Here’s every piece of equipment I use, organized by tek, with current links to buy. This list is kept up to date here on the site — if you’d rather have it emailed to you (or want a printable copy), scroll to the bottom and I’ll send it to you.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links never costs you more — it just pays me a small commission for referring you, and it’s how I keep this site and channel running. Prices are approximate and change often.
Making Agar
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scale | Etekcity 0.1g Digital Kitchen Scale | ~$19 | |
| Spoon | Household item you likely already have | ||
| Agar Agar | Agar Agar Powder, 8 oz | ~$15 | |
| Yeast Extract | Bragg Nutritional Yeast, 12 oz | ~$15 | |
| Dry Malt Extract | Briess Golden Light Dry Malt Extract, 1 lb | ~$9 | |
| Glass bottle for pressure cooking | Pyrex Slimline Media Bottle, 500 mL | ~$19 | Optional — a canning jar with a lid works too |
| Pressure Cooker (small) | Presto 01241 4-Quart Pressure Cooker | ~$50 | Don’t buy if you’re buying the 23 qt |
| Pressure Cooker (large) | Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner | ~$166 | Optional — the 4 qt cooker works too |
| Bowl for raw materials | Household item you likely already have | ||
| Measuring Cup | Household item you likely already have | ||
| Thermo temp gun | Infrared Thermometer Gun | ~$10 | |
| Still Air Box | Large Still Air Box for Mycology | ~$36 | Don’t buy if you’re buying a flow hood. You can make your own — see our SAB tutorial. |
| Parafilm Tape | Parafilm M Roll, 250' x 2" | ~$30 | |
| Gloves | MedPride Nitrile Exam Gloves, 100 ct | ~$10 | |
| Petri Dishes | Sterile Plastic Petri Dishes 90mm, 100 pack | ~$48 |
Spores to Agar
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agar plate | Covered in an earlier step | ||
| Spore Syringe | Source through a reputable spore vendor (not Amazon) | ~$25 | |
| Pen, flame, paper towels | Household item you likely already have | ||
| Parafilm, gloves, alcohol | Covered in an earlier step |
Agar to Agar Transfer
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scalpel | #11 Scalpel Blades (100) + #3 Handle | ~$13 | |
| Microscope (optional) | 40-2000X Compound Microscope | ~$55 | Optional — fun for checking your cultures |
Making Liquid Culture
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stirrer | Magnetic Stir Plate | ~$20 | Optional — you can stir liquid culture by hand |
| Stir magnet | PTFE Magnetic Stir Bars, 8 pc | ~$10 | Don’t buy if you’re not buying the stirrer |
| Poly-fil | Fairfield Poly-Fil Fiber Fill, 32 oz | ~$11 |
Grain Prep
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colander / screen | FLYZZZ Adjustable Window Screens, 2 pack | ~$29 | |
| Jars to pressure cook | Ball Wide Mouth Pint Mason Jars with Lids | ~$14 |
Inoculating Grain
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mask | 3-Ply Disposable Face Masks, 100 pack | ~$8 |
Making Dung Loving Substrate
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermiculite | Extra Chunky (Coarse) Vermiculite, 8 qt | ~$16 | |
| Coco Coir | Compressed Coconut Coir Block (2.5 cu ft) | ~$24 | Must be compressed coco coir |
Making Hardwood Loving Substrate
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood Pellets | Camp Chef Oak 100% Natural Wood Pellets, 20 lb | ~$17 | Any 100% hardwood pellet works (no additives) |
| Grow Bags | Mushroom Grow Bags w/ 0.2 Micron Filter, 30 pack | ~$17 | |
| Wheat Bran | SweetGourmet Wheat Bran, 2 lb | ~$10 |
Hardwood Inoculation & Monotub Build
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impulse Sealer | Metronic 16" Impulse Sealer | ~$63 | Optional — you can seal the bag with a zip tie instead |
| Storage Tote (Monotub) | HOMZ 64 qt Clear Storage Tote | ~$40 | Any 50 qt+ tub works — often cheaper at a local store |
| Drill | BLACK+DECKER 20V Cordless Drill Driver Kit | ~$65 | |
| 1-1/4" Hole Saw Bit | CRAFTSMAN 1-1/4" Bi-Metal Hole Saw | ~$12 | |
| Tape Measure | CRAFTSMAN 25-Ft Tape Measure | ~$13 | |
| Razor Knife | Retractable Utility Knife | ~$9 | |
| Microspore Tape | 3M Micropore Surgical Tape, 2 rolls | ~$6 | |
| Scotch Tape | Scotch Magic Tape, 3 rolls | ~$6 | |
| Scissors | Fiskars 8" All Purpose Scissors | ~$8 |
Fruiting
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reptile Fogger | Coospider 3.8L Reptile Fogger | ~$50 | Optional — can spray inside the tub by hand instead |
| Charcoal Air Scrubber | VIVOSUN 4" Carbon Filter | ~$40 | |
| Timer for fogger | BN-LINK 7-Day Digital Outlet Timer | ~$13 | Don’t buy if you’re not buying the reptile fogger |
Long-Term Storage
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centrifuge Tubes | SimPure 15mL Conical Centrifuge Tubes, 50 pc | ~$18 | |
| Pipettes | 3ML Transfer Pipettes, 100 pack | ~$6 |
Cleaning & Contamination Control
| Item | Where to get it | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70% Isopropyl Alcohol | Amazon Basics 70% Isopropyl Alcohol | ~$29 | |
| Safety Goggles | MELASA Anti-Fog Lab Goggles | ~$10 | |
| Foam Paint Brush | 20 Pc Foam Paint Brushes | ~$5 |
Want This Emailed to You?
Enter your email below and I’ll send you this same list, broken down by tek, straight to your inbox.
