What is the best lava lamp? It seems that no matter how much culture changes, there’s always a demand for the retro, which is why the playful visuals of a lava lamp never seem to go out of style.

As much a part of the sixties as beaded vests, flower power, and organ solos, the Lava Lamp illuminated many a late-night jam session. At the half-century mark, the lamp has lost some of its allure, ...