Laboratories—whether in educational institutions, research facilities, industrial settings, or medical/clinical labs—rely on a broad array of equipment. These range from simple glassware to advanced instrumentation. A good understanding of the common equipment helps in planning, procurement, safety, and efficient workflow. One of the key manufacturers supplying many types of lab equipment in India is H.L. Scientific Industries, established in 1963 and offering a wide product range of scientific, educational and lab instruments.
50 common laboratory equipment items (grouped by category) and highlight how H.L. Scientific may serve as a supplier for many of them.
Equipment List (50 Items)
Glassware & Plasticware
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Beaker – cylindrical container with spout, used for mixing, heating, and holding liquids.
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Erlenmeyer flask (conical flask) – narrow neck and wider base, ideal for swirling fluids without spillage.
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Volumetric flask – used for preparing solutions of precise volumes.
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Graduated cylinder – for measuring liquid volumes more accurately than beakers.
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Test tube – small cylindrical glass tube used for reactions, assays, heating small samples.
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Petri dish – shallow round dish used for culturing microorganisms (biology/ microbiology labs).
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Funnels – used to channel liquids or fine-grained substances into containers with small openings.
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Pipette (graduated or volumetric) – for transferring precise volumes of liquid.
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Burette – graduated glass tube with a stopcock at its base; used in titrations.
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Reagent bottle / storage bottle – glass or plastic container for storing reagents, solutions.
Heating, Drying & Sterilising Equipment
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Hot plate – a flat surface heater used to heat containers.
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Bunsen burner – gas-flame burner for heating or combustion experiments.
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Drying oven / hot air oven – for drying glassware or sterilising equipment by hot air.
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Autoclave (steam steriliser) – for sterilising media, labware using pressurised steam.
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Heating mantle – used to heat flasks that may contain flammable solvents; provides uniform heating.
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Water bath / thermostatic bath – uses water (or oil) to maintain sample at controlled temperature.
Mixing, Separation & Measurement
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Magnetic stirrer – uses a rotating magnetic field to stir solutions via a magnetic stir bar.
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Centrifuge – spins samples at high speed to separate components by density.
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Spectrophotometer – measures how much light a chemical substance absorbs; used in chemistry/biochemistry.
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pH meter – measures acidity/alkalinity of a solution via a probe and electronic read-out.
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Balance / analytical balance – for measuring mass with high precision.
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Thermometer / digital thermometer / thermocouple – for measuring temperature of samples or equipment.
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Microscope – to visualize small or microscopic structures (cells, tissues, microorganisms).
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Cuvette and cell – used with spectrophotometer for holding liquid samples.
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Evaporating dish / crucible – for evaporating solvents or igniting samples during analysis.
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Stirring rod – glass or plastic rod used to mix or stir manually.
Apparatus & Stand Equipment
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Retort stand / clamp stand with boss head and clamps – allows mounting of apparatus (flasks, funnels, etc).
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Ring stand / iron ring – supports apparatus above a Bunsen burner or hot plate.
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Tripod stand – three-legged stand to support equipment over a flame.
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Tongs, forceps, tweezers – for handling hot items or delicate samples.
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Graduated pipette filler / pipette controller – for safe manual pipetting of liquids.
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Volumetric pipette – for very accurate measurement of a single volume.
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Glass rod with rubber policeman – for stirring and transferring precipitates.
Safety & Support Equipment
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Fume hood / laminar air flow cabinet – protects operator from harmful fumes or provides clean airflow. H.L. Scientific lists “Laminar Air Flows” in its product range.
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Safety goggles / face shield – eye protection from chemical splashes or debris.
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Lab coat / apron / gloves (disposable and reusable) – personal protection equipment.
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Fire extinguisher – for immediate response to lab fires (appropriate class for chemicals).
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Spill kit / absorbent pads – for managing chemical spills safely.
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Bio-safety cabinet – for biological sample handling under sterile conditions; appears in H.L. Scientific’s list.
Specialized/Instrumentation Equipment
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Interferometer / optical bench – for advanced physics experiments (H.L. Scientific manufactures Michelson Interferometer apparatus).
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Spectrometer / spectrograph – for analyzing light spectra or chemical composition.
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Microtome – for slicing thin sections of tissue for microscopy.
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Tissue processor – used in histology labs to prepare tissue specimens; listed in H.L. Scientific’s product range.
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Laminar flow cabinet – for sterile work (already mentioned above).
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Mortuary chamber / embalming machine – specialized equipment for medicolegal/forensic labs; H.L. Scientific lists mortuary chambers.
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Tablet-making machine / rotary shaker – pharmaceutical lab equipment; H.L. Scientific lists these under pharmacy instruments.
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Hot air oven / humidity cabinet – for dryness or humidity-controlled testing; listed under H.L. Scientific general purpose equipment.
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Digital multimeter / electronic instrument – for measuring voltage, current, resistance (especially in physics or engineering labs). H.L. Scientific lists electronic instruments.
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Microwave test bench / optical instruments – advanced instrumentation listed by H.L. Scientific.
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Glassware accessories / borosilicate glassware – e.g., condenser, distillation apparatus, volumetric accessories; H.L. Scientific lists borosilicate glassware among their items.
Role of H.L. Scientific Industries
H.L. Scientific Industries (Ambala Cantt, Haryana) is a well-established Indian manufacturer and exporter of laboratory and scientific equipment:
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Founded in 1963, with more than 50 years of experience.
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ISO 9001:2008, CE and GMP certification.
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Product range includes physics lab apparatus (interferometers, optical benches), general lab equipment (hot air ovens, glassware, centrifuges), pharmacy instruments, research microscopes, electronic instruments, etc.
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Major supplier to educational institutions, engineering colleges, pharmacy colleges, research centres, both domestic and overseas.
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Exports about 80% of their products.
Conclusion
Having a robust list of common laboratory equipment (as above) provides a solid foundation for setting up or upgrading a lab. When sourcing equipment, it’s beneficial to partner with reliable manufacturers. H.L. Scientific Industries has a strong track record in India and internationally, offering many types of laboratory equipment and instruments. By ensuring proper equipment selection, procurement, training, maintenance, and safety, laboratories can operate more efficiently and effectively.
