Heat Block

What are they and why do we use them? What types are there?

A heat block is a simple device used for heating up 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tubes. It is used for a variety of protocols, generally when reagents require heating to a specific temperature, rather than a cycle of temperatures e.g. Heat Shock, Heat Inactivation of Restriction Enzymes, Miniprep drying step, etc.

These tend to be pretty uniform without much variation. Note that a hot water bath or oven can do everything that a heat block can do. Feel free to swap these around if it suits you.

When do you use?

Anytime you need to heat to a specific temperature, such as 42°C during heat shock. If you need to heat to a set of different temperatures, use a thermal cycler.

How do you use?

Turn it on, set it to a specific temperature, wait for it to heat up, insert sample. Simple!