Lava Lite depresses me (when will I ever learn?)

[Erin]

It's my own stupid fault. I see cheap lamps and I get excited. Every single one I bring home is disappointing. I don't know why I even bother. If I get one that's clear, the flow is crap (well, they all flow like crap). Residue on the bottom. Residue on the inside of the glass. Horrible flow. Cloudy. Hazy. Overheats quickly. 

They're all getting returned...except one I'm keeping to test out pinholes on the base.

 

My very first "new" China Lava Lite. Got this summer of 2010. It didn't flow. Returned it the next day.

 

Next up, my China blue/white. Sent the base to Mike (blindfaith) this week. Globe is clear, flow is boring:

 

I think we all remember this one. I wrote up a huge thread about it. What a shame. Returned for full refund to Lava Lite. 
 

Orange/black 52oz. Horribly cloudy. Residue on inside. It was nasty to look at.
 

 

Exchanged for this:

 

^^ This one is clear, but has gunk in the coil/wax, which I just discovered this week:

 

Bought five of these for $8/each. The blue/white wouldn't stick to the coil, the purple/red was so cloudy you couldn't see through it. I returned those two. I might keep the remaining three for experiments or glitter, but they are pretty depressing to look at (pretty awful flow):

Lastly, I purchased this at Target last week. A little hazy, residue on the inside and the flow, well, you know the story...

 

I know I'm an idiot for even buying them, and it's weird how I try and justify keeping them ("well, they're not THAT bad" or "I could use this for parts") but that's a pretty sad reason to keep something that you don't like. 

 

I've been running these off and on all weekend and each time I look at them, they just disappoint me. 

 

No point to this thread...just wanted to share my thoughts. Friends don't let friends buy Lava Lite, right? ;)

 

*sigh*

[Keith]

Anyone who has any kind of preference of Lava Lamp flow, especially if they talk about it, can be considered weird.    Maybe that's why this is our home, lol

Kaity Sullivan said:

ya'll are weird. that blue/white is gorgeous and i love the flow of china lamps. my friend has a vintage purple/white swirl base with purple/clear and the flow is SO WEIRD. it's snakey and sometimes all it does is produce tiny bubbles that just collect together like fish eggs or something. i love the flow of every one of my china lamps! 

[Aladdin 2 Lava]

"I would rather play here with all the madmen for I'm quite content they're all as SANE as me"... (David Bowie-All The Madmen.)

:)

Keith said:

Anyone who has any kind of preference of Lava Lamp flow, especially if they talk about it, can be considered weird.    Maybe that's why this is our home, lol

Kaity Sullivan said:

ya'll are weird. that blue/white is gorgeous and i love the flow of china lamps. my friend has a vintage purple/white swirl base with purple/clear and the flow is SO WEIRD. it's snakey and sometimes all it does is produce tiny bubbles that just collect together like fish eggs or something. i love the flow of every one of my china lamps! 

[Claude J]

Jut line up 25 in a row, you wont notice it~!

[Michael]

Some of the china stuff isn't terrible. I do like their glitter at times and hey, if nothing else... sometimes the bases they come up with are fun and worth it for the purchase alone (heritage bases, clearviews, anniversary lamps, etc...) I usually end up swapping in US globes, but still have been pleasantly surprised here and there with china globes. Everyone has a preference. :)