At-Home Laboratory: Chemistry Lab Equipment & Supplies

October 20, 2020

Chemistry Lab Equipment Collage - Colorimeter, mortar and pestle, buchner funnel, and molecular model

Exploring the world of chemistry typically involves a laboratory setting to conduct experiments and projects, especially if you’re doing it at home. While you could carry out tests and trials on your kitchen counter, living room coffee table or your study desk, it wouldn’t be entirely safe. Ideally, you need some space to keep your chemistry lab equipment.

The solution for this will be setting up your own chemistry laboratory. And what is a laboratory without supplies and equipment?

When it comes to setting up a lab in your home, one of the most important things to keep in mind is to separate home from the actual laboratory.

Some of the chemicals you might use can be safely cleaned, but other chemicals—such as any compound containing mercury—can pose too great a health risk to your children and pets. With this, you’ll want to make sure to maintain a separate stock of glassware, measuring utensils, and cookware for your home lab.

To achieve your dream at-home laboratory, check out the suggested list of supplies and equipment that you can purchase from Wiltronics.

Chemistry Lab Equipment

Time to gather up your chemistry equipment!

Note: After an experiment has been done, keep safety and environmental impact in mind when cleaning up. Many chemicals should not be disposed of down the drain or in general rubbish, visit your local council website to locate a safe disposal site.

1. IEC Sodium Light Source

This low-cost IEC Sodium Lamp & Power Supply (LQ3792-125) is a compact and self-contained instrument for operating Spectral Lamps used for optical work. It makes an excellent Sodium light source for the IEC Spectrometer when doing ‘AA’ experiments.

The ventilated top cap can be removed to allow the rear face of the ‘chimney’ to slide from the chimney. The spectral lamp plugs into a socket for easy replacement too! This can be a long slot, a large hole, a 4.5mm hole, a 2.5mm hole or complete closure.

Other product features include:

Perform atomic absorption experiments with the IEC Spectrometer & Colorimeter
Runs on standard mains power
Designed to proper engineering standards of electrical safety
Takes up very little space in the lab thanks to the compact design

2. IEC Digital Colorimeter

The IEC Colorimeter (LQ1003-001) is a high-quality colourimeter ideal for students when measuring concentrations of chemical solutions. The good thing about this product is that it features an LCD that can provide either “Transmission” or “Absorption” measurements.

The internal microprocessor performs automatic zero and calibrations. Not to mention the internal light source that can be selected as red, yellow, green or blue.

It operates from 9V battery for full portability but can be run from standard 240/12VAC Plug Pack if the battery is flat. “Lo Batt” indication is provided.

Mortar and Pestle - One glass and one porcelain

3. Mortar & Pestle

Fantastic for laboratory use, these heavy-duty mortar & pestles (available in porcelain or glass) are ideal for grinding solids into smaller pieces or a fine powder. A great tool to round out your chemistry lab equipment!

Mortar & Pestle Glass Collection

60mm Diameter – Glass Mortar & Pestle (LG1383-60)
75mm Diameter – Glass Mortar & Pestle (LG1383-75)
90mm Diameter – Glass Mortar & Pestle (LG1383-90)
120mm Diameter – Glass Mortar & Pestle (LG1383-120)
150mm Diameter – Glass Mortar & Pestle (LG1383-150)

Mortar & Pestle Porcelain Collection

60mm Diameter – Porcelain Mortar & Pestle (LC1383-60)
80mm Diameter – Porcelain Mortar & Pestle (LC1383-80)
100mm Diameter – Porcelain Mortar & Pestle (LC1383-100)
130mm Diameter – Porcelain Mortar & Pestle (LC1383-130)
160mm Diameter – Porcelain Mortar & Pestle (LC1383-160)
210mm Diameter – Porcelain Mortar & Pestle (LC1383-216)

Fisherman Filter Paper

4. Filter Paper

Filter paper is a semi-permeable paper that is used to separate fine solid particles from liquids or gasses. It retains the impurities on the surface as well as within the matrix of the filters. It’s essential equipment for your chemistry lab!

Supplied in boxes of 100 pieces, the filter paper we offer here at Wiltronics are made out of high quality & lint-free materials for qualitative analysis and general laboratory use. They are available as Fisherman brand or a generic option.

From 50mm to 185mm filter paper, you can check out our great range of Fisherman 100-pack filter paper here for very affordable prices!

