Top 5 Best Fireplace Lighters

In a fireplace, the log or kindling is often deep inside. A regular lighter can't reach it, or forces you to put your hand near the flames. That's awkward and unsafe.

A good fireplace lighter has three key qualities:

• Powerful jet flame that lights first time, even in damp or draughty conditions
• Safe ignition at a distance thanks to a long nozzle or sturdy body
• Refillable so you don't need to buy a new one every season

Below are our top 5, ranked by the best combination of these features.

Looking for the best all-round choice? PyroPen Turbo. Powerful, affordable, and easy to use.

Many or large fireplaces? Champ Extreme. The most powerful flame in our top 5.

Got a fire pit or BBQ as well as a fireplace? PyroTorch Quattro. Four jet flames make it brilliantly versatile.

Want something that looks great on the mantelpiece? Champ Tatin. Works beautifully and looks the part.

Compact and precision important? Atomic Pen Torch. Slim design, pin-point ignition.

Not every lighter is suitable for an open fireplace. An ordinary disposable lighter burns for too short a time and has too small a flame to light wood. A good fireplace lighter scores on five points.

Length and reach

In a deep open fireplace you place logs or firelighter cubes at the back, so you have to be able to light safely at a distance. That works in two ways: a lighter with a long nozzle (such as a pen shape), or a table torch with a powerful flame that you operate from a safe angle. Both types work, so look mainly at what suits your type of fireplace.

Type of flame

A jet flame burns under pressure and has a temperature up to 1300°C. An ordinary yellow flame gets no further than 800°C. For lighting wood and wood wool a jet flame is far more effective, especially if the wood is slightly damp or there is a draught in the chimney.

Refillable or disposable

A refillable lighter with butane gas is always cheaper in the long run. A bottle of butane gas costs less than a new disposable lighter, and you top it up in ten seconds. It is also better for the environment because you are not throwing away plastic and metal every season.

Adjustable flame

With a lighter with an adjustable flame you match the height to what you are lighting. For a small portion of wood wool you set it low, for a big log higher. Not every lighter has this, but for fireplace use it is a big plus.

Safety

Choose a lighter with a child lock or safety button. Especially if there are children or pets in the house. All five models from our top 5 have a safety mechanism.

For most people, the PyroPen Turbo is the best fireplace lighter: a powerful jet flame, long enough to keep your distance, and cheap enough to have two.

If you light a fire every evening, the heavier Champ Extreme is worth the extra money: more gas in the tank and a flame that catches a log in one go. If your wood struggles to catch, fire starters finish the job paper can't.