Lighters

[ashauler]

Don't waste the money. If a lighter is going to cost that much, it should at least have a built-in cutter or punch. Spend 10 bucks on a zippo and 40 on cigars, you'll feel much better.

Well, at the risk of exposing my "cheapness", this hits my cigar purchasing philosophy dead on. I don't spend my $$ on the fancy accessories, and save it for cigars. I have a couple of "cheapy" torch lighters that work fine when I have to use them in windy conditions, but other than those times, I use a bic or matches and they work perfectly.

Same for me with cutters, the $4 cheapy guillotines work fantastic and last quite a while before getting dull and needing replaced. One of my b/m's gives pretty good ones away at events, or if you make a large enough purchase. It doesn't hurt as bad to lose one or throw one away because its worn out.

For some, the accessories contribute greatly to their smoking experience, and I don't knock that at all, for me its just not the case. A $50 lighter + a $40 cutter = some pretty nice cigars, imho.

[chefchris]

Buy a box of Fumadores at Holts ($40) and get a free lighter that works fine. Problem solved.

[BigMacFU]

Buy a box of Fumadores at Holts ($40) and get a free lighter that works fine. Problem solved.

yup, that works great too.

[cigar no baka]

I guess I'm in the minority here, not that i give a rats ass. I smoke a lot of higher end smokes $10 and up, and lighting them with a bic or gas station torch would be like buying USDA prime steaks, cooking them up perfectly to medium rare with nice crust on the outside, then eating them on paper plates.

Diamonds in a goats butt, as my dad would say.

[BigMacFU]

In the case of cooking though, the flame power can make a difference. A steak house cooks a steak at over 900º, that's a lot of BTU's. A butane flame is a butane flame though with a cigar. I wouldn't use a bic, but cheapy butane flame is just as good as a colibri, dupont, or xikar butane flame. And with the former two, just as reliable if not better. But, if you can afford a Xikar lighter, get it, they're probably the most durable butane lighters made. But even they sell ones for 30 bucks.

As everyone knows though, something like this is still ultimately preference.

[ashauler]

I guess I'm in the minority here, not that i give a rats ass. I smoke a lot of higher end smokes $10 and up, and lighting them with a bic or gas station torch would be like buying USDA prime steaks, cooking them up perfectly to medium rare with nice crust on the outside, then eating them on paper plates.

Diamonds in a goats butt, as my dad would say.

Well, since I do the dishes and the wife cooks.......I'm all about the paper plates. I understand where your coming from CnB, just different strokes for different folks.

[bigwhiteash]

Steaks cooked to MY preference would likely bleed through a paper plate

I love my Colibri Afterburner, so far, it hasn't let me down. ($17.00 on eBay), but I'll use whatever is on hand. I would like to have a nice table lighter though

[Consigliere]

Thanks for all of the replies. I get that most people would rather spend the extra cash on cigars instead of a lighter, but then again, I've always been an accessory freak. To me nice cutters and lighters enhance my experience. I wouldn't go so far as to pay two to three hundred dollars for a Davidoff cutter, I find that a little ridiculous. But $30 to $50 bucks seems reasonable. I was more wondering about the quality of the Lotus brand itself. I really enjoy the looks of the Lotus table lighter, but it only comes with a one year warranty, while there are some Xikar lighters I like as well that have lifetime warranties. I went back the other day and inspected it a little closer, and it seems to be very well constructed. One of these days I suppose I will make a decision....

[Mizicke5273]

I got a free Colibri a while back from CI with a purchase I made. Works great. Holds a good bit of butane, never failed me.

Even then I decided to buy a new light last night while at a B&M down here in Miami. For no reason other than I liked it. It wont make my cigars taste better or fill my cooler. But still I think its always handy to have more than 1 lighter around. Its a $40 Cigar Savor made buy Altadis, and it looks like an ST Dupont ligher, and Ive always liked the way those looked. I was jsut in the mood to buy something other than a cigar, even though I ended up buying a few anyways.

Not to mention Im the guy that buys a new pair of ATV gear at least once a year, well other than boots. I tend to like buying accesories for my hobbies because to me each one adds something new. Plus I like variety.