How to Choose the Right Lighters for Emergency Storage
There are many lighters on the market today. Differences include ignition method, fuel type and endurance, flame strength and direction, whether they are refillable or disposable, the materials used in their casing, and their overall durability and design. That’s a lot to consider!
For our purposes, which lighters are best suited for emergency preparedness? While your choice will always depend on your specific needs and preferences, here are six different categories of lighters to consider adding to your fire starter preps. Purchasing every type isn’t necessary — select a few that complement each other and suit your emergency storage plan.
Disposable Lighters
BIC is a well-known brand of disposable lighter. They’ve been around forever, and the brand is known for their reliability and consistent performance. They are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased in bulk. They are widely available and can be found at most convenience stores, gas stations, and supermarkets.
While they are priced competitively, disposable lighters are not exactly eco-friendly, as each unit is discarded once it runs out of fuel. However, this can be an advantage in emergencies—being able to simply grab a new one without the need to refill.
When considering the storage strength of any given lighter, BIC shines. If stored in a dry container, BIC lighters can last for up to 25 years in storage, provided proper conditions are maintained to prevent rust and fuel leakage.
Traditional Lighters
The traditional general-purpose lighter produces a flame with a lower temperature and a wider surface area compared to a torch-style flame. This “soft flame” is ideal for lighting items such as candles, lanterns, stove burners, and cigars. Most traditional lighters use butane and are refillable. However, soft flame lighters may struggle to ignite denser materials—if you need to light thicker or damp wood, a torch-style lighter with a concentrated flame is more effective.
There are many durable general-purpose lighters on the market today. For example, Zippo lighters are widely recognized for their reliability and are popular for everyday use. They come with a lifetime warranty when properly maintained, and while they utilize butane (and Zippo’s own butane fuel is recommended for optimal performance), they are just one option among several trusted brands.
Besides Zippo, other traditional brands include - S.T. Dupont, Xihkar, Jetline, and Visol.
Torch Lighters
Torch lighters are refillable devices that produce a jet of flame rather than a soft flame. This concentrated, high-temperature flame makes them ideal for outdoor or windy conditions where a traditional lighter might struggle. One drawback is that most torch lighters use butane—a fuel that tends to perform poorly in very cold weather. To counteract this, many torch lighters are designed to be windproof and can operate in moderately cold conditions, though performance may still decline in freezing temperatures.
Torch brands include - Zippo, Scorch Torch Skyline Triple Jet Flame Butane Torch Lighter, Guevara Jet Lighter, and WindBlaze.
Utility Lighters
Utility lighters, also called fireplace lighters, are durable and have a soft flame. Most of them are refillable and designed to be safe, with a long nozzle to keep your hand away from the flame. People often use them to light fireplaces, grills, stoves, lanterns, candles, and other things around the house.
Utility brands include - Scripto, Ronson, Vertigo, Zippo, and BIC (not refillable).
Electric Lighters
Electric lighters, also known as plasma lighters, are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional butane-fueled lighters. They use electricity from a rechargeable battery to power plasma technology, which creates a high-voltage electric arc between two tiny electrodes at the tip of the lighter. This electric arc ignites materials without the need for a traditional flame or fuel.
These lighters feature rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that can be quickly and easily charged via a USB port—whether from a computer, power bank, or other USB-enabled device.
Electric brands include - Suprus, Ronxs, LcFun, Tesla Windproof, and MEIRUBY
Cold Weather Lighters
Because butane tends to perform poorly in cold weather, most lighters may be unreliable under freezing conditions. Fortunately, several lighters are designed specifically for cold weather use.
Cold weather brands - Zippo lighters are often recommended for cold weather. While they can operate on standard butane, Zippo advises using their own specially formulated butane fuel, which is optimized for freezing conditions and minimizes performance issues associated with regular butane. Additionally, the Worthington Trigger Start Propane Torch is recognized as one of the best lighters for winter camping.
Butane for refillable lighters
While generic butane can be used to refill many lighters, some manufacturers recommend using their own brand of butane to ensure optimal performance. You will need an aerosol canister of butane for refilling refillable lighters. If the stem of the butane canister does not fit the lighter’s refill valve, an adapter can be used.
Aerosol canisters are widely available at hardware stores or online. Some well-known brands offering butane canisters include Zippo, Ronson, and Colibri.
