Choosing, sizing and running the instruments we sell — from the first spec decision to daily use.

Microscopes

• Best Lab Microscopes for Teaching, Clinical & Research
• Monocular vs Binocular vs Trinocular Microscopes: Laboratory Buying Guide
• The Best Microscope for Parasite Detection: A Complete Guide to LabSupplies.com Options
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Live-Cell Imaging System: 2026 Buying Guide

Centrifuges

• Centrifuge Buyer's Guide: Types, Speeds, and Applications
• Fixed-Angle vs Swinging-Bucket Rotors: Which Do You Need?
• Centrifuge Cost of Ownership: Rotors, Refrigeration and Choosing One Platform

Cold storage

• Buying guideHow to Choose a Laboratory Freezer: 2026 Buying Guide
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Lab Refrigerator or Freezer: 2026 Buying Guide
• ULT Freezer Buying Guide: Chest vs Upright, Siting and Power
• Lab Freezer Temperature Monitoring: Probes, Alarms and Records
• Buying guideMulti-Channel Data Logger Buying Guide
• Buying guideLaboratory Freeze Dryer Buying Guide
• Freeze Dryer Buying Guide: Benchtop vs. Floor Models

Ovens, furnaces, incubators and baths

• Buying guideHow to Choose a Laboratory Oven
• Vacuum Drying Ovens: When Low-Pressure Drying Beats Convection
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Muffle Furnace
• Ashing and Loss on Ignition: Running a Muffle Furnace to a Repeatable Result
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Laboratory Incubator
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Laboratory Heating Bath: 2026 Buying Guide
• Buying guideLaboratory Water Circulator & Cold Trap Buying Guide
• Laboratory Heating and Cooling Equipment Comparison: Water Baths, Dry Baths, and Chillers
• Heating and Cooling Equipment: Modern Lab Guide

Sterilizers and washers

• Buying guideHow to Choose a Laboratory Autoclave & Sterilizer
• Autoclave Loading and Cycle Selection: Liquids, Solids and Waste
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Laboratory Glassware Washer: 2026 Buying Guide

Water, vacuum and evaporation

• Buying guideHow to Choose a Laboratory Water Purification System: 2026 Buying Guide
• Lab Water Purification: Type I, II and III Explained
• Choosing and Protecting a Lab Vacuum Pump
• Vacuum Filtration Systems: Setup, Troubleshooting & Selection
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Rotary Evaporator: 2026 Buying Guide
• Rotary Evaporator Setup and Operation Guide

Clean air, enclosures and workstations

• What Is a Laminar Flow Hood and When Do You Need One?
• Maximizing Lab Precision with PCR Workstations
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Compact Glove Box: 2026 Buying Guide
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Vented Balance Enclosure: 2026 Buying Guide
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Desiccator Cabinet: 2026 Buying Guide

Mixing and general equipment

• Buying guideHow to Choose a Laboratory Stirrer: 2026 Buying Guide
• Buying guideHow to Choose a Laboratory Shaker: 2026 Buying Guide
• Mixing & Stirring Equipment: Magnetic Stirrers, Vortexers & Shakers
• Essential Lab Equipment: Selection, Setup & Maintenance

Tube material, format and closure choices, matched to the run, the rotor and the storage temperature.

• Lab Tubes & Vials: The Definitive Selection Guide
• Test Tube Materials Guide: Glass, Plastic & Specialty Options
• The 5 Best Centrifuge Tubes for PCR and Molecular Biology
• PCR Tubes vs Strips vs Plates: Choosing the Right Format for Your Lab
• Cryogenic Vial Selection: Materials, Seals & Storage
• Sample Vials for HPLC & GC: Buyer's Guide
• Culture Tubes for Microbiology: Glass vs Disposable Plastic
• Tube Caps & Closures: Snap, Screw, and Press-Fit Options
• Sample Cups and Cuvettes: Choosing for Your Analyzer
• Urine Collection Systems for Clinical & Reference Labs

Pipettes, tips and dispensers: selection, accuracy and calibration.

• The Complete Guide to Liquid Handling in the Lab
• Pipette Selection Guide: Manual vs. Automatic, Accuracy, and Ergonomics
• Pipette Tip Selection Guide: How to Choose the Right Tips for Your Lab
• Serological vs Transfer Pipettes: When to Use Each
• Micropipette Calibration & Maintenance Guide
• Bottle Top Dispensers: Precision Liquid Dispensing Guide
• Sterile vs Non-Sterile Reagent Reservoirs

Glassware, measuring instruments and bench essentials.

