Magnifico (The Magnifier Company) has been around since 1999.

In that time we have answered thousands of questions about magnifying glasses. Sometimes we hear of usage requirements that are completely new to us. We are always happy to hear of any situation where a magnifier might come in handy, and can normally provide a solution of some kind for any related question.

Here’s a list of 20 things that you can do with a magnifying glass – some well-known, others less so. What do you use magnifiers for? Let us know. Perhaps we’ll add your use to a future list

  1. Find a rare stamp
    Stamps are often tiny little design delights, with beautiful graphics and vivid bright colours, all in an area the size of a…well postage stamp. And sometimes they are of great value too. Enjoy them more and maybe find something more to treasure by inspecting one under a magnifying glass.
  2. Read a book
    Make words leap off the page with a magnifier. Go for one with a light to make that text stand out more.  Bright LEDs highlight contrast, allowing you to finish that report, or read that final chapter late into the night, without straining your eyes.
  3. Sewing and needlework
    Keep hands-free for embroidery, cross-stitch, quilting, sewing or needlework with a round-the-neck magnifier. Sit comfortably so you can concentrate and complete your creation sooner
  4. There’s a great big world out there
    Once you start looking at a map it’s hard not to feel inspired and get ideas of places to go. Larger magnifiers give you a wider view and bring to life place names that perhaps would not have stood out otherwise. See them all more clearly and put them on your next itinerary.
  5. Complete a cryptic crossword
    A crossword, or puzzle of any kind is a great way to stretch your mind and maybe broaden your vocabulary. Sometimes you think you’ve got the clue but is there such a word? Use a magnifying glass to check your answer in a dictionary or reference book.
  6. Find that jigsaw piece
    So you’re up to 1000 pieces now but the manufacturer forgot to tell you how small they are. Don’t give up – just level the playing field by using a hands-free stand magnifier when you need to make one bigger.
  7. Watch what you eat
    For some time manufacturers have been under pressure to reduce packaging but that means there’s so much information crammed on that much of the text is too small to read. If you’re counting calories, or have an allergy, then a magnifier might be just as helpful to you in the supermarket as your shopping list.
  8. Mend something
    Perhaps you’ve been inspired to mend something by a restoration programme on TV. Unfortunately the last time you looked at the item was 30 years ago and time hasn’t been so kind on your eyesight either. Don’t worry – a magnifying lamp will light the subject and show up the detail you need.
  9. Pigeon eye sign
    What? Oh come on, surely everyone knows that intense black pigeon eyes are one of the indications of good sight. That’s why pigeon fanciers often carry an eyeglass with them to spot the potential winners.
  10. Bring back the memories
    Professional photographers always used high-powered loupes to check slides, negatives and prints. Nowadays digital has taken over but many of us at home still have albums full of old photos. What a joy it is to look at them, and remember ‘the good old days’ with the aid of a magnifying glass.
  11. Coins – make a mint
    Got some old coins in the loft but wondered if there’s any value in them? Could be – especially those with silver content. Powerful magnifiers can help you see the years where there’s money to be made.
  12. I was working in the lab late one night
    From medical schools to science labs, police forensic units to hospitals, none of them would be without a magnifying lamp or two, to help them with their investigations.
  13. Beauty – you’re worth it
    Check you’ve still got those glamorous good looks with a magnifying mirror. Treat yourself to a manicure or facial at the local beauty salon, and let them look at you under a magnifying lamp.
  14. Call a Plumber…
    ..or an Electrician, or a Gardener, or a Builder, or anyone in the small ads of your local magazine, that would be easier to find if the text wasn’t so small.
  15. Buy shares on the stock market
    If you study the financial pages in your newspaper you’ll be used to looking at numbers. Spend too long concentrating though and the figures might begin to blur into each other. A good bar magnifier keeps your place on the page and makes each share price stand out – perhaps that’s the one that will make you that first million?
  16. Insects – get the bug
    You don’t always need to go far from home to find something amazing. While away the hours by spending time with your children, and encouraging them to be inspired by nature by seeing bugs and plants in all their glory under a magnifying lens.
  17. Electronics repairs
    Holding your breath while your try and get to something with a tweezer or screwdriver can be hard work – make it easier by putting it under a light and a lens. Use the most powerful magnifier you can find to show up component parts and replacement reference numbers.
  18. Stop! Who goes there?
    You can’t come in unless you’ve got the right documents. Passport, driving licence, either will do. Hand them over for inspection under a desk loupe.
  19. Give your project wings
    Model makers spend hours looking at intricate details, from plans to parts.  Putting it all together under a magnifying glass is one of the most satisfying moments for anyone’s passion.
  20. I’m going back to my roots
    Trace your past, and find out who you really are. Large Fresnel lens magnifying sheets are ‘tools of the trade’ for genealogists who use them for research in libraries and public record offices to look up their family history.