Butane Lighters and Fuel Usage

The advantages extend beyond the efficiency to the fact that the fuel imparts no foul taste to the cigar which rather has the effect of ruining an expensive smoke. Some users of these lighters prefer the very fancy models which feature multiple jets and which provide a wider surface on which to light one's stogie. The tradeoff is more fuel usage, for obvious reasons.

There is no solid answer to this question. Butane torches come in so many designs that the question is really not one of how many lights but one of how efficient any given model of torch may be. For instance, there are butane torches which are very small and which have a single, low-temperature flame. There are others which are much larger and which produce high-pressure, high-temperature flames. Obviously, these differences in design will make a significant difference in efficiency.

This also brings up the fact that some lighters with very small reservoirs can offer a great many lights. This is because many of these models feature the smallest and lowest-temperature flames. The fuel usage on these lighters is controlled-as it is on many other lighters-by turning the flame adjustment valve which simply increases or decreases the amount of fuel being delivered to the flame. Lower flames, obviously, mean less fuel consumption.

Multi-jet butane torches are not built for efficiency. They are a combination of a showpiece, a practical implement and a technological advantage for certain types of smoking. These lighters produce two or three blue jets of flame. For cigar smokers, this means a wide surface on which to light their cigar, a definite advantage. For outdoorsy types, this means enough heat to easily light a fire. However, this also means that some of these models tear through butane like a muscle car tears through gasoline.

One can sometimes increase the number of lights by using better-quality fuel. This also has the effect of keeping the lighter in better working order which translates to more efficiency. One can also lower their fuel useage by not holding their fuel release depressed for long lights but by, instead, using several shorter lights when possible. Turning down the fuel valve is always the best way to limit the total amount of fuel consumed.