Commentary: A Light Has Gone Out
2 Jan 2013
I said goodbye to an old friend the other day. After more than seven years of faithful service, my worn Ronson Jetlite torch gave up the ghost. I’m not sure, but I think it was the ignition system that sputtered away.
Think about that. Seven years. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of cigars torched and touched up. Filled with butane that ranged from the cheapest drug-store no-name brands to fancy quintuple-filtered fuel, a $3 Ronson performed perfectly time after time.
If you’re a regular StogieGuys.com reader, you know we’ve long extolled the virtues of this simple, reliable lighter. My recent experience reinforced that view.
After the Jetlite died, I went rummaging through my cigar accessories stash and found several other lighters. The first one I tried—a thin, stylish lighter I’d rarely used—came apart when I tried to light it. A couple of others, admittedly cheapies, either wouldn’t ignite or did so erratically. The only reliable lighter was a BenzOmatic micro-torch that holds a ton of butane and fires up every time. But it has two problems. It requires another flame to light it, and the flame is unbelievably hot.
So, I went to the cigarette counter at my local Walmart and picked up another Jetlite. There have been a few changes since I bought my first. The price is up about $1 (still a bargain). And Zippo bought Ronson a couple of years ago. But in appearance at least, the lighter seems to be the same.
One thing I didn’t notice before, though perhaps it was there, is a line on the packaging that the lighter is “Excellent for Pipes and Cigars.†Yes, it’s excellent for cigars. But I hope no one would be foolish enough to risk severe damage to a pipe by using a torch lighter of any kind.
So, I’ve met my new friend. Here’s to what I hope is a long and happy relationship.
photo credit: Stogie Guys
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Great story George E, enjoyed it.
I love JetLites as well, although my first one broke after a couple years of occasional use. Still can't beat them for the price. They're kind of hard to find, though. Not all Walmarts carry them and they are hit and miss at tobacco shops and drug stores as well, at least in my area.
I have 2 right now.
Though mine is only a year old it has worked flawlessly. Even been through the washing machine and it still works as good as the day it was new. Losing it would be like losing a friend except, the lighter can be replaced!