Essential lab equipment consists of devices and instruments used in every lab, regardless of the particular field of research. Without these tools, controlled scientific experimentation would be impossible, and handling certain substances would be extremely dangerous.

For this article, we’ve consulted our experts to help us compile a comprehensive list of the most essential lab equipment and give us insight into advanced devices used in highly specialized labs.

Here are the results.

15+ Essential Pieces of Lab Equipment Needed in Any Lab

Essential lab equipment found in every lab includes basic instruments, such as flasks, pipettes, microscopes, and funnels, without which laboratories can’t function.

In the following section, we will list general lab equipment and explore its different purposes and uses.

#1. Microscopes

Microscopes are laboratory setup essentials used for studying cells, microscopic organisms, and objects that aren’t visible to the naked eye.

There are many different kinds of microscopes, but the most frequently encountered ones include:

• Optical microscope, which uses a system of lenses and visible light to create a magnified image.
• Electron microscope, which emits beams of high-energy electrons that interact with the surface of the microscopic object and collect information on its composition and topography. There are two types of electron microscopes: Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).
• Scanning probe microscope, which sends a physical probe to scan the object’s surface and collect information.
• Stereo microscope, with a unique configuration of lenses that creates a 3D image of the observed object and allows for a more intricate and accurate viewing experience.

Regardless of the type, microscopes have applications in biology, medicine, forensics, chemistry, pharmacology, and many other sciences, making them staples in every lab.

#2. Magnifying Glasses

For detailed examination of objects that aren’t microscopic, scientists use simple magnifying glasses that produce an enlarged image through a convex lens.

There are many different types of magnifying glasses with varying magnification levels, so each lab must consider its specific needs before deciding which ones to obtain. However, it’s usually advisable to have both large and small magnifications to cover the whole spectrum of needs.

#3. Beakers

Beakers are cylindrical glass containers with a flat bottom and a small spout for pouring or transferring liquid. They come in different sizes (from a few milliliters to several liters) and can be used for holding, preparing, measuring, and mixing solutions and solid samples.

Furthermore, beakers have high heat resistance, making them excellent tools for boiling, evaporation, and other controlled reactions. Their versatility lands them firmly on the list of fundamental lab equipment.

#4. Flasks

Flasks are another type of glass container, but their shapes and uses somewhat differ from those of beakers.

Several different kinds can be encountered in most labs, including:

• Titration flask, a flat-based, cone-shaped container with a cylindrical neck, often used for swirling liquids without spilling, as well as cooling and storing solutions.
• Boiling flask, specifically made for heating and boiling liquids. This flask has a longer, narrower neck that minimizes evaporation and a rounded body that promotes even heat distribution.
• Reagent flask, an essential piece of laboratory equipment used for storing liquids and powders. It comes with a cap or a stopper for extra safety.
• Distillation flask, whose tubular arm protruding from the neck is ideal for separating two liquids during distillation.

#5. Funnels

Funnels are typically made of glass and used for filtration and pouring liquids into narrow openings. Depending on the specific application, they come in various shapes and sizes and can even be made of plastic.

However, their basic appearance is always the same—wide and open at the top, narrow and tubular at the bottom.

#6. Burettes

Burettes are narrow glass tubes with a stopcock valve at the bottom and a tapered capillary tube underneath. The valve controls the flow of the liquid—when opened, some of the substance from the upper cylinder can pass into the capillary tube and drip into the container placed beneath.

Providing a high level of precision and control over measurements, burettes are used in titrations and other chemical processes where accuracy is indispensable.

#7. Test Tubes

Test tubes are essential lab equipment in the form of narrow tubes, which are open at the top and closed at the bottom. With a rounded base, they can’t stand on their own, so they are usually held in racks for storage or during chemical experiments.

Test tubes are used to temporarily hold small amounts of chemicals or culture live organisms in biology and related sciences. They may also be used for storage, but only if they come with a glass stopper or cap.

#8. Pipettes

Pipettes are frequently found in chemistry labs and used to transport and dispense liquids with high levels of accuracy. Although they come in various designs, a basic pipette contains a narrow glass tube and a bulb-shaped top, which can create a vacuum when squeezed.

By squeezing and releasing the top, the glass tube fills with liquid and dispenses it when necessary, acting as a regular dropper. However, electronic pipettes, activated by a press of a button, are gaining more widespread use thanks to their greater accuracy and simplicity of use.

