Did you know that there are now different Zippo lighter inserts for their lighters? Zippo lighters are amazing and there’s no doubt about it. Zippo’s are probably the most iconic lighters of all time. Finding out that there are some awesome inserts for my zippo has been a game-changer for me. But I’ll get to that in a minute.
A quick history of Zippo
George Blaisdell founded Zippo in 1932. The original design was based on the design of Austrian lighters that were popular at the time. There’s no doubt in my mind that Mr. Blaisdell could have known that his company would become legendary.
Over the years Zippo manufacturing has undergone a number of amazing improvements that keep their lighters at the top tier of lighters in the world. Right now, there are five different inserts for Zippo lighters that allow you to use a Zippo for whatever you need it for.
So what are the different inserts that are made for Zippo lighters? Let’s start off with the two classic zippo inserts
Standard Zippo Lighter Inserts
The standard Zippo lighter insert has changed over the years, but it is still the classic design “chimney” style. This style protects the flame from being blown out by the wind and has given Zippo the windproof name.
This insert uses a flint with a striking wheel device along with a wick and lighter fluid to produce its flame. So if you’ve ever seen an open zippo you’ve seen this insert. They work INCREDIBLY well. They last a long time and they basically come with every Zippo made.
My problem with standard Zippo lighters is that they leave a bad taste in my mouth, literally. Every time I light up with a Zippo I get a terrible aftertaste from the Zippo lighter fuel.
I don’t want to give you the impression that there is anything wrong with this style of lighter inserts, but it’s just a matter of personal preference for me.
Zippo Pipe Lighter Inserts
The pipe insert is a much less common type of insert as compared to the standard one. This insert was designed for pipe smokers and uses the same wick, flint, and fuel as the standard Zippo lighter insert. The pipe insert’s big difference is the rather large hole in the chimney.
The reason for the hole is so that the flame can easily reach the pipe tobacco and light it, but avoids damaging the pipe. This is the one zippo insert I’ve never used. I’m more of a cigar guy, but I have to say they look really cool.
So now that we’ve covered the old, let’s jump into the newest zippo lighter inserts that they have to offer.
The Zippo Single Flame Torch Insert
There are a lot of cigar smokers who have stayed away from Zippo lighters for many years because of one main reason. Basically, any lighter fluid used in a Zippo tends to leave a nasty aftertaste that’ll ruin a good cigar.
I’m not the biggest cigar smoker, but when I do enjoy the one I don’t want anything to get in the way of the flavor of a well-crafted cigar. Zippo finally has a solution to the nasty lighter fluid aftertaste. It’s a clean-burning butane jet torch insert!
No more needing to replace flint or wicks and again no more cigar-ruining lighter fluid. The push-button piezo-electronic ignition is long-lasting and works perfectly. The butane flame is solid and burns at over 2000f degrees. The single flame will do for smaller cigars but for bigger sticks, this probably won’t work as well.
All in all, the single flame Zippo torch insert works great, and being that it’s a zippo you’ll know its quality.
The Zippo Dual Flame Torch Inserts
The big brother to the single flame is the Zippo dual-flame lighter insert. Twice the power of the single flame and is, in my opinion, much better for mid-sized cigars. The dual flame insert does a descent of evenly toasting up cigars.
Either one of these butane Zippo torch inserts is totally worth it in my opinion. Being that they fit perfectly in all of my Zippos I can finally get some use out of the ones sitting on the shelf.
Zippo Electric Arc Lighter Inserts
If you happen to be someone who has no idea about plasma lighters, let me fill you in really quickly.
So, whether you call them plasma lighters or electronic lighters, USB lighters, arc lighters, tesla lighters or anything else they’re the same thing. When you light them up you’ll have an electric arc that passes across two (or four) probes that are used to light up. These types of lighters are battery-powered and most of the time are charged by some sort of USB cable.
In the past few years, plasma lighters have become more and more popular. So, Zippo has created a 4-probed lighter insert where an X shape electric beam is used.
I have used these types of lighters before, but never one of these Zippo inserts. This type of lighter, for me, is at best ok if you happen to light up a cigarette, but there is almost no way you are going to be able to light up a cigar with one of these inserts or lighters.
I do have to say these types of lighters are cool. Never having to fill with butane or lighter fluid and/or adding more flint is a really nice thought, but…right now they just aren’t good enough. I think in the near future though I think they will get way better.
Other Lighter Insert Options
You might be someone who doesn’t care about the Zippo brand and if that’s the case there is good news. There are several other manufacturers who make great torch inserts that will fit perfectly in a Zippo.
Thunderbird Single flame insert
At basically the same price, the Thunderbird is a great option. They’re made by Vector so you know it’s a quality product. Even though this isn’t one of the genuine Zippo lighter inserts, it is a fantastic alternative.
JETPRO Twin Torch Insert
I honestly don’t know much about them, but the reviews are pretty good, and want to show another option for my list of Zippo lighter inserts.
Zippo Inserts Final Thoughts
It doesn’t matter what type of lighter insert you might use or want to use, picking one up from Zippo or even another brand is not a bad idea. All of them are under $25, so why not grab one? They are known around the world for making quality products. I am a huge fan of Zippo lighters even though I don’t like the taste of lighter fluid when I smoke.
Maybe the Zippo style isn’t your style or maybe you’re looking for a triple or a quad flame torch lighter check out our post on some awesome torch lighters under $15 or check our post on tabletop lighters.
Got lighter troubles? Read our post on how to troubleshoot common lighter issues and read about how to pick the best butane for your torch.