Reviewed by Melanie Wilson

When I unpacked the package from Natural Salt Lamps and pulled out something that looked like a giant crystal on a pedestal, my seven-year-old jumped to attention. "I want it to go in my room!" she declared, and that's just where it went. It doesn't require any special set-up; just plug it in and enjoy the glow. Since each one is uniquely crafted from a chunk of natural salt, the colors when lit up range from pink to yellow to orange. Ours is brighter on one side than the other, and we turn it around to the orange side when we want it darker. It's the perfect night-light!

But these beautiful lamps are more than just pretty to look at - they're good for you! These salt crystals (my daughter and I did lick it right away, I'll admit) generate healthy negative ions that cleanse the air. Ever experienced the change in the air after a good rain? That's from negative ions, and that's what these lamps do, and they don't lose their power over time (though you may need to change the lightbulb someday). They are purported to help with asthma problems. Coincidentally or not, I don't know, but when the entire family came down with upper respiratory infections recently, my daughter was the only one who didn't get sick.