Updated
Whether you want to light candles or a fire in the woods, or just want even functional items in your home to look good, there’s a lighter for you.
Most of us have probably run around the house rummaging in drawers for a lighter after the last match has been used up. With an attractive lighter, you don’t need to hide it and so will always be ready to light everything from the candles on a birthday cake to grandpa's cigar. Just remember to find a place where no children can see it.
Lighters are powered by everything from gas and petrol to electricity – here are seven different models to help you keep the flames alive!
American Zippo is a real classic brand among petrol-powered lighters on the market – having been manufactured since 1933. The company wanted a lighter that could withstand wind and rain and so they bought an Austrian patent for a windproof lighter that could be lit even in blustery weather. Zippo provide a lifetime guarantee on their products and this brass-coloured lighter is as stylish as it is functional. A lighter to keep for a long time to come.
With their slogan "Designed for living", Dutch company Brabantia manufacture high-quality products that make everyday life easier for their customers. Their gas lighter, Brabantia Classic, is one such product that is durable, stylish and functional. With its neat design, it works well with all styles, and the longer handle with a button that is pushed upwards makes it easy to get a good grip on. Because this lighter is both narrow and oblong, it is perfect for lighting tealights in holders or for lighting the paper in a stove without burning yourself.
As you can tell from the name, this lighter is designed to have a good reach. If you’re going to start a gas stove or light paper under firewood, then this is the perfect model. The ergonomic handle makes it easy to hold even for those who may have reduced mobility in their fingers. The same applies to the large button, which is easy to both push in and hold until the fire lights.
Those who like the classic Zippo models may like this lighter twice as much, because it has two flames. It’s lit with a button, and not with the usual wheel, and the gas produces two powerful blue flames that easily ignite whatever it is that you need to light. The lighter is powered by butane gas and fits in all original cases for Zippo’s standard size lighters.
A slightly slimmer and taller model of the otherwise chubby Zippo lighter. This model comes in a silvery design of polished chrome and has a storm-proof ignition. When you buy a Zippo, you always get a lifetime guarantee and you only need top it up with fuel when it actually runs out. The wicks are also replaceable when they have burned out. This means you can have one of these lighters for the rest of your life if you take care of it properly.
Choose one in the right size. Choose one of the longer lighters if you want a good ergonomic grip and a button that’s easy to press.
Are you going to light fires outdoors? If you only use a lighter to light candles, you don’t have to think about things like storm-proof flames. But if you're going to light fires outdoors, you may need that capability.
Check child safety. Fire is very exciting and perhaps even more exciting with buttons. Make sure you choose a child-safe lighter if you have kids, and always place it where the children can’t see it or reach it.