Zippo Classic Brushed Finish Chrome 18

Good points are: reliability, holds spare flints inside, fuel easily available, works in windy conditions. Bad points are: Fuel evaporates, lightning cigarettes in windy conditions can lead to disaster as the wind sometimes pulls the flame out into an enormous roaring blast. If it’s for firelighting or occasional usage you can put a half-inch piece of bicycle inner tube over the join between lid and body to keep the petrol from disappearing. It’s amazing that the brass version is more expensive than the chromed one. The chromed one is in fact the brass one that’s been chrome plated. Probably best for smokers who like a high quality lighter, rather than a Bic or matches.

This lighter has great design and construction. It's sturdy, fits nicely in the hand and the strike wheel is smooth to operate. It also lights 99% of the time. I really like how you just flick the wheel and then simply hold the base to light something. There's also the lifetime guarantee, which ensures the lifespan of this lighter. However, if this lighter will be useful or not depends highly on the user. A normal Bic lighter has more uses per filling, and is in itself cheaper than buying Zippo fuel. It's also lighter in weight. Also, it's impossible to light something lying down on the ground with a Zippo. Because the flame only goes directly upwards, it disappears into the chimney when holding it upside-down or even just tilted at an angle. It's worth mentioning that with everyday use it took me 10 days to deplete the fuel. All in all, a cool, well-made lighter that I personally enjoy to use, but not the simplest, most economical or light-weight option.