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7 mins read

Discover the composition, properties and laboratory uses of borosilicate glass, including its role in South African mining, water testing, food, pharmaceutical, university and industrial laboratories.

11 mins read

A laboratory desiccator keeps its contents in a dry, low-humidity atmosphere, protecting hygroscopic reagents and moisture-sensitive samples and cooling heated samples for accurate weighing. This guide covers what it is, what it is used for, the main types, the desiccants that go inside, and how it works, with an animated drying cycle and a setup finder.

14 mins read

The Buchner funnel is the standard tool for fast vacuum filtration across South African labs, from minerals and assay work to SANAS-accredited QC. This guide covers what it is, what it is used for, how to set one up step by step, the main materials, and how vacuum filtration works, with an animated apparatus and a funnel finder.

10 mins read

A separating funnel parts two immiscible liquids by density and is central to liquid-liquid extraction, from minerals and assay work to environmental testing and SANAS-accredited QC. This guide walks through what it is, how it works step by step, the pear-shaped and conical types, and how to choose one, with an animated demo and funnel finder.

11 mins read

The beaker is a workhorse of the South African laboratory, at home in minerals and assay work, water and environmental testing, SANAS-accredited quality control and teaching labs. This guide explains what a beaker is, the shapes and materials on offer, and how to choose the right size and grade, with an interactive beaker finder and fill demo.

7 mins read

Cleaning laboratory glassware properly is essential for accurate, safe, and repeatable lab work. This guide explains how to remove stubborn residue from beakers, flasks, bottles, volumetric glassware, and other lab glassware, including grease, dried salts, biological residue, stains, and burnt deposits. It also covers safe cleaning methods, common mistakes, drying and storage tips, and when damaged glassware should be replaced.

7 mins read

Pipette calibration helps laboratories confirm that liquid handling results remain accurate, repeatable, and traceable. This guide explains how pipettes are calibrated to ISO 8655 standards, including gravimetric testing, environmental control, correct tip selection, volume testing, calibration records, and common mistakes to avoid. It also covers when to use in-house calibration and when an external calibration service may be more suitable.

9 mins read

A free molarity and dilution calculator covering four essential lab calculations: C1V1=C2V2 dilution (solve for any unknown), molarity from mass, mass from molarity, and serial dilution table generation. Includes worked examples, a concentration units guide and step-by-step preparation instructions for every result.

9 mins read

Free online buffer preparation calculator. Select your buffer system, enter target pH, concentration and volume, and get an exact lab-ready recipe with reagent masses and step-by-step instructions. Covers PBS, Tris-HCl, sodium phosphate, acetate, HEPES, MOPS and more.

6 mins read

Laboratory balances are essential weighing instruments used to measure samples, reagents, powders, chemicals and materials with accuracy and consistency. They are commonly used in research, education, quality control, pharmaceutical testing, food testing, industrial laboratories and general scientific workflows.

7 mins read

pH meters are essential laboratory instruments used to measure how acidic or alkaline a liquid sample is. They are widely used in research, water testing, food and beverage analysis, education, environmental monitoring, quality control and manufacturing where accurate and repeatable pH measurement is required.

6 mins read

Magnetic stirrers and hot plate stirrers are essential laboratory instruments used for consistent mixing, solution preparation and controlled heating. They are commonly used with beakers, flasks and bottles to dissolve solids, prepare reagents, maintain suspensions and support routine sample preparation across research, education, quality control and industrial laboratories.