Mortars and Pestles
Mortars and Pestles
Tools used to grind and crush substances into fine powders or pastes, Mortars are bowl-shaped containers and pestles are heavy, rod-shaped tools. Commonly sold as sets but also available separately, mortar and pestle sets may include mortars, pestles, adapters, housings, or other items in several materials.
Mortar and pestle implements have been used since ancient times to crush and grind substances. Mortars can be made of hard materials like wood, metal, ceramic, or hard stone such as granite or marble. Pestles are held in the hand and usually have a tapered, club-like shape. A wet or dry substance is placed in the mortar and the pestle is pressed against it and rotated until the material is pulverized.
What Is the Best Material for a Mortar and Pestle?
The implements must be made of materials that are hard enough to crush the substance without wearing away, but they cannot be brittle or break from the pressure of manipulation. The material should also be cohesive to reduce chipping and non-porous to avoid absorbing or trapping substances. Some rough porcelain mortars and pestles can reduce substances to very fine powders, but are brittle and stain more easily. Porcelain mortars can be pre-conditioned by grinding sand in them to produce a rougher surface. Glass mortars and pestles are stain-resistant and suitable for liquids, but are fragile and do not grind as finely as ceramic sets. Metal mortars and pestles are popular for food preparation.
Mortars and pestles are commonly used to grind and mix substances for dilution, to mask negative qualities, or to add volume to facilitate handling. Drugs can also be finely ground when not available in liquid form, and supplements can be processed to for addition to parenteral nutrition.
Walter Stern Agate Mortar and Pestle Sets
Ideal for preparing laboratory samples and high purity powders.
Fisherbrand™ Mortar and Pestle Deep Form
Mortar and Pestle Deep Form
Fisherbrand™ Porcelain Pestle with Wooden Handle
For 1100mL mortar
Fisherbrand™ Porcelain Pestles
For hand comfort in grinding
Fisherbrand™ Pestle
Pestle
Thermo Scientific Chemicals Agate Mortar and Pestle
For preparing samples for the Quick Press
Thermo Scientific Chemicals Ball pestle; clear plexiglas; 1/8in. diameter
For use with Wig-L-Bug Mixing/Grinding Mill (AA44204KT and AA44604KT)
Thermo Scientific™ Wig-L-Bug™ Mixing/Grinding Mill Accessory, Stainless-Steel Vial
For use with Wig-L-Bug Mixing/Grinding Mill (AA42627KT)
Thermo Scientific Chemicals Wig-L-Bug™ Mixing/Grinding Mill Accessory, Ball Pestles, 9.52mm Dia.
For use with Wig-L-Bug Mixing/Grinding Mill (AA42627KT)
BUCHI Agate Mortar and Pestle Set
Agate mortar and pestle for high purity sample crushing. The polished surface is easy to clean and prevents cross-contaminations.
Bel-Art™ SP Scienceware™ Liquid Nitrogen-Cooled Mortar
Useful for grinding frozen samples, this product includes a heavily insulated blue polyethylene housing that keeps liquid nitrogen cold longer.
Bel-Art™ SP Scienceware™ Double-Ended Pestle
For effective and economical disaggregation of soft tissue to produce cell isolates for culture or flow cytometry.
Bel-Art™ SP Scienceware™ Disposable Polypropylene Pestles
For re-suspending bacterial cells, precipitates of nucleic acids or proteins and pellets of other materials.
Bel-Art™ SP Scienceware™ Microcentrifuge Tube Opener
For opening all sizes of tubes.
Bel-Art™ SP Scienceware™ Liquid Nitrogen-Cooled Mini Mortar
Freeze and process tiny tissue samples within a microcentrifuge tube
Walter Stern Mortar and Pestle
Thick-walled agate construction ensures excellent durability
CoorsTek™ Aluminum Oxide Pestles for Aluminum Oxide Mortars
Aluminum Oxide Pestles
CerCo Diamonite™ Mortar and Pestle Sets
Synthetic sapphire mortars offer excellent hardness and chemical resistance
Eisco™ Thick Walled Mortar and Pestle Set
Eisco™ Thick Walled Mortar and Pestle Set is made from lab quality porcelain and feature a thick wall design, flat bottom, unglazed grinding surfaces for efficient grinding, and spout for easy pouring.
Eisco™ Mortar and Pestle Set
Features a flat bottom, unglazed grinding surfaces, and spout for easy pouring. Eisco™ Mortar and Pestle Set is made from lab quality porcelain and designed for efficient and uniform grinding of various materials.
