Help me find a non-child safe bbq lighter.

July 27, 2017 4:04 PM

I need a lighter for my gas grill, but I can't just go to the dollar store.

The electronic lighter built-in to my gas bbq gave up the ghost a few years ago. The first time I replaced it, but it's such a monstrous PitA (I had to disassemble the entire front panel) that I'm just using a long lighter, no problem.

The old style lighter had a safety button that you have to hold down to use. The trigger would not work unless you held it down. Sadly, the safety spring is so stiff my arthritic thumb could barely hold it down. But I took it apart, found I could just remove the safety button, and the lighter worked fine. So no problem, right?

Of course not.

Though these are refillable, this lighter isn't designed to last forever.

So I got a new one. Unfortunately, they've been redesigned. Now, pressing the safety button opens the gas, and the trigger just lights it. So, I can't remove the safety. And holding the button down is even harder.

Does anyone know of a long lighter without the "child proof" feature? I guess I could use long matches, but lighter is much handier. I've seen handheld pizeo sparkers, and battery sparkers, anyone have any experience with these?

posted by Marky to Shopping (9 answers total)

I have this lighter. The safety is a slide type button, not a push down. This might be easier for you since use more of your hand to operate it rather than just finger pressure.
posted by Dr. Twist at 4:12 PM on July 27, 2017

Try this one - it calls itself "Easy-Lite", and has a battery-powered lighting mechanism. I think you need to hold it down for a second or two, but you don't need to do anything especially fiddly.

(No personal experience, just saw recommendations on the web).
posted by brainmouse at 4:13 PM on July 27, 2017

When the piezo lighter on my grill quit, I just bought a handheld one like this. Works great. Just... don't run the gas for 45 seconds while you dig for the thing - singed arm hair smells bad.

For my camping grills/stoves, I use a flint and steel because it seems to work better at high altitude and when wet.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 5:33 PM on July 27, 2017 [2 favorites]

If you have an indoor gas range, you can use that to light something like a small stick or a wad of newspaper. The safe way is the then carry it with tongs over a pan to the outside grill. The fun way is to pretend it's an Olympic relay on the way out of Pompeii and scream like a drunken banshee.
posted by mattamatic at 6:44 PM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

I like to use long matches. Easy to find at the grocery store and easy to light.
posted by SLC Mom at 6:55 PM on July 27, 2017

Look for fireplace matches, those are the long ones.
posted by kellyblah at 7:06 PM on July 27, 2017

I bought a four-pack of "X-Lite" brand long lighters that appear to have no safety mechanism short of a slightly stiffer than usual trigger spring, operated by the index finger.
posted by Sternmeyer at 8:05 PM on July 27, 2017

i just use wooden strike anywhere matches and toss them into the bottom of the grill. Turn on the gas, light the match, drop it through the grill near the gas jet. Cheap,easy, and it works.
posted by cosmicbandito at 8:17 PM on July 27, 2017

I think a hand-held battery sparker would be great. Here's one on amazon. Here's another with a longer tube, but more expensive. There's also a few Piezo units that don't need any fuel and have a more ergonomic design #1, #2

Most grills come with a long piece of wire with loops on the end that functions as a match holder so you can use regular size matches to light a burner
posted by ArgentCorvid at 7:21 AM on July 28, 2017