Science Lab Glassware-Test Tubes

Glass test tubes, like graduated cylinders, Erlenmeyer & volumetric flasks, are common pieces of biology and chemistry laboratory testing equipment. Our lab quality test tubes are made with borosilicate glass, ideal for its resistance to high temperature & chemical inertness.

Applications range from growing tissue and bacterial cultures to root cuttings, measuring pH or observing chemical reactions. They come as small, medium or large capacity tubes suitable for mixing, heating or even product packaging and display. All Indigo glass test tubes come with beaded rims for spill-free pouring and repeated safe stoppering. Our larger thick-walled 25, 32 & 38 tubes will tolerate prolonged boiling.

Every tube is completely blank for custom imprinting your brand or marketing message. Buy just one to test your project idea & then save up to 50% on bulk buys & tube/stopper bundles.

Test Tube Wall Thickness

Being made of borosilicate glass is not a guarantee of quality of itself. Uniform test tube wall thickness is essential for safety, durability & repeated use, maximum heat transfer and chemical resistance. The average wall thickness of Indigo Instruments borosilicate glass test tubes are listed below for outside diameters (OD) of our tubes. Borosilicate glass culture tubes on the other hand are made with thin walls in order to be inexpensive & should be considered disposable test tubes.

Note (1): We do not carry graduated test tubes with beaded rims; the closest thing we have to offer are graduated cylinders.
Note (2): We cannot guarantee our test tubes will fit your test tube rack. If this could be an issue, contact us first.

Indigo Instruments Tapered Cork Heights

Besides wall thickness, our test tubes have reinforced rims for repeated safe stoppering. Our cork stoppers are produced in Portugal using sustainable growth practices. They are a truly natural product with excellent mechanical properties (see blog below in More Info). More importantly, these stoppers are produced according to the highest cleanliness standards backed by this certificate of cleanliness & cleaning procedures.

The top row in the table below lists the nominal outside diameter of our test tubes. The bottom row is the average height of the tapered cork stoppers that fit them. There is some variance in test tube internal diameter to allow for corks to fit anywhere from 1/3 to 2/3 of their height. Since cork is compressible across its diameter, these thicknesses help ensure airtight seals no matter what the ID variance is.

Glass Test Tube Applications

Indigo test tubes meet all the necessary specifications for use in chemistry labs. Specifically, resistance to most chemicals and thermal shock. This also makes them particularly useful in product packaging & display. Here are just a few of the uses our customers have found for our tubes. Not shown are bath salts, candy sprinkles, tea, cannabis, and wine. All tubes come with reinforced rims except where noted otherwise.

• 55903 culture tube, 13 mm x 100 mm (1/2x4") 8 mL, unrimmed
• 55903R test tube, 13 mm x 100 mm (1/2x4") 8 mL
• 55907R test tube, 18 mm x 150 mm (3/4x6"), 30 mL: Shot glasses; Floral centerpiece root cuttings
• 55908R test tube, 25 mm x 100 mm (1x4"), 30 mL: Gourmet food samplers, Flower vases, Branding
• 55909R test tube, 25 mm x 150 mm (1x6"), 50 mL: Branding, Coffee, Plant propagation , Spice rack
• 55910R test tube, 25 mm x 200 mm (1x8"), 75 ml: Flower vase, Chandelier
• 55911R test tube, 32 mm x 200 mm (1.25 x 8"), 125 mL: Museum art, Spice rack
• 55912R test tube, 38 mm x 200 mm (1.5x8"), 165 mL: Concrete planter insert