Hi everyone,
I'm currently helping set up a small independent lab focused on molecular biology and cell culture work. We’ve got a tight budget but still need reliable equipment—things like pipettes, centrifuges, water baths, and ideally some cell imaging tools later on. Most of the bigger suppliers feel a bit out of reach both in terms of pricing and minimum order requirements. I’m hoping someone here might have experience with purchasing lab gear from more accessible sources, especially within Europe. Where do you usually order from when you want both consistency and fair pricing?

That’s interesting. I’m running a diagnostic testing pilot and we needed smaller lots of PCR reagents, plus a few pieces of bench-top equipment without waiting weeks. I’d second the idea of avoiding the massive catalogs and finding suppliers who are a bit more flexible. I also noticed that some of these platforms let you mix product types in the same order, which helps a lot when you’re trying to build up inventory gradually. I’ve had good results working with vendors that list CE-marked components and who can confirm product origin or certifications if needed—makes the procurement side easier with grant paperwork.

I’ve been in a similar situation recently. For our neurobiology unit, we had to expand fast with minimal funding, so high-end contracts weren’t realistic. What helped was looking at suppliers that cater specifically to small labs and educational institutions—they often keep stock that’s ready to ship and don’t have harsh minimum orders. One I’ve used a couple of times is https://gentaur.co.uk. They had a wide mix of things we needed—basic consumables, plus some harder-to-find diagnostic kits and components. What I appreciated was the ability to actually ask specific questions and get an answer from someone who seemed to understand what we were doing.