5 Tips To Prepare for Black Friday Microscope Shopping

As Black Friday approaches, many shoppers are gearing up to score great deals on popular electronics. You may have already added a new laptop, phone, or television to your holiday shopping list. You can spice up your gift-giving — or treat yourself — by adding another item to your list: a microscope. 

Microscopes make great holiday gifts for families, hobbyists, science enthusiasts, and students. For example, a beginner-level microscope kit can provide many hours of fun for children and potentially foster a lifelong love of science education. And hobbyists of all ages will enjoy getting a close-up view of coins, insects, jewelry, stamps, and other small objects. 

During the holidays, many retailers offer deep discounts on microscopes, so you can buy higher-quality instruments at affordable prices. If you’re in the market for a Black Friday microscope, you may be wondering how you can find the best deal. Luckily, there are five easy steps that you can take to prepare for microscope Black Friday sales. 

How To Get Ready for Black Friday Microscope Shopping

If you haven’t used a microscope since biology class, you may feel overwhelmed by all of the options available today. A quick search on Amazon or Google will return a dizzying array of products: compound microscopes, digital microscopes, stereo microscopes, and more. With so many choices, how can you find the best instrument for your situation? 

AmScope is here to help. With our simple tips, you can confidently navigate Black Friday microscope sales. 

1. Create a Budget You Know You Can Stick To

First, you should set a firm budget for yourself. This step will prevent you from getting carried away during a sale and purchasing an expensive microscope that will strain your bank account. 

How much does a microscope cost? The answer depends on many factors, including: 

• Accessories
• Digital vs. analog features 
• Magnification levels 
• Number of eyepieces and objective lenses 
• Quality 
• Software 
• Style of microscope 
• Target user 
• Type of illumination (LED, fluorescent, halogen)

Generally, you can purchase a basic child or student microscope for $300 or less. A quality compound microscope with binocular eyepieces will cost $300 to $800. And a more sophisticated digital microscope with an integrated high-resolution digital camera will typically range from $1,000 to $2,000. 

Of course, during Black Friday sales, you can find many of these microscopes at lower prices. Some retailers may offer a microscope discount of up to 50% off. The potential for big savings makes the holidays a perfect time to buy a microscope for a loved one or yourself. 

2. Research Different Types of Microscopes and Know the Differences

After you set your budget, you may find it helpful to spend some time researching the different kinds of microscopes. Understanding the key characteristics of each style will make it easier for you to find a great Black Friday deal. 

Compound vs. Stereo vs. Digital

There are three primary types of microscopes: 
 

1. Compound: A compound microscope uses two lenses and lights to magnify specimen slides. Most versions include three or four rotating objective lenses, providing adjustable magnification levels of 4×, 10×, 40×, and 100×. You can use a compound microscope to view small specimens like algae, bacteria, cells, and chromosomes. 
2. Stereo: A stereo microscope has two sets of eyepieces and objective lenses. This double lens system creates two optical paths — one for each eye — to provide a three-dimensional view of specimens. Stereo microscopes have lower optical resolutions than compound microscopes. However, they're popular tools for people who want to study larger objects visible to the naked eye like gems, insects, and plants.  
3. Digital: A digital integrated microscope includes a digital camera that allows you to view crisp images on an integrated screen or attached computer. A digital microscope has several advantages over analog microscopes, such as the ability to easily capture, share, and store images. Digital microscopes also have more accessibility options, like the ability to easily focus the lenses and view images on a large monitor. However, digital microscopes are generally more expensive than compound and stereo microscopes due to their integrated electronics. 

Knowing your budget and the intended uses of the microscope can make it easier to decide among these three types. 

Levels of Magnification, Resolution, and Functions

Once you narrow your search to one kind of microscope, you will also need to compare their features, such as: 

• Levels of magnification: Magnification refers to the amount that a microscope enlarges a specimen. Higher levels of magnification will allow you to view smaller objects. You can determine a microscope’s level of magnification by multiplying the objective lens measurement by the eyepiece measurement. For example, a 40× objective lens combined with a 10× eyepiece will magnify objects 400×.   
• Resolution: A higher-resolution microscope enables you to see more detail when examining specimens. Compound and digital microscopes typically have higher resolutions (40× to 1,000×) than stereo microscopes (6× to 50×). 
• Functions: Depending on their design and intended use, microscopes have different functions. For instance, digital microscopes can transmit images to a computer, and stereo microscopes excel at providing close-up images of 3D objects. 

3. Don't Forget About Important Accessories Like Slides

Black Friday microscope deals often also include accessories. Picking up a few add-ons can make it easier for your gift recipient to start using their microscope right away. 

Important accessories include: 

• Batteries, if the microscope requires them 
• Blank slides
• Cleaning kit 
• Petri dish
• Prepared slides with animal, insect, and plant samples 

4. Start Looking for Sales and Discounted Prices Early

Some retailers will advertise their Black Friday sales in advance. Popular models may sell out quickly, so it can be helpful to start searching for discounts and sales ahead of time. This strategy will allow you to quickly snag the best microscope once Black Friday begins. 

5. Take Advantage of Active Promo Codes

Many websites will also offer promotional codes that lower the price of your microscope even more. Before you make your final purchase, you should search the website and the internet for any active codes that you can pair with Black Friday microscope deals.  

Find the Best Black Friday Microscope Deals at AmScope

As you plan your Black Friday shopping, visit AmScope for the best microscope deals. You can also take advantage of our discounted budget microscopes year-round. Our Black Friday sales make microscope shopping affordable and easy, giving you more money and time to spend on your loved ones during the holidays.