All biological, chemical, and physics laboratories use general laboratory equipment, such as Bunsen burners, glassware, centrifuges, balances, pipettes, autoclaves, and more. Such equipment is defined by its continual and commonplace use across most biological and chemical investigations – being nonspecific to any scientific field or internal discipline.

Consumables, like centrifuge tubes or Petri dishes, are typically used in conjunction with general laboratory equipment. However, after use, these consumables are either "consumed" in the investigation or disposed of after their completion.

General laboratory equipment and consumables are used throughout biological research, from simple experiments to complex analyses, e.g., in analytical chemistry.