Find
Which supplies do I need?
Choose what you are doing. Each list is split into what you need, what is worth adding, and what you can skip.
What are you doing?
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Set up a clean work area
A clean, organized surface before you start anything.
You need
- View on Amazon: Nitrile Gloves (opens in a new tab)
Protect your hands and your work, without the latex allergies some people have.
- View on Amazon: Low-Lint Lab Wipes (opens in a new tab)
Better than paper towels for drying glassware or cleaning anything that must stay lint-free.
- View on Amazon: Alcohol Prep Pads (opens in a new tab)
A quick single-use wipe for container tops, tools and small surfaces.
Worth adding
- View on Amazon: Vial Rack (opens in a new tab)
Keeps a working set steady and readable while you label or check it.
- View on Amazon: General Lab Tool Set (opens in a new tab)
Small steel tools handle dry materials cleanly and wipe down easily between uses.
You can skip
Expensive benchtop organizers. A tray or a vial rack does the same job for a fraction of the price.
Store items cold at home
Keep temperature-sensitive items steady in a fridge.
You need
- View on Amazon: Mini Refrigerator (opens in a new tab)
A dedicated fridge stays steadier than a busy kitchen fridge and keeps supplies away from food.
- View on Amazon: Refrigerator Thermometer (opens in a new tab)
The fridge dial is a setting; this shows the temperature your items actually sit at.
- View on Amazon: Vial Storage Case (opens in a new tab)
Stops vials knocking together and makes it easy to see at a glance what is missing.
Worth adding
- View on Amazon: Temperature Data Logger (opens in a new tab)
Shows what happened overnight or during a power cut, not just the reading right now.
- View on Amazon: Insulated Storage Bag (opens in a new tab)
Handy for keeping a small set of items cool while you work away from the fridge.
- View on Amazon: Freezer-Safe Labels (opens in a new tab)
Ordinary stickers peel in the fridge; these keep contents and dates attached.
You can skip
Thermoelectric "beverage" coolers. They swing with room temperature and often cannot hold fridge temperatures on a warm day.
Transport items that must stay cold
Move temperature-sensitive items from one place to another.
You need
- View on Amazon: Insulated Travel Case (opens in a new tab)
Holds temperature on the move far better than an ordinary bag, and a firm shell protects glass.
- View on Amazon: Reusable Cold Packs (opens in a new tab)
Keep an insulated case cold for hours and go straight back in the freezer afterward.
- View on Amazon: Refrigerator Thermometer (opens in a new tab)
The fridge dial is a setting; this shows the temperature your items actually sit at.
Worth adding
- View on Amazon: Organizer Pouch (opens in a new tab)
Keeps labels, wipes and small tools together so nothing goes missing.
- View on Amazon: Temperature Data Logger (opens in a new tab)
Shows what happened overnight or during a power cut, not just the reading right now.
You can skip
Loose ice in a zip bag. It melts, soaks labels and gives no steady temperature.
Organize and label
Know what everything is and when it was opened.
You need
- View on Amazon: Freezer-Safe Labels (opens in a new tab)
Ordinary stickers peel in the fridge; these keep contents and dates attached.
- View on Amazon: Vial Storage Case (opens in a new tab)
Stops vials knocking together and makes it easy to see at a glance what is missing.
- View on Amazon: Vial Rack (opens in a new tab)
Keeps a working set steady and readable while you label or check it.
Worth adding
- View on Amazon: Label Maker (opens in a new tab)
Printed labels stay readable through handling and condensation where handwriting smudges.
- View on Amazon: Organizer Pouch (opens in a new tab)
Keeps labels, wipes and small tools together so nothing goes missing.
You can skip
Paper tape and regular stickers. They peel off in the cold and smudge when wet.
Measure and test
Weigh small amounts, measure volumes and check pH.
You need
- View on Amazon: Digital Milligram Scale (opens in a new tab)
Most kitchen scales only read to the nearest gram; small amounts need a scale built for them.
- View on Amazon: Laboratory Glassware Set (opens in a new tab)
Beakers for holding and mixing, cylinders for accurate volumes: the core of most bench work.
- View on Amazon: pH Test Strips (opens in a new tab)
The quickest rough pH check, with nothing to calibrate or charge.
Worth adding
- View on Amazon: Digital pH Meter (opens in a new tab)
When a strip is not precise enough, a calibrated meter gives a value you can record.
- View on Amazon: General Lab Tool Set (opens in a new tab)
Small steel tools handle dry materials cleanly and wipe down easily between uses.
You can skip
Kitchen and postal scales. They usually read to the nearest gram, far too coarse for small amounts.
Dispose of sharps and broken glass
Keep anything that can cut out of the regular trash.
You need
- View on Amazon: Sharps Container (opens in a new tab)
Keeps blades and broken glass out of household trash. Check local rules for disposal.
- View on Amazon: Nitrile Gloves (opens in a new tab)
Protect your hands and your work, without the latex allergies some people have.
Worth adding
- View on Amazon: Low-Lint Lab Wipes (opens in a new tab)
Better than paper towels for drying glassware or cleaning anything that must stay lint-free.
You can skip
Soda bottles and coffee cans. Many local programs only accept approved sharps containers.
How these lists are made
Each list starts from what the task actually requires, then adds items that make it easier or safer. "You can skip" names the common purchase that is not worth it. Nothing is included because it pays a higher commission.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product links on this site go to Amazon. Qualifying purchases may earn me a commission at no additional cost to you, and Amazon handles the order. Affiliate Disclosure