An engraved lighter is one of the highest-use gifts we sell. It costs relatively little, it goes in a pocket every day, and unlike most small gifts it does not end up in a drawer.
There are a few things worth understanding before you order one.
The important one first: lighters are posted dry
Every personalised lighter we send out is empty. This is not a cost-saving measure - postal regulations do not permit lighter fuel to be sent through the network, and Royal Mail is aware of how we ship these.
What that means practically: whoever receives it will need to fill it before first use. Butane is cheap and sold in any supermarket or newsagent. It is worth mentioning in the card if you are giving it as a surprise, because a lighter that does not spark straight out of the box reads as faulty when it is not.
Refillable vs disposable
Only refillable lighters are worth engraving. A disposable one has a finite life measured in weeks, and putting somebody's name on an object designed to be thrown away rather misses the point.
Refillable metal lighters last for years, take a knock, and the engraving stays crisp throughout. That is the category to buy in.
Metal lighters vs Clippers
Two different things, both good for different people.
Metal flip-top lighters have the weight and the sound people associate with a proper lighter. They come in a gift box, which matters when it is a present rather than a stocking filler. This is the traditional choice.
Clipper lighters are the everyday workhorse - lighter in the hand, refillable, with a replaceable flint. They suit someone who will genuinely use it daily and is not precious about it.
What to engrave
The engraving area on a lighter is small, which is a constraint worth respecting. Options that work:
- Initials - up to around five characters, including full stops.
- A name - roughly 15 characters.
- A short message - up to four lines of around 20 characters each, if you want more than a name.
- Wedding roles - a role over two lines, then a name and a date, which is the layout most wedding-party orders use.
Keep in mind that a small object with a lot of text on it looks busy. A name and a date almost always beats a paragraph.
Who it suits
Obviously, someone who smokes. Less obviously: anyone who lights candles, camps, barbecues or has a wood burner. A refillable engraved lighter that lives by the fireplace is a perfectly good gift for someone who has never smoked in their life.
Looking after it
- Fill it with proper butane rather than the cheapest available - low-grade fuel clogs the valve.
- Let it settle for a minute after filling before striking.
- Replace the flint when the spark weakens rather than assuming the lighter has failed.
- Store it upright.
Have a look at the full range of personalised lighters, or the wider personalised accessories collection for other everyday-carry ideas.