Looking for a new lighter
lonewolf2011
Posts: 503 ✭
in Cigar 101
I haven't had much luck with lighters lately. The best one so far was a no name chienese torch w/ cutter but it finally died too. I don't mind paying more for quality but would like some advice on what is working (or not) from everyone else. Thanks!
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Comments
1. Ronson Jetlite
if you have a walmart nearby go there and they shoulkd be in the 5-10 range and you can beat the to hell and back with any fuel you want. If you don't have a walmart nearby check online, i'm sure you can find some. . . . I got two shipped to me for under $20 and their real heavy, metal, adjustable single torch and reliable as heck. When they cut out, you can toss em and not feel too bad about it.
2. The Colibri Firebird.
I have alot of love for Colibris. Their Firebird model works really well (super crisp and well made adjustable single torch) and their customer service rivals Ccoms if you can beleive it. I had one from about 5 years ago, didn't take care of it, and never even registered it with their service dept. But when it died last year, I wanted to get it fixed because I liked it so much. So I sent it back to them to fix it, and they just sent me a new one for no charge beyond the shipping back and forth that I had already paid for. Couldn't beleive it.
So Ronsons are cheap and work well, and Colibris have some medium pricved very high wality lighters from an awesome company. Thats my two cents.
I know a lot of people on here have all kinds good luck stories with different brands. However, I will never buy any cigar accessory not made by Xikar. I've had issues with some of their products but I send it in and in less than 7 days every time I have a brand new one. No garbage about trying to repair it or people looking at it like I've heard with other companies that have a lifetime warranty. As soon as they get it they turn around and send a brand new one. I've never heard anyone who had an issue with the Xikar warranty. To me thats what matters, lighter are going to break, wear out whatever. I paid $30 for my Xikar light 5 years ago and although I've had to send it back 4 times I still have it and haven't had to buy another.
As for a particular model go play with them and see what you like. I purchased the plunge originally but had to send it back 3 times so Xikar switched it out for the Genesis. I haven't had any issues with it but from the beginning it only works turned all the way up so it uses a lot of fuel. So I wouldn't recommend the plunge at all and I'd play with a genesis before you buy to see if its like mine or not. I know a bunch of people who have the old executive its the cheapest one but everyone I know that has it loves it.
Yeah, I've given up on the brand names as well. I'm using a no-name cheapie I got for $7 on eBay - from Hong Kong I think - that works really well and doubles as a table lighter. If it craps out on me I'll just go buy another one. For $7 how can I lose?
Marty
Maddie, No Offense taken Brother, but I am shocked that Colibri has a bad rap. I guess its possible that my one time experience was one of the good luck stories you mentioned. I thought it was the norm, because it went so smoothly on an older cheap product that was never even registered with them let alone under warranty. I stand by my experience as being awesome, and I'll always feel good about buying their products personally, but that stinks that others haven't fared so well, and totally understandable that it would leave a sour taste in people's mouthes.
I don't know, maybe I caught them on a good day, or maybe the fact that I called in before shipping and talked to someone first, and then included a letter explaining that it was out of warranty, was never registered, and my fault that it didn't work, but to please fix it and send me the bill, because I liked the product too dang much to throw it away.
Whatever it was, from my experience they treated me wonderfully, but I can't speak to others.
I have not had good luck with anything Colibri. The lighter I had, I don't remember the model, would not hold a refill. I would get one or two lights out of it and it needed to be refilled.
I've had three different Colibri cutters and they all seem to mash the cigar rather than cut it. You pay a little more for Xikar, but the lifetime guarantee and the reliability are worth it.
The old owners had a lot of quality issues right at the end but I used to hear good stuff about their customer service. The new owners apparently have better quality control but their customer service is lacking.
I have a Colibri lighter I bought for next to nothing when they "went out of business" that has issues, I might contact colibri as an experiment.
I like the looks of that Xikar EX, might have to get one.
So I would assume its with the new ownership, because I'm pretty sure I dealt with them this year, in February maybe? So if your having a hard time with a lighter and want to get it fixed just give them a ring and ask what you can do. Like I said though I really might have caught them on a good day, because the person on the phone told me, that since it was out of warranty, to mail them the lighter with instructions to fix it and a check for return postage (~$10) and they'd send my old lighter back with a bill for the repairs. If it was unfixable they'd send me a coupon for a discount on a new lighter. Thats what I was expecting.
What I got in the mail was a new lighter and no bill, but they chashed my check to cover return postage. I don't think they do that everyday, but who knows what they do normally. They also might have appreciated the fact that I fessed up to it probably being my fault that it didn't work, and that it was out of warranty but I liked the dang thing so much I thought it was worth it to fix.
The new one works much better than my older one did too. Very clean and crips action and a sharp flame, compared to my ronsons, and even the old colibri. I've never used a Xikar, so I can't compare to that, but the new colibri firebirds are a top notch lighter none the less.