Are the 50th Anniversary Lava Lites any good?

[Chris]

I don't know what it is about the winter months that make me want to buy more lava lamps, but today I found myself ordering a 50th Anniversary model from Spencer Gifts. I wanted to see what you all think of this model and if any of you have any direct experience with it:

http://www.spencersonline.com/product/home-dorm/lava-lamps/17-50th-...

I do realize there's a good chance that this lamp will be crap. I know they usually arrive cloudy and usually don't flow after the first couple of uses. But I did feel like maybe this one would be different. If it works out, I'm going to give my kitted one to my son, and keep the new one for my desk.

It takes a lot for a lamp to earn its rightful place by my side at my desk. At this point I have gotten rid of almost all my non-working lamps that I didn't feel like kitting, and I just have the one 1997 Lava Lite model that I goo kitted last year. The thing is, I just don't like the goo from the goo kits. It's not the same look as Lava Lite lava, even if they don't use the same stuff anymore. I want to see if I can get lucky again and get a good working un-messed with Lava Lite.

So have any of you seen this lamp in action or owned this model? Anyone have any luck with these? There's only one review on Spencer's site, and it's a good on, but I don't trust that for a second. Lava Lite's stuff just really sucks these days.

[Erin]

I have this lamp. It's one of the few new lava lamps that I didn't have problems with. That being said, it's only been run a handful of times. 

This is mine: http://oozinggoo.ning.com/photo/50th-anniversary-lamp-32oz-purple-y...

Your best bet is always going to be a lamp from the 70s - 90s. You'll be happiest with a lamp from that time period. Nearly all my new lava lamps from Lava Lite have problems. I frequently return them.

[Chris]

Erin said:

I have this lamp. It's one of the few new lava lamps that I didn't have problems with. That being said, it's only been run a handful of times. 

This is mine: http://oozinggoo.ning.com/photo/50th-anniversary-lamp-32oz-purple-y...

Your best bet is always going to be a lamp from the 70s - 90s. You'll be happiest with a lamp from that time period. Nearly all my new lava lamps from Lava Lite have problems. I frequently return them.

I have a 1997 Silver Streak that I goo kitted, and I really like it, but I've just been getting the itch for a new one. Is the gold color on that base spray painted on or is it really a gold colored chrome?

[naadbrahma .]

 It's anodized aluminium but in my opinion it's a really pale brass color and not gold enough. I have a 32oz 50th lamp and it is not perfectly clear but definitely not cloudy. I had to return the first one because for some reason the glass developed a crack after a couple runs. 

Chris said:

Erin said:

I have this lamp. It's one of the few new lava lamps that I didn't have problems with. That being said, it's only been run a handful of times. 

This is mine: http://oozinggoo.ning.com/photo/50th-anniversary-lamp-32oz-purple-y...

Your best bet is always going to be a lamp from the 70s - 90s. You'll be happiest with a lamp from that time period. Nearly all my new lava lamps from Lava Lite have problems. I frequently return them.

I have a 1997 Silver Streak that I goo kitted, and I really like it, but I've just been getting the itch for a new one. Is the gold color on that base spray painted on or is it really a gold colored chrome?

[Chris]

How is the actual glass on these lamps? Is it pretty clear, or does it have the speckles in it like all the other China lamps?

[Ian]

Both of the globes on mine have almost zero speckles. My 32oz one has absolutely no speckles, and there are just a few teensy tiny ones on my 52oz one.

[Claude J]

Here is my story with 50th's

2 smaller ones were bought from LL, 52oz. from Spencers, and grande from Amazon

I have one of every size and the only problem I had was with the grande size

Amazon was more than helpful in addressing the problems I experienced

They even did a price match and refunded @$28

1st one-base came dented and cloudy
Returned

2nd one-base came dented and clearer

I held it until replacement arrived

3rd one-base ok but a bit cloudy

I mixed and matched for the best results on 2 and 3 and sent back the remains

LL offered a replacement globe which I accepted

All other sizes were spectacular and the flow is good

[Kirk]

While I don't own the 50th Anniversary Aristocrat, I do have the 50th Anniversary Grande lamp.  I bought mine from Spencer's in December 2015.

I also have three of the epic Giant lamps from the 90s.  The 50th Ann Grande is as good if not better than my Giants.  The flow is amazing - columns, balls, and dripping teardrops.  The liquid is stellar.  Beautiful, clear purple.  The globe is perfect - no imperfections or air bubbles in the glass.  The hardware with embossed Lava 50th on the base is very well done.

The 50th Ann Grande has it all, and it's one of the very few modern Lava Lite lamps I'd recommend.

[Claude J]

Agreed!

the flow is stellar

[Chris]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I've just been getting the itch to have a "real", unmodified, non-kitted lamp, and it looks like I have a better chance with this one than I have with some of the other ones I've bought. Hopefully Spencer is cool about it if/when I need to do some returning to get it right.

[Erin]

Can anyone with the 50th Anniv. lamps check and see if they have specks/gunk in the coil/wax? Both my Heritage Grandes ended up with this problem and it's so disappointing. 

[Michael]

Hi All,

I too ordered a 50th Grande from Spencers and was quite fortunate that it arrived in 3 days (mid december at that), was crystal clear, runs amazingly and to this day, has not yet developed any gunk in the two coils. I also have a 32oz 50th lamp, which has the on/off switch on the back side of the base. The globe came clear, the flow is standard china flow, not terrible, but not amazing either, on some rare occasions, I do get some snake stretch to the wax, but mostly china balls. The cool thing about the 32oz size is that they are readily available in person at Target and Spencers, so you can open the boxes and inspect. 

[Chris]

I think at this point, as long as I don't get the pea shooter effect, I will be a happy camper. My last China lamp did that and then the lava completely died and wouldn't move at all. That was later accompanied by black flecks that had chipped off of the coil.

Michael said:

Hi All,

I too ordered a 50th Grande from Spencers and was quite fortunate that it arrived in 3 days (mid december at that), was crystal clear, runs amazingly and to this day, has not yet developed any gunk in the two coils. I also have a 32oz 50th lamp, which has the on/off switch on the back side of the base. The globe came clear, the flow is standard china flow, not terrible, but not amazing either, on some rare occasions, I do get some snake stretch to the wax, but mostly china balls. The cool thing about the 32oz size is that they are readily available in person at Target and Spencers, so you can open the boxes and inspect.