Surge Scientific · Lab-Grade Porcelain Mortar & Pestle Sets · 130 mm & 160 mm
Mortar and Pestle Sets
Lab-Grade Porcelain · 320 mL / 500 mL
Chemically Inert Porcelain · Flat Bottom · Pouring Spout · Glazed Exterior · Unglazed Grinding Surface · Two Sizes
The oldest tool in the laboratory is still the right one for certain jobs. These heavy lab-grade porcelain mortar and pestle sets deliver the mechanical grinding that no motor can match — user-controlled pressure, zero heat generation, zero cross-contamination risk, and a chemically inert white porcelain background that lets you watch every stage of the grind. Available in 130 mm (320 mL) and 160 mm (500 mL) — choose the size that matches your typical sample volume.
Why Mortar & Pestle Still Has a Place on Modern Benches
In an age of bead mills, rotor-stator homogenizers, and ultrasonic cell disruptors, a porcelain mortar and pestle looks like a relic. Then you actually use one, and you remember why every pharmacy, chemistry lab, and research bench for the last 500 years kept one within arm's reach. It's the only homogenization tool with zero setup, zero cleaning between sample types beyond a rinse, and zero chance of contaminating your sample with motor oil, bead residue, or plastic particulate.
For small-volume grinding, frozen tissue pulverization under liquid nitrogen, hard samples that don't fit into microtubes, and occasional one-off preps that don't justify firing up a bead mill — nothing beats a good porcelain mortar and pestle. The mechanical action is gentle enough for biochemical work, aggressive enough for seeds and dried tissue, and precisely user-controlled in a way no programmable homogenizer can match. When you need to grind something that would never survive a bead mill or sonicator, this is the answer.
Chemically Inert Porcelain
Lab-grade porcelain — chemically inert, non-leaching, compatible with organic solvents, acids, alkalis, and buffer solutions. No contamination risk from the vessel itself.
Ergonomic Glazed Grip
Outer mortar surface and pestle handle are glazed — smooth, comfortable, and gentle on hands during long grinding sessions. Working surfaces are unglazed — rough enough to grind, fine enough to recover sample.
Zero Heat Generation
User-controlled grinding produces zero motor heat — critical for heat-sensitive enzymes, proteins, and RNA. Compatible with liquid-nitrogen tissue pulverization protocols.
White Background · Visual Monitoring
Bright white porcelain background lets you watch the grind progress — stop at exactly the right particle size, avoid over-grinding, and spot contamination the moment it appears.
"Zero setup. Zero motor contamination. Zero heat. Just you, the sample, and 500 years of proven physics." — Sometimes the simplest tool is still the best tool — and when your protocol says "grind to a fine powder," this is what actually does it.
Key Features
- Lab-grade porcelain construction
- Chemically inert — no sample leaching
- Heavy, thick-walled body
- Flat-bottom mortar — stable on bench
- Pouring spout for easy transfer
- Glazed exterior — gentle on hands
- Ergonomic pestle handle
- Unglazed working surfaces
- Purpose-designed grinding action
- Optimized pestle tip and mortar geometry
- Efficient tissue and cell disruption
- Maximum sample recovery
- 130 mm size — 320 mL volume
- 160 mm size — 500 mL volume
- Two SKUs: MRP100130 / MRP100160
- Bright white porcelain background
- Visual monitoring during grinding
- Minimizes risk of over-grinding
- Zero motor-induced heat
- Zero cross-contamination between runs
- Easy to clean and sterilize
- Compatible with wide buffer/solvent range
- Compatible with liquid nitrogen
- No setup or programming required
- No consumables required
Ideal Applications
Nucleic Acid & Protein Extraction
DNA, RNA, and protein extraction from tissue and cells — prep samples for PCR, gel electrophoresis, Western blotting, and other molecular biology techniques.
Frozen Tissue Grinding
Liquid-nitrogen tissue pulverization — the porcelain holds up to cryo-grinding for protocols that need fine powder from frozen tissue before extraction.
Plant, Seed & Dry Samples
Dried plant tissue, seeds, powders, and hard samples that don't fit bead mill tubes — grind to uniform particle size in a single vessel with full sample recovery.
What's in the Box
Each set ships with one matched mortar and one matched pestle — choose 130 mm (320 mL) or 160 mm (500 mL) to match your typical sample volume.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | 130 mm Set | 160 mm Set |
|---|---|---|
| Model / SKU | MRP100130 | MRP100160 |
| Mortar Diameter | 130 mm | 160 mm |
| Volume Capacity | 320 mL | 500 mL |
| Material | Lab-grade porcelain | Lab-grade porcelain |
| Exterior Finish | Glazed | Glazed |
| Working Surface | Unglazed — grinding optimized | Unglazed — grinding optimized |
| Wall Construction | Heavy, thick-walled | Heavy, thick-walled |
| Base | Flat bottom — stable | Flat bottom — stable |
| Spout | Yes — for easy pouring | Yes — for easy pouring |
| Pestle Handle | Glazed, ergonomic grip | Glazed, ergonomic grip |
| Chemical Resistance | Inert — wide buffer/solvent compatibility | Inert — wide buffer/solvent compatibility |
| Liquid N₂ Compatible | Yes | Yes |
| Sterilization | Autoclavable · easy clean | Autoclavable · easy clean |
| Intended Use | Biological sample homogenization | Biological sample homogenization |
| Quantity | 1 set (mortar + pestle) | 1 set (mortar + pestle) |
Surge Scientific Warranty & Support
This product is sold through Surge Scientific, your trusted laboratory equipment partner. Our product specialists are available Monday–Friday for assistance. Contact us at info@surgescientific.com or reach out directly to our support team at 855.943.3344 for pre-sales questions, size selection guidance, bulk pack pricing, and replacement orders.
