

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.”
LAVA LITE CLASSIC LAVA LAMP WINDOWS
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. When you order your Lava ® lamp replacement bulbs and accessories directly from us, you’ll be sure to find exactly the right bulb and parts for your lamp.Fads come and go, but some like to come back…again and again. We also have our own Lava ® lamp brand bulbs available on our website at Lava Lamp Bulbs – Parts and Accessories and at many retailers. (Bring the bulb to the store if that will help you confirm that you’re getting the right one.) Be sure to get a two-pack so you’re prepared for the next time and won’t have to make another trip to the store before you get your Lava® lamp glowing and flowing again! Check out the chart below to help you choose the right wattage bulb for your lamp. The majority of these are common appliance-type bulbs that can be found in most major retailers, including Target, Walmart, Home Depot, etc. Finding the Lava ® lamp bulb size that works best for your particular model will guarantee you’ll be able to keep your Lava ® lamp in good working order for as long as possible.īelow, you’ll find a handy chart that will help you find the proper Lava ® lamp bulb wattage and size based on the type of Lava ® lamp you have. However, they do require bulbs specific to the lamp’s design. Yet given the unique nature of the Lava ® lamp, you may be wondering, “What kind of bulb does a Lava ® lamp take?” The good news is that it’s easy to determine what size light bulb works best for your Lava ® lamp.Įven though they look different than any other type of lamp on the market, Lava ® lamps do not require special bulbs. The light source inside a Lava ® lamp can be replaced just like any other type of lamp. Light bulbs don’t last forever, unfortunately, but that doesn’t mean your Lava ® lamp has to go dark forever. Just about everyone who has one loves to watch the soothing combination of light and motion all day and all night.

A Lava ® lamp can bring a lot of color and joy to any room.
