It took me soo long to find master alchemical equipment in Oblivion, and I still don't have a full set. It would be nice if they made this loot part of a quest or series of quests that unlock once you reach a certain level in the alchemy skill. Any thoughts?

You're assuming alchemy is going to work exactly like Oblivion, which it won't. I've heard rumors that alchemy might only be done at certain locations like crafting in Fallout.

I hope they have both, alchemical laboratories, and better equipment you can carry. As to it being quest based, how's about some (very few) quests give you different rewards with the radiant story, master calcinator, Dwemer anvil, or master magetallow candle, depending on whether alchemy, smithing or enchanting is the highest of your skills, for example.

Well thats will not exclude apparatus of different quality from game
Did you play with At Home Alchemy in Morrowind and Oblivion?
http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=5478
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=2737

So generic work benches no exclude apparatus of different quality from game just decrease ability to make potions in wilderness since such work need safe and prepared place.
There is two ways to do this
- First and more likely will done there will be static activators with different quality so Novice quality bench can be really common while master one will be guarded in certain fractions facilities and require some ranks to have access

Or

- Second and what I'd like to see benches work as scripted containers or just tables surface where need to put different quality apparatus so there will be different quality apparatus at same bench all apparatus need to be activated in before they will added into alchemy menu so there can be certain effects like fire up apparatus and some nice animations, we can upgraded them by purchasing upgraded or found better apparatus as item somewhere and them put the into bench, as well only Mortar & Pestle can be movable since using only of Mortar & Pestle for making potions will not make powerful ones as using additional apparatus thats can be balanced unless having creating empty bottles out of thin air break immersion for you as the same as for me, adding empty bottles phials and flasks will really good I think.

Rather just a work bench type deal with animations. Less hassle more Niren root.

You don't like TES alchemy system based on skills and different apparatus thats have different effects of potion based on their quality and type?
Why you want simplify it?

I don't think alchemy is likely to be tied to a workbench. In this interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWjqeFokSGA towards the end, Todd says that alchemy is the craft of rangers that they do in the woods. This suggests that alchemy can be done anywhere like in oblivion.

Have to totally agree with your questions..
Replacing complexity with an animation? Exactly 180 o from the direction TES should be headed in, imho.

Start at the 12:00 min mark

In the whiteboard in GI's behind the scenes, there is a (very) rough sketch of a crafting table, followed by a (again very) rough draft of some alchemy ideas, so it's still a possibility a workbench may be needed.