“A jack of all trades, and a master of none.” ~Anonymous
Let me be very clear about one thing. Just because the title of this article is framed as a clickbait-y denigration of Zippo lighters (I did that on purpose, obviously), I actually don’t not like them.
I mean, I do like Zippo lighters, and I often carry them. But I’m not like some of the smitten fangirls out there that think it’s a Zippo or nothing. Yes, I do frequently carry a Zippo as a daily lighter, but as those of you that have been on this website before know, my main lighter is actually a Clipper.
That being said, here are some of the things I don’t like about Zippo lighters.
The Case Is Fragile
Let’s be serious, all the cost of a Zippo is tied up in the case. When you shell out bills for a snazzy new Zippo, what you’re paying for is the graphic on the case.
Unfortunately, they’re not all that durable, and the worst part is, despite the fact that Zippo flagrantly and unabashedly advertises their lighters are “guaranteed for life,” they only guarantee the insert. That’s all well and good but Zippo inserts are a dime-a-dozen, and the cases aren’t.
What’s worse is that the hinge on the lid is a weak point, and way too easy to break.
Speaking of which…
Sometimes the Lid Gets in the Way
I do love the fact that Zippos are hands-free lighters that once lit will stay so until you flip the lid closed. I don’t love the fact that the lid can get in the way.
I imagine this is only a problem to some people, and only rarely, but sometimes I have a need to light jar candles, and the lid of a Zippo makes it effectively impossible to get the lighter in the mouth of the jar.
This is an even bigger problem once a candle has burned down, because as I will also point out shortly, Zippo lighters do not produce directional flames.
They Leak and Need to Be Refilled Constantly
I’ve never personally had a problem with a Zippo leaking its fluid all over the place, but at the same time, I’ve never carried one in extreme heat. I have heard and read that if you carry one in a pocket in the heat, watch out. They are liable to spill their fluid all over you, which can ruin clothing and irritate your skin.
Of more annoyance to me is the fact that Zippos will ruin out of a fuel after about a week, no matter how much precaution you take to prevent it. This is due to the nature of the Zippo itself. The liquid lighter fluid is held in a reservoir of synthetic cotton puffs that is not sealed. Once you fill it, the lighter allows the fuel to slowly evaporate.
Now, there are things you can do to help slow this down. Some people store their Zippos in plastic bags, and others wrap their Zippos in tire inner tubes to help slow down the rate of fuel loss.
As for me, I have some of my Zippos equipped with some of these little gasket things you could buy online for a pretty reasonable price, and which do somewhat help slow down the rate of fuel loss because they seal off the base of the lighter.
But even so, they don’t produce a perfect fit at the base and still allow fuel to leak out, and what’s worse, there’s nothing you can do to entirely eliminate fuel loss as a result of evaporation through the wick.
The Flame Is Not Cooperative
This is unfortunately a shortcoming of Zippo lighters for which there is no remedy. Unlike jet and torch lighters, or even regular butane lighters, Zippos don’t produce a directional flame. Unless you can get right underneath what you want to light so the flame burns up under it, too bad.
Not the Best for Smoking
I do occasionally enjoy a pipe lit with a Zippo filled with conventional lighter fluid, but for the most part, I stick to butane or even light with matches.
I have heard that in past years, Zippo and other producers like Ronsonol have improved their formulations by leaps and bounds, but there’s always a little bit of that leftover liquid lighter fuel flavor after you’ve gotten your light. In some cases, it can ruin a fine tobacco.
One thing you can do is light the Zippo and let the flame stabilize for a second or two so eliminate any surplus of uncombusted vapors before you apply the light, but even so, this is just a treatment of a symptom, not a cure.
What About the Good?
With all of the dust being settled on this post (don’t bite my head off, Zippo fans), there’s plenty to love about them. For more information on my take on the pros of Zippo lighters (which are, in fairness, many), see my previous post, Clipper Lighters vs. Zippos vs. Bics.
Keep it lit.
~The Eclectic Outfitter