About this product
This is not a lighter with a small flame – it has no flame at all. Press the button and it strikes a plasma arc between two electrodes, a small bright line of electricity hot enough to light a candle, a gas burner, a cigarette, a fire lighter or a bed of charcoal. Because it is not a flame, wind does nothing to it. On a beach at Kigamboni or a ridge on the mountain, that is the whole point.
The neck is the second good idea. It bends and holds its shape through a full 360 degrees, so you can reach down into a candle jar that has burned low, get under a gas burner, or angle into a jiko without putting your hand over the heat. Anyone who has tried to light a deep candle with a match knows exactly what problem that solves.
It charges over USB, from a power bank, a laptop, a car charger or a wall plug, and a full charge gives many uses. There is no gas to buy, nothing to refill and nothing to leak in a bag – which also makes it a sensible thing to keep in a glovebox or a camera bag where a gas lighter would make you think twice.
It suits camping, home use during a power cut, lighting a braai, or simply keeping in a kitchen drawer in Dar es Salaam. Keep it away from children and let it cool for a moment between long presses, as the electrode tips do warm up.
USB Rechargeable Electric Arc Lighter