Wiktor Wise
The electric cigarette lighter was first used by Friedrich Wilhelm Schindler to light cigars. It is now more commonly found in automobiles, where it is known as an auxiliary power outlet or car cigarette lighter. These lighters are built into a vehicle's electrical system and are usually found in the well between the front seats or on the dashboard. They are designed with safety in mind, with the red-hot heating element unable to be accidentally dropped onto a person's lap.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Earliest Lighter | 1823 by German chemist Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner |
| First Pocket Lighter | Crillon, invented in 1948 by Frenchman Henry Pingeot |
| First Disposable Lighter | 1970s in Paris, made by Bic |
| First Electric Lighter | Unknown, but Friedrich Wilhelm Schindler used one to light cigars |
| First Flameless Lighter | 1966 in the UK, invented by Douglas and David Hammond, called "Ciglow" |
| First Piezoelectric Lighter | 1960s |
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What You'll Learn
The first electric cigarette lighter
The history of the lighter is a fascinating one. The first electric cigarette lighter was invented in 1948 by Frenchman Henry Pingeot and marketed by Marcel Quercia. Known as the Crillon, it was the first pocket lighter, revolutionising the way people could ignite their cigarettes. With a simple click of the fingers, the spark produced would ignite the small amount of gas released. This was a significant step forward from the lighters of old, which often required a striking action to create a spark.
The Crillon was not disposable, and once its reservoir was empty, it could be refilled at a newsagent. This was a more sustainable approach than the disposable lighters that would come later. The design was so iconic that it is now part of the permanent "Architecture and Design" collection at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York.
The evolution of the lighter continued with the introduction of piezoelectric lighters in the 1960s. These lighters used a small, spring-loaded hammer to strike a quartz crystal, creating a voltage that resulted in an electrical discharge for ignition. While these lighters are still in use today, their popularity was relatively short-lived, and they faded from mainstream use in the 1970s.
The 1970s also saw the introduction of the first disposable lighters by Bic in Paris. These lighters were made of plastic and were extremely affordable, making them widely popular. They are still commonly used today.
While the specific details of the first electric cigarette lighter's invention are not widely known, it is clear that the development of the lighter as a whole has come a long way since its early beginnings. From the prehistoric taming of fire to the modern electric lighter, the ability to create a controlled flame with ease has become an integral part of everyday life for smokers and non-smokers alike.
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Early prototypes
The earliest prototype of the modern-day cigarette lighter was invented in 1823 by German chemist and professor at the University of Jena, Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner. However, it looked nothing like the sleek designs of today.
The first pocket lighter, Crillon, was invented in 1948 by Frenchman Henry Pingeot and marketed by Marcel Quercia. This was a gas lighter, which used the spark produced by striking metal against flint to ignite a small amount of gas released by a valved orifice. This design was revolutionary, but it was not disposable.
In 1956, Casco developed the modern "automatic" removable automotive V-Coil lighter, receiving a U.S. patent in 1960. This was an electric cigarette lighter that was located in the dashboard or between the front seats of a car. It was designed to power an electrically heated cigarette lighter, with a removable plug that could be used to light cigars or cigarettes. The circuit was closed by pressing a button or removing the igniter from its socket, and the heating element would disengage the circuit with an audible ping once the desired temperature was reached.
In the 1960s, the piezoelectric lighter was introduced as an alternative to fuel-burning lighters. This used a small, spring-loaded hammer to hit a quartz crystal, creating a voltage that resulted in an electrical discharge to ignite the lighter. This design was short-lived and faded out of mainstream use in the 1970s.
The first disposable lighters were introduced in Paris in the 1970s by Bic, today's market leader. These plastic lighters were extremely cheap and became extremely popular, remaining widely used to this day.
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The gas lighter revolution
The taming of fire was a crucial moment in prehistoric times, allowing our ancestors to cook food, produce new tools, and keep warm. The first lighters, however, looked nothing like the modern-day version. One of the earliest lighters was invented in 1823 by German chemist and professor Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner.
The arrival of the gas lighter was a significant revolution in the history of the everyday lighter. Invented by Frenchman Henry Pingeot and marketed by Marcel Quercia, the first pocket lighter, the Crillon, was introduced in 1948. This innovative design featured a small amount of gas that was ignited with a spark produced by the click of one's fingers. Once the reservoir was empty, it could be refilled at a newsagent, making it a reusable and convenient option.