#9. Bunsen Burners

Bunsen burners are crucial pieces of lab equipment used for heating, combustion, and sterilization on high heat. These burners produce a single open flame, which can be adjusted by controlling the flow of gas to the burner.

Usually, Bunsen burners are placed under a tripod holding a container, such as a beaker or a boiling flask. However, it’s also possible to bring glassware directly to the flame, as it’s often done with test tubes.

#10. Centrifuges

Centrifuges are devices that use centrifugal force to separate components of a fluid when they are of different densities. To achieve this, they have a rotating unit called the rotor, where sample tubes are placed and spun at a high speed. Liquids separate during this process, with the denser particles settling at the bottom of the tube and the less dense ones rising to the top.

Centrifuges have many applications—separating isotopes in nuclear programs, acting as oil filters in the oil industry, or separating biological components. However, they are also an essential piece of science lab equipment used in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and medicine.

#11. Autoclaves

Autoclaves are machines primarily used in medicine to sterilize equipment or medical waste before disposal. These devices consist of a chamber that elevates pressure and temperature and subjects the object within to pressurized steam, which destroys bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

In addition to their medical uses, autoclaves have a prominent place in research, both for sterilizing lab instruments and for preparing cultures and liquids for further experiments.

Furthermore, autoclaves can artificially age materials, which can be useful for specific kinds of industrial testing. Industrial autoclaves are used to verify the durability of packaging materials, the resilience of electronics, and the resistance of construction materials.

#12. Thermometers

Thermometers have numerous applications outside of the lab and are frequently used to screen for fever, check weather conditions, or measure the room temperature. The most common kinds are liquid in glass thermometers, which use the expansion of liquid to measure temperature change, and digital thermometers, which rely on heat sensors.

Lab thermometers don’t differ significantly, but they measure a wider range of temperatures than clinical ones. Typically, they are used to monitor substance temperatures during scientific experiments or establish their boiling and freezing points for various purposes. As a result, every basic lab is expected to have one.

#13. Hot Plates

Hot plates have similar functions as Bunsen burners, but they are considered safer since there is no open flame; instead, the container is placed on a plate that can warm up to a desired temperature.

In addition to increased safety, hot plates deliver more even heating and are easier to handle and clean. Moreover, some hot plates come with a magnetic stirrer, which creates a rotating magnetic field to mix the liquid as it heats, reducing the time needed to complete a chemical reaction.

#14. Water Baths

Water baths are containers filled with heated water, which is used to incubate samples at a constant, desired temperature. Users can control the heating on a digital or analog interface, where they can pick a temperature between 5 and 99°C. Most water baths don’t exceed 100°C due to evaporation—for higher temperatures, scientists use oil or sand baths.

Typically, water baths are used to incubate cell cultures, warm up different substances, and create a suitable environment for specific chemical reactions. They are also an important heat source for flammable chemicals, which can’t be placed above an open flame.

#15. Scales

Scales are essential pieces of lab equipment for measuring liquids and solids to ensure appropriate quantities are used in chemical reactions. Due to highly precise scientific requirements, laboratory scales have to be extremely accurate and sensitive, with the ability to detect even the smallest variations in mass.

Most modern laboratory scales come with additional features of storing data and connecting to computers, as well as intuitive user interfaces and calibration methods. Furthermore, they can be bought in various sizes that account for specific laboratory needs.

#16. Tongs

Tongs are among the most important lab tools and devices since they are used for handling hot and hazardous materials, as well as flasks, test tubes, beakers, and other glassware. Though these containers can also be held in the hand, clasping them with tongs is often safer and more convenient.

Thanks to their different sizes, tongs have versatile applications in the lab. Aside from large, hinged tongs for handling containers, small, tweezer-like tongs are also available and often used for precision work with solid materials.

4 Common Advanced Pieces of Lab Equipment

Advanced lab equipment includes tools and instruments that are usually encountered in more specialized laboratories, as their uses are highly particular.

Here are four devices that belong to this category:

#1. Thermocyclers

Thermocyclers, also known as PCR machines, can’t be found in a basic lab, but they are essential lab equipment in molecular biology laboratories, where they are used for DNA sequencing, quantification of DNA and RNA, studying the patterns of gene expression, and more.

A standard thermocycler contains a sample block where test tubes can be inserted, thermoelectric modules for rapid heating and cooling, and a sealing lid that prevents evaporation. Used to facilitate temperature-sensitive reactions, the thermocycler raises and lowers the temperature of the sample block, following pre-programmed steps.

