The beauty and benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamps are fueling a rapid growth in their popularity among North Americans.  Unfortunately, all Himalayan Salt Lamps are NOT created equal.  As in any other unregulated industry, the quality of the products can vary greatly from one supplier to another.  A variety of factors, such as color, clarity, carver experience and fixtures, can have a significant impact on the quality and resulting price of a salt lamp.  Who's Closet has been selling Himalayan Salt for many years and has had the opportunity to inspect the product offered by all of the major North American wholesalers.  This guide will share some of what we have found and give you an idea of what to look for, and the questions to ask, prior to committing to your salt lamp purchase.

Himalayan Salt is mined by hand in the foothills of the Himalaya by the Pakistani government.  Contrary to the claims of some suppliers, there is no independent mining in this region.  Private manufacturers purchase salt of varying grades and hire local Artisans to carve the salt into lamps and candles.  The grade of salt used and the talent of the Artisan will have the greatest impact the quality of the product and the resulting price you pay for your Himalayan Salt Lamp.  Here are a few things to look for prior to investing in your Lamp:

Color

           

Salt in its purest form is white.  Salt from the Himalayas varies in color from pure white to deep red, with every shade of pink and peach in between.  This coloration is caused by iron infused within the salt crystals:  the redder the salt, the higher the iron content.  The most prized of these colors is a medium peach or pink and it is the color most sought after by the top manufacturers.  There are a few reasons for this:

• White Salt Lamps can be very beautiful.  Unfortunately, they are also very brittle.  So fragile that the slightest shock can shatter them, much like glass.  On a positive note, their color can be changed simply by using a colored light bulb.  This can also be done with a very light pink lamp and, for durability, we recommend that you purchase a light pink salt lamp rather than a pure white one.

• We have seen Red Salt Lamps sold as a highly prized, rare commodity.  Unfortunately, many buyers have been disappointed upon receiving these "treasures".  Often a dark red salt lamp will emit very little light, regardless of the wattage of the bulb used.  The high iron content blocks the light from penetrating the salt.  If you prefer a darker salt lamp, we recommend that you choose one in a very dark pink rather than red.

• Pink and Peach Salt Lamps offer the optimum combination of beauty, light and durability.  A large range of shades are available, all of which are very beautiful.
  

If you have a particular color preference, contact your seller prior to purchasing your salt lamp.  While a seller is limited by their current stock availability, they may be able to accommodate your color preference.

Size

Traditionally, salt lamps are sold by weight:  the heavier the lamp; the higher the price.  There are a few reasons for this.  A straight forward one is shipping cost.  It costs a great deal more to ship a 15 pound salt lamp from Pakistan to North America than it does a 5 pound salt lamp and this cost will be reflected in the price of your lamp.  Unfortunately, once you exceed about 20 pounds, the thickness and clarity of the salt often prevents a uniform, fully lit rock.

Salt lamps emit negative ions.  It is one of the therapeutic qualities for which they are valued.  We won't get into the science of negative ions and the claims made about them here.  Suffice it to say, the amount of ions emitted by a lamp varies in direct proportion to the exposed surface area of the salt lamp:  the larger the surface area; the greater the output of negative ions.  Negative ion output drops off dramatically within a few feet of the lamp regardless of its size and ion output.  As a result, if it is ionization you are looking for, you may prefer to have more salt lamps placed throughout a room rather than one excessively large one.

Clarity

Next to the color, the clarity of a salt lamp will have the greatest impact on its aesthetic value.  Clarity is determined by two factors:  the purity of the salt and the temperature at which the rock salt was formed.

                  

• Purity - The purity of salt throughout the Himalayan mines varies greatly.  A high mineral content, such as iron, can inhibit the distribution of light waves through the salt.  As purity has a such a large impact on the beauty of a lamp, the top manufacturer's carefully hand-pick their salt.

• Temperature - Salt throughout the Himalayas was crystallized at varying temperatures.  Salt formed at a higher temperature has a clearer appearance than that formed at a lower temperature.  The salt formed in cooler conditions often has large, flaky deposits which do not allow light to penetrate.  Crystallized deposits are also very fragile and a salt lamp with large areas of these deposits can fracture easily.

Shape

Natural Shaped Salt Lamps, often called "Mountain Shaped", are carved by local Artisans in Northern Pakistan.  The quality of your carved salt lamp is greatly affected by the talent and experience of these Artisans.  Northern Pakistan is a very impoverished region.  Manufacturers offering a reasonable wage and benefits package are few and far between and, as such, they are able to hire the most qualified Carvers.   Sadly, many of the salt lamp producers use child labor to keep down the costs of their items.  Machinery and the care with which the lamps are created also affect the quality.  Expensive drills and saws are required to produce a naturally shaped lamp. 

Shaped Salt Lamps such as Pyramids, Balls, Eggs and Bowls of Fire also require expensive machinery and additional time to produce. 

     

Unfortunately, there are only a few manufacturers willing or able to make the required capital investment in people and equipment to produce top quality salt lamps.  All too often, we have seen salt lamps for sale on the wholesale market with a number of issues from sub-standard production.  Among them:

• Interior holes drilled so shallow that it is impossible to fully insert a light bulb and fixture.  In addition, a shallow light fixture opening can result in the salt lamp not lighting fully and evenly.

• The flat base cut on an angle resulting in the salt lamp leaning to one side.

• Salt lamps which have been thrown together, without protection, in large, plastic sacks for shipping.  The chipping, wear and crystallization from excessive exposure to the elements during their long trip across the ocean can have a very negative effect on an already inferior product.

When purchasing Salt Candle Holders be sure to enquire as to the depth of the hole drilled for the tealight.  Often sub-standard salt candle holders will have a very shallow hole and, as a result, the salt will not glow when the candle is lit.

Fixtures

The last major contributor to the quality of your salt lamp is the fixtures used to create it.  Quality can vary greatly from one manufacturer and distributor to another.  We recommend asking the following questions before purchasing your salt lamp:

1. Is your salt lamp being constructed with top quality, UL/CSA approved light fixtures?  Don't compromise on quality here for obvious reasons.

2. Is an electrical fixture included?  Read the small print! Many sellers force you to purchase the elecrical fixture separately, yet still call their items lamps in the listings. If you haven't read the fine print you may end up frustrated and disappointed.

3. Is a protective base provided?  Salt is hydroscopic (it attracts water), if your salt lamp does not have a protective base, water damage will occur to the surface upon which it is placed. 

4. Is the base actually attached to the lamp?  We've seen a lot of salt lamps where the salt just sits freely on the base.  These lamps are unstable and dangerous.   You don't want 10 pounds of salt landing on your toe!

5. How is the light fixture and bulb held within the salt lamp?  The large majority of inferior product on the market fails to have any type of system to hold the light fixture safely and securely within the lamp.  The light fixture is often pushed up into the salt lamp with compression clips to hold it in place (as seen in the left picture below).  Replacing the bulb becomes a dangerous process in which you will have to use pliers or a screwdriver to pry the fixture out of the lamp.  Wiring can be loosened and the bulb broken.  Quality salt lamps will have some sort of system or clip (right, below) to securely hold the fixture and make the changing of the bulb a safe and easy process.