Best Plain Laboratory Notebooks of 2026

Jordan Akhtar Avatar
Jordan Akhtar
Last Updated: 10 Feb 2026

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Plain Laboratory Notebooks are a practical and essential tool for anyone working in a laboratory environment. These notebooks are designed to allow scientists, researchers, and students to record their observations, experiments, and findings in a clear and organised manner. With their plain covers and pages, they offer a simple and professional appearance, making them suitable for use in any laboratory setting. The notebooks are available in a range of sizes and formats, allowing users to choose the one that best suits their needs. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting out, Plain Laboratory Notebooks are an indispensable tool for anyone working in the scientific field.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Clairefontaine A4 Clothbound Notebook, 192 Pages Cover #TOP 1
Clairefontaine A4 Clothbound Notebook, 192 Pages
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Clairefontaine Koverbook PP Laboratory Workbook A4 Cover #TOP 2
Clairefontaine Koverbook PP Laboratory Workbook A4
ftb score rating icon 9.7
Clairefontaine Calligraphe Staple Bound Notebook Cover #TOP 3
Clairefontaine Calligraphe Staple Bound Notebook
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 3 Plain Laboratory Notebooks

#TOP 1

Clairefontaine A4 Clothbound Notebook, 192 Pages

791404C
Blue
21 x 29.7 cm
Clairefontaine A4 Clothbound Notebook, 192 Pages Cover
Clairefontaine 791404C Age Bag Collection A Sewn Notebook with Blue Cloth Spine - A4 21x29.7cm - 192 Plain White Pages - Paper 90 g - Leather Grain Cover Card

The Clairefontaine Notebook offers a durable glossy card cover that mimics leather grain, ensuring an authentic appearance. You will appreciate the comfort and quality of its thread seam and canvas back, which provide flexibility and support, allowing the notebook to open flat. The customizable end pages give you the opportunity to personalise your notes for a neat finish. With its large A4 format, you have ample space for all your note-making needs, making this notebook ideal for students and professionals alike.

What We Like
Durable and stylish cover
Comfortable flat opening
Customisable end pages
Large A4 format

Clairefontaine Koverbook PP Laboratory Workbook A4

980420C
random colour
24x32 cm
Clairefontaine Koverbook PP Laboratory Workbook A4 Cover
Clairefontaine 980420C A Koverbook Stapled Practical Work Notebook - 24x32 cm - 64 Seyes Ruled Pages 90 g and White Plains 125 g - Polypro Cover - Random Colour

The Clairefontaine Koverbook Workbook is an economical choice for your laboratory needs. It features a strong, waterproof cover that keeps your notes safe from spills and tears. The two integrated flap pockets are perfect for marking pages and storing important documents, ensuring everything you need is close at hand. Personalisation is made easy with an adhesive label included with the notebook. With high-quality Clairefontaine paper, you can enjoy a smooth writing experience, whether for notes or drawings.

What We Like
Economical all-in-one notebook
Waterproof and tear-proof cover
Integrated flap pockets
High-quality paper
PEFC certified for sustainability
#TOP 3

Clairefontaine Calligraphe Staple Bound Notebook

assorted colours
A4/21x29,7 cm
Clairefontaine Calligraphe Staple Bound Notebook Cover
Calligrapher 48C Stapled Laboratory Notebook (Clairefontaine) A4 21x29,7cm - 64 Seyes Ruled Pages 70 g and Plain 90 g - Varnished Card Cover - Random Colour

The Calligraphe Staple Bound Notebook offers a robust design with an offset card cover and stapled spine, making it ideal for school use. With 32 sheets featuring a mix of French ruling and drawing paper, it caters to various subjects, including biology and geography. The use of 70gsm and 90gsm Clairefontaine paper ensures a good price/performance ratio, perfect for everyday tasks. Plus, with PEFC certification, you can feel good knowing that the paper comes from sustainably managed forests.

What We Like
Robust and durable design
Variety of ruling options
Good value for money
Environmentally friendly paper
Made in France
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

It is important to understand that your lab notebook is a legal document. In the case that your research contributes to the issuing of a patent, it will be closely scrutinized because it documents your group's claim to the discovery.

2. What is the difference between a lab notebook and a regular notebook?

Lab notebooks have multiple uses. They're for your own records, to refer to when you begin to write up an experiment. They avoid confusion if a method changes multiple times or becomes convoluted.

3. Do scientists still use lab notebooks?

Reliable figures on lab notebook practices are not available, but it is widely agreed that a large majority of university researchers still use paper. Nonetheless, some scientists have found that the volume of digital data their labs generate necessitates a new approach to record-keeping.

Editor's Notes

During our plain laboratory notebook research, we found 47 plain laboratory notebook products and shortlisted 3 quality products. We collected and analyzed 13,354 customer reviews through our big data system to write the plain laboratory notebooks list. We found that most customers choose plain laboratory notebooks with an average price of £15.70.

The plain laboratory notebooks are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of plain laboratory notebooks, including Clairefontaine and more.

Written by
Jordan Akhtar Avatar

Jordan Akthar owns one stationery store in Bradford, and another in Derby. He started with a corner bookshop, and now the rest is history. He is often found in his stores taking count of inventories of books and stationery. Jordan also likes to write, and this drove his passion for writing articles on stationery maintenance. He owns a blog, where in his free time, he would write DIY tips on how you can recycle and refine your stationeries.