Wal-Mart sold some large jars (canisters in kitchen supply's) with lids, similar to what I think they called battery jars, about 2 gallon and one gallon (canister) jars, these cannot be heated on hot plate directly, but could if sand bath was used and low temperature, I have used fish tank heater in the past. Now I use heater pads with a light dimmer circuit or second hand crock pots with lids. Most all my lab equipment is from kitchen ware or canning type or pickle jars, I have bought some nice lab ware but cannot bring myself to use it (even for distilling), as I do not cry when I break my second hand kitchen ware, even my watch glass was from an old clock, broke it after two years of use, well guess I am going to have to find another clock to get the watch glass. Old automatic coffee maker and coffee pot works well for heating, also Some other things that come in handy, kitchen blender, White corning ware skillet and baking pots, the amber (not sure I have color right) or violet glass stovetop skillet, plastic type cup with screen in bottom, funnels, glass rods or fiberglass rods, hot plates, propane stove, cipher tools look like eye droppers (pipettes?), and suction bulb on a plastic syringe cannot remember what they call these but they are great for decanting solutions, or transferring liquids or starting ciphering of hoses, this list can go on and on.
What can I say it’s hard for me to give up my hillbilly ways, and use real expensive lab ware, when people throw away the lab equipment that works so well for me?