How are used Biology Kits?

Used Biology lab kits vary enormously.  Are you planning to dissect?   Will you use the microscope to view slides?  The prices for used, Bio kits are all over the map.  I advise against buying a used eScience kit.  You probably won’t use many of the supplies in the box.  The focus today is mainly dissection and slide materials.  You have to shop hard; there are good deals.

Here are two new science kits for Exploring Creation with Biology from Apologia. See?  The two kits are for dissection and slides to prepare or observe under the microscope. You can buy blank slides and methylene blue separately for the Cheek Cell Lab.

You can find deals for the slides.  Please note that any set of 25, basic slides from NASCO are fine.  Your goal is to learn how to focus the microscope and sketch slides.  Don’t get me started on microscopes!  Talk about varying quality and prices!  I bought the Amscope microscope below several years ago.  It’s terrific and comes with both blank and prepared a slides.

If you dissect, you could buy the specimens, alone.  You can dissect with a knife and styrofoam plate.  If your budget is tight, just order the frog.

What about used kits? The set below has both the slides and the dissection kit.  If you can locate a dissection kit with the slides, pay around $30 and you have a great deal.  The kits come with dissecting trays, which are nice.  The pad and tray come apart, making them easy to wash.  I prefer the trays with pads to waxed trays, which always seem grimy. Yuck.

You can find trays and dissection tools used, too.  The last kit in this section has test tubes and a rack.  Great deal!

Below are new trays and tools from HST to compare prices.