This study was conducted to examine the results of using a low-cost hands-on setup in combination with accompanying activities to promote understanding of the contact mode of atomic force microscopy (AFM). This contact mode setup enabled learners to study how AFM works by hand scanning using probing cantilevers with different characteristics on two types of artificial surface. They also learnt how to select the various probing cantilevers on the basis of their understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of using them. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)