Compound microscopes are a great tool to reveal the infinite beauty of the microscopic world! They are also perfect to observe microorganisms and revealing all of their inner structures in detail. Check this guide to find the best microscope for beginners, kids and students. These compound microscopes are easy to use and they are also a great choice for beginners. Even though compound microscopes are now accessible to everyone, they are still used nowadays by biologists and other scientists around the world to make great scientific discoveries!
Before reviewing the best microscopes for beginners and kids, please have a look at my previous posts to find more about microscopes and how they work or to find the best prepared microscope slides for kids or students.
Table of Contents
What is a compound microscope?
A compound microscope is a type of light microscope using multiple lenses to magnify a specimen. Therefore, this characteristic differentiates it from a simple microscope, which uses only a single lens for magnification.
How does a compound microscope work?
In a compound microscope, the specimen is placed on a mechanical stage, between the light source and the observer. The light passes through the condenser before lighting up the specimen through the aperture. Its image is then magnified by generally an objective lens in combination with an ocular lens. As a result, compound microscopes offer high magnification capabilities combined with high-resolution and high-quality microscopic observations.
How do you calculate magnification on a compound microscope?
The lenses will have an additive effect in a compound microscope. It means that it is very easy to calculate the magnification on a compound microscope simply by multiplying the magnification of each lens. For example, if you are using a 10x ocular lens in combination with a 100x objective lens you obtain a total magnification of 1000x!
What is a good compound microscope?
There are several important factors to consider if you want to buy a good compound microscope. In fact, there is much more to consider than just the price and the overall quality!
First of all, you need to determine what types of specimens you wish to observe and if a compound microscope is the most appropriate tool to make these observations. Feel free to also check my previous post if you want to learn more about microscopes and how they work.
Another important factor to consider when buying a compound microscope is its magnification capabilities. A good compound microscope will generally allow high-quality observations at higher magnifications and will also offer a wide range of magnifications to be able to always make perfect observations.
There are many compound microscopes that can be found online and in stores and sometimes it can be difficult to determine which compound microscope would be best for you. This is why you first need to think about the kind of use that you intend to do with your microscope, and how a specific model could help you to facilitate such observations.
Some compound microscopes are sold as a kit including everything you need for basic microscopy techniques. They often include full instructions, prepared specimens, as well as blank glass slides to mount and observe your own specimens. These compound microscopes are perfect for kids and students!
On the other hand, if you already have hands-on experience with compound microscopes, you may instead wish to spend a little more on higher-quality microscopes. There are several good professional compound microscopes that will satisfy all kinds of scientists. In addition, these high-quality compound microscopes are still easy to use for beginners and are relatively affordable.
Let’s now have a look at the best compound microscopes for kids and beginners!
Best microscope for beginners, kids and students
AmScope compound microscope for kids: complete microscope kit with 120X-1200X magnification
This compound microscope from AmScope is an all-in-one microscopy kit. This is by far the most popular model of compound microscopes for kids. No wonder why it is Amazon’s choice for microscopes! It is also highly ranked and has a score of 4.4 out of 5 with over 22,000 ratings! This model is definitely one of the best microscope for beginners and kids who are looking for a great introduction to STEM and microscopy.
This compound microscope is well designed. Its heavy-duty case helps to protect the fragile components of the microscope while making it very convenient for transport. Furthermore, this microscope has a relatively small size and is portable. This microscope also uses LED lighting, which requires 2 AA batteries (included).
The base of the microscope is composed of durable metal. However, some parts of the microscope are made of chrome-painted plastic instead of real metal. Nevertheless, it is a very decent quality microscope for such a low price!
This microscope would make the perfect gift for kids and beginners. It includes everything you need to make your first microscopic observations. Indeed, this microscope includes 10 ready-to-use prepared slides to fully display its magnification capabilities.
Check this AmScope Compound Microscope for Kids (52 pcs Kit, 120X-1200X Magnification) on Amazon
This compound microscope can be used with 2 different ocular lenses and a rotating turret with additional objective lenses providing 120x, 240x, 300x, 480x, 600x, and 1200x magnifications. Moreover, this microscope has a built-in color filter wheel to enhance and facilitate some microscopic observations.
This microscope kit also contains shrimp eggs to perform your first scientific experiment. You can watch the eggs hatch and monitor their growth and development using your compound microscope. This experiment is a great way to teach kids about the scientific method!
Furthermore, this kit includes everything you need to prepare your own slides such as tweezers, collecting vials, petri dish, micro-slicer, scalpel, blank microscope slides, and glass covers. It even contains Eosin dye for specimen preparation. This is a nice touch added to this kit since Eosin is widely used in histology labs to stain cellular specimens and to enhance their cellular membrane, as well as their cytoplasm.