#2. Fume Hoods

Fume hoods are vital equipment in labs that handle hazardous chemicals, as they protect the worker from toxic gasses, acids, and other dangerous substances. Resembling an oven with a window, fume hoods allow manipulation and handling of objects within the device, but in such a way that their fumes don’t come in contact with the worker’s face.

Instead, toxic vapors are pulled into the enclosure using a blower and filtered through an exhaust system. Furthermore, the gauges on the device measure the airflow and warn the user if there is a danger of exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Chemicals that are frequently handled within a fume hood include the following:

• Pesticides
• Heavy metals (mercury, etc.)
• Corrosive substances
• Flammable substances
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Carcinogens (arsenic compounds, etc.)

#3. Incubators

Incubators are most commonly used for experimental work in molecular biology and microbiology, as they maintain optimal temperatures, humidity, and other conditions for growing cell cultures.

The simplest incubators resemble boxes with chambers and an adjustable heater, which typically goes up to 65°C. However, more elaborate devices may include a cooling feature and the ability to control the oxygen and CO2 levels, which can be crucial for cultivating specific cells.

Additionally, some modern incubators incorporate movement to shake and mix cultures, while others create air circulation to ensure even heat distribution. Ultimately, there are different kinds for various purposes and needs.

#4. Spectrometers

Spectrometers are used in chemistry, physics, and astronomy to separate and measure spectral components of a phenomenon. For instance, it can break up white light into its colored parts and measure each component’s individual wavelength.

Special types of spectrometers, known as mass spectrometers, can identify the mass and type of particles in specific substances, be they mixtures or pure samples. These spectrometers are frequently used to detect contamination in food, discover the presence of drugs in the organism, or screen for cancer.

Essential Safety Equipment for a Lab

Essential safety equipment for a lab includes a variety of protective gear that ensures the best possible outcomes when handling dangerous and toxic materials. Laboratories contain dangers and hazards as part of normal operation, so even highly experienced scientists must prioritize safety when equipping their workplaces.

Prioritizing safety particularly applies to school laboratories frequented by students with little experience and knowledge about the potential dangers of mishandling chemicals. In addition to providing them with the necessary equipment, it’s important to also instruct them on its appropriate use.

That said, crucial safety equipment that every lab should possess includes:

• Lab coats
• First aid kits
• Safety goggles
• Safety showers
• Spill cleanup kits
• Eyewash stations
• Fire extinguishers
• Disposable masks
• Disposable gloves
• Safety storage cabinets

How to Choose Essential Lab Equipment

When choosing essential lab equipment, it’s important to consider the following factors:

• Quality. In scientific research, the quality of tools can significantly impact the successful outcome of the experiment. For instance, a low-quality scale can be imprecise and skew the results, leading to wrong conclusions or an inability to reproduce the same results. That’s why equipment should be bought from reliable sources that adhere to ISO standards.
• Features. The same piece of equipment can have different features and specifications depending on the manufacturer producing it. Thus, it’s crucial to check and compare before purchasing, as that is the only way to find equipment that truly suits your requirements.
• Ease of use. Keep in mind that complicated features don’t always equal better equipment. Choose equipment that has an interface you are comfortable using.
• Cost. High-quality equipment is often expensive and thus inaccessible to smaller labs without a large budget. However, it is possible to purchase excellent pre-owned lab equipment at a fraction of the price if you know where to look.

Used vs. New Lab Equipment

When comparing used and new essential lab equipment, many people voice concerns regarding the pre-owned equipment’s quality, worrying about potential deficiencies.

However, used equipment can demonstrate great reliability due to the strict quality checks it must undergo before being offered for sale. In terms of quality, it’s often as good as new, yet simultaneously a cost-effective solution that even labs with limited budgets can afford.

Furthermore, purchasing used lab equipment reduces the need to produce new tools and devices, which, in turn, contributes to sustainability and minimizes your laboratory’s negative impact on the environment.

If you’re looking for high-quality lab instruments for sale, Surplus Solutions offers all the essential equipment that has passed strict quality checks to ensure its safety and reliability.

Make sure to keep an eye out for new arrivals!

Key Takeaways

Essential lab equipment includes various tools, devices, and protective gear that each laboratory must be equipped with to conduct experiments and testing successfully. Some instruments, like microscopes, glassware, and burners, are present in every lab, while others, like fume hoods and incubators, have more specific uses depending on the focus of the lab.

This has been a general overview of the common items needed when outfitting a lab space. Hopefully, this will give you guidance when deciding what equipment to purchase for your own lab.