Why is Lab Glass More Expensive and Made Differently Than Other Glass Products?

[GiTS]

Why does lab glass use blown glass but there's no glass blown the way coke bottles are made? Seems like it would be much cheaper.

 

[Dadface]

Why does lab glass use blown glass but there's no glass blown the way coke bottles are made? Seems like it would be much cheaper.

Many pieces of laboratory glassware needs to be precision made and to have other properties such as the ability to withstand high temperatures,also, the usual laws of economics apply,the market for glassware such as coke bottles is huge compared to the market for lab glassware.

 

[alxm]

Lab glass is usually pyrex, which is a bit more expensive.

But the main reason is as Dadface says, the economy of scale. Smaller market, smaller production volumes, higher prices. Anything that goes into a lab ends up costing a bundle.

A PCR machine costs a few thousand dollars new, and if you think about it, it's not really a heck of a lot different than a toaster - in that it's mainly a heater and timer.

 

[Borek]

A PCR machine costs a few thousand dollars new, and if you think about it, it's not really a heck of a lot different than a toaster - in that it's mainly a heater and timer.

Never used one of those. Do they sound a bell and throw your DNA up when ready?

 

[mgb_phys]

Never used one of those. Do they sound a bell and throw your DNA up when ready?

Nearly http://www.instructables.com/id/Coffee-Cup-PCR-Thermocycler-costing-under-350/