Mathmos Astro Lava Lamp The Original - Violet/Red

This is my first lava lamp, I decided to go for a brand with pedigree in making them and I’m very happy with it.It’s well made machined aluminium, quite heavy and looks classy. Some points to note though, the lamp is in three separate pieces the glass bottle just sits on the base and could easily be knocked/toppled so it won’t be suitable to keep within reach of pets/kids. It also gets very warm in use so touching it when on is not a good idea.It takes a few thermal cycles to really start giving the desired effect, but after the first few uses it seems to get up to speed more quickly and the colours and motions of the lava are very soothing to watch. It comes with two bulbs the first one only lasted for one use which was very disappointing but the second one has been working well with no issues. I’ve bought a couple of spare bulbs from another brand but matching the same electrical output as the originals as back up. MATHMOS bulbs are way too expensive for a consumable item.I think it’s important to allow the lamp to fully warm up when switched on and then fully cool after switching off to prolong both bulb life and improve the lava flow with repeated usage. I also think switching the unit with the inline cable switch is safer for the bulb than leaving the inline switch always on and switching on and off via the mains socket outlet. I’m sure that’s how I blew my first bulb.Some people have complained about the bubbles that are visible in the glass, there are some on mine but they are very small and you really have to be very close to the lamp to notice anything. With the lamp in a sensible location in normal use I think the effect of this lamp is beautiful. I have the blue/green colours and I really love the effect it gives. It’s very vibrant and the lava flow is slightly different every time you use it.It is an expensive item for what is basically a novelty lamp, but being make in the UK from quality materials and considering how beautiful it looks I can only say I am very happy with it and I would buy it again if required, with no hesitation.

It is very true to the original and goes perfectly with my pop art themed music room. Takes a bit of time to warm up on first switch on but speeds up with subsequent use. Very evocative and eye-catching. I am very tempted to buy another. Gets warmish under base but it sits on low feet which provide adequate ventilation. After and evening it is fairly warm underneath and if it's on furniture a coaster or mat might be an idea. It really depends on what you are standing it on. Common sense applies!

The packaging is very sturdy and the graphics are really retro and bright!!The product was really well supported inside and couldn't move around in transit.The metal work was very well polished, with no finger prints which is a sign of good attention to detail.The glass bottle was of an equal standard which was nice to see.The bulb was packaged in a very good quality cardboard box with nice design. I installed the bulb as instructed in the manual.I plugged in the lamp and turned it on.The lamp illuminated with a beautiful glow, and after approx 1.5 hrs the lava lamp became fully active. It was used for about 3 hrs then turned off.The next day I turned the lamp on and flashed then went off.I tested the fuse in the lamp plug, and that was ok, and the wall socket worked ok so the bulb had gone in less than 5hr.The paperwork says the bulb is part of the guarantee so I will be attempting to contact method Ltd.I notice Mathmos charges £9 + for 1 bulb yet on Amazon I can get 8 for £10.All in all tho I would recommend this product to anybody wanting a super retro look for a room with an original name brand!! Built to last with options to change your colour bottles of you fancy variety.

Perfect colour and brightness, once warmed up which is mesmerising in itself it works so well. Attached cable and plug no batteries to worry about. Very sturdy and durable.

Lovely lamp, wax melted very quick for a new lamp as when new they can take a while to get going but this one is very good. Bigger than my rocket lava lamp and you get two bulbs. Expensive but worth it. Customer service is superb if you have any questions or issues

Really pleased with the lava lamp, great quality, easy to use and relaxing to watch. The customer service is amazing, any issues and they go above and beyond to sort. Will definitely be back for more Mathmos products - highly recommend.

Purchased as an Xmas gift for my lovely partner. We followed instructions to the letter when setting it up. Power it up and it was looking fabulous once the wax had started to flow after a few hours. Was on for maximum 6 hours. Switch off overnight. Switched it back on the following day and oh dear, why is it not lighting up. Obviously, the GU10 lamp has died! Swapped it for the spare that came with it. All working again but for how long who knows! I would give this product a five-star review if it didn't have this lamp overheating issue which others have also complained about.I can only assume the lamp is exceeding its operating temperature rating due to the heat rise in the enclosed space of the base.I am an engineer and might run some thermal measurements test to what temperature it reaches at the lamp surface, body, and externally.I use to have an original 60s lava lamp which had a small standard filament lamp and that thing lasted for years, even if it was on 24/7.So this leaves us with a dilemma:1) Should we return the unit as its not really fit for the advertised purpose.2) Should we try to obtain a high grade GU10 lamp that won't burn out after one use! Any suggestions are welcome?3) Modify it to use a standard BS/ES mini filament lamp.Come on Mathmos Astro Lava Lamp, you need to do better. Has this product actually been thermally tested or are you just supplying it with rubbish GU10 halogen bulbs.

The item is exactly as described, the only fault is the bulb has already blown and I've only used the lamp for a couple of hours a day, in the 5 weeks of owning the lamp.