Always on the lookout for interesting cigars and cigar accessories, I stumbled across the Agnite cigar lighter on social media in 2014. At the time, it was in development and available for pre-order.
On a whim, I ordered the USB chargeable, fluidless, flameless lighter that lit cigars with a heating coil, similar to a car cigarette lighter. And waited. And then waited some more.
A year later, I was eventually refunded my money and have never heard from them since. And they went dark on the socials. Fortunately, they weren’t the only ones exploring the world of electric, rechargeable lighters.
Colibri Heritage Cube Desk Lighter
The Heritage Cube Desk Lighter by Colibri is a beautiful piece of design that would be at home in any private or public smoking lounge as a statement piece, especially if paired with the Heritage Cube Ashtray. It is three-dimensional and resembles a Rubik’s Cube in a distant and wonderful way. It would be interesting to design a smoking lounge or area around the design aesthetics of the Cube Desk Lighter, carrying the philosophy into furniture, chairs and so on.
The desk lighter’s triggers for either the single soft flame or dual peak flame are in a block on opposite sides of the lighter, while the fuel windows and the gauge to adjust the strength of the flame are on the bottom. It is also said to be wind resistant and comes in six colours — black, red, charcoal, green, blue and orange.
The Fuego Fire Electric Cigar Lighter Kit
Fuego Lighters launched their first rechargeable lighter, the Fuego Robusto USB Lighter, in 2017 and since then has been refining it. The result of this development is the new Fuego Fire Electric Cigar Lighter.
The lighter, which looks like a small torch, has a USB-C rapid charging port with charging cable, an on/off switch (which the Robusto USB lighter didn’t have), two power settings (high and low) and can light cigars of up to 62” ring gauge.
It works in the wind (obviously) and the Fuego Fire Kit also includes what Fuego calls a Cherry Picker ash removal tool for when you want to relight evenly. There is also a spare grill heating coil that is also available separately if one went with just the lighter as opposed to the kit. What it doesn’t come with is the rechargeable lithium-ion battery but that is relatively easy to source.
With Christmas around the corner, the Fuego Fire Kit is going onto my wish list. Fuego does also make butane lighters, cutters and other accessories, but the electric lighter sets it apart.
Vector KGM Icon V
Vector KGM, based in Los Angeles, the US, has been making cigar lighters and smoking accessories for at least 40 years, and its Vector Icon Series is the flagship of its cigar lighters. Recently, the company launched the latest in the series, the Icon V. While previous iterations of the Icon had a “triangular-arranged triple jet torch flame”, the Icon V has six jet torch flames arranged in a V-formation, which Vector is calling a “crown jet torch flame”.
What’s cool about the Icon (yes, I am easy to impress with flashing lights) is a touch-sensitive panel on the front that enables you to ignite by touch. It also shows battery life digitally and the internal battery is recharged with a USB-C cable. The on/off switch is on the bottom to ensure that you don’t accidently ignite it. The Icon V comes in seven colours, including copper gold, gunmetal satin, chrome satin, black matter and sparkly blue.
