Freezer Racks – ULT Freezer
To make scientific life easier, we strongly recommend placing storage boxes (also known as freezer boxes) within the ULT freezer in freezer racks. These Eppendorf metal racks enable optimal use of space as well as easy relocation of sample boxes.
How can I find the best-fitting freezer racks for my storage needs?
Drawer or side access?
Which metal rack format can I use? When using racks with drawers, only the drawer with the freezer boxes of interest is pulled out. All other boxes stay in the cold inner area of the ULT freezer. Eppendorf drawers are optimized for smooth movement at -80 °C for ergonomic handling, following the PhysioCare Concept®.
When using side access racks, most of the storage boxes have to be pulled out of the cold inner area of the ULT freezer to access the samples.
Racks for chest freezers can be equipped with locking rods to secure freezer boxes when pulling out the rack tower.
Stainless steel or aluminium?
Standard racks are available in either stainless steel or aluminium, each with its benefits. Which material should I select for my freezer racks?
Stainless steel:
- Stable/robust for longevity and higher capacity
- Fits freezer boxes up to 136 mm × 136 mm for high flexibility regarding boxes
- Special design of drawer racks for optimized cooling conditions and improved sample safety
Aluminium:
- For freezer boxes up to 133 mm × 133 mm
- Non-corrosive anodized aluminium for long-term use
Depth of racks
There are two systems used in laboratories – the standard 4-boxes deep racks and 5-boxes deep racks. Why is this of any interest? In case of an emergency, you want to rescue your valuable samples. The easiest way is to take out all racks (with the samples/ boxes included) and store those racks in a backup freezer. To be compatible with most common ULT freezer suppliers, Eppendorf ULT freezers are designed for 4-box deep racks.
3-compartment or 5-compartment?
The ULT freezer with 3 compartments/ shelves (e.g. Innova® U535) has higher compartments compared to the 5-compartment ULT freezer (e.g. CryoCube® F570 series). Racks of a 5-compartment freezer do fit into a 3-compartment freezer but not vice versa. What is the difference in real life? Racks for 3-compartment ULT freezers are in general larger and heavier. Their handling can be less comfortable due to their size compared to racks which fit into a 5-compartment ULT freezer.
To get the maximum capacity out of your ULT freezer, the CryoCube F740 series (3-compartment) can be equipped with “3-compartment MAX” racks. These racks only fit into the CryoCube F740 series 3-compartment instruments.
How sustainable are metal racks?
A sorted sample inventory within the freezer allows a more economical usage of the freezer space. By using racks, you can benefit from 100% of the storage space. Plus, metal racks have a long lifetime and can quite often be used for the next-generation freezer as well.
The Eppendorf stainless steel racks are assembled with 100% renewable energy and are based on 60-65% recycled steel. The cardboard packaging is made of about 75% recycled raw material.
The Eppendorf aluminium racks are made of 20-35% recycled aluminium, depending on the batch of the raw material. The Plastic-free packaging is based on cardboard and wrapping paper. The cardboard packaging of the aluminium-based racks is made of ca. 90% recycled material.
After a long lifetime, both types of metal racks can be 100% recycled.