What it actually is
No flame, no gas, no fiddling with a lighter in the wind while your mates laugh at you. The LcFun uses a small plasma arc between two electrodes to ignite things. USB-C charging, which in 2025 is table stakes, but appreciated. Compact enough to slip in a jacket pocket without thinking about it.
I had one of these style lighters for a camping trip last autumn. Trying to light a gas burner on a blustery hill in Wales, a normal lighter was basically useless. The arc lighter? Sorted in about two seconds. That one moment genuinely converted me.
Who this is actually for
Campers, hikers, anyone who lights candles a lot, people who find butane lighters endlessly annoying. If you're mostly lighting cigarettes indoors, honestly, any cheap lighter does the job fine. This earns its keep outdoors.
Reservation: the arc doesn't work brilliantly on thicker materials or anything held more than a centimetre or so away. You need to get close. And the battery life, while decent for casual use, isn't infinite, so bring a backup on a long trip.
The price angle
At under eight quid, the risk is low. These used to be noticeably pricier when they first showed up. Not a life-changing gadget, but a solid, practical little thing that earns its spot in a kit bag. If you keep losing cheap lighters anyway, spending slightly more on something rechargeable actually makes sense over time.
