Pestle

Quick Answer: The Pestle is the hand-held grinding tool of a mortar and pestle, supplied on its own: a rod with a rounded, heavier head that is pressed and rotated against the inside of a mortar to crush and powder solids. A laboratory pestle bought separately replaces a broken or lost one, or adds a second tool so that different substances are not ground with the same pestle.

Why Pestles Are Sold Separately

In a busy teaching lab the pestle is the part that goes missing or gets chipped first: it rolls off the bench, is dropped into a sink or is borrowed to break up lumps in other vessels. Replacing only the pestle keeps an otherwise sound mortar in service. A separate pestle is also useful when one mortar is shared between preparations, because a dedicated pestle for coloured or strongly smelling substances reduces carry-over into the next sample.

Fit matters more than it might appear. Grinding is most efficient when the curve of the pestle head roughly follows the curve of the mortar floor; a head that is too small concentrates force on a small spot and grinds slowly, while one that is too large rides on the sides and leaves material untouched at the centre. The listing does not give the length, head diameter or material, so state the size of the mortar it will be used with.

Porcelain is the usual material for pestles paired with laboratory porcelain mortars, such as the U-type, round-form mortar and pestle, because a porcelain grinding end wears evenly against a porcelain bowl. A glass pestle belongs with a glass mortar, since porcelain is harder than most glass and can scratch it.

Specifications

When a Separate Pestle Helps

• Replacing a chipped or lost pestle from an existing porcelain mortar set.
• Keeping one pestle for indicator dyes or strongly coloured salts and another for general grinding.
• Spares for pharmacy practical benches, where a pestle is used for every trituration.
• Breaking lumps of caked powder inside a mortar before weighing or sieving.

Care & Handling

• Inspect the grinding head before use; a chipped edge sheds fragments into the sample.
• Clean the head with detergent and a stiff brush, and grind a little clean sand in the mortar if residues remain.
• Do not use the pestle as a hammer or to prise lids; porcelain is hard but brittle.
• Dry it fully and store it lying flat in a drawer or tray where it cannot roll off.

Why Choose LabEquip

Schools, pharmacy colleges and analytical labs order spare pestles to keep mortar sets complete through the teaching year. LabEquip lists this pestle in the General Lab Products range; give the mortar size it must fit on the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this pestle fit any mortar?

Not necessarily. The head should roughly follow the curve of the mortar floor, so a pestle is chosen by the size of the mortar it will work in. Give the bowl diameter of your mortar and the matching pestle size can be confirmed.

Can a porcelain pestle be used in a glass mortar?

It is better not to. Porcelain is harder than most glass and can scratch the bowl, which makes the glass harder to clean. Use a glass pestle with a glass mortar and a porcelain pestle with porcelain.

Why is the end of the pestle rough?

The grinding end of a laboratory pestle is usually left unglazed, or roughened, so it grips particles and breaks them down. The handle is often glazed to make it smooth to hold and easy to wipe clean.

How do I clean coloured residue from the pestle head?

Scrub the head with warm detergent solution and a stiff brush. If colour remains, grind a little clean sand or rice in the mortar and rinse; for mineral deposits, soak briefly in dilute acid before a thorough water rinse.

Can the pestle be sterilised?

Porcelain as a material generally withstands autoclaving and oven sterilisation, so a clean pestle can usually be sterilised for microbiology or tissue work. Heat and cool it gradually, and wrap it in foil or paper so it stays clean afterwards.

Which grinding technique gives a fine powder?

Press down and rotate the pestle in a circular motion rather than pounding. Grind small portions at a time, scrape powder back to the centre with a spatula, and continue until no gritty particles are felt.

Last Updated: September 2026