Best Biology Lab Equipment for Schools and Students

Everything you need to explore life of all sizes.

Collage of school biology lab equipment, including an incubator and dissection tools
We Are Teachers; Flinn Scientific; Carolina

Lab sciences are a favorite of many students, especially those that love hands-on practice and application. We’ve rounded up the best biology lap equipment and supplies, all from top science equipment suppliers you can trust.

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Biology Lab Safety Equipment

Find even more lab safety equipment here, and don’t forget to grab our free printable lab safety posters!

Clear plastic safety goggles with a black elastic strap
Fisher Scientific

Goggles

Eye protection is absolutely vital when you’re working with chemicals. These goggles are basic and affordable, and they’re the right size for teens. (If you need child-sized goggles, check out this option from Amazon.)

Buy it: Pyramex G205 Series Chemical Splash Goggles 

Black nitrile glove next to a box of more gloves
Amazon

Disposable Gloves

You can buy disposable gloves in a variety of places, but you’ll want to make sure they’re both latex-free and chemical-resistant. Consider keeping several sizes on hand to ensure a good fit for all students.

Buy it: Black Nitrile Gloves, 100 ct. 

Adapter attached to a gooseneck faucet to turn it into a lab eyewash station
Carolina

Eyewash Station

This clever faucet mount turns your lab sink into an instant eyewash station in case of emergency. It’s easy to install and to use.

Buy it: Eyewash Faucet Mount for Standard Faucet

Plastic biohazard disposal bags marked with appropriate symbols
Flinn Scientific

Biohazard Disposal Bags

Use these to collect and dispose of waste that has come into contact with contaminants. You might also find it helpful to have a large biohazard trash bin in the lab too.

Buy it: Biohazard Disposal Bags

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Three bottles containing powders to deal with spills in a science lab setting
Flinn Scientific

Spill-Control Kit

Various spilled substances call for different controls. This kit includes sand, acid neutralizer, and a super-absorbent material to help handle most science lab spills.

Buy it: Spill-Control Kit

Microscopes and Optics

Compound microscope with accessories
Amazon

Student Microscopes

Microscopes are among the most important biology lab equipment, and the more you can afford to make available to students, the better. This economical model from Celestron boasts great optics at an affordable price.

Buy it: Celestron Monocular Head Compound Microscope 40-800x Magnification

Digital microscope with a laptop and blown-up images of microscopic cells
Amazon

Digital Camera Microscope

This is an excellent microscope for teachers in the classroom. Use it to take pictures to incorporate into lessons or lectures, or connect the microscope to your laptop and project live images directly during class.

Buy it: AmScope 40X-2500X Digital Microscope with 5MP USB Camera

Slide prep set with glass slides, slide covers, and wipes
Flinn Scientific

Slide Prep Sets

Use these kits to prepare samples for viewing under the microscope lens. They’re available with both glass and plastic slides.

Buy it: Slide Prep Sets

Digital microscope with a large LCD display screen, focused on an American penny
Amazon

Stereoscope

When you’re examining larger objects, a microscope doesn’t provide enough working room. That’s when a stereoscope comes in handy. This one is incredibly easy to use, and the large digital display makes it easy to share the view with your entire class.

Buy it: Leipan LCD Stereoscope Microscope

White lighted 30X magnifying glass with handle and lighted rim
Amazon

Magnifying Glass

Sometimes all you really need is a good magnifying glass. This one ups the ante with included LED lighting, making it easy to take a close look at any object.

Buy it: Nazano 30X Lighted Magnifying Glass

Biology Labware

Five test tubes in various sizes with blue labels
Flinn Scientific

Test Tubes

Test tubes are one of those chemistry lab equipment items you’ll need to buy in bulk, whether in glass or plastic. Don’t forget to stock up on stoppers as well; this bulk set from Carolina offers both solid and holed stoppers.

Buy it: Polypropylene Test Tubes or Borosilicate Glass Test Tubes

A set of chemistry lab equipment tools, including test tube rack, crucible tongs, scoop, tweezers, and more
Carolina

Test Tube Rack and Tools

Get a little bit of everything in this set: six-hole test tube rack, test tube brush, test tube clamp, crucible tongs, lab scoop, spatula, and forceps.

