Laboratory oven

A laboratory oven, also known as laboratory heating oven, lab drying oven, lab heating oven, lab drying stove, drying oven or simply lab oven is a a type of oven used in laboratories to dry glassware, compounds, and other heat-resistant materials, using a stream of heated air or inert gas.

In some countries, the term etuve or a derivative is used for lab ovens.

Design

Lab ovens consist of an insulating metallic chamber, accessible through a door. Heating elements run through the stainless steel clad walls, while an inner fan circulates the air inside the oven chamber, keeping the temperature constant in all the points. A thermostat controls the temperature inside, which can be adjusted from a series of buttons. Most lab ovens can maintain an inner temperature between 30 and 300 °C. Some lab ovens are also capable of sustaining vacuum.

Availability

Lab ovens can be purchased from various chemical and medical suppliers. They can sometimes be purchased from eBay.

DIY lab oven

Electric stoves can be used as substitute for lab ovens, especially for drying.

Projects

• Dry glassware
• Dry salts and other compounds
• Heat various materials in a controlled manner

Safety

Always check if the item you're placing inside the oven can survive the temperature you're needing.

References

Relevant Sciencemadness threads

• Stupid question - drying organics in an oven.