LAVA ® lamps didn’t become iconic products that have been beloved for more than 50 years by offering the same old, same old. Here are a handful of our favorites.The combination of light and motion that makes a LAVA ® lamp so special is timeless - but that doesn’t mean it can’t be innovative. The LAVA Lamp, made by Schylling, sells through its website and retailers like Target and Spencer’s. Lava lamps are once again making a comeback, still in their iconic rocket ship shape. You just need vinegar, vegetable oil, baking soda, and your favorite colors of food dye. If you’re antsy for your own custom lava lamp, you can also try making your own! It’s not a true wax-based lamp, but it gives a similar effect. “While people can always find vintage examples for sale on platforms such as eBay, I would recommend visiting open-air markets, vintage markets, and even auctions.” Get an idea of the possibilities by Googling the Astro and Astro Mini (inventor Craven’s very first offerings), the Coca-Cola lava lamp, the Homer Simpson lamp, and the Astro Nordic Glitterlite. Unfortunately, American customers won’t be able to shop on the Mathmos website, but there are other options. Saturn draws inspiration from the rare 1960s floor-standing Princess Rocket lava lamp design. “Without a doubt,” states Voz, “the most sought-after contemporary lava lamp is the stunning Mathmos Saturn, launched in 2021. “Their diverse and impressive array of innovative lava lamp designs encompasses 1960s originals, designs certified for all ages, relaxing candle-powered designs, iconic rockets, and giant lava lamps,” says Anthony Voz, lava lamp historian and collector.
Mathmos continues to produce creative lava lamps for British fans. Allowing it to cool down helps to extend the life of the lamp and bulb.” It’s best to keep them out of direct sun, away from cold windows or drafts, and turn off the lava lamp after about eight hours of operation. Morales says, “The lamps work best at room temperature, about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, proper care of your lava lamp is the best way to ensure you’re getting the best experience. The key to the lava magic is changing the density of one of the two ingredients, and each lava lamp manufacturer has their own formula for doing this. Normally, wax is lighter than water, so in non-lava lamp scenarios, it would simply sit on top of the water. Once the gooey wax hits the top of the lamp, it cools, grows denser, and drifts back down. An incandescent lightbulb at the bottom heats the wax, which makes it less dense, so it rises and wiggles. It starts with a glass lamp filled with water and wax. “The function, the construction, and the design of the lava lamp are very similar to the original.” The unique lamp feels futuristic but soothing, like the alien equivalent of a crackling fireplace.
“The lava lamp really is as mesmerizing today as when it was invented,” says Sarah Morales, digital marketing coordinator at Schylling, Inc., which bought the LAVA lamp brand. These days, you can find lava lamps made by two companies: Mathmos and Schylling, Inc., who bought the US rights to the brand. He also made underwater naturist films and once hosted the cast of Hair at his home in Dorset, England. Walker was known for driving interesting vehicles and even owned a fire truck. They were an instant success, and Walker started the business now called Mathmos (after the lake of lava in the ’60s comic Barbarella). The first prototype was called the Astro and was made from a lightbulb, an empty fruit drink bottle, and two immiscible liquids: water and wax. The lava lamp was invented by entrepreneur and nudist Edward Craven Walker in 1963. It grows, breaks up, falls down and then starts all over again.” As the creator put it: “I think it will always be popular. The lava lamp, a mainstay in children’s bedrooms and college dorms, has a way of popping back into the mainstream consciousness every now and then. Fads come and go, but some like to come back…again and again.