Buy it: Deluxe Lab Toolkit

Round glass petri dishes against a black background
Carolina

Petri Dishes

Stock up on an array of different petri dishes, both in glass and disposable plastic. You might also want some divided dishes, and you’ll definitely want a good supply of different types of agar and other media.

Buy it: Disposable Plastic Petri Dishes and Glass Petri Dishes

Five glass beakers filled with various colored liquids
Flinn Scientific

Glass Beakers and Flasks

Glass labware can be properly sanitized and reused over and over again, making it worth the investment. You’ll want a selection of beakers and flasks in a variety of sizes.

Buy it: Borosilicate Glass Beakers and Economy Choice Borosilicate Erlenmeyer Flasks

Glass droppers with rubber bulbs
Amazon

Droppers and Pipettes

Use these to transfer small amounts of liquids and measure more precisely. Glass pipettes can be cleaned and reused, while inexpensive plastic ones are disposable.

Buy it: 20-Pack Glass Droppers or 150-Piece Plastic Transfer Pipettes

Dissection Equipment

Rectangular aluminum dissection pan with a bottom layer of black wax
Amazon

Dissection Pans

Every bio lab needs plenty of dissection equipment, including basic wax-filled trays. This economy option is great for classrooms that need prepared trays in bulk.

Buy it: Dr. Stitch Wax-Filled Aluminum Dissection Pan

Set of dissecting tools including a ruler, pins, dropper, forceps, tweezers, probe, and scalpel
Carolina

Dissection Tool Set

These sets make it easy to ensure your students will all have the cutting and examination tools they need. It includes a scalpel, forceps, pins, probe, and more.

Buy it: Standard Dissecting Set

Divided plastic box of T-pins in various sizes
Amazon

Dissection Pins

Just like any type of pins, you can never have too many of these. This set of T-pins comes in a variety of sizes and is affordable enough to buy multiples for your classroom.

Buy it: Outus Steel T-Pins

Stacked sterile specimen cups with blue plastic lids and labels
Amazon

Sterile Specimen Containers

To avoid cross-contamination in extra-sensitive situations, stock up on sealed sterile cups like these. Depending on what you use them for, you can always wash them afterwards and add them to your store of general collecting containers.

Buy it: SNL Sterile 4 oz. Specimen Cups, 12-Pack

Biology Lab Equipment Appliances and Tools

Small digital thermometer with metal probe and plastic case
Flinn Scientific

Thermometer

Get the most accurate (and easy) readings with digital thermometers. This pocket-size version has its own case to protect the probe.

Buy it: Digital Pocket Thermometer

Digital scale with a cover, weighing a small seashell
Carolina

Scale

This little pocket scale is very accurate, but also very affordable, so you can keep a bunch in your lab for all students to use. It’s available in two sizes too.

Buy it: Carolina Electronic Pocket Scale

Small biology lab hot plate with fixer rod
Carolina

Hot Plate/Stirrer

When you need heat for culturing cells or preparing samples, this inexpensive hot plate is a terrific option in school classrooms. It includes a sensor fixing rod and stir rod.

Buy it: Hot Plate/Stirrer

Small square black incubator for use in a biology lab
Flinn Scientific

Incubator

This basic lab incubator is perfect for school biology labs. Use it to incubate eggs, cultures, and other biologicals.

Buy it: Flinn Scientific Lab Incubator

Compact refrigerator with clear glass door and multiple wire shelves
Carolina

Refrigerator

Sometimes you need to heat things up, and other times you want to keep them cold! Almost any refrigerator will do, but this one is optimized for lab use with multiple shelves and a glass door so you can see what’s inside.

Buy it: Compact Laboratory Refrigerator

Countertop autoclave for use in a lab or office
Amazon

Autoclave

Biology labs need some way to sterilize instruments, and an autoclave is easier and safer than boiling. If you can’t afford the higher-end models, check out this portable model that’s a little more economical.

Buy it: Tuttnauer 1739 Valueklave

Countertop centrifuge with analog dials, for use in a biology lab
Flinn Scientific

Centrifuge

This isn’t necessarily a must for every school lab, but so many experiments and demos require one that it’s worth the investment. This model is available in analog or digital, whichever fits your budget.

Buy it: Centrifuge

Now that your biology lab is stocked, check out the Best Science Websites for Middle and High School!

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