Laboratory Pipettes & Burettes: Complete Guide to Types, Accuracy, and Selection
This guide covers every common liquid-handling instrument in the laboratory — pipettes, burettes, tips, and techniques — with accuracy standards, selection criteria, and the ISO specifications that underpin them. Each topic links to a full deep-dive. We also supply these instruments factory-direct from ISO-certified manufacturers in China for laboratories that need certified equipment at scale.
Pick the right instrument for the job
Titration / find a chemical endpoint
Burette
Variable volume with drop-by-drop stopcock control; read any delivered volume
Transfer one precise fixed volume (standard, reference)
Volumetric pipette
One calibration mark = tightest glass pipette tolerance at that volume
0.1–1000 µL routine bench work
Micropipette (P10–P1000)
Air-displacement; choose the smallest model that covers your volume
Variable 1–25 mL, flexibility over tight tolerance
Serological / graduated pipette
Multi-mark scale; TC blow-out (serological) or TD Mohr; sterile options
Viscous, volatile, or foaming liquids
Reverse pipetting technique + positive-displacement or low-retention tip
Forward technique mis-delivers on difficult liquids
PCR, RNA, or contamination-sensitive work
Micropipette + filter tips
Filter barrier stops aerosols from entering the barrel between samples
Pipette vs burette, side by side
Primary function
Transfer a fixed or variable volume repeatably
Deliver a variable volume with drop control
Volume control
Plunger / suction; discrete set volumes
Stopcock; continuous from 0 to full capacity
Best for
Aliquots, standards, reagent addition
Titration, endpoint detection
Accuracy standard
ISO 8655 (micropipette) / ISO 648 (volumetric)
ISO 385
Interchangeable?
No — different instrument, different job
No — different instrument, different job
Tip / consumable
Disposable tip (part of calibrated system)
No tip; glass or PTFE stopcock
Full guide by topic
Which to use and why — decision matrix, side-by-side comparison, TD/TC, and the three accuracy mistakes.
Types, volume ranges, air vs positive displacement, tip-as-system, ISO 8655.
Accuracy vs precision, volume-range rule, Class A/B, calibration intervals.
One mark, one volume — ISO 648 Class A/B tolerances, TD marking, parallax.
Class A vs B, ISO 385 tolerances, meniscus reading, volume-range accuracy trap.
Which technique for which liquid — air cushion physics, pre-wetting, common errors.
Step-by-step technique for viscous, volatile, and foaming liquids — why not to blow out.
All pipette types, techniques, and selection criteria in one place — the full overview.
Glass, automatic, digital, gas burettes — types, uses, and the three accuracy rules.
Mohr vs serological, TD vs TC, ISO 835 tolerances, how to read accurately.
When each applies — sterility, tolerance comparison, TC vs TD, cell culture vs analytical.
Standard, filter, low-retention, wide-bore — when each type is required and why fit matters.
Protocol, drying requirements, filter tip integrity check, when to use pre-certified instead.
Disposal by contamination type, recycling programmes, reload systems to reduce waste.
Factory-direct supply from ISO-certified manufacturers
We source laboratory liquid-handling equipment — pipettes, burettes, tips, and accessories — directly from ISO-certified manufacturers in China. No distributors, no middlemen between the factory and your laboratory. This means lower unit costs at volume, direct access to factory specifications and certificates, and a single point of contact for procurement, QC documentation, and logistics.
We work with purchasing managers, lab directors, and procurement teams at research institutions, hospitals, contract labs, and industrial QC facilities. If you need 500 pipettes or 50,000 tip boxes, contact us with your specification and we will source, verify, and deliver.
How to use this guide
Each section below covers one instrument or topic in depth — accuracy standards, ISO tolerances, selection criteria, and common errors. Start with the instrument you use most, or use the decision matrix above to identify which instrument fits your current application.
All accuracy data references published ISO standards (ISO 385, ISO 648, ISO 835, ISO 8655). Where we cite tolerances, we cite the standard and the class — not manufacturer marketing claims.
The one principle that runs through every page
Accuracy in liquid handling is a system property, not a single-instrument property. The pipette, the tip, the technique, the liquid, and the calibration status all contribute to the final delivered volume. Optimising one while ignoring the others gives unpredictable results. Every guide on this site addresses all five factors for the instrument it covers.
Standards referenced in this guide
ISO 8655:2022
Piston-operated micropipettes — accuracy/precision classes; tip as part of system
ISO 648:2008
One-mark volumetric pipettes — Class A and Class B tolerance limits
ISO 385:2005
Burettes — Class A and Class B tolerance limits and test methods
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a pipette and a burette?
A pipette transfers a fixed or variable volume repeatably (aliquots, standards, reagent addition). A burette delivers a variable volume with drop-by-drop stopcock control (titration, endpoint detection). They do different jobs and cannot replace each other.
Which pipette is most accurate?
At a single fixed volume, a Class A volumetric (one-mark) pipette has the tightest tolerance. For variable volumes in the µL range, a micropipette operating in the top third of its range gives the best accuracy. There is no single answer without specifying the volume and the application.
Do I need filter tips?
For PCR, qPCR, RNA work, or any application where aerosol contamination from the barrel would ruin results — yes. For general aqueous transfers, standard tips are adequate.
How do you source laboratory equipment factory-direct?
We work directly with ISO-certified manufacturers in China. Contact us with your specification, volume, and certification requirements and we will provide sourcing options, factory documentation, and pricing.
Need certified lab equipment at scale? Contact us for factory-direct supply — ISO-certified manufacturers, competitive pricing, direct from source.
