Wildcat Wholesale makes cardboard freezer boxes and dividers in Elyria, Ohio and sells them direct, by the case, to labs, universities, hospitals and government agencies. This short guide explains how to choose a size, a cell count and a drain-slot option from the live catalog. All of these boxes and dividers are stable from −196°C to 121°C, so they are suitable for liquid nitrogen storage at −196°C and autoclaving at 121°C.
2" and 3" standard boxes
The standard boxes are 5" x 5" outside. The 2" empty freezer box has an inside height of 1-7/8" and a 1-1/4" deep lid. The 3" empty freezer box has an inside height of 2-7/8". Both are white cardboard, white in and white out, ship assembled, and have a minimum order of 12. They are used for biological sample storage and vials in horizontal or vertical freezer storage racks, and in liquid nitrogen.
Empty boxes or boxes with a divider installed
Empty boxes are sold with dividers sold separately. If you want a box ready to load, we also sell boxes with the divider already inserted, including the 2" box with an 81-cell (9x9) divider, the 3" box with an 81-cell divider, the 3" box with a 36-cell (6x6) divider, and the 3" box with a 49-cell (7x7) divider.
Cell counts: 16-cell through 100-cell
Standard dividers are 4-7/8" x 4-7/8" x 1-1/4", made of .024 coated white SBS, and fit both the 2" and the 3" boxes. The minimum order is 6 dividers. Current sizes:
- 16-cell (4x4), 1-7/32" (30 mm) cells
- 25-cell (5x5), 1" (25 mm) cells
- 36-cell (6x6), 25/32" (20 mm) cells, for vials up to 20 mm wide
- 49-cell (7x7), 23/32" (18 mm) cells, for vials up to 18 mm wide
- 64-cell (8x8), 5/8" (16 mm) cells
- 81-cell (9x9), 17/32" (13 mm) cells, for 1.2/2.0/4.0/5.0 ml cryovials and tubes up to 13 mm wide
- 100-cell (10x10), 1/2" (12 mm) cells, for 1.5/2.0 ml microtubes and vials up to 12 mm wide
Drain slots for liquid nitrogen
Boxes with drainage slots are meant for liquid nitrogen applications. Choose the 2" white box with drain slots, the 3" white box with drain slots, the 2" box with an 81-cell divider and drain slots, or 2" drain-slot boxes in tan, red, green or yellow. Colored boxes are the same 5" x 5" x 2" size; tan is tan in and tan out, while red, green and yellow are colored out and white in.
Mini 3x3 boxes
For smaller sets of vials we make a 3" x 3" x 2" mini box (inside 2-3/4" x 2-3/4" x 2") with a 1-3/4" deep cover. Mini boxes do not have drainage slots or holes. Buy the empty mini box, the mini box with a 25-place divider included, or the 25-cell (5x5) mini divider on its own. The mini divider is 1-1/4" tall, with 7/32" x 7/32" (5.55 mm) cells, and fits the BOX-MINI boxes. The minimum is 12 mini boxes or 6 mini dividers.
Temperature range
All Wildcat freezer boxes and dividers are stable from −196°C to 121°C. That range covers liquid nitrogen storage at −196°C and autoclaving at 121°C, as well as use in mechanical freezers.
Ordering, samples and terms
Boxes ship assembled, by UPS, from Elyria, Ohio. The usual minimum is 12 boxes or 6 dividers. Free samples are offered only for freezer boxes and dividers. Universities and government labs can order on Net 30 terms or with a purchase order. Corporations can get Net 30 terms with approved credit.
Start with the Freezer Boxes collection or the Freezer Dividers collection, or browse all Lab Storage.