Mathmos US and their quality.

[telemann]

Hi everyone:

What a great website. I'm a bit new to collecting Lava Lamps. The past week, I ordered a large Grande Lava from Amazon. Purple with orange yellow wax. I had a hunch from previous experiences that the water would be very cloudy. Sure enough, it was. I was so disappointed. But I got to researching and discovered that Mathmos is selling in the U.S. now, but they don't have any Lava Lamps in stock now and won't be expected for 3 weeks :-(

I fell in love with the Telstar and how absolutely clear videos of their water looks. I came across a light firm in Denmark on Youtube with a neon Telstar (light green water with orange or reddish wax). I called up Mathmos today and they said they never sold such a model. Maybe the firm in Denmark colored the video ;)

I'm willing to pay more for my Lava Lamp, and I just wondered what the experiences have been with Mathmos lamps, I never see any complaints about them.

Thanks so much ;)

[Mattmos]

You should've went to Ebay and ordered from sonicelectronix. They are selling Grandes for $69.99 free s/h and they are NOT cloudy. I ordered four Grandes from them and they are all clear.

[Erin]

^ Well this is sad to hear. I've heard hints of problems with Mathmos lamps, but only recently. One member here said that that since they aren't selling as many lamps, they've been having to make smaller batches of wax/liquid and that has accounted for some of the differences people are seeing. Being in the US and only owning two Mathmos lamps, I have little input on the subject. 

As with Lava Lite, it's easy for most of us collectors to take note of a formula change. It just makes me mad when the companies deny it. I see it very simply: you had a great formula, and that's what made lava lamps special, so why on Earth would you change that?!

[telemann]

Marcel does Mathmos take special requests? I'd like a white wax with clear water Astro but they don't seem to offer that anymore? Thanks for your thoughts too. I appreciate the time you took to reply.

[telemann]

Yeah, I just found out the white/clear lamps were a unique thing for 2000. :/

[Knut]

RE: white wax/clear liquid. From some of the new Mathmos replacement bottle boxes pictured in discussions here recently, they are listing the white/clear combination, so I'd expect that they'll have this (and other) colours available in the next couple of months or so.

[telemann]

Thanks Knut, is the offering of the white wax / clear water replacement a good indicator they will re-offer

the these? Or would it be meant to help service customers that bought the Millennium lamps?

[Autumn]

I noticed a difference in quality after I bought a fluidium. The wax is bubbly and grainy, it also over heats really easily. I ended up having to get a replacement globe because it kept getting worse. My older mathmos lamps are perfect and flow great. I sure hope they don't follow the path of lava lite.

[Tim Gill]

I agree with Marcel on this one - Mathmos lamps are the best lamps you can buy in current production and they are completely superior to current Lava Lite lamps and other china made lamps.

You will get a quality item however I have found that there has been a change in Mathmos recently as the fire flows can be tempremental and the Smart Astro still has improvements to make. As for the fludium I can't comment on the previous (i.e. pre halogen ones) but I have found that the halogen bulbs make them heat up quicker and overheat quicker - they should supply the fludium with a dimmer or change the supplied bulb to help this.

Mathmos problems may be occouring from the rumour that they are making the formula in small batches and the risk of it going wrong is higher. I hope that they make bigger batches and if the US sales take off then introduce a more automated process like Lava World had in there Chicago factory.

I don't think Mathmos will follow the same path as Lava Lite they really arn't that stupid and that's not there market. I think that they should really stay on track with the lava lamps and not degenerate there LED stuff as its good now it is and I think they are learning this if it seams that new lava colours will be released.

As for custom bottles I would wait and see what happens with the possible new colours but they can do custom bottles with any wax / master fluid colours from any previous releases.

I don't know why they are releasing the white / clear - weather its intended as a replacement (possible) but is probably because it looks cool.

[Mattmos]

I would love to find out the quality of Mathmos USA, when they open. Does anyone know the opening date of the website? Waiting for my tax return is slow. Watching a slug leave a slime trail is slower, but Mathmos USA, well you get the point.

[telemann]

I talked to them two days ago. They are expecting Astros and Telestars in 2 to 3 weeks.

Mattmos said:

I would love to find out the quality of Mathmos USA, when they open. Does anyone know the opening date of the website? Waiting for my tax return is slow. Watching a slug leave a slime trail is slower, but Mathmos USA, well you get the point.

[Mattmos]

I would think that anything on their website that had a price under the item would be good to go, (e.g. both fireflows). I would buy both Fireflows right now, even though some people say they are junk, but you can't. I would take my chances, but you can't even order.

telemann said:

I talked to them two days ago. They are expecting Astros and Telestars in 2 to 3 weeks.

Mattmos said:

I would love to find out the quality of Mathmos USA, when they open. Does anyone know the opening date of the website? Waiting for my tax return is slow. Watching a slug leave a slime trail is slower, but Mathmos USA, well you get the point.

[Autumn]

I also forgot to mention that when I bought my fluidium it came in a brown box with no graphics. Both the globe and the base came in astro bottle boxes, they didn't even fit properly. -.-