Why do new lava lamps suck?

I got the lamp in the video on ebay years ago, and it is AWESOME. It moves slowly and smoothly and the lava is 100% opaque (can't see through it)... the definition of therapeutic to watch!

https://youtu.be/IMnMa8lPM0E

When I watch it, I feel almost like I was given some anti-anxiety pill!

Then, I've had several that I purchased new at retail stores, and they are awful! They move fast and stringy and the blobs are translucent so you see air bubbles in them. I have had 3 of them from the new generation, and they all made me more stressed, not less!! If the 60's one makes me feel like I was given a Benzo, the new generation one makes me feel like I was given a hit of speed!

I've seen 1 other lamp from the 1960's that performs the same way as mine, so I feel safe saying that the new generation has different chemistry or something.

Those new ones were so awful I don't even have them anymore.

Can anyone explain what is going on with the new generation that makes them perform so badly? I'm sure glad I got the retro one I did, because it really is therapeutic!

Cheers!

- Jono

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by kero48 on August 12, 2017 at 4:15pm

Well from what everyone has said everyone time this comes up lol

#1 the formulas are not the same as they were during U.S. production

#2 quality control is very poor

On a side note, the newer 52oz models are not bad. I had a few, worked pretty nicely and were thick and snooty.

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Hoffman on August 12, 2017 at 4:50pm

Sorry for not searching before posting )-: I should have known this had been asked 100 times by now lol

and ya the quality control and US production thing makes total sense. I'm glad Lava Lamps aren't something that "goes bad" or "expires". I'll just enjoy the good one I have!

Thanks for the reply!

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Permalink Reply by kero48 on August 12, 2017 at 5:41pm

Don't worry about the search thing, it's no biggie :)

Well I wouldn't exactly say lava lamps don't go bad or expire as from use over the years they can go bad sort of but can be corrected either with fluid change, fluid/lava change or simply using a gookit on a nice clean empty bottle.

I no little about the processes above so if and when you think you need to do some or all, post up and the crew will be there to help you :)