Overall, this is a very good microscope for beginners. This kit provides everything you need to get started with microscopy and would be the perfect gift for any child interested in the sciences.
Pros:
-Protective case is convenient for transport
-Complete microscopy kit including 10 ready-to-use prepared slides
-Also include everything you need to prepare your own slides, as well as shrimp eggs to complete your first scientific experiment!
-One of the best microscope for beginners and kids
Cons:
-Small size
-Chrome-painted plastic instead of metal is used for the body of the ocular lens, the objective lenses, as well as the screw to adjust the focus
Check the following video to see a full review and unboxing of this complete microscope set from AmScope:
My First Lab Duo-Scope compound microscope for kids: complete microscope kit with 4X-400X magnification (MFL-06)
The Duo-Scope from My First Lab is another great microscope for kids. This is a complete microscopy kit including 4 prepared slides and everything you need to prepare your own slides. This model is very popular and has a score of 4.4 out of 5 with over 1600 ratings on Amazon.
One of the major features of this Duo-Scope is that this microscope has an additional LED to light specimens from the top. This is a nice feature allowing observations of opaque 3D objects such as leaves, rocks, insects, or coins. Therefore, this compound microscope is one of the most polyvalent you could get.
This microscope is also great for the observation of specimens mounted on glass slides. It has a 10X ocular combined with 3 interchangeable objectives (4X, 10X, and 40X) for a total magnification of up to 400X.
This kit comes fully equipped with full instructions, 4 prepared slides, as well as everything you need to prepare your own slides. In addition, the LED located at the bottom of the microscope has 3 different intensity control settings to obtain the perfect lighting conditions. This microscope is also portable and uses 3 AA batteries (not included).
Check this My First Lab Compound Microscope MFL-06 (40X-400X Magnification) on Amazon
Overall, this is a very polyvalent microscope for kids and students! Finally, this complete microscopy kit is available at a reasonable price and has a 1-year warranty.
Pros:
-Complete microscopy kit including 4 ready-to-use prepared slides
-Also include everything you need to prepare your own slides
-LED lighting with 3 different intensity control settings
-Additional LED light source from the top allows observations of opaque 3D specimens
-Best microscope for beginners and kids
Cons:
-Highest magnification is 400X
-Single focus knob allowing only coarse focus adjustments
AmScope compound microscope for beginners with 40X-1000X magnification: complete microscope kit including the book « World of The Microscope» (Model M162C-2L-PB10).
This is the most complete compound microscope kit for beginners from AmScope. The overall quality of this microscope is much better than the other entry-level microscope from the same company. In my opinion, the extra dollars you will spend on this kit are totally worth it! Furthermore, this model is rated 4.6 out of 5 with over 900 reviews on Amazon.
This microscope comes with everything you need including a very nice book about microscopy, prepared slides, blank slides, and everything else you may need to prepare your own samples such as dies, tweezers, and more.
Just like the previous model from AmScope, this microscope has a sturdy metal base. This microscope also has several interesting new features including a fully dimmable LED light to get the perfect lighting conditions. In addition, there is a second light illuminating from the top, which is ideal for observing opaque 3D objects. In the same price range, it is the only microscope offering both fine and coarse tuning of the focus using 2 different knobs.
This microscope is very convenient to use. It can use either a power supply or function with 3 AA batteries (included). The monocular head can also rotate 360 degrees for better viewing. This microscope can use a wide-field 10X ocular objective or another wide-field 25X ocular lens supplied with the kit. The microscope also possesses 3 rotatable objectives and therefore provides the following magnifications: 40X, 100X, 250X, 400X, or 1000X.
The only minor downside of this microscope is that it doesn’t come with a case or travel bag to facilitate its transport. Just like any other entry-level microscope, this model does not include a mechanical stage to move the slide as you are making your observations.
In summary, this model is probably the best microscope for beginners and kids. This complete microscopy kit offers a great value and is probably the entry-level microscope I would recommend the most.
Pros:
-Complete microscopy kit including 4 ready-to-use prepared slides, user manual, and book
-Also include everything you need to prepare your own slides
-Magnification ranging from 40X to 1000X
-LED light source with dimmer from the bottom
-Additional LED light source from the top allows observations of opaque 3D objects
-Fine and coarse focus adjustment knob
-Best microscope for beginners
Cons:
-No case or travel bag included
-No mechanical stage
AmScope compound microscope for students with 40X-1000X magnification (Model M150C)
The compound microscope M150C from AmScope is more than just a toy! This is a good-quality microscope ideal for students. In the $100 price range, this is one of the few models combining most of the features of a more professional microscope. This compound microscope is rated 4.6 out of 5 with over 2,000 reviews on Amazon. Furthermore, it is possible to upgrade it with a microscope camera or a mechanical stage sold separately.
