Bresser Junior 20-50x Stereo Microscope

The Junior 20-50x is Bresser's stereo microscope for children with a light above the stage and a second one beneath it, which Bresser calls an incident and transmitted light microscope. The top light shows coins, stones, seeds and insects as solid objects in 3D. The bottom light shows anything thin enough to let light through, such as a leaf, a feather or a prepared slide. Bresser names biology and coins as the uses and rates it for beginners.

There are two eyepieces to look through, a WF10x pair over a 2x objective, which gives 20x, and Bresser's spec table lists the range as 20x to 50x. The eyepiece tubes are the standard 23.2 mm size. There's 65 mm of working distance under the lens, objects up to 30 mm tall fit on the stage, and the eyepieces move apart or together to suit a child's eye spacing, with no dioptre adjustment for each eye.

Two AA batteries are included, and the body is a mix of metal and plastic, 23 cm tall and 515 g with the accessories. Twelve mineral samples come in the box to start with, and because it lights from below as well as above, a child can move on to the prepared slides in the Levenhuk N20 NG set without needing a second microscope.

The Junior 20x below it has the top light only, which is all you need for coins, rocks and insects, and the Erudit ICD above it adds dioptre adjustment, a carry case and a phone holder. Our guide to microscopes for kids compares it with the single-light Junior 20x and with the compound models, and the microscopes for kids page lists all of them together.