Funnel, Plain 60 Degrees, Short Stem

Quick Answer: A short stem funnel is a plain 60 degree filter funnel with a shortened outlet. It is chosen for hot filtration, where a long stem would cool the solution and let crystals block it, and for filling containers where a low, stable set-up is useful.

Hot Filtration Without a Blocked Stem

Recrystallisation often needs a hot solution filtered to remove insoluble impurities before it cools. If that solution runs down a long, cool stem, it loses heat quickly and the dissolved product begins to crystallise inside, blocking the outlet and wasting product. A short outlet gives the liquid only a brief distance to travel, so it reaches the receiving flask while still hot enough to stay in solution.

Hot filtration works well when the funnel is warmed first, for example by standing it on the receiving flask while a little solvent boils beneath it, and when a fluted filter paper is used to speed the flow. Some laboratories use stemless funnels for the same reason; a short stem is a compromise that still guides the liquid neatly into the flask neck.

A shorter stem also sits lower in a filter stand or ring, which suits bench space under shelves and small receiving vessels. For cool solutions, where speed matters, the long stem version filters faster, and the plain 60 degree clear glass funnel covers general class filtration. The title does not specify stem length, cone diameter or material, so confirm heat suitability before hot work.

Care & Handling

• Preheat the funnel with hot solvent before a hot filtration; a cold funnel cools the solution and can crack if the glass is not heat resistant.
• Use tongs or a heat-resistant glove to move a funnel that has held hot liquid.
• Keep a little extra hot solvent ready to rinse any crystals from the paper into the flask.
• Wash the cone promptly so dried crystals do not cake on the glass.

Specifications

Applications

• Removing charcoal or insoluble impurities from a hot solution before it is left to crystallise
• Filtering excess copper(II) oxide from hot copper(II) sulfate solution before growing crystals in class
• Filling reagent bottles and flasks where a long stem would be unstable
• Filtration in cramped set-ups, such as under a shelf or in a small fume cupboard

Why Choose LabEquip

Colleges running recrystallisation and schools making crystals of salts are the main buyers of short stemmed funnels. LabEquip carries this item within its chemistry lab equipment; send your sizes and quantities through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a short stem preferred for hot filtration?

A hot saturated solution cools as it runs down a stem, and crystals form where it cools. A short stem shortens that path, so the solution reaches the flask before it can crystallise and block the funnel.

What is fluted filter paper and why use it here?

Fluted paper is folded back and forth like a fan to give many pleats, which increases the area in contact with the liquid and leaves air channels against the glass. Filtration is faster, so a hot solution has less time to cool.

How do I keep the funnel hot during filtration?

Stand the funnel in the neck of the receiving flask while a little solvent boils in the flask below; the hot vapour warms the funnel and paper. Pour the hot solution in portions, keeping the rest hot on the heat source.

Can I use a short stem funnel for ordinary filtration?

Yes. It works for any gravity filtration, although it filters cool solutions a little more slowly than a long-stemmed funnel because it cannot hold a long column of liquid below the paper.

Is this the same as a powder funnel?

No. A powder funnel has a wide, very short outlet so dry solids flow into a flask neck without bridging. This funnel has a normal narrow stem, only shorter, and is intended mainly for liquids and filtration.

What if crystals still block the stem?

Pour a little hot solvent through to redissolve them, and warm the funnel and receiving flask more thoroughly before continuing. A slight excess of solvent in the hot solution also reduces early crystallisation and can be boiled off afterwards.

Last Updated: September 2026