The Z326-BKR is the BucketBuddy™ Magnetic Basket and Tube Rack — a handling accessory for laboratory centrifuges, distributed through the Hermle catalog as part of the broader Z326 / Z327 chassis ecosystem. Distinct from the rotor inserts and adapters that go inside a centrifuge bucket: the BucketBuddy is a bench-side tube transport rack with magnetic attachment that stays organized on the bench during sample loading and unloading, simplifying the handoff between bench prep and centrifuge load. Sold individually (not in packs).
Note: The BucketBuddy is a third-party-branded product distributed through the Hermle catalog. It is not a Hermle-engineered centrifuge insert and does not go inside a rotor. This page covers the procurement and handling-workflow context; for specific BucketBuddy product specifications, refer to the BucketBuddy manufacturer documentation or the Hermle distributor sheet.
Key Specifications
| SKU | Z326-BKR |
| Type | Bench-side tube transport rack — magnetic basket |
| Pack quantity | Each (sold individually) |
| Function | Magnetic-attachment tube rack for organizing tube batches during bench-to-centrifuge handoff |
| Compatible workflow | Any tube format that fits the BucketBuddy basket geometry (typical clinical and research tube ranges) |
| Compatible chassis | Workflow-side accessory — usable with any laboratory centrifuge in the Z326 / Z327 ecosystem |
What This Accessory Does
The BucketBuddy is a bench ergonomics accessory, not a rotor component. Its function in the workflow:
- Bench-side organization — holds tube batches in an organized rack format on the bench during sample prep
- Magnetic attachment — sticks to ferrous bench surfaces, lab cart sides, biosafety cabinet interiors, and similar surfaces — the rack stays in place during the workflow
- Tube transport — carries the tube batch from bench to centrifuge as a single unit
- Bench-to-bucket handoff — simplifies the transfer of tubes from the rack into the centrifuge bucket (and back) without individual tube handling
For workflows that batch many tubes through repeated centrifuge cycles (clinical-blood-component prep, biobank intake, multi-step molecular-biology protocols), the bench ergonomics improvement adds up across protocol steps.
Application Profile
Clinical and clinical-research blood-tube workflows — when phlebotomy collection, sample prep, and centrifugation cycles repeat across daily workflow, the rack reduces the per-tube handling overhead.
Biobank intake and aliquot prep — biobank workflows that batch many patient samples through centrifugation cycles benefit from organized bench-side tube management.
Multi-step molecular-biology protocols — DNA / RNA extraction, PCR cleanup, and similar multi-step workflows with multiple centrifuge steps benefit from bench-side tube organization.
Biosafety cabinet workflows — magnetic attachment to BSC interior surfaces keeps the rack in a defined position within the cabinet, supporting workflow predictability and contamination control.
Educational and teaching labs — teaching workflows where students manage multi-tube batches benefit from a defined rack location and simplified transport.
Lab-cart workflows — labs that move sample batches between bench, refrigerator, biosafety cabinet, and centrifuge benefit from a magnetic rack that attaches to lab-cart sides during transport.
Ordering & Configuration
Bench accessory — not a centrifuge rotor component. The BucketBuddy does not go inside a centrifuge bucket and is not balanced as part of rotor loading. It is a workflow accessory used at the bench and during transport.
Magnetic surface compatibility. The magnetic attachment requires a ferrous surface (steel bench tops, stainless biosafety cabinet interiors, lab cart sides). On non-ferrous surfaces (some plastic-laminate benches, glass surfaces), the magnetic feature does not engage; the rack still functions as a standalone tube rack.
Z326-BKR ships as a single unit (not pack quantity).
Confirm at quote: workflow context (which lab activities will use the rack — clinical phlebotomy, biobank, molecular biology, etc.), bench surface compatibility (ferrous vs non-ferrous), and quantity needed for the lab's parallel workflow stations.
Warranty: Per the BucketBuddy manufacturer's warranty terms — confirm at quote. The Hermle 5-Year warranty applies to Hermle-engineered rotors and chassis components; third-party branded accessories follow the originating manufacturer's warranty.
Workflow accessories vs centrifuge rotor components:
- Z326-BKR (this product) — bench-side tube transport rack (workflow accessory, not a rotor component)
- Centrifuge rotor inserts and adapters (Z326-100H-A* family, Z306-100-A* family, etc.) go inside the rotor and are subject to balance, RCF, and biosafety considerations
This SKU is the right pick when the procurement need is bench ergonomics and tube transport, not centrifuge rotor configuration.
