How to Pipette Like a Pro: Simple Tips for Better Results

Pipetting is one of the most frequent tasks in the lab—but also one of the most underestimated. Mastering your pipetting technique not only boosts your accuracy and reproducibility, it also protects your body from repetitive strain and reduces the chance of waste. And yes, better pipetting can even save your research budget.

In this updated guide, we’re breaking down everything you need to know to pipette with confidence—whether you’re just starting out or already deep into daily routines.

Top 5 Key Points

• Choose the right pipette for your volume – Matching pipette and tip sizes improves accuracy and consistency.
• Use quality tips that fit perfectly – Poor seals lead to errors and damage; TipOne® ensures precision and a perfect match.
• Set up your workspace ergonomically – Reduce strain and fatigue using ErgoOne®’s low-resistance plunger and smart design.
• Always pre-wet your tips – Especially with small volumes, this quick habit dramatically improves precision.
• Use reverse pipetting for tricky samples – For viscous, foamy, or volatile liquids, reverse mode improves control and accuracy.

1. Match Your Pipette to the Volume

Always choose a pipette with a maximum volume close to your sample size. Pipetting 20 µL with a 1000 µL pipette? Not ideal. You’ll lose accuracy, increase the risk of error, and compromise results.

Use the right size pipette, and pair it with TipOne® tips for minimal dead air space and high reproducibility across replicates.

2. Avoid Forcing Tips Into Place

Attaching tips shouldn’t be a battle. If you’re using pressure to fit a tip, it could mean your tip cone is worn—or your tips aren’t the right match.

High-quality tips like TipOne® create a secure seal without force. Combine that with a well-maintained pipette, and you’ll protect both your accuracy and your equipment.

3. Keep Ergonomics Front and Centre

Your thumb does a lot—two presses for every pipetting cycle. Without the right pipette, that adds up to strain, fatigue, or even injury.

That’s where ErgoOne® shines. Designed for all-day comfort, it features low plunger resistance and an ergonomic build to reduce physical strain.

• Keep elbows close to your body
• Avoid raising your arm above shoulder height
• Use low-resistance pipettes
• Sit or stand at a comfortable, organised bench

4. Pre-Wet Your Tips

A dry pipette tip can cause evaporation and inaccurate results—especially with small sample volumes.

For best results, aspirate and dispense your sample 3–5 times before pipetting for real. This stabilises the internal environment and improves precision.

5. Hold it Straight, Don’t Go Too Deep

When aspirating, keep your pipette vertical and avoid immersing the tip too far. Going too deep can cause over-aspiration, air bubbles, or sample contamination.

Let the tip fill fully before removing it from the sample. Smooth, vertical movement makes a big difference in reliability.

6. Watch the Temperature

Temperature affects accuracy. If your sample is colder or warmer than the tip or pipette, volume readings can be skewed.

Tips to stay consistent:

• Let all components reach room temperature
• Avoid touching the tip cone with your hand
• Store your consumables in temperature-stable conditions

7. Master Reverse Pipetting for Tricky Samples

Foamy, viscous, or volatile samples? Use reverse pipetting. It allows you to aspirate a bit more than needed and dispense an accurate volume while leaving excess behind—improving control.

Bonus tip: Make sure your pipette is calibrated for reverse mode. Regular use without proper calibration can cause a 3% error margin.

Small Tweaks, Big Difference

Professional pipetting doesn’t require fancy tools or massive changes. It starts with the right technique—and the right tools. From pairing ErgoOne® pipettes with TipOne® tips to setting up your bench ergonomically, small improvements go a long way.

At Starlab, we believe precision starts with the people behind the pipette—and we’re here to support you with tools designed for performance, comfort, and sustainability.

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