Buying a spectrophotometer is an expensive proposition. Buying the wrong model could have unintended consequences. The first thing to look at when deciding what model is the features you need. Do you need infared or UV/visible spectrometry? Do you need a model that includes a printer and syncs to a computer, or is a simple screen all you need?
Because spectrophotometers are not updated that frequently and the technology hasn't changed much over the years, we recommend buying a decent model and not skimping out. Though you may not need all the features of a pricier model now, who knows where your experiments in the future will take you? We are often asked questions about spectrophotometry, and understand there are quite a few spectrophotometers out there to choose from. If we had to pick one, however, it would be the UNICO SQ-3802. The SQ-3802 isn't the lowest-priced model out there, but for the price, it has the most features.
The UNICO SP-3802 may be found on Amazon.com for a little over $6000. Though Amazon isn't commonly thought of as selling scientific supplies, they actually have one of the best selections out there and great customer service.