Get the kit · $29
The First Nanopore Run Kit · MinION R10.4.1 edition

Your First MinION Run, Without Wasting a Flow Cell

Check your DNA, look after the flow cell, read the MinKNOW screen, rescue a run that's going badly, and record every version for your methods section. For students, small labs and field or clinical microbiology teams running their own MinION for the first time.

Get the kit for $29 Free flow cell arrival card

Written by Eric A., MSc Molecular Biology, whose thesis used nanopore sequencing to identify hospital pathogens.
14-day money-back guarantee · instant download · free updates for 12 months

Cover of the SeqReady First Nanopore Run Kit
24 pages + run workbook. V14 kits on R10.4.1 flow cells. No coding needed.
Why it matters

The official protocol tells you which tube goes where. Not what to do at hour two.

Many first runs that go wrong are lost to things you can check before, or rescue during, the run.

~$800

One MinION flow cell

The price of a single R10.4.1 MinION flow cell on Oxford Nanopore's store at the time of writing (less each in multi-packs).

Oxford Nanopore store, November 2026
800

Pores, or it's a warranty case

A MinION flow cell below 800 active pores at its Flow Cell Check can be reported for replacement, but only if you check it in time.

Oxford Nanopore warranty terms
2 days

To report a low pore count

Oxford Nanopore asks for low counts to be reported within 2 business days of the check. Miss it and you may lose the free replacement.

Oxford Nanopore support, checked Nov 2026
What's inside

Eight lanes, one run that works

One short chapter per step, from planning to the methods section, short enough to read at the bench.

  1. LANE 01
    Plan the runLigation or Rapid kit, MinION or Flongle, samples per flow cell, the bench and computer list.
  2. LANE 02
    DNA that sequences wellPurity, amount and size: the three checks before you touch a flow cell.
  3. LANE 03
    The flow cellCheck it on arrival, protect the warranty, prime without bubbles.
  4. LANE 04
    From DNA to a loaded flow cellThe checkpoints around the official protocol, and the ng-to-fmol maths.
  5. LANE 05
    Read the MinKNOW screenThe colours, the pore activity plot, and what a healthy run looks like.
  6. LANE 06
    Run going badly? The rescue chartFind your symptom, take the matching step, log what you did.
  7. LANE 07
    After the runBasecalling in plain words, raw data backup, and the methods paragraph.
  8. LANE 08
    Glossary in plain EnglishEvery term in the kit, in one line each.
Look inside

Three pages from the kit

Free download

Your flow cells just arrived: the 1-page card

What to do in the first 10 minutes to protect the warranty: storage, the Flow Cell Check, the warranty pore numbers, and how to report a low count.

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About the author

Eric A.

Eric holds an MSc in Molecular Biology from the University of Debrecen, Hungary, where his thesis used nanopore sequencing to identify pathogens for hospital infection control. He has also worked on the provider side of NGS services.

SeqReady turns that experience into practical tools for researchers.

MSc Molecular BiologyNanopore sequencingNGS services
Questions

Before you buy

Which kits and flow cells does it cover?

The current V14 chemistry on R10.4.1 flow cells: the Ligation kit (SQK-LSK114) and the Rapid barcoding kits (SQK-RBK114.24 and .96), on MinION and Flongle.

Does it replace Oxford Nanopore's protocol?

No. It adds the checks, numbers and decisions around the official protocol, which you should always follow for your exact kit version.

What if Oxford Nanopore changes the kits or MinKNOW?

The kit was checked against Oxford Nanopore documentation in November 2026. You get free updates for 12 months: when something important changes, we email you the new version.

Do I need to code?

No. Everything happens in MinKNOW and a spreadsheet. The basecalling lane explains the options in plain words.

Is it for clinical use?

No. It's for research use only.

What format is it?

A 24-page PDF plus a run workbook (.xlsx) that opens in Excel or Google Sheets. You download both right after payment.

Can I get a refund?

Yes. If the kit doesn't help you, ask for a full refund within 14 days of purchase. See the Refund Policy.

Ready when you are

Protect the flow cell before you open the packet

One small purchase before you spend about $800 on a flow cell. Read the lane you need today, and keep the workbook for every run after.

  • 14-day money-back
  • Instant download
  • Secure checkout by Paddle
The First Nanopore Run Kit
$29ONE-TIME · NO SUBSCRIPTION
  • 24-page step-by-step guide (PDF), in 8 short lanes
  • Run workbook with fmol calculator and flow cell log (Excel)
  • Rescue chart, methods template and pre-run checklist
  • Free updates for 12 months
Get the kit for $29

Not useful? Full refund within 14 days, no reason needed.

Also sending samples to a provider? Get this kit plus the NGS Project Starter Kit for $45 instead of $58. Get both for $45 →