automatic pipetting systems (e.g., Beckman Coulter Biomek, Hamilton, Tecan, Agilent, Roche) for precise liquid pipetting.

Comparison of the Laboratory Automation Companies

Major Brand Pipette Tips Price Range

Standard Tips(Non-Filtered)

Price Range: $2 - $50 per box (typically 96–384 tips per box).
Factors Influencing Price: Quality, brand, and compatibility with the pipetting system. Low-cost generic tips are cheaper, while premium tips or those from specific brands may cost more.

Filtered Pipette Tips

Price Range: $5 - $60 per box (96–384 tips per box).
Use Case: Filtered tips are used for applications that require contamination prevention, such as PCR or working with biohazardous materials.
Factors Influencing Price: Material (e.g., hydrophobic, hydrophilic), specific filtering properties, and the type of liquid handler.

Sterile Pipette Tips

Price Range: $3 - $60 per box (96–384 tips).
Use Case: For sterile environments like biological or pharmaceutical laboratories, ensuring no contamination.
Factors Influencing Price: Sterility certification, quality control processes.

2. Microplates Price(96/384 Well Plates)

Microplates are widely used in liquid handling for high-throughput screening, cell culture, or other biological assays.

Standard 96-Well Plates

Price Range: $10 - $100 per box (typically 50–100 plates per box).
Factors Influencing Price: Material (polypropylene, polystyrene, etc.), surface treatment, and whether the plates are sterile or non-sterile.

384-Well Plates

Price Range: $50 - $300 per box (50–100 plates).
Use Case: Used in high-throughput screening (HTS) systems.
Factors Influencing Price: Material, quality control standards, and application-specific features (e.g., low binding plates, treated surfaces).

3. Filters Price

Filters are often used in liquid handling systems to remove particulates or protect the liquid handler from contamination.

Filter Plates

Price Range: $100 - $500 per box (typically 50–100 plates).
Use Case: Used in systems like filtration-based liquid handlers or for sample preparation steps.

4. Syringes & Sample Tubes Price

Syringes and sample tubes are commonly used in automated liquid handling systems, especially for sample preparation, liquid transfer, and dispensing.

Syringes

Price Range: $20 - $150 per pack (typically 5–50 syringes per pack).
Use Case: High-precision liquid handling, especially in systems that require accurate dispensing of small liquid volumes.

Sample Tubes (e.g., 1.5 mL, 2 mL)

Price Range: $10 - $50 per pack (typically 50–200 tubes per pack).
Factors Influencing Price: Material (plastic or glass), sterilization status, and brand.

5. Other Consumables Price

There are several other consumables used in liquid handling systems, including but not limited to:

Reagents, Buffers, and Solutions: These can range from $50 - $500 per liter, depending on the formulation and supplier.

Seals and Gaskets: Typically used to ensure airtight seals in automated liquid handling machines. Price ranges from $50 - $300, depending on the type and compatibility.

Factors Affecting Price Variations

Brand: Established brands like Beckman Coulter, Hamilton, or Tecan often have higher prices due to their reputation, quality, and compatibility with specific liquid handler systems.

Quality Control Standards: Consumables designed for sensitive applications (e.g., clinical diagnostics, genomics) tend to be more expensive due to strict quality and sterility requirements.

Customization: Customized consumables tailored to specific workflows or applications may carry a higher price.

Volume: Bulk purchases can often lead to reduced per-unit costs.

Summary of Liquid Handler Consumables Price Ranges

The price of liquid handler consumables can vary significantly depending on several factors, such as the type of consumable, brand, quality, and specific use case. Liquid handling automation workstations are typically used in laboratory settings for tasks like dispensing, transferring, or mixing liquids with high precision. For laboratories and institutions, it’s crucial to balance cost with quality and compatibility to ensure the best performance and results in liquid handling tasks. I hope this overview of the price ranges for liquid handler consumables is helpful. Please feel free to reach out if you would like more information or have any specific questions about these laboratory consumables!