How do you feel about lava lamps?
Why do you think they’re sometimes found in people’s homes (in a more precise way than “some people like them”)?
Are there some lava lamps you particularly like? Are there items which are analogous to lava lamps?
No, I’m not thinking of getting one myself.
My den at home is something of a 60s pop culture museum and my lava lamp is an important part of it. I presume that the main reason people have lava lamps is similar – it’s a nod to 60s pop culture, either by people (like me) who were there at the time, or retro hipster types.
In terms of other things in the “lava lamp” category, I’d say the most obvious is the black light.
Don’t pick one up when it’s on; they’re hot. Tom Hanks found out the hard way.
I like lava lamps, but the last couple I’ve owned had problems. On one of them the heating coil came loose from the bottom and floated around uselessly. The other one had an issue with the “lava” and it all congealed into a strange blobby mess that wouldn’t flow.
Right now the count is at 7 Love, 6 Like and 1 Hate. I realize that there may be a sampling bias but people usually don’t have much of a problem saying they dislike something on forums. I actually expected more negative evaluations than positive ones.
If they’re liked that much, how come they’re uncommon?
Bored with them. It was cool almost 50 years ago, resurged a few times over the years, now kind of low tech looking. YMMV
Don’t go around shaking one up while it’s hot. It’ll never be quite the same. I dig 'em, myself–would like to get another sometime, in the classic yellow and red, with the antiqued-brass base… groovy, man.
As someone who came of age in the 1970s, I think they have a retro (low tech, yeah!) charm and I like them.
I haven’t seen a Lava lamp for sale in a store in at least a decade and I don’t want one enough to go searching for one. But if they were sold as inexpensive novelty items in stores that I frequent, I’d probably buy one on a whim.
In fact, now I sort of want one again.
Dislike this post! 
Understatement of the year. But yeah I expected more negative votes. Maybe they’re coming back in fashion.
They’re really context-dependent. I a normal house has a lava lamp, fine. I have a small one that plugs into a socket directly. I think it was from Thinkgeek. If the house has a lava lamp or five, and leopard print bedspread, and bead curtains, it’s a bit much and fugly.
The last one I bought was setup on a timer. It came on a couple hours before bedtime. It takes that long to warm up. Turned off at 2AM after we were asleep.
It was nice to watch going to bed. Relaxing after a hard day.
Looks like you can get one straight from the manufacturer for $15 or so plus shipping… whistles innocently 
One thing I’ve noticed is that lava lamps seem to be one of the few common forms of non-representational dynamic visual stimulation.
Visual stimulation: It is based on what it looks like rather than sound or kinesthetics. I hesitate to call it art but it’s at least entertainment.
Non-representational: It is based on shapes and colors but does not actually depict anything. In this way, it is like abstract art.
Dynamic: Unlike most abstract art, it moves.
I remember someone mentioning in an art thread about abstract art that classical music is usually non-representational yet a lot of peopel enjoy it. Even in non-classical music, the melody and accompaniment are usually non-representational and the lyrics are often chosen more for the way they sound than for their representational content. So most people have no problem with abstract audio art, it’s usually abstract visual art that leaves them cold.
Then I thought that seeing visual art that doesn’t move is a lot like listening to audio art that doesn’t change chords.
I watched this: - YouTube and thought that even if all the representational video content were replaced with non-representational video content and the audio were taken out, it would still be stimulating.
Which lead me to ask myself how much lava lamps are appreciated since they differ from most abstract art by moving. The poll results lead me to believe that abstract visual art may be more popular than is commonly thought.
I note MeanOldLady’s burning hatred of lava lamps because I know how much she likes puns : )
Really, to get that much of a consensus (82% approve, 12% disapprove, 5% other) you’d have to ask if people like kittens.
Oh shush now. 
You made me look. They’re everywhere, holy Christ.
OK but I will NOT get one with glitter because that is an abomination and against all known laws of nature.
We’ve got an old one that serves as a nightlight in our bedroom.
How about the flat glass frame rocking ocean, if I’ve described it well enough to visualize. They were hypnotic.
Google doesn’t know what that term means. My smaller, non-electronic brain will not do better than its bigger attachment.
Linky?
I chose other, because my response would be “indifferent”.
I like that the lava lamp is made in Chicago, but other than that…
Yep. Me too. Bummer, because I think they’re groovy.
I’m also fond of the various kinds of plasma display lights. My favorite is a disk (not a globe) that shoots lightning from the center to the periphery. It looks really nifty behind a statue of the dancing Shiva.
ETA: I love rocking oceans, too. And Newton pendulum clicking-ball toys. Ah, nostalgia!
I love lava lamps. I can stare at one for hours.
I once read an interview with the inventor of the lava lamp.
“Do you think people use lava lamps to enhance the effects of drugs?”
He replied
“With a lava lamp, who needs drugs?”
I agree deeply with that sentiment.