Petri dishes are deep cylindrical containers with fitting covers, often made of borosilicate glass or transparent polymers (such as polystyrene or polycarbonate). Petri dishes, which are designed particularly for microbiology or cell culture, are available in a number of sizes and can be disposable or reusable. Reusable petri dishes can endure many wet or dry sterilizing cycles.

Because of their exceptional form retention, they are ideal for use in automated plate filling systems and are easily stackable. The user may choose between Petri dishes with and without ventilation cams, a variety of circular Petri dishes with varied standard diameters, each with a two-compartment and square form, and colored Petri dishes for easy coding.