Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Would you invest in a stirrer hot plate as a noob, or just start with a regular hot plate?

Cou - 26-2-2018 at 13:19

Thanks to zts's anecdote of how he gained street cred at university by having a lab notebook, I decided to finally start home chemistry, for real this time.

I'm using "The Illustrated Guide To Home Chemistry" and going through all the labs to build up an equipment collection.

The very first time, separating sand and sucrose, uses a hot plate. I know that as I escalate into more advanced techniques, I'll eventually need a combined stirrer-hot plate. But it's significantly more expensive, though in the long run saves money compared to buying a stirrer hot plate in the future.

[Edited on 26-2-2018 by Cou]

ninhydric1 - 26-2-2018 at 13:22

I have a 0.01 g balance and that is good for most purposes. If your doing microchemistry, a 0.001 g balance is needed, but if your using around 50-100 g scale of reagents, the most accuracy you probably need is 0.1 g.

EDIT: Oops, didn't see the hotplate one. Hotplate stirrer is definitely a goof investment. Before I got one, stirring and dissolving took ages for somr chems and a magnetic stirrer helped a lot.

[Edited on 2-26-2018 by ninhydric1]

Texium - 26-2-2018 at 13:27

Glad to hear you're going to work on honing your skills.

When I started out, I got a cheap kitchen hot plate, and I got by for about a year with that. Generally if you're heating something in an open container, there is nothing wrong with a regular hot plate, because you can stir it by hand. If you're running a distillation or refluxing something in an apparatus that you can't stir by hand, a magnetic stirrer becomes more important, though you can often get by with boiling chips if it isn't a biphasic mixture and doesn't have a lot of solid in it.

Although I have a stirring one now, I still use my crappy old kitchen one from time to time, when I'm doing something that doesn't require stirring and has the potential to be abusive to the hot plate. I would recommend getting a cheap regular one, and keeping an eye out for a good deal online for a stirring one.

aga - 26-2-2018 at 13:31

I got a Korean stirrer/hotplate off ebay for about 100 euros

Still going strong today, and it has seen some nasty action, repeatedly.

To save money get a $10 camping stove or just make a fire to heat stuff.

If you're going to splash some cash, no point going for just a hotplate - get one that stirs as well.


[Edited on 26-2-2018 by aga]

Cou - 26-2-2018 at 13:35

what do you think?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072MGFCQV/ref=s9_acsd_top...

https://www.amazon.com/Laboratory-Magnetic-Hotplate-5x5inch-...


[Edited on 26-2-2018 by Cou]

Sulaiman - 26-2-2018 at 14:55

Heating choices are confusing,

. entire working domestic cookers with hobs and oven are often free
... if transport, space and power are available

. I used a cheap 1500W hotplate for years, eventually I killed it
... I bought another used dual hotplate still in use

. stirring is really useful, many would say essential
... stirring by hand with a rod works, motorized is better

. almost everything that can be done in a beaker can be done in a round bottomed flask, but not vice-versa
... if you think that you will be doing distillations later,
... then a heating mantle with stirring should cover almost all hobby needs
... but they are not cheap

j_sum1 - 26-2-2018 at 15:23

I still don't have a hotplate stirrer. (I read Arkoma's signature line and smile every time.)

In the same purchase as my first RBFs I got a stirring heating mantle. I am finding that it struggles if there is sediment but generally it goes ok.

I have a real assortment of heating/stirring equipment that I can make do with.
  • I have two computer fans with Nd magnets stuck on with a hot glue gun. Great for preparing solutions and does not tie up other equipment.
  • I have acquired a magnetic stirrer without heating ability. The thing is a beast. It will stir a half a beaker of dry sand.
  • I have a heat gun -- awesome and versatile.
  • I have a couple of butane torches.
  • I have a couple of butane camping stoves.
  • I have several electric hotplates designed for cooking.

    So, I am covered except when I need heating and stirring simultaneously and don't wish to use a flask.

    I have gone this route because I have not had sufficient spare cash at any time to lay down on a proper unit. When I do, it will be a really good one. As it is, I have not spent a whole lot of money and I have not been significantly disadvantaged.

    My advice: if you are starting out, watch the dollars carefully and build up equipment as you need to for projects you are doing. And when you do invest in something that will be a lab work-horse, get something that is really going to do the job well.

    [edit]typo

    [Edited on 26-2-2018 by j_sum1]

    zed - 26-2-2018 at 16:47

    Stirring plate may be best. I bought a couple used ones (one lot), dirt cheap on e-bay a few years ago.

    But, for you, I suggest Craigslist Dallas, and patience.

    It is rumored that purchases of Science Equipment, by mail, in Texas, can result in legal difficulties.

