Pipes can be difficult to light with traditional lighters; the flame can burn your fingers when you turn it upside down towards the pipe. Here’s what you need to know about types of lighters, pros and cons, and what the best lighter is for your needs. What Makes One Lighter Different than Another?

When you spin the wheel with enough speed, it rubs on the flint and creates a spark. Pressing down on the “fork” (the plastic lever below the sparkwheel) opens a valve so fuel can be released. Permanent matches have gotten a lot of hype from the survivalist community. Yes, they are cool, and you get many more lights out of them than with standard matches. The flame is also more resistant to wind than a standard match. However, much of the info about permanent matches is a bit misleading. These are plastic lighters that have a wheel made out of serrated steel. A flint is located below the wheel.

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A lighter is any portable device which creates a flame, usually by igniting fuel held within its case. When dividing lighters into types, there are six key differences: Pipe lighters solve this by changing the design of the lighter. Instead of having the flame come out of the top, the flame comes out of the side of the lighter. In other designs, the flame is encased in metal so it can be pointed down into a pipe. Note that many plastic sparkwheel lighters are actually refillable (see how to refill a BIC lighter). However, because they are so cheap, most people treat them as disposable.

When I was a kid, “lighter” meant a Zippo or disposable Bic lighter. Now, there are many types of lighters, including types with multiple flames, electric ignition, and different fuels. On the plus side, permanent matches have a gasket that prevents fuel evaporation. If you need something to put in a bug out bag, these can sit there for years without losing fuel. I’ve heard of people using 99% isopropyl alcohol, methylated spirits, or Bacardi 151. However, alternative fuels aren’t recommended in Zippos because they might clog the Zippo. Some alternative fuels, like Charcoal fuel, can cause your Zippo to explode. Note that there is a lot of crossover in these types of lighters. For example, utility lighters can also be spark ignition or electric arc lighters. 1. Plastic Sparkwheel LightersThe benefit of torch lighters is that you can aim the flame in any direction, even upside down. Because of this, they are often used for lighting pipes. They are also often used as cigar lighters because they get hot. In a pinch, you can also use other fuels in a Zippo lighter, including butane, naptha (also called white gas or Coleman fuel), or gasoline. Most pipe lighters are butane sparkweel lighters. Sometimes butane torch lighters are also called pipe lighters because the intense flame can be easily directed into a pipe.