Zippo Pipe Lighters...Opinions Please!

[jpmcwjr]

Zippos are solid, iconic and great for high winds; everyone should have one.

But, yeah, I have 58 lighters that beat them. (50 BiCs and 8 nice butane lighters.) I also have 5-6 Zippos.

 

[Hillcrest]

Has anyone ever tried using the Zippo Butane candle lighter to light their pipe ? Just curious.

 

[Roach1]

I have two. One has the pipe insert and the other is normal. Don't use them very often. I use a wooden match for the charring light and my Corona the rest of the time.

 

[Bbailey324]

Has anyone ever tried using the Zippo Butane candle lighter to light their pipe ? Just curious.

Yes, got one as a Christmas present many years ago. Ergonomics of it are awkward at best. Otherwise works fine.

 

[BingBong]

I suppose lighting method ought to be logged in tobacco reviews. Unless "woody" flavour means "lit with a match" etc.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Looks like a torch but more awkward than usual.

 

[Sig]

Ive had many Zippos over the years.
Hate them for pipes though.
I recently bought a pipe insert...... hate them more now.
When I began pipe smoking I HAD to have all the accessories.
Ive got two Old Boy lighters, several DuPont and Xictar and the dang Zippos.
I had to have the best tampers, and stands and......
Now I use a Bic exclusively and my finger as a tamper......exclusively.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yep. Bought a pack of 50 a year ago, and I am set for life. Still like the Old Boys, though.

 

[Hillcrest]

Yes, got one as a Christmas present many years ago. Ergonomics of it are awkward at best. Otherwise works fine.

Thanks, I gave a few as stocking stuffers several years ago and just found one leftover...but it sounds like its not worth it for lighting a pipe.

 

[bersekero]

Well I tried all the usual options. Matches, Bic classic, Bic EZ, pipe Zippo, classic Zippo, wannabe pipemaster with angled flame (a good knock-off). For my taste the pipe Zippo is the best by far. The matches are obviously the best option when there is less tobacco left in the chamber.

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

Here's my everyday lighter from the dollar store (refillable)..

 

[Aylesbury Pike]

I picked up a pipe insert from my B+M and have a 1990 brass zippo on the way to put it into. I'm fond of Zippos but it's been years since I've owned one.

 

[Pipke]

I use BIC lighters and the least expensive Zippo I could find. The Zippo was upgraded with the pipe insert. These lighters work well and I have no complaints.

 

[seanv]

The pipe lighter insert is good and it does hold up well in a breeze. I recently swapped it for a butane insert and haven't looked back. It is basically a better bic at this point and it also holds up well in a breeze.

 

[khiddy]

I think the Z-Pipe brand butane insert for the Zippo is superior to the Zippo-branded butane insert, and both are superior to the Zippo liquid fuel insert. Here's my reasoning:

The standard Zippo liquid fuel pipe insert leaves a wisp or more of fuel flavor on your tobacco, no matter how long you "burn it off" before applying to the tobacco. This, plus the fact that the liquid fuel evaporates from a closed lighter far too fast, means that you'll spend more time refilling it than you'll spend using it as a lighter. It does have the advantage of being both right-and-left-hand friendly due to the fire hole going all the way through. This is a nice feature that I wish the others had, and thus it's not a total failure. Grade: C-

The Zippo-brand butane insert has a tiny, tiny spark wheel and a minuscule button that you then have to hold in order to keep the flame going. This, plus the fact that it is all metal such that you have no indication of how much butane is left in the tank, means that it will be hard to light, if there's actually enough fuel left in the tank for your smoking session. Grade: C

The Z-Pipe butane insert solves all of these problems, as it is lit via a larger button that is easy to hold down, and has a plastic fuel tank that you can see how much fuel is inside. It's also slightly cheaper than the Zippo-brand insert (though this cost is offset by you needing to have a Zippo case already). Grade: A-

 

[FLDRD]

Strangely, I find that at different points in the bowl, and certainly on different evenings with different temp, breeze, humidity, etc. - no lighter seems consistent. Which means I typically have a zippo, a butane refillable, and a bic style lighter all in my pocket. When one doesn't work in a particular moment, I'll grab a different one from my stuffed pocket. No explanation as to why?
And I find that the Bics have such a "good" flame that I'm better off and easier on my rim with a "cheap" one that doesn't work as "well", so it works "better" for me...
Sounds like word salad but that's my story
And I'm sticking to it

 

[bullet08]

Bic and Zippo both do the job everytime. And I only smoke outside. If wind is on heavy side, I prefer Bic. Zippo flame is too big for me to cup it. When Zippo's low on fuel, that works well. Heavy wind or not, I always cover my pipe when starting.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Bic and Zippo both do the job everytime. And I only smoke outside. If wind is on heavy side, I prefer Bic. Zippo flame is too big for me to cup it. When Zippo's low on fuel, that works well. Heavy wind or not, I always cover my pipe when starting.

Just trim your wick!

Please no puns now.....

 

[bullet08]

Just trim your wick!

Please no puns now.....

It's trimmed. Any short and it won't put up the fire. Only a problem when I just refilled the thing.

 

[Bassman65]

I think the Z-Pipe brand butane insert for the Zippo is superior to the Zippo-branded butane insert, and both are superior to the Zippo liquid fuel insert. Here's my reasoning:

The standard Zippo liquid fuel pipe insert leaves a wisp or more of fuel flavor on your tobacco, no matter how long you "burn it off" before applying to the tobacco. This, plus the fact that the liquid fuel evaporates from a closed lighter far too fast, means that you'll spend more time refilling it than you'll spend using it as a lighter. It does have the advantage of being both right-and-left-hand friendly due to the fire hole going all the way through. This is a nice feature that I wish the others had, and thus it's not a total failure. Grade: C-

The Zippo-brand butane insert has a tiny, tiny spark wheel and a minuscule button that you then have to hold in order to keep the flame going. This, plus the fact that it is all metal such that you have no indication of how much butane is left in the tank, means that it will be hard to light, if there's actually enough fuel left in the tank for your smoking session. Grade: C

The Z-Pipe butane insert solves all of these problems, as it is lit via a larger button that is easy to hold down, and has a plastic fuel tank that you can see how much fuel is inside. It's also slightly cheaper than the Zippo-brand insert (though this cost is offset by you needing to have a Zippo case already). Grade: A-

I have a z-pipe insert also. Only thing I don’t like about it is that it doesn’t always light. Gotta keep clicking it several times. Annoying.

I find the ignition system with the spark wheel on the zippo inserts to light more reliably. I agree though that the small button makes it difficult to use.