This M150C microscope has a dimmable LED light that can be used either with a power supply or with 3 AA batteries. In addition, the monocular head can rotate 360 degrees and this microscope is supplied with wide-field 10X and 25X ocular lenses. The compound microscope can magnify up to 1000X and has 3 rotatable objectives lenses (4X, 10X, and 40X).
It is easy to obtain a perfect focus with the fine and coarse adjustment knobs of this microscope. This compound microscope can also be upgraded with a mechanical stage for more precision when you are moving the slide as you make your observations.
The M150C is a real compound microscope and not a hybrid like the Duo-Scope. Therefore, you cannot look at opaque 3D objects with this model. This small sacrifice is compensated however with top-quality observations using microscope slides at higher magnifications. Prepared slides or blank microscope slides are also sold separately.
Check the AmScope M150C-I Compound Microscope with 40X-1000X Magnification on Amazon
Overall, the M150C is one of the best microscope for beginners and students. This microscope won’t disappoint you, as you will get more professional results at a really low cost!
Pros:
-Magnification ranging from 40X to 1000X
-LED light source with dimmer
-Fine and coarse focus adjustment knob
-Works with a power adapter or 3 AA batteries (included)
–Mechanical stage is available and sold separately (MS90)
–Microscope camera upgrades are available and sold separately
-Best microscope for students; fully compatible with upgrades
Cons:
-Prepared slides and blank microscope slides sold separately
-Cannot be used to observe opaque 3D objects
Swift compound microscope SW200DL with 40X-1000X magnification and 1.3 MP camera compatible with Windows and Mac
The Swift SW200DL compound microscope is ideal for students and beginners. This microscope can magnify up to 1000X and is very polyvalent. It has a second LED light to be able to look at opaque 3D objects. This is a great value for a microscope including a 1.3 MP camera! No wonder why this one is rated 4.5 out of 5 with over 500 reviews on Amazon!
This compound microscope can be used with 2 wide-field ocular lenses (10X, 25X) and 3 rotatable objectives lenses (4X, 10X, and 40X) for a maximal magnification of 1000X. Furthermore, it is easy to adjust the focus with fine and coarse knobs.
The microscope camera has a resolution of 1.3 MP, which is sufficient to obtain clear images and easily share your research. You will be surprised by the quality of the images that you can obtain with this camera!
All you have to do is place the microscope camera on the ocular eyepiece and connect it to a computer via USB. The microscope camera also comes with user-friendly software for editing and processing images, which is compatible with PC or Mac OS X. This software is great for stitching, extended depth of field (EDF), or for measurements. I personally prefer this type of microscope camera instead of other microscopes using phone adapters for image acquisition.
The only downside of this model is that it doesn’t have a mechanical stage to move the slide around with precision. Although you can still do it manually, this can be annoying when taking a lot of images.
In summary, the Swift SW200DL is a polyvalent compound microscope and one of the best values for a microscope with a camera. In my opinion, this is a very good compound microscope that would surely meet the expectations of any student or beginner.
Pros:
-Magnification ranging from 40X to 1000X
-Microscope camera with a resolution of 1.3 MP
– LED light source with dimmer at the bottom of the microscope
-Upper LED light to observe opaque 3D objects
-Fine and coarse focus adjustment knob
-Works with power adapter with AA batteries
-Best microscope for beginners and students
Cons:
-No mechanical stage
-Prepared slides and blank microscope slides sold separately
Best microscope for beginners, kids and students: the final verdict
The compound microscopes that I presented here are all great microscopes for kids and beginners. It is therefore though to recommend a single model that would be perfect for everyone.
Nevertheless, I would highly recommend any of the AmScope microscope kits for a first microscope. This is a great option for kids and a great introduction to microscopy. I personally prefer the M162C microscope, because this kit is more complete and its microscope has a higher quality.
For students or more advanced users who want to obtain high-quality images, I strongly recommend the Swift SW200DL. This model is a very good value for a microscope with an integrated digital camera. In addition, this is a very polyvalent compound microscope with an additional LED light illuminating samples from the top and enabling the observation of opaque objects.
I hope that you enjoyed reading this buying guide intended for amateurs. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comment section down below. You can also have a look at my previous posts to learn about light refraction through a prism or to find other great scientific toys for kids such as rock tumblers or Crookes radiometers.
Additional information and references
-Wikipedia – Optical microscopes and compound microscopes.
-Britannica – Microscopes types, parts, history, diagrams, and facts.
-WikiHow – How to use a light microscope?
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