Molecular Model Kit (179 Pieces)

5. Atomic Model Sets

These Atomic and Molecular Model Sets allow you and your students to visualise the bonds between atoms in three dimensions—ideal for schools and chemistry labs.

Sodium Chloride Molecular Model Set (LQ7960) – This sodium chloride molecular model set helps students learn how crystals are structured. It contains pieces which simply slot together and can be re-used.
Graphite Molecular Model Set (LQ7962) – This graphite molecular model set helps students learn how the layered structure of graphite gives it its slippery property. Ideal for chemistry labs.
Molecular Model Kit (179 Pieces) (LQ7956) – Each atom has the same number of holes as the number of valence electrons it needs to complete its outer shell. For example, Carbon has four electrons in its outer shell, so it needs four more to be complete. While the black carbon ball has four holes, allowing it to form four bonds and gain the electronics it needs. With this set, you can demonstrate single bonds using the short white rods, and double or triple bonds using the long grey rods.

Buchner Funnels - Polypropylene and porcelain

6. Buchner Funnels

Named after an industrial chemist called Ernst Büchner, a Buchner funnel is a laboratory tool that is used to filter or separate a liquid from a solid. Here, we have Buchner funnels available in both porcelain & and 2-piece polypropylene types, in a range of sizes.

Polypropylene Buchner Funnels

A range of 2-piece polypropylene Buchner funnels for filtration purposes in the lab. Buchner funnels are made from robust polypropylene, and are used in combination with a filtering flask so that vacuum suction can be applied, thus speeding up the filtration process.

70mm Buchner Filter Funnel Polypropylene (LP1510PP-70)
130mm Buchner Filter Funnel Polypropylene (LP1510PP-130)

Porcelain Buchner Funnels

A range of porcelain Buchner funnels for filtration purposes in the lab. These buchner funnels are made from acid & alkali resistant porcelain and are fully autoclavable.

50mm Buchner Funnel Filter Porcelain (LC1510-50)
70mm Buchner Funnel Filter Porcelain (LC1510-70)
80mm Buchner Funnel Filter Porcelain (LC1510-80)
90mm Buchner Funnel Filter Porcelain (LC1510-90)
110mm Buchner Funnel Filter Porcelain (LC1510-110)
125mm Buchner Funnel Filter Porcelain (LC1510-125)
150mm Buchner Funnel Filter Porcelain (LC1510-150)

Lab Coat White Large

7. Laboratory Coats

Just like laboratory glassware supplies, a lab coat acts as a barrier that protects you against the chemicals you work with. These lab coats ensure your normal clothes, as well as your skin and body, are secured from spills, splashes, drops, and even unanticipated chemical reactions.

Here, we have educational grade Terylene cotton lab coats perfect for classroom use! Available in small, medium and large, you can now have a new lab coat for the price that others will sell a second hand one for. The Terylene cotton mix makes these coats durable and hard-wearing for even the busiest lab.

Uvex Ultravision Safety Goggles

8. Safety Glasses

You should wear safety glasses every time you’re exposed to harmful chemicals or any substances that could potentially harm your eyes. Remember, your vision is one of your assets that needs to be protected while working in the lab.

Check out our collection of affordable yet high-quality safety glasses available on our website below.

Safety Splash Goggles / Vented Anti-Fog – These Safety Splash Goggles have indirect venting to protect against chemical splashes. Made from polycarbonate PC, the lenses provide protection from medium impact.
Full Face Safety Visor – This Prosafe Armadillo full-face safety visor protects against high-velocity impact and chemical splashes. Also, the unique design employs chin protection and a comfortable adjustable fit. Perfect for all laboratory technicians.
Uvex Ultravision Safety Glasses – These uvex ultra vision goggles have anti-fog lenses and provide medium-impact protection in a high-performance sports design. They also feature wide distortion-free vision and effective ventilation, they provide a close fit for maximum comfort.

$Latex Gloves$

9. Gloves

Another essential safety item that should be part of you chemistry lab equipment supply is gloves. Wearing gloves can protect your hands against skin absorption of chemicals, chemical burns, thermal burns, lacerations, and more.

Keep in mind that lab gloves can only offer you enough protection when you follow the best safety practices. Now, if you’re looking for disposable gloves that are ideal for examination and dissection purposes, we have a range of disposable ones below (sold in boxes of 100).