Kikkerland RainbowMaker: Moving Rainbows for a Sunlit Window

The Kikkerland RainbowMaker gives a patch of afternoon sun something extra to do. In suitable direct light, a solar-powered mechanism turns one hanging crystal, sending shifting refracted color onto nearby surfaces. The RM1588 attaches to a window with a suction cup; its clear acrylic housing leaves the gears in view. Picture it beside a chair where you read in the sun, or at a breakfast window. The right setting is part of the pleasure.

Color that moves, gears you can see

Rotation is the reason to choose this over a simple hanging crystal. A stationary prism can split light too; here, the mechanism keeps changing the crystal's orientation while it runs. That gives the color somewhere new to fall without your having to reach up and turn the ornament. There is no fixed arrangement of colored patches to reproduce in every room: the incoming light and surrounding surfaces shape what you see.

The housing also matters. Its colored gears are visible through the clear case, so the mechanism becomes part of the decoration rather than disappearing behind a plain cover. For someone who likes seeing how an object works, there is interest at the window as well as on the wall. If you prefer a discreet crystal on a thread, the visible machinery may feel busy; it is a design preference worth deciding before choosing this version.

The window decides when the show starts

Before buying, watch the proposed window during the part of the day you would use the room. A bright room is not enough: Kikkerland's support guidance calls for direct sunlight reaching both the solar panel and the crystal. A sash, a deep frame or a branch outside can leave one part in shadow even when the other looks well lit.

That makes timing a more useful question than compass direction alone. The sun's angle changes through the day and across seasons, and clouds can interrupt the light. A window that gets a lovely morning beam may offer little show when you settle in after work. Notice where direct sun actually lands, including the position the lower crystal would occupy.

The glass itself deserves a check. Kikkerland warns that protective UV-coated windows are incompatible and notes that tinted or double-pane windows can hinder performance. If you do not know your glazing, check it before buying an ornament whose effect depends on light passing through it. Moving along the same pane may avoid a frame's shadow, but it does not change the glass itself.

Make a place to watch it

The suction cup puts the device directly on the glass, so the ornament does not compete with plants or books on a sill. Place it where the panel can receive sun and the crystal hangs clear of the frame. Leave a clear view of the housing too if watching the gears is part of the attraction. For a gift, that is a more useful detail to know about the recipient's room than whether they generally like colorful decor.

Keep care simple. Kikkerland recommends carefully cleaning the panel and crystal with a soft cloth. For a cup that will not stick, Kikkerland suggests applying warm, not hot, water to the suction cup only. Keep the unit dry. Shake excess drops from the cup, then press it firmly onto the window glass. Cold glass can make the seal harder to establish.

The most satisfying place for this RainbowMaker is one where the sun and your own routine meet. If your breakfast window catches direct light, the attraction is a small, shifting touch of color while you have your morning coffee, with the little gears there to watch too.