Levenhuk Rainbow 2L Microscope

The Rainbow 2L is the microscope we'd point most families and home educators to first. It's a compound microscope with three glass objectives on a turret, a 10x eyepiece angled at 45 degrees, and LED lighting from both above and below, which means it handles prepared slides and pond water as well as a leaf or a coin laid on the stage. Magnification runs from 40x to 400x, which is the useful range for cells, insect parts and plant sections. Our magnification guide explains why that's enough.

It runs from the mains adapter in the box or from three AA batteries, so it works at a desk or on the kitchen table. The body is plastic, which keeps it light enough for a child to carry, and the 90 by 90 mm stage has clips, a six-hole diaphragm disc to control the light, and a glass condenser underneath. Focus is a single coarse knob, which is simpler for a beginner than separate coarse and fine controls.

Levenhuk's K50 experiment kit comes in the box with five prepared slides, five blank slides, forceps, a dropper, a tiny microtome for cutting thin sections, and a brine shrimp hatchery, so there's something to look at the day it arrives. When the five slides run out, the N20 NG set adds twenty more.

The LabZZ M101 below it costs less but has lower lighting only and no mains option. The Rainbow 50L PLUS above it adds a metal body, achromatic lenses and a carry case. Available in Azure.