This category covers beakers from 1 mL to 10 L in glass and plastic. Borosilicate glass beakers come in low form (Griffin) and tall form styles, most with a spout and dual-scale graduations, including ASTM E960 types and heavy-duty versions. Plastic options include polypropylene, HDPE and PTFE beakers, tri-corner polypropylene beakers, beakers with handles, graduated sets of five sizes, and disposable polystyrene beakers sold in bulk for sampling and weighing. Brands include Globe Scientific, United Scientific Supplies, Eisco Scientific and Pyrex.
Choose the material first. Borosilicate glass handles heating and most chemicals, polypropylene is shatter-resistant and suits many acids and bases at moderate temperatures, PTFE resists almost all chemicals, and disposable polystyrene avoids washing and cross-contamination. Then pick the capacity with some headroom above your working volume, low or tall form, and whether you need heavy-duty walls. Beaker graduations are approximate, so use volumetric glassware for accurate measurement, and compare pack quantities when ordering.
Lab beakers range from very small sizes such as 1, 5 and 10 mL, used for micro work and weighing, through the common 50, 100, 150, 250, 400, 500, 600 and 1000 mL sizes, up to large 2, 3, 4 and 10 L beakers for bulk mixing. Choose a size with room to spare above your working volume to allow for stirring and avoid spills.
A low form beaker, also called a Griffin beaker, is roughly one and a half times as tall as it is wide, and it is the general-purpose shape for mixing, heating and holding liquids. A tall form beaker, sometimes called a Berzelius beaker, is narrower and taller for the same volume, which reduces splashing and makes it useful for titrations and for working with electrodes or stirrers.
Use borosilicate glass when you need to heat a liquid on a hot plate, see it clearly, or work with organic solvents. Plastic beakers do not shatter, so they are safer for teaching labs and fieldwork, and polypropylene resists many acids and bases. PTFE beakers are used for highly corrosive chemicals. Polypropylene and other common plastic beakers should not be heated directly on a hot plate or flame.
No. Graduations on beakers are approximate and are meant for estimating volumes, not measuring them. When accuracy matters, measure with a graduated cylinder, volumetric pipette or volumetric flask, and then transfer the liquid to the beaker. Glass beakers that meet ASTM E960 have standardized dimensions and markings, but they are still not volumetric glassware.
Lab Procurement Services carries 658 Beakers products from Globe Scientific, United Scientific Supplies and Eisco Scientific LLC. Order online, or contact us for volume pricing and help choosing the right product.
Related categories: Bottles and Jars, Plastic · Flasks · Caps and Closures · Graduated Cylinders · Bottles and Jars, Glass · Funnels · Carboys · Cryogenic Vials · All Containers
Top brands: Globe Scientific · United Scientific Supplies · Eisco Scientific LLC
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