Help me find a beaker with an inner diameter of just over 3 inches.

November 25, 2018 11:21 AM

I am looking for a heavy-duty Pyrex (or similar sturdy borosilicate) straight-walled beaker, so that I can use it with my hand blender for making mayonnaise and aioli. For this purpose, the beaker needs to be just barely larger than the head of the hand blender, which is 3" in diameter. All of the specs I see list the outer diameter, but I don't know how thick the walls are, or if that counts the beaded rim. Can any of you scientists help me out?
posted by mboszko to Science & Nature (9 answers total)

I measured the outer circumference of my 400 mL Pyrex beaker (it's the same as this one) and it's 25 cm. The inside is more difficult to measure, I'd estimate about 23 cm.

I suppose I could just cut a strip of paper 3" long and see if it fits inside. I'll let you know!
posted by invokeuse at 11:36 AM on November 25, 2018

Best answer: A strip cut from a 3"x5" index card does not lay flat in a 400 mL Pyrex No. 1000 beaker.
The 600 mL would probably work for your purpose; the 400 mL nests quite cozily into the 600 mL.
posted by invokeuse at 11:42 AM on November 25, 2018 [1 favorite]

So, I had to solve a similar problem recently when I dropped the plastic beaker that came with my immersion blender and shattered it. I settled on this silicone one from OXO, and I'm thrilled with it.
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 11:52 AM on November 25, 2018

Best answer: Wide mouth mason jars have a 3” inner diameter as well, and I use them exactly in the manner you’re describing.

They are pretty damn tough, but not entirely as strong as borosilicate.
posted by furnace.heart at 12:04 PM on November 25, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: What about this immersion blender replacement beaker?
posted by essexjan at 12:58 PM on November 25, 2018

I have also made mayonnaise successfully in a wide-mouth mason jar with an immersion blender. Plus you can put the lid on for refrigerator storage.
posted by leahwrenn at 1:39 PM on November 25, 2018 [1 favorite]

nthing the wide-mouth mason jar. The tall (3 cup?) size is cylindrical, basically (no neck) and it's what I use with my immersion blender for this exact technique (which I love btw). But a fancy beaker would be cooler...
posted by Mngo at 2:46 PM on November 25, 2018 [1 favorite]

I make mayonnaise -- that exact recipe, actually -- with a stick blender in a normal everyday 2-cup Pyrex. Works perfectly every time.
posted by jacobian at 7:40 PM on November 25, 2018

Response by poster: Thank you all! A lot of good options. I suppose one of these other options might be more practical, but a beaker is, as @Mngo says, just cooler, y’know? :)
posted by mboszko at 5:14 PM on November 26, 2018