Hi Long,

1) I would think the most important points would be that their quality is more or less universally recognised (such as Gilson and Eppendorf) and their customer service: calibrations and repairs are a serious (and expensive) issue down the road. Besides that, I would specially concentrate on the feeling you get while pipetting: that you can control precisely your pipetting, wether while you are dispensing or while you are taking. 

2) I have used Gilson and Eppendorf. Some of the most recent Eppendorf pipettes were perfect to me, comfortable in the hand and with the precise strenght requirement that I could control liquid intake and outtake precisely, but this is a matter of personal taste.

3) If you are going to work a lot with 96 plates, as I did with ELISAs, a multipipette is not only a good idea, it's almost compulsory. You can attenuate the differences in volume from the multiple channels by additional replicates of the points you load and the plates and with different ways to pipette the plate contents, just so you attenuate errors. The time and comfort you win by using a multipipette is something you must not understimate.

4) Yes, you can. There are some mechanical pipettes that may perform this dispensing action but usually for higher volumes, and it is far more common with electronic-assisted ones: in these you can indicate a filling volume and a dispensing volume.

5) The most common issues you'll find while using micropipettes are those of precision, usually associated with calibration issues (that is: they won't pipette the volume they indicate in the numeric reader). It is convenient to revise them every year and re-calibrate if necessary. Also be aware of dirt/solid residues in the air flow channels (it gets there no matter how) and sterility issues. I would STRONGLY recommend keeping an exclusive set of pipettes only for sterile activities if it applies.

Oh, and finally, the most common problem while working with micropipettes is the user: pipetting requires training and it is convenient to train for a while until one gets the hang of it.

Hi long, Eppendorf pipettes are a good choice and they last long too. Based on volume, different pipettes are available in the market and you can purchase them for lab use. You need to calibrate them after a period of time to prevent pipetting errors.

I can recommend to look and compare prices/ ease of delivery also for fitting tips/filter tips as you probably will order them periodically in noticeable amount.

3. multi channel pipette helps well to save time if you need add same volume. to my experience variable volumes are not routinely used. If i need to optimize something, I prepare dilutions of sample and different master mixes.

4. for these purpose we use electronic pipette.

we also have eppendorf pipettes.

Hi Long,

1) I would think the most important points would be that their quality is more or less universally recognised (such as Gilson and Eppendorf) and their customer service: calibrations and repairs are a serious (and expensive) issue down the road. Besides that, I would specially concentrate on the feeling you get while pipetting: that you can control precisely your pipetting, wether while you are dispensing or while you are taking. 

2) I have used Gilson and Eppendorf. Some of the most recent Eppendorf pipettes were perfect to me, comfortable in the hand and with the precise strenght requirement that I could control liquid intake and outtake precisely, but this is a matter of personal taste.

3) If you are going to work a lot with 96 plates, as I did with ELISAs, a multipipette is not only a good idea, it's almost compulsory. You can attenuate the differences in volume from the multiple channels by additional replicates of the points you load and the plates and with different ways to pipette the plate contents, just so you attenuate errors. The time and comfort you win by using a multipipette is something you must not understimate.

4) Yes, you can. There are some mechanical pipettes that may perform this dispensing action but usually for higher volumes, and it is far more common with electronic-assisted ones: in these you can indicate a filling volume and a dispensing volume.

5) The most common issues you'll find while using micropipettes are those of precision, usually associated with calibration issues (that is: they won't pipette the volume they indicate in the numeric reader). It is convenient to revise them every year and re-calibrate if necessary. Also be aware of dirt/solid residues in the air flow channels (it gets there no matter how) and sterility issues. I would STRONGLY recommend keeping an exclusive set of pipettes only for sterile activities if it applies.

Oh, and finally, the most common problem while working with micropipettes is the user: pipetting requires training and it is convenient to train for a while until one gets the hang of it.

I really appreciate your answers. Thanks a lot. 

I wonder if anybody is familiar with repetitive pipette? like this : http://www.brand.de/en/products/liquid-handling/stepperrepetitive-pipette/handystepr-s/

It seems to me very convenient in dispensing in high frequency and more dynamic than multi pipette. 

http://www.brand.de/en/products/liquid-handling/stepperrepetitive-pipette/handystepr-s/

Use an eppendorff  one..its more accurate...

Go for Eppendorrf micro pippets..

Eppendorf or Gilson are both good brands. Robust and accurate and easy to calibrate. For 96 well plates I would recommend an electronic multipipet (Eppendorf).

For going down to 0.1ul, I don't think that even a P2 gives that level of accuracy. In addition at those low volumes (0.2-1ul), heating of the pippet due to hand holding transferring heat becomes an issue if you are doing several continuous pippettings, but that is technique more than equipment.

Finnpipette is also a good brand to use

Eppendorrf is best to me.

Eppendorf Reference® 2