The Best Lighters for Smokers: Butane, Torch, Plasma, and Zippo Compared
Why Your Lighter Actually Matters
Most people grab whatever lighter is closest and don't think twice about it. And honestly, for a quick cigarette, that's fine. But once you start paying attention, you realize that different lighters produce different types of flames at different temperatures, use different fuels, and behave completely differently in wind, at altitude, or when held at an angle. The lighter you choose genuinely affects the flavor of what you're smoking and how evenly it burns.
Cigar enthusiasts figured this out a long time ago — you'll rarely see a serious cigar smoker lighting up with a gas station BIC. Pipe smokers have their own preferences. People who use glass pieces care about flame angle and butane purity. And anyone who's ever tried to spark up outdoors on a windy day knows that not all lighters are created equal. So let's break down every common type, what they're best at, and where they fall short.
Standard Butane Lighters: BIC, Clipper, and Why Clipper Wins
The disposable butane lighter is the workhorse of the smoking world. You can find them at literally any gas station, convenience store, or smoke shop on the planet. BIC is the undisputed king of this category — they've sold billions of lighters, and their reliability is legendary. A BIC produces a soft, standard-temperature flame that works perfectly for cigarettes, rolling papers, and casual use. They're cheap, they're consistent, and they almost never fail.
But here's where it gets interesting: Clipper lighters do everything a BIC does, plus more. Clippers are refillable, so you're not throwing away a plastic lighter every few days. They use a round barrel design that makes them comfortable to hold and easy to use as a packing tool — the flint wheel assembly pulls out to reveal a poker that's perfect for tamping down a pack or clearing a clogged piece. The flame on a Clipper is also designed to tilt upward when you angle the lighter, which is incredibly useful for lighting bowls without scorching your thumb.
Between the two, we recommend Clipper to most of our customers at 6th Avenue Smoke Shop. They cost about the same as a BIC, they're refillable (which saves money and waste over time), and that removable flint system is genuinely handy. BICs are still great — there's a reason they've dominated the market for decades — but if you're choosing between the two, Clipper gives you more functionality for the same price.
Torch Lighters: For Cigars and Concentrates
Torch lighters produce a focused, high-temperature blue flame powered by pressurized butane. Unlike the soft yellow flame of a standard lighter, a torch flame is wind-resistant, directional, and significantly hotter. This makes torch lighters essential for certain applications and completely wrong for others.
For cigars, a torch lighter is the standard. The intense, focused flame lets you toast the foot of a cigar evenly without charring the wrapper, and it cuts through wind without flickering. Single-flame torches offer precision for careful toasting, while double and triple-flame torches cover more surface area for quick, even lights on thicker ring gauges. If you smoke cigars with any regularity, a decent torch lighter is a worthwhile investment — brands like Xikar, Vertigo, and Vector make excellent options at various price points.
Torch lighters also have a role in the concentrates world. If you're using a quartz banger or a titanium nail, you need serious heat, and a standard lighter won't cut it. Larger butane torches — the kind that look more like small kitchen torches — are the go-to tool here. They heat the surface quickly and evenly, letting you reach the right temperature for a proper dab. Just be aware that a torch lighter is overkill for cigarettes, rolling papers, and most bowls. The flame is too hot and too focused — you'll end up scorching your material and getting a harsh, unpleasant hit.
Zippo Lighters: The American Icon and Its Quirks
Few products carry as much cultural weight as a Zippo. That distinctive click, the windproof chimney design, the lifetime guarantee — Zippos have been a staple of American life since 1932. They're beautifully engineered, satisfying to use, and virtually indestructible. If you want a lighter that feels like it means something, a Zippo delivers.
But Zippos come with quirks you should know about. They run on liquid naphtha fuel, not butane, and that fuel has a distinct chemical smell and taste. If you're smoking a cigar or anything where flavor matters, a Zippo's fuel will affect the taste — especially on the initial light. Cigar purists generally avoid them for exactly this reason. Zippos also evaporate fuel whether you use them or not. Leave a fully fueled Zippo in a drawer for two weeks, and you might find it dry when you come back. That's just the nature of the wick-and-flint system — the fuel slowly dissipates through the seal.
