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Whether you are a chemist, painter, or an essential oil aficionado, transfer pipettes are an essential item in many daily tasks. Used for transferring small volumes of liquids, they consist of a long and slender tube and a bulb at the top which can be gently pressed and relaxed to remove or dispense most any types of liquid.
Below are some easy-to-use and disposable transfer pipettes that come in bulk so you can always have some on hand. Made of plastic, these pipettes are very flexible which allows for easy liquid transfer between containers of all shapes and sizes.
These pipettes are also transparent so you can easily observe the liquids going in and some even have measurement markings so you can accurately measure the liquid as it's being transferred. Additionally, these pipettes work great for chemical and classroom experiments, DIY beauty products, and make a great tool for transferring medicine to animals when they are sick.
Our Favorite Transfer Pipettes Worth Considering in 2024
Moveland Disposable Transfer Pipettes — Best Overall
This large pack has a capacity of 3.0mL and comes with 200 plastic transfer pipettes. Suitable for transferring all types of liquid in a laboratory and work setting, these pipettes are flexible to enable safe liquid transfer between a variety of vials and containers. These pipettes also have a transparent, one-piece design for safe liquid transfer and also comes in handy when making observations.
Pros
- These pipettes are sealed at the ends
Cons
- There may be a slight odor upon opening which will fade away over time
Rienar Disposable Transfer Graduated Pipettes — Runner Up
Also known as plastic eye droppers, this set of graduated pipettes is made of plastic and are disposable. These have a 3mL capacity and can be used for experiments in labs, chemistry, or microbiology class, measuring out e-liquids, fragrances, and much more. These pipettes are also white transparent in color and non-toxic for the environment.
Pros
- For non-stick liquids, the take-up and release is very easy
Cons
- These are not sterile
KINGLAKE Plastic Transfer Pipettes — Honorable Mention
Great for all kinds of liquid transfer in almost any type of setting, these plastic, disposable pipettes are soft, pliable, and easy to use. Use them for beauty or medical-type applications, they are also ideal for chemistry testing in laboratories, perfect for transferring essential oils for use in aromatherapy and make great craft and painting tools.
Pros
- These pipettes work great with all kinds of paint mediums
Cons
- These are not meant for extreme measurement accuracy
V Cool Livat Plastic Transfer Pipettes — Contender
These disposable, transparent transfer pipettes are made from food-grade plastic and hold 3mL of liquid and are 15cm in length. Suitable for use in the lab, hospital, classroom, home DIY cosmetic experiments and even makeup tools, this pipette is easy to use, soft, and pliable and can be a major time saver when mixing fragrances.
Pros
- These pipettes are non-toxic and harmless
Cons
- These may be too thin to use with warmer to hot liquids
Karter Scientific Transfer Pipette — Also Consider
Packed in a sturdy ziplock-type bag is a generous amount of these transfer pipettes with a 7.0ML capacity that comes in packs of 100, 200, or 500. These pipettes are made of plastic and come with enough in one package for easy disposal and are ideal for essential oil transfer, art projects with varying paint mediums, and all types of scientific experiments where non-sterile measurements are needed.
Pros
- These will last a very long time
Cons
- These may be too large for precision-type measuring
Buying Guide: Transfer Pipettes
Transfer pipettes are a great tool for carefully measuring and transferring small volumes of liquid from one container to another. These transfer pipettes are widely used in hospitals, classrooms, and labs and can further be used in your cosmetic experiments at home or for measuring out fragrances. However, if you’re struggling to find the best quality transfer pipettes for your liquids, we’re here to help you out.
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Transfer Pipette
Capacity
Before setting out to purchase a transfer pipette, take a breather and think about what you need it for. Different tasks require transfer pipettes with different capacities and you need to figure out the best capacity for your task. If you’re purchasing pipettes for a school, you should get a pipette with a capacity of around 3ml in order to prevent students from using excessive liquids in their solutions. Similarly, labs and hospitals conduct experiments requiring high accurate measurements and therefore, need transfer pipettes with a smaller capacity.
Scale
If you want to achieve the perfect measurements while transferring your fragrances and chemicals, it’s helpful if you find a transfer pipette that hosts a calibrated scale on the outer wall of its straw. This scale would help you achieve precise measurements and help prevent you from messing up the whole solution.
Thickness
If you’re dealing with hot or corrosive liquids, getting a thin plastic transfer pipette may deform or simply dissolve your pipette. In order to avoid any disasters from happening, it’s advisable to get a pipette with thick outer walls so they don’t deform when filled with hot liquids. Further, if corrosion is something troubling your liquid-transferring endeavors, then you should try looking at glass pipettes instead of plastic ones.
Glass vs Disposable Plastic Transfer Pipettes
A transfer pipette made out of glass would benefit users who intend to transfer hot or corrosive liquids as normal plastic transfer pipettes would effectively fail in this department. However, glass transfer pipettes are easily breakable as compared to their plastic counterparts and shouldn’t be allowed in schools and homes where someone could get hurt. Furthermore, glass pipettes are hard to completely clean, especially in the case of transferring fragrances where you can mix up unwanted fragrances together. Disposable plastic pipettes, on the other hand, are quite cheap and can be easily disposed of once they are used to prevent any unwelcome contamination of your solution.
Types of Transfer Pipettes
There are a variety of transfer pipettes available to move your liquids from one container to another. Each type of transfer pipette features its own qualities, perfect for specific tasks. Check out where you can use each type of transfer pipette and what makes them all different.
Disposable plastic
A disposable plastic transfer pipette features stems and a bulb all molded by blowing inside a single piece of plastic. These pipette tubes are completely disposable and are highly used in hospitals and clinics where a transfer pipette should be disposed of after use. Unfortunately, these pipettes struggle with hot or corrosive liquids as they deform or dissolve the plastic.
Graduated
A graduated transfer pipette hosts volumetric markings alongside its outer wall so you can measure the amount of liquid entering or leaving your pipette. These pipettes are mostly used in labs where accuracy and measurements are extremely important in order to make the perfect solution.
Micropipette
Also known as single channel variable pipettes, these works of art are used to measure and transfer extremely small amounts of liquids, down to 0.1 µL. These pipettes offer highly accurate measurements through air displacement and are used by scientists or doctors in professional settings.
Repeat dispenser
Such a pipette allows the user to repeatedly dispense exact volumes of liquid without aspirating the pipette every time. These pipettes are both manual and electronic, expensive, and heavier than normal pipettes. A repeating dispenser pipette is used in labs or by dentists to eject accurate volumes of liquid or gel every time.
Cleaning a Transfer Pipette
The exterior of a transfer pipette can be easily cleaned using soaps, alcohol, or cleaning agents. However, effectively cleaning out the interior of your transfer pipette is the tricky part. If you use a standard glass or plastic pipette, you can clean out the insides by injecting and ejecting distilled water a couple of times. On the other hand, if you use an electronic or any other type of pipette, it’s better to read the instruction manual or contact your manufacturer.
Electronic Pipettes
For people who intend to use a pipette often and don’t require disposing of the pipette after every session, an electronic pipette would fit them perfectly. Electronic pipettes offer high accuracy and precision with the help of a digital display and automatic dispensing. Not only are they easy to use and save time, they often feature multiple pipetting modes offering reverse pipetting, mixing, or even diluting your liquid. Electronic pipettes are a perfect device to minimize human error and offer complete comfort with their ergonomic designs.
