Bullet Blender Supplies & Accessories

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Bead Lysis Kits

Bead Lysis Kits

Save Time with Pre-loaded Tubes!

Next Advance Bead Lysis Kits are pre-filled with bead combinations optimized to homogenize your specific tissue sample. See our recommended protocols. RNase-free or non-sterile. Available in packs of 50 or 250 for microcentrifuge tube kits and 20 or 100 for 5 mL tube kits.

Microcentrifuge and 5 mL tube kits are in stock.

1.5 mL Eppendorf Snap-cap kit for homogenization

1.5 mL Eppendorf® kits are made with sturdy Eppendorf Safe-Lock tubes.
1.5 mL versions are compatible with all microcentrifuge model Bullet Blenders.

RINO bead lysis kit for homogenization.

1.5 mL RINO® kits are made with strong and durable RINO tubes. RINO tubes also contain an rubber seal within the cap to prevent against leaking.
These kits are for use with 24 Storm and 24 Gold microcentrifuge-model Bullet Blenders. Learn more about RINO tubes!

Eppendorf Snap-cap kit for homogenization

5 mL Eppendorf® kits are made with sturdy Eppendorf tubes.
5 mL versions are compatible with the 5E and 5 Gold Bullet Blender models.

RINO, Eppendorf, TPP, and Axygen Tubes with a question mark

For 1.5, 5 and 50 mL tubes kits and custom kits – please contact us. There is no setup cost for custom kits.

Select your Bead Lysis Kit that works best with your sample

Homogenization Beads

Homogenization Beads

The Bullet Blender uses homogenization beads to strike and grind your samples. You may choose from a variety of beads suitable for a wide array of samples. The general rules of thumb for choosing the correct beads for your sample are:
  • Choose beads with higher densities for tougher samples
  • Choose smaller sizes for tiny samples and cell culture
  • Choose larger sizes for tough samples and special applications

Beads are available RNase free, pre-loaded in Bead Lysis Kits, and in Sample Bead Packs for different types of applications. Please see our recommended protocols to determine the appropriate bead or bead lysis kit for your sample.

General Usage Guidelines

  • Use a volume of beads that is at least half the volume of liquid in the tube. Using too few beads may lead to poor homogenization. For help determining the appropriate volume of beads, use the bead calculator.
  • Use a size of bead proportional to the size of your sample. For very small samples, such as cell culture or tiny pieces of tissue, use our smallest beads (0.2mm or below). For large chunks of tissue, beads 1.0mm or greater may be needed (Beads larger than 3.5mm are not recommended for microcentrifuge tubes).
  • For tougher tissue, use denser beads (e.g. zirconium oxide and stainless steel). With soft tissue you can use less dense beads (e.g. glass and zirconium silicate).
  • For isolation of organelles, use larger beads (0.5mm or larger for cell culture, 1.0mm or larger for tissue)

Protocols have been developed for various sample types so you can spend less time optimizing your experiments and more time getting results. Please see our protocol page for more information.

Bead Sample Packs are convenient for method optimization, or for labs that homogenize several different sample types. Sample packs come with a 10 mL tube of each type of included bead, EXCEPT the BSP-50B for 50 mL tube Bullet Blender models, which comes with 20 mL of each included bead type.

Bead Composition

During the vigorous agitation of the homogenization process, denser beads have more momentum, resulting in more energetic impacts with the samples. Dense beads, like those composed of stainless steal, can homogenize tougher samples. Such powerful beads do, however, cost more to manufacture. Another consideration for optimal homogenization is the size of the bead. Finally, alternative bead shapes can be used to further improve homogenization of tough samples. Stainless steel beads are available with a ridge. These “UFO” shapes are useful for slicing and grinding tough samples.

Types of Beads

Stainless Steel Beads

Stainless Steel (density = 7.9 g/cc)

~80 mL/pound Stainless steel beads can be used for the homogenization of tough samples or for special applications such as bacterial isolation.
Bulk Stainless Steel Beads are sold by the pound (0.45 kg).
UFO Beads are sold by the 50 mL package.
RNAse-free Stainless Steel Beads are sold by the 4 mL package.

Zirconium Oxide Beads

Zirconium Oxide (density = 5.5 g/cc)

~120 mL/pound Zirconium oxide beads can be used for the homogenization of medium consistency samples and tougher-to-lyse cell suspensions.
Bulk Zirconium Oxide Beads are sold by the pound (0.45 kg)
RNase-free Zirconium Oxide Beads are sold by 4 mL package

Zirconium Silicate Beads

Zirconium Silicate (density = 3.8 g/cc)

~180 mL/pound Zirconium silicate beads can be used for the homogenization of medium-soft samples.
Bulk Zirconium Silicate Beads are sold by the pound (0.45 kg)

Glass Beads

Glass (density = 2.5 g/cc)

~300 mL/pound Glass beads are used for the homogenization of soft tissue and easy-to-lyse cell suspensions.
Bulk Glass Beads are sold by the pound (0.45 kg)
RNAse-free Glass Beads are sold by the 4 mL container

Bead Sample Packs

Bead Sample Packs

Sample packs of different bead types. Great for methods development or for labs that work on a wide variety of samples.

UFO bead

Select Beads

Tubes

Tubes

This page lists the tubes that are verified to work with each specific Bullet Blender. Next Advance does not recommend other tubes. Other tubes may have different dimensions and prevent thorough homogenization. They may also crack and leak during vigorous agitation.

Microcentrifuge Tubes

5 mL Tubes

50 mL Tubes

Tube Racks

  • The Arctic Rack Microtube Cooler – Why use a messy ice bucket when preparing your samples? The Arctic Rack keeps your samples cold while safely containing them in microtubes. The Arctic Rack maintains a temperature of approximately 0°C for up to 4 hours. One side is a convenient PCR work station and the other holds 36 standard 1.5/2.0 mL microtubes.

Select Tubes

Accessories

Accessories

The Magnetic Wand

Use this hand-held wand to easily remove stainless beads from homogenate.

magnetic wand and_shield
magnetic wand in use
magnetic wand in use

Make stainless steel beads levitate out of your sample with the “magic” Magnetic Wand. A very powerful magnet in an easy-to-handle package helps you remove beads from your sample tube before centrifugation. Disposable protective shields are available to prevent cross-contamination. May not be compatible with all bead sizes. Learn more.

Select Accessory

Spoons and Spatulas

Spoons and Spatulas

Use spoons and spatulas for dispensing beads into sample tubes.

100 µL Microspoons

Pack of 25, non-sterile
Pack of 10, RNase-free

500 µL Microspoons

Pack of 25, non-sterile
Pack of 10, RNase-free

50 µL Spatulas

Individually packaged, PCR clean, DNase and RNase free

Pack of 50
Pack of 10

1.2 mL Spoons, Sterile

Pack of 200
Pack of 20

Select Spoons and Spatulas

Bead Calculator

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