Every university lab is a place for experimentation, curiosity and discovery. Students develop and hone their skills, requiring a wide range of tools and science apparatus to succeed. And while every lab is different, there are some elements of equipment that should be staples of every university lab. Read on to discover the 15 pieces of science apparatus that every university lab needs, and make sure your lab is fully equipped to support your students in their discoveries.
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1: Balances
There are a lot of different balances to choose from, depending on the needs of your lab. From analytical balances to portable options, the first step is finding out which balance you need. Regardless of which you pick, balances help you deal with very small quantities of materials that regular weighing scales wouldn’t be able to accurately measure. You can find our range of balances here.
2: Beakers
Beakers are everyday utensils that are absolutely vital for any lab. They come in large variations of sizes, from 20ml to 1l, but 250-500ml beakers are the most commonly found and likely to be the most useful for day-to-day lab work. Browse our wide range of beakers available here.
3: Burets
A buret, also written as burette, is a tool for measuring a volume of liquid or gas in quantitative chemical analysis. A glass tube with a stopcock at one end, burets are particularly useful in titration reactions, and for delivering a known volume of liquid or gas into another receptacle. Take a look at this lab grade auto buret to add a complete titration set to your lab.
4: Crucibles
A crucible is a highly heat resistant bowl or container, used to store and heat substances at very high temperatures. Traditionally made from porcelain, there are several options available that are especially suitable for high heat environments. For example, these models are manufactured using Inconel alloy 601, a material designed with heat and corrosion resistance in mind.
5: Droppers and pipettes
Pipettes are essential tools for distributing exact small amounts of liquids, providing drop-by-drop precision. Droppers, or Pasteur pipettes, are specialist tools that drop even smaller quantities of the liquid, making them better for more precise distribution of tiny drops. Our range of pipettes and pipette accessories includes a variety of sizes to meet every lab’s needs.
6: Filter papers
While not apparatus as such, filter papers are vital for ensuring a complete filtration process - a necessary step for everyday experimentation. Filter papers come in a variety of sizes and grades of filtration, and having a wide range of options is useful in every lab. With so many options available, take a look at our selection of filter papers here.
7: Funnels
Funnels work in tandem with conical flasks and narrow test tubes, helping your students transfer substances from one receptacle to another. There are several varieties of funnel available, as well as different sizes to match your intended usage. You can find our range of funnels here.
8: Magnifying glass
Magnifying glasses are useful for checking equipment condition and identifying blockages - making sure your apparatus is working effectively and your results are accurate. This glass expansion magnifier inspection tool is fully equipped with 10x magnification and embedded LED lights, to help you maintain your lab apparatus.
9: PPE
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is arguably the most important part of your lab’s inventory. Keeping students safe should be your number one priority, and adequate and updated PPE is key to ensuring this. We have a range of safety gloves and eyewear to help keep your students protected during their experiments.
10: Test tubes
Test tubes are extremely well-known and important parts of the laboratory’s equipment, used for a huge range of applications. They come in different sizes, but the most common test tube size is 18x150mm. They can be used for storing and mixing a variety of chemical or biological materials, making these versatile products a must-have for every lab.
11: Thermometers
Every lab should have a basic thermometer. Not just for checking the temperature of heating and cooling experiments - some reactions need to be carried out in very particular temperature ranges and tightly regulated temperatures are required. There are a wide range of thermometer formats available, from thermometer strips to probes, depending on your unique needs.
12: Tongs
While not officially a part of PPE, tongs are a crucial tool for ensuring safe transporting of very hot, very cold or otherwise harmful materials. These simple tools have saved countless injuries in the lab, so make sure your university is equipped with a variety of tongs to protect against contact with dangerous items.
13: Volumetric flask
A volumetric flask is integral to the accurate preparation of solutions, making it a vital part of any lab. It consists of a glass container designed specifically to hold a precise volume of liquid at an exact temperature, making it a useful tool for university laboratories. Take a look at our volumetric flasks available here.
14: Wash bottles
Wash bottles are used for cleansing and sterilising your lab equipment. They consist of a squeezy plastic bottle with a long nozzle, and are usually filled with ethanol or distilled or deionised water for thorough cleaning. Check out this Savillex Autoclavable PFA wash bottle to ensure the sanitisation of your university lab.
15: Watch glasses
A watch glass is a small, concave tool, commonly found in chemistry laboratories. It’s used to hold small quantities of substances, and can be useful for heating and evaporating liquids. Traditionally made of glass, it can now be found in a variety of materials, such as this PTFE watch glass option.
Every lab has its own requirements, but these tools and products are some of the absolute must-have apparatus in every teaching laboratory. Helping your students to grow is critical for the future of science, and making sure they are working in a safe, well-equipped lab is the first step.
Want to find out more about how to build out your laboratory inventory? Speak to our experts today.