    Texium - 26-2-2018 at 17:41

    Quote: Originally posted by zed  
    It is rumored that purchases of Science Equipment, by mail, in Texas, can result in legal difficulties.
    And a rumor is all it is

    JJay - 26-2-2018 at 18:23

    When I was just getting into chemistry, I found a stirrerless hotplate outside a chem professor's office in the "free" pile along with a lot of books. I pretty quickly realized that it wasn't good for much more than a thrift store hotplate.

    NEMO-Chemistry - 26-2-2018 at 18:25

    Yes i would get one, i did get one fairly on and i killed it fairly quickly! So then i made do for a while and now I have another, i havnt killed this one yet. So make do until you need one, unless you can afford to kill one.

    Magpie - 26-2-2018 at 20:35

    A good stirrer-hotplate was the first equipment I bought, a Corning 260, IIRC.
    I have a Walmart hotplate too but I just use that for heating water in my steam generator.

    I find my magnetic stirrer-hotplate to be incredibly useful.

    [Edited on 27-2-2018 by Magpie]

    roXefeller - 27-2-2018 at 08:04

    Another vote for stirring hotplate. I bought a cheap one from amazon. I killed the heating element since it was shoddy (I disassembled to learn how bad it was). It probably would have lasted longer with less abuse. I was running a reaction for several hours above 100C. I moved onto a used Corning. But I still have the old one, which I use for magnetic stirring in reactions not requiring heat. So it seems that I would slightly prioritize stirring over heating. I also have a mantle, and that's nice except I need an overhead stirrer for it.

    aga - 27-2-2018 at 11:46

    Quote: Originally posted by Cou  
    ... separating sand and sucrose, uses a hot plate.

    Where does the hotplate come in ?

    You bash the sucrose crystals with a hotplate to break them up after simply dissolving the sand/sucrose mixture in water, then filter, then allow the water to evaporate ?

    weilawei - 27-2-2018 at 12:10

    I have a cheapo hotplate, but as soon as I found a good deal on a clean Corning PC-101 stirrer hotplate, I bought that. You can pick one up on eBay for around 100$ on a good day, and it's more than worth it. It's easily my number one most used piece of kit.

    happyfooddance - 27-2-2018 at 13:06

    I propose a "Talk to Dr. Bob" sticky in the reagent and apparatus aquisition forum.

    I've never gotten anything from him, but I know who I would go to for a used Corning.

    BaFuxa - 1-3-2018 at 05:10

    A heating mantle and/or a hotplate wiht stirring is an absolute must-have if you are serious about chemistry and you should invest into that. I got mine from aliexpress for about 200$ total and they work flawlessly.

    ave369 - 1-3-2018 at 23:25

    I have neither a stirrer hot plate nor a regular hot plate. I use spirit lamps and gas burners. I mostly practice inorganic chemistry and rarely distill flammable stuff, and when I do, a bain-marie is fine.

    [Edited on 2-3-2018 by ave369]

    VSEPR_VOID - 2-3-2018 at 04:11

    Quote: Originally posted by aga  
    I got a Korean stirrer/hotplate off ebay for about 100 euros

    Still going strong today, and it has seen some nasty action, repeatedly.

    To save money get a $10 camping stove or just make a fire to heat stuff.

    If you're going to splash some cash, no point going for just a hotplate - get one that stirs as well.


    [Edited on 26-2-2018 by aga]


    I know first hand that cheap hot plate stirs break after some time due to either bad heating elements or a fried MOSFET.

    DavidJR - 2-3-2018 at 08:54

    Look for used hotplate stirrers on eBay if you want one. If you're going to buy a lab hotplate then you may as well get one with a stirrer, it's tremendously useful. I got a good deal on a good quality used hotplate stirrer because one of the control knobs had been broken off - I'm guessing it had something heavy dropped on it. It was a fairly easy fix though, and I'm very happy with it.

    Or if you want the cheap option in the short term then just get a cheap household/cooking hotplate.

    Cou - 7-3-2018 at 08:58

    Did I make a mistake by getting this one for $37? https://www.ebay.com/itm/302656257883?_trksid=p2471758.m4704

    Magpie - 7-3-2018 at 09:37

    No

    JJay - 7-3-2018 at 12:26

    That's a good deal, actually.

    Cou - 7-3-2018 at 15:31

    Quote: Originally posted by JJay  
    That's a good deal, actually.


    it was actually an auction that I won because there was only one other bidder

    Magpie - 10-3-2018 at 12:14

    My stirrer-hotplates (2 ea) are Corning PC-320. These have always been excellent.

    [Edited on 10-3-2018 by Magpie]