Purchasing High-Quality Lab Equipment: a How-To Guide
A variety of equipment is required for a laboratory to function, whether that be at a school, research lab, or medical lab. Upon entering a lab, you'll likely see countless pieces of equipment used to perform different tasks.
In the following article, we'll discuss what lab equipment is used for, which industries use these pieces of equipment, and the most trusted brands you can turn to when purchasing equipment for your own lab.
What is lab equipment used for?
Laboratory equipment is the tools and devices used in a lab to perform a variety of tasks, depending on the type of laboratory.
These devices and tools can be used for mixing and preparing solutions, cleaning vessels, or weighing objects. Traditional items used in labs include ring stands, evaporating dishes, beakers, Erlenmeyer flasks, and many more.
Lab equipment works much like the human body and its organs: each is important, fulfills a unique role, and contributes to the overall function and performance of a laboratory.
Which industries use lab equipment?
Labs can be found in various sectors of the workforce including:
- Diagnostics
- Educational labs
- Medical labs
- Manufacturing
- Research and development
- Quality assurance
Reusable and disposable products
The products within a lab are generally divided between reusable and disposable products.
Disposable products can generally not be used more than once or twice. These may include testing tubes, rubber gloves, plastic counter chambers, and microtiter plates.
On the other hand, reusable products can be used more than once and are built to last. In the case of machinery, these items are long-term investments that will not likely require replacement. These include freezers, burners, hot plates, incubators, fume hoods, stirrers, balances, and pipettors.
Where do you buy lab equipment?
Buying lab equipment may seem overwhelming, so where does one start? Make your lab purchases as easy as possible by buying through AmScope, a one-stop shop for all your high-quality lab equipment needs.
On the AmScope website, you can shop according to brand or category, which makes navigating the wide variety of lab equipment extremely easy. AmScope sells both reusable and disposable products, and it carries some of the biggest brands in the industry.
AmScope takes great care to only stock high-quality, trusted brands, so you can rest assured that you’ll be purchasing premium equipment.
The top 5 things to look for when buying lab equipment
With so many lab products on the market, you may wonder how to go about choosing the right piece of equipment. Below is a list of tips to keep in mind and consider before purchasing lab equipment.
1. Choose the right product for your application
Before purchasing equipment for a lab, determine which task you want to complete with the equipment. Ensure that this task can be well executed with the product you have in mind.
2. Choose a trusted brand
Due to high levels of functionality and quality, lab equipment is generally expensive. Therefore, it is recommended to only purchase lab equipment from well-known, reputable, and trusted brands.
Some of the most trusted brands in the industry are:
OHAUS Corporation manufactures an extensive line of balances and scales that meet the demands of almost any weighing need. They are an ISO 9001:2008 manufacturer, and their products are precise, reliable, and affordable.
Scilogex products include a wide variety of innovative equipment designed to meet the requirements of any laboratory. This includes benchtop equipment such as balances, stirrers, shakers, and a wide assortment of liquid handling equipment. Scilogex products are manufactured in ISO9001 certified facilities and are cTUVus certified for UL and CSA
The A&D Company is a world leader in the design and manufacturing of precision measurement and product inspection equipment for health care, laboratory, and other industrial markets. A&D is committed to the highest quality standards and is an ISO9001 certified company.
Globe Scientific offers a wide variety of high-quality laboratory supplies for multiple applications. This includes test tubes, weighing dishes, and blood collections supplies to pipette tips. Globe Scientific is an ISO 9001:2015 certified worldwide supplier of laboratory plasticware, glassware, and benchtop equipment.
AmScope is a proud supplier of all these trusted brands and takes pride in offering only high-quality lab equipment.
3. How will it fit into your workspace?
Before purchasing equipment for your lab workspace, measure your laboratory space and check the product specs before you finalize a purchase. Some lab equipment can take up significant space, so it’s best to be sure it will fit in your workspace.
4. Look at the quality of components and constructions
When it comes to laboratory products, you don’t want to be disappointed by the quality. The components of a piece of lab equipment are crucial to the outcome of your experiment or test, so check that the components and construction are high quality. One way of doing this is by only purchasing from trusted brands, such as the ones mentioned earlier in this article, known for their excellent components and design.
5. Consider the capacity limitations of a particular model
Whether it’s liquid, weight, or temperature, it's important to consider the capacity limitations of a certain model of equipment. In your line of work, you may work with multiple samples at a time, in which case, a piece of equipment with low capacity limitations won’t be a good fit.
Determine the highest capacity limitation you need, and shop for products accordingly.
Final word
In this article, we’ve discussed what lab equipment is and how one should shop for and purchase it. Although this task might seem overwhelming, AmScope is a trusted supplier of high-quality brands such as OHAUS, Scilogex, A&D weighing, and Globe Scientific. AmScope makes it easier than ever to navigate equipment that you can trust and find the right fit for your lab.