Glassware

Laboratory glassware from Globe Scientific, Heathrow Scientific and VEE GEE — borosilicate beakers, flasks, cylinders and bottles for heating, mixing, measurement and storage.

How to choose

Why borosilicate rather than ordinary glass?

Borosilicate has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, so it takes direct heat and rapid cooling without cracking, and it resists nearly all acids and solvents. Soda-lime glass is cheaper but will crack under thermal shock — which is why anything meeting a hot plate, burner or autoclave should be borosilicate.

Is graduated glassware accurate enough to measure with?

Beakers and Erlenmeyer flasks are graduated for rough guidance only — typically ±5% — and are not measuring vessels. Use a graduated cylinder for working accuracy and volumetric glassware where the number matters. Measuring in a beaker is the most common quiet source of error on a bench.

Can borosilicate glassware go in the autoclave?

Yes, and it is routine. Loosen or remove closures so pressure equalises, avoid sudden cooling on the way out, and inspect for star cracks and chips before reuse — a chipped rim or a scratched base is where a failure under heat begins.

30 products