Distillation of essential oils can be done without expensive laboratory glassware. Simply modify a discarded coffee can, with a hole in the middle of the base, and outfit with copper tubing that is coiled and then placed over an ice bath. The coffee can is crammed full of peppermint plant, and turned upside down and set in a sauce pan on the stove that has water in it. This water is brought to a boil and allows the steam to fill the coffee can and mint. The steam will carry the volatile oils up into the copper tubing and down around the cooled coils where it will condense and drain out into a container. By this method I was able to get a small amount, like 1ml of essential oil. This could then be boiled down further for a more potent oil.