• Lab Glassware 101: Types, Uses, and Care
• Borosilicate vs Soda-Lime Glass: Which Does Your Lab Need?
• Graduated Cylinder Accuracy: Class A vs Class B
• Lab Flask Types Explained: Erlenmeyer, Volumetric, Round-Bottom
• Lab Balance Selection Guide: Analytical, Precision & Micro
• Lab Thermometers: Immersion Depth, Armored vs FEP, and When to Go Serialized
• Hydrometers and Specific Gravity: Choose the Scale and Range Before Accuracy
• Handheld Refractometers: Brix, Salinity and Why ATC Matters
• Microscope Slides & Cover Glass: Thickness, Coatings & Applications
• Lab Labeling Systems: Surviving Autoclaves, Freezers & Chemicals
• Lab Stands & Support Systems: Clamps, Rings & Bases
• How to Set Up a Cell Culture Workspace

Racks, boxes, trays, specimen transport and waste.

• Lab Storage & Safety Guide: Compliance & Best Practices
• Freezer Boxes: Cardboard vs Polypropylene vs Polycarbonate
• Tube Racks: Universal, Floating & Stackable Options
• Slide Storage & Microscope Slide Accessories Guide
• Lab Ice Trays & Ice Pans: Capacity, Insulation & Lid Options
• Specimen Collection & Transport: Containers, Compliance, Cold Chain
• Biohazard Waste Bags & Containers: Color Coding and Compliance
• Sharps Disposal Best Practices: OSHA Compliance for Labs and Clinics

Media, reagent and wash bottles, carboys, specimen containers and chemical storage.

• Media Bottle Guide: Caps, Materials & Autoclavability
• Reagent Bottle Selection: Glass vs. Plastic, Narrow vs. Wide Mouth
• Wash Bottles: FEP vs LDPE and Nozzle Selection
• Carboys for the Lab: Selection, Spigots and Safe Handling
• Specimen Containers: Cups, Jars and Transport Considerations
• Chemical Storage in the Lab: OSHA and Best Practice Guide

Consumables for combustion, ICP and metallography, by analyzer and method.

• Crucible Selection for Carbon and Sulfur Analyzers
• Tin vs Silver Capsules for CHNS Elemental Analysis
• Certified Reference Materials for Combustion Analysis
• Elemental Analyzer Wear Parts: O-Rings, Boats and Tubing to Keep in Stock
• How to Verify an OEM Cross-Reference Before You Order an Aftermarket Analyzer Part
• ICP Torches and Injectors: Bore Size, Demountable vs One-Piece, and When to Replace
• ICP Nebulizers and Spray Chambers: Choosing for Your Sample Matrix
• Metallographic Sample Prep: Building a Grind and Polish Sequence That Holds Up
• Silicon Carbide Grinding Paper: Grit Sequence, PSA vs Plain Back, and Buying by the 100
• Alumina vs Diamond Polishing: Choosing the Final Step and Buying Suspension in Bulk

Protective equipment and surface disinfection for the lab.

• Lab PPE Requirements: What Every Lab Worker Needs
• Sani-Cloth Disinfectant Wipes: Choosing Wipe Type & Case Size

Instrument reprocessing, high-level disinfection and clinical supplies.

• Building an Instrument Reprocessing Kit: The Complete Checklist
• Enzymatic Instrument Detergents: How to Choose
• Surgical Instrument Cleaning Brushes: A Selection Guide
• Surgical Instrument Lubricants & Rust Inhibitors: How to Choose
• High-Level Disinfection: Choosing a Method and Setting Up the Station
• HLD Test Strips and MEC Monitoring: How to Test a High-Level Disinfectant
• Scalpel Handles & Blade Compatibility Guide
• Surgical Skin Markers: Sterile vs Non-Sterile Selection
• Disposable Biopsy Punches: Size & Selection Guide
• Clinical Lab Supplies Checklist: Essentials for CLIA Labs
• Adult Incontinence Supplies: How to Choose Briefs, Underwear & Underpads

Ordering brand-name equipment, receiving freight, planning budgets and managing stock.

• Buying Brand-Name Lab Equipment: Order by the Full Catalog Number
• Receiving Freight-Delivered Lab Equipment: Weight, Doorways, Power and Damage Checks
• Setting Up a New Lab: Complete Planning Guide
• 2027 Lab Planning Guide: Trends, Budgets, and Must-Haves
• Year-End Lab Procurement: Spending Remaining Budget Wisely
• How to Write a Lab Equipment Grant Proposal
• The Lab Manager's Guide to Inventory Management
• Just-In-Time Inventory for Labs: Cut Consumable Costs