While the gas lighter was a game-changer, it built upon earlier innovations in the lighter's design. In 1931, Georges Blaisdell designed a storm lighter with petrol and a hinged top, allowing skilled users to open and light it in one motion. Named Zippo, this designer lighter became a household name and is still popular today.
The evolution of the lighter continued with the introduction of the piezoelectric lighter in the 1960s, which used a small, spring-loaded hammer to strike a quartz crystal and create a voltage for ignition. Additionally, the flameless lighter, invented by brothers Douglas and David Hammond in the UK in 1966, used catalytic action to produce a flame without a spark.
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Windproof lighters
The history of the lighter is a fascinating one. One of the earliest lighters was invented in 1823 by German chemist and professor Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner. However, it looked nothing like a modern-day lighter. In 1903, Austrian chemist Carl Auer von Welsbach revolutionised the lighter by inventing ferrocerium, which made creating the necessary sparks for ignition easy and was also a relatively affordable material.
Today, lighters typically consist of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable liquid, a compressed flammable gas, or a flammable solid. They are usually ignited by a spark created by striking metal against a lighter flint, or through piezo ignition, where a piezoelectric crystal is compressed to generate an electric spark.
Now, onto windproof lighters specifically. Windproof lighters, such as the Zippo brand, use the same fuel (butane) as standard lighters but achieve windproof capabilities through a different mechanism. Instead of relying on higher-pressure fuel, windproof lighters mix the fuel with air and pass the butane-air mixture through a catalytic coil. An electric spark starts the initial flame, and soon the coil is hot enough to cause the fuel-air mixture to burn on contact. This results in a blue flame that burns at a much higher temperature than the orange "safety" flame of naphtha or standard butane lighters.
In addition to their practical uses, windproof lighters have also gained popularity as fashion accessories. Zippo, for example, has expanded its brand to include apparel, accessories, and gadgets, collaborating with brands like Harley Davidson to create iconic designs. The classic metal lighters produced by Zippo and other brands are often favoured for their long lifespan, individuality, and vintage appeal.
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The disposable lighter
Disposable lighters are typically made from plastic and use liquefied butane gas as fuel. They have a valved orifice that allows gas to escape at a controlled rate when the lighter is used. The spark is created by an electric arc, using the created plasma as the source of ignition. Alternatively, a heating element can be used to heat the target to its ignition temperature.
The first lighters were converted flintlock pistols that used gunpowder. In 1662, Turkish traveller Evliya Çelebi visited Vienna and described the lighters being manufactured there:
> "Enclosed in a kind of tiny box are tinder, a steel, sulphur, and resinous wood. When struck just like a firearm wheel, the wood bursts into flame. This is useful for soldiers on campaign."
One of the first lighters was invented by German chemist Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner in 1823. Known as Döbereiner's lamp, or a 'tinderbox', the lamp reacted zinc with dilute sulphuric acid to produce hydrogen. This lighter looked nothing like a modern-day lighter.
In 1903, Austrian chemist Carl Auer von Welsbach revolutionised the lighter by inventing ferrocerium, which made creating the necessary sparks for ignition easy and was also a relatively affordable material.
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Frequently asked questions
The taming of fire, which is considered the first lighter, dates back 400,000 years. However, one of the earliest lighters was invented in 1823 by German chemist Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner.
Döbereiner's lighter looked nothing like a modern-day lighter. The first pocket lighter, Crillon, appeared in 1948, invented by Frenchman Henry Pingeot and marketed by Marcel Quercia.
The piezoelectric lighter was introduced in the 1960s as an alternative to fuel-burning lighters. This type of lighter used a small, spring-loaded hammer to hit a quartz crystal, creating a voltage that resulted in an electrical discharge to ignite cigarettes.
Some other types of lighters include the ferrocerium lighter, the gas lighter, the disposable lighter, the reel-type lighter, the flameless lighter, and the catalytic lighter.
Electric cigarette lighters are now commonly seen in automobiles, incorporated into the auxiliary power outlet to ignite cigars or cigarettes.
