Amscope Microscopes

Microscopy doesn’t have to be expensive. Mid-level suppliers such as Amscope sell good quality microscopes at affordable prices.

Based in the USA and their products are all shipped from the USA, and made in China.

Background 

Amscope is a relatively recent entrant to the microscope market, aiming to provide quality products to suit any budget. 

They provide a range of microscopes for every level of interest – from professionals to young students. They further support their catalogue with a wide variety of accessories and dedicated customer support.

While the quality of their products can vary, they are a hugely popular choice for mid-range buyers.

Target demographic

Amscope is one of the largest online sellers of microscopes and microscope accessories.

Their broad product range allows them to accommodate the full spectrum of microscope customers, from entry level beginners to industry professionals.

Their focus on value and affordability makes them particularly popular with enthusiastic hobbyists looking to dip their toe into higher-quality microscopy.

Advantages and disadvantages

Amscope microscopes are usually a solid choice, but they have a few minor drawbacks.

Advantages

• Big range of microscopes and accessories
• Affordable prices
• Good value
• Decent quality
• Dedicated customer service

Disadvantages

• Not as good as the top brands
• Quality can vary
• Based in America - No Australian office
• Shipped from the USA
• High freight charges from USA to Australia
• Consider the validity of warranty & costs involved if need to return to America for repair

Popular models

Here are just a few of the commonly recommended models, especially for educational settings and hobbyists.

B490

The B490 is one of Amscope’s hardest working microscopes.

It’s a solid mid-range model at a reasonable price. It has good overall quality and all the essential quality features.

Amscope B490 Microscope

Modular and upgradeable, a wide range of accessories is available. There are also several variants offering different light sources and trinocular heads.

The B490 is an excellent choice for hobbyists, educators and clinicians.

B120

One of the more affordable models, the B120 is an excellent entry-level microscope.

While lacking some of the qualities of the more expensive models, it still provides exceptional value for the price with essential basic features such as a mechanical stage, abbe condenser, LED illumination and a Siedentopf head.

It’s a great choice for students and hobbyists.

M150C

The M150 is a simpler monocular microscope aimed at younger students and hobbyists.

It’s a cheap, sturdy model that still provides all the optical quality you need for a worthwhile microscopy experience. To keep the price down, it doesn’t come with a mechanical stage (you’ll have to move your slides around by hand).

The M150 is still excellent value, and one of the best choices for an introductory microscope.