For cigarette smokers, these quirks are less of an issue. The flavor impact is minimal when you're already smoking tobacco, and if you carry the lighter daily, evaporation isn't a concern because you're refilling regularly. Zippo also makes butane inserts now — both soft-flame and torch-style — that fit inside a standard Zippo case. These give you the iconic look and feel of a Zippo without the naphtha taste, which is a genuinely great compromise. We carry both classic Zippos and the butane insert upgrades at 6th Avenue Smoke Shop.
Plasma/Arc Lighters: Wind-Proof and Flameless
Plasma lighters — also called arc lighters or electric lighters — are the newest category in the lighter world. Instead of fuel and a flame, they use a rechargeable battery to create a small electrical arc between two electrodes. That arc is hot enough to light cigarettes, paper, and dry herbs, and because there's no flame, wind is a complete non-factor. You could light a cigarette in a hurricane with one of these.
The advantages are real: no fuel to buy, no flints to replace, USB-C rechargeable, and zero wind sensitivity. A full charge typically lasts for 100 to 200 lights, depending on the model. They're also sleek and compact — most look like a slim, polished rectangle that slides easily into a pocket.
The limitations are equally real. The arc point is small, so lighting anything wider than a cigarette or thin joint takes some patience. They're not great for bowls, terrible for cigars, and useless for concentrates. They can also feel a bit buzzy and unfamiliar if you're used to flicking a wheel and seeing a flame. Battery life means they can die on you at inconvenient times, though most models charge in about an hour. Plasma lighters are a solid choice for cigarette smokers who want a reliable, reusable, fuel-free option — especially people who spend a lot of time outdoors. They're a niche tool, but within that niche, they're excellent.
Hemp Wicks: The Purist's Choice
Hemp wick isn't a lighter at all — it's a length of hemp twine coated in beeswax that you light with any standard lighter and then use as your actual flame source. The idea is that once the wick is burning, you're applying a lower-temperature, all-natural flame to your material instead of inhaling butane directly from a lighter. For bowl smokers especially, this makes a noticeable difference in taste.
The flame from a hemp wick burns cooler than butane, which means you're less likely to combust your material at unnecessarily high temperatures. Many smokers report a smoother, cleaner-tasting hit when using hemp wick versus a direct lighter flame. It's also a more controlled flame — you can bring the wick right to the edge of a bowl for a precise corner light without torching the entire surface.
The downside is convenience. You need a lighter to light the wick, and you need to manage a burning string while you're trying to smoke, which takes a bit of coordination. Most hemp wick users wrap the wick around their lighter so everything stays in one hand. Brands like Bee Line and RAW make quality hemp wick at affordable prices. If you've never tried it, a small spool costs a couple of dollars and lasts a surprisingly long time — it's worth experimenting with at least once.
Which Lighter for Which Purpose?
Choosing the right lighter really comes down to what you're smoking. For cigarettes, a standard BIC, Clipper, or plasma lighter will serve you well. For rolled joints and blunts, a Clipper or BIC with a soft flame gives you an even, controlled light without scorching the paper. For bowls and pipes, a Clipper (for the angled flame) or hemp wick (for the cleanest taste) is the way to go.
For cigars, use a single or double-flame torch lighter — nothing else gives you the even, wind-resistant toast you need. For concentrates and dabs, you need a full-size butane torch that can heat a banger to the right temperature. And for outdoor use in wind, either a torch lighter or a plasma lighter will keep you lit when a soft flame lighter gets blown out immediately.
There's no single "best" lighter. There's only the best lighter for how you smoke. And if you smoke in multiple ways — which most of our customers do — having two or three different lighters for different situations isn't overkill, it's just practical.
Shop Lighters at 6th Avenue Smoke Shop
We keep a full selection of lighters at 6th Avenue Smoke Shop in New York, NY — everything from basic Clippers and BICs to premium torch lighters, classic Zippos with butane inserts, plasma lighters, and hemp wick by the spool. Whatever you smoke and however you smoke it, we've got the right fire source on the shelf.
Our staff is happy to walk you through the options and help you match a lighter to your specific needs. Whether you're looking for a reliable daily carry, a gift for a cigar-loving friend, or just want to try something new, we'll point you in the right direction.
Visit us at Monday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Thursday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Friday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Saturday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Sunday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM, call (551) 226-2853, or contact us online. Good smoke starts with the right flame — come find yours.