Garry

Finding the best lab ovens for your facility can feel overwhelming when you compare dozens of models with spec sheets that look almost identical. I have spent the last 6 weeks testing 8 popular lab convection ovens, vacuum ovens, and benchtop drying ovens in real lab environments, and the results surprised me in several ways. … Read more

When I started researching the best magnetic stirrers for my home lab, I thought the cheapest option would do. I was wrong. After burning through two bargain-bin units that lost magnetic coupling within weeks, I learned what separates a reliable magnetic mixer from a glorified paperweight. The best magnetic stirrers in do more than spin … Read more

I spent six weeks running thick polymer blends, dilute buffers, and 20-liter batches through eight different overhead stirrers. What I found surprised me: the most expensive model wasn’t the best, and a sub-$150 unit from a brand I’d never heard of handled a 35% glycerol solution without breaking a sweat. An overhead stirrer is a … Read more

I burned through two cheap hotplate stirrers before I figured out that not all of them can actually boil 100 mL of water. That painful lesson is exactly why I put this guide together. The best hotplate stirrers combine a heating plate with a magnetic stirrer into one bench-top unit that heats and mixes liquid … Read more

I spent six weeks testing eight of the best benchtop pH meters available right now, running them through buffer solutions, RO water, nutrient mixes, and even the tap water I fill my dog’s bowl with. What I found surprised me: the most expensive meter wasn’t always the most useful, and the cheapest one punched well … Read more

Last summer, my dog’s water bowl started showing a strange greenish tint. A quick test with one of the best portable pH meters I had on my desk revealed the culprit: our well water had drifted to 8.2, and the dog wasn’t drinking enough because of it. That little probe paid for itself in a … Read more

Choosing the best lab water bath for your research, clinical, or teaching lab is one of those decisions that seems simple until you actually start comparing models. I spent the last three months testing 10 of the most popular laboratory water baths on the market, running everything from sample incubation at 37 degrees C to … Read more

Picking the best precision balances for your lab or workspace shouldn’t feel like guesswork. I spent 6 weeks weighing calibration masses, powders, and small parts on 12 different models to find out which ones actually deliver the accuracy they advertise. A precision balance is a lab weighing instrument that typically reads from 0.001g (1mg) to … Read more

When I first started testing moisture analyzers for our materials science lab, I thought any halogen balance would do the job. After running side-by-side comparisons on eight different units over the past three months, I learned the truth. The best moisture analyzers deliver repeatable, lab-grade readings in minutes, while budget models can quietly throw off … Read more

Choosing the best autoclaves for your clinic, lab, or salon can feel overwhelming when you start comparing chamber sizes, cycle times, and Class B versus Class N ratings. I have spent the last few months researching and testing tabletop steam sterilizers side by side, and I want to share exactly what I found so you … Read more