The Amazing Zippo Lighter

Zippo lighters are an amazing piece of American engineering. Their durability, reliability, and versatility put other fire starting methods to shame. Zippo lighters are designed to last decades. Refillable, with replaceable wicks and flints, a Zippo lighter will still work when other lighters are taking up space in a landfill. They can take a beating that leaves cheap plastic lighters in pieces. In fact, a large collector’s market exists for antique Zippo lighters!

Contrary to what you may have seen in movies, Zippo lighters are good for far more than just putting fire to cancer sticks. Zippo’s make a good emergency light source. And, around the house, they’re useful for all of your fire making needs, ranging from candles to pilot lights to arts and crafts. Zippo lighters are also a favorite among campers and hikers—working in wind, rain, and snow that render matches useless.

Bruce Willis & a Zippo Lighter

Made in USA Zippo Lighters Die Hard

Finally, Zippo lighters have become a mainstay in preparedness kits. In addition to being durable and weather resistant, Zippo’s can run on just about any flammable liquid. If zombies cut off your lighter fluid supplies, you can refill your Zippo lighter with everything from gasoline to aftershave. Just don’t let a Zippo collector catch you doing that!!

Best of all, Zippo lighters are made right here in the USA. For an inside look at the Bradford, PA Zippo factory, I recommend this fascinating video.

Not So Amazing Fakes

One word of caution. Be sure to buy your Zippo lighters from a trustworthy source. Cheap counterfeits have become a serious problem. Zippo backs their lighters with a lifetime guarantee, but the company receives fakes for service daily. The company estimates that counterfeits cost the company a quarter to a third of its revenues. Even worse, counterfeits are costing American workers their jobs at the Bradford, PA factory!

You can buy your authentic American-made Zippo lighter directly from the company’s website.

2 Responses

  1. Diana H. Graf says:

    The duracell batteries are made in China now. USA sell outs.

    • Buying American says:

      If you inspect a pack of Duracell batteries at your local hardware store, which I did the other day, it says Country of Origin is marked on the batteries. The first pack I pulled said “Assembled in U.S.A.” on the batteries. That being said, a pack of Rayovacs nearby said “Made in the USA with US and global parts.” So, in this case, I’d probably pick up the Rayovacs. 🙂

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