Erlenmeyer Flask: Uses and How to Use It
Erlenmeyer Flask: Uses and How to Use It
An Erlenmeyer flask is a conical glass flask with a narrow neck and flat bottom, used for mixing, heating, storing and titrating solutions. Its conical shape lets you swirl the contents without spilling and reduces evaporation.
What is a Erlenmeyer flask used for?
- Holding the solution being titrated; easy to swirl while titrant is added from a burette.
- Mixing and heating solutions with less risk of splashing than a beaker.
- Growing microorganisms or cells in liquid media (with a cotton or foam plug).
- Storing solutions temporarily with a stopper or cover.
Parts of a Erlenmeyer flask
- 1Mouth – can be closed with a stopper, cotton or foil
- 2Neck – where you hold it or attach a clamp
- 3Conical body with approximate scale – approximate marks, not for measuring
- 4Flat bottom – stable on a bench, gauze or hot plate
How to use a Erlenmeyer flask
Hold it by the neck
Grip the neck when lifting or swirling. Do not hold the lower body when the solution is hot.
Swirl in circles during titration
Rotate your wrist so the liquid spins in a vortex without tilting the flask. This mixes the titrant evenly.
Heat it on a wire gauze
Place the flask on wire gauze (2) on a tripod over a burner (1), or directly on a hot plate. Never heat an empty flask.
Close it for storage or sterilisation
Use a stopper (1) for storing solutions, or a cotton plug and aluminium foil (2) for microbiological media to be autoclaved.
Common mistakes
- Using the flask's marks to measure volume: use a cylinder or pipette.
- Sealing the flask tightly while heating: pressure can burst it.
Care and safety
- Wash with a flask brush that reaches the bottom, rinse with distilled water, dry upside down.
- Check for hairline cracks before heating; discard cracked flasks.
Types and sizes
Common sizes are 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 mL. They come with narrow or wide necks, with or without screw caps, plus baffled flasks for shaker cultures. Heat-resistant borosilicate glass is standard.
Erlenmeyer Flask at AMI Scientific
Examples of Erlenmeyer flask available in our store. Prices exclude VAT.
Labu Erlenmeyer Kaca Iwaki PA 4980FKFrom Rp67.000
Labu Erlenmeyer Kaca Tanpa Tutup Iwaki PA 5021From Rp142.000
Labu Erlenmeyer Kaca Tutup Kaca Iwaki PA 5021From Rp189.000
Iwaki Erlenmeyer Flask with Screw Cap PA 4985FKFrom Rp158.000
AMI Scientific supplies laboratory glassware, instruments and chemicals with tax invoices and delivery across Indonesia.
Frequently asked questions
Why use an Erlenmeyer flask for titration instead of a beaker?
The conical shape and narrow neck let you swirl vigorously without spilling, and the indicator colour change is easy to see.
Can an Erlenmeyer flask be heated over a flame?
Borosilicate flasks can be heated, preferably on wire gauze for even heating, and never empty or tightly sealed.
Related equipment
Compiled by the AMI Scientific team from standard laboratory practice. Illustrations: AMI Scientific. Updated: 06-11-2026.
Need a Erlenmeyer flask for your laboratory?
AMI Scientific supplies laboratory glassware, instruments and chemicals with tax invoices and delivery across Indonesia.
Available at AMI Scientific
Labu Erlenmeyer Kaca Iwaki PA 4980FK
From Rp67.000