Beakers are the workhorse glassware of any chemistry lab. They come in a variety of sizes and are used for measuring volumes of liquid. Beakers aren't particularly precise. Some aren't even marked with volume measurements. A typical beaker is accurate within about 10%. In other words, a 250-ml beaker will hold 250 ml +/- 25 ml of liquid. A liter beaker will be accurate to within about 100 ml of liquid.

The flat bottom of a beaker makes it easy to place on flat surfaces such as a lab bench or a hot plate. The spout makes it easy to pour liquids into other containers. Finally, the wide opening makes it easy to add materials to the beaker. For this reason, beakers are often used for mixing and transferring liquids.