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Review on πŸ”₯ Dual Arc Plasma Lighter with LED Battery Indicator & Gift Box - Rechargeable Windproof Electric Lighters for Outdoor Camping, Hiking, and Friends by Mary Cole

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Not suitable for cigarettes: Forget pipes or cigars

Okay I'm sick of the new BIC lighters stopping halfway when there's only half fuel left. I want a refillable butane gas lighter and these are almost impossible to find these days. I've used cheap clippers that can be used to refill and replace flints. But they don't work that well. I decided to try this new type of electric lighter. I had different electrics, but they have a coil that heats up, glows, and you press a cigarette against it. Not very good. It appears to be a typical "plasma" lighter, also known as an "arc" lighter because it shoots an arc spark through two pins. This lighter has two sets of contacts, so it's a "double arc" system. I bought it because it has LED indicators so I know when the battery is low. But I'm not very happy about the fact that I need a USB cable and port, as well as an external power source to keep the lighter charged. What's "easier" or "better" than having a can of butane handy? When I received it, the packaging was beautiful! There's no brand name so I have no idea who makes it, but it's from China. It was 3/4 charged which was nice so I started using it. Not so great. This lighter has four arcing contacts pointing straight up from the top of the lighter. When you open the top they are not slanted like other arc lighters. The instructions suggest holding the tip of the cigarette about 4mm above the spark, but that doesn't work. Arc lighters generate very hot heat, but if you watch people on YouTube, it looks like the heat is right in the sparks. don't shine upwards. I finally managed to light a cigarette when I caught a spark with the tip. If you're used to visible flames, you'll need to learn a new habit or system. Another issue with this lighter compared to others I've seen on YouTube (after purchase) is that the distance between the four prongs is very small. It's slightly smaller than the diameter of my cigarette butt (Pall Mall 100s). I can light a cigarette, but if you'd rather smoke a cigar or try a pipe, forget it. When I go back and look at the pictures of these lighters, I see that the "sparks" shown appear to be bent up. , offering a "fiery" contact for a cigarette. No! They're flat as hell, so you have to be very careful how you come into contact with those sparks while holding the cigarette in your mouth or with your other hand. I like the price which is about average and I like that it's mostly windproof. But lighting a cigarette with one hand or driving a car with the window open will not work. Sparks are good, but I have to focus my full attention on getting the cigarette butt to ignite in just the right spot. Some problems while driving. So, while the technology is interesting and I don't have to buy butane or lighter fluid, it doesn't actually accomplish the lighter's purpose. It has 4 LED lights that light up when you open the lid so I can SEE when it needs charging (the lights go out when the charge is low). Most gas or liquid lighters don't currently show anything about fuel or liquid, so they will go out if you can't fill them. This is madness. This lighter only had 2 LEDs so I charged it with the micro USB cable that came with it. It took almost exactly 1 hour. During charging, the indicators flash one after the other, and when the battery is fully charged, they light up steadily. I like it - very nice. So easy and quick to charge (I just did this while working on my laptop). I have seen several reports of large arc lighters being made in the form of a cylinder or tube. The arcing contacts are raised and further spaced apart. It looks like they're easier to use to light the smoke. Maybe next time.

Pros
  • Easy installation
Cons
  • Plug required