Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
Your Zippo still clicks, but the lighter fluid keeps evaporating before you need it. A butane insert replaces that old wick and cotton with a gas-powered burner, so the lighter is ready weeks later. The catch is fit: most inserts drop into standard Classic Zippo cases, but not Slim, Armor, or 1935 Replica bodies. This guide sorts the seven inserts worth your money by how they actually light, fill, and last.
This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
Torch inserts burn hotter, soft-flame inserts treat pipe tobacco gently, and arc inserts skip fuel entirely. The trick is matching your flame type to how you actually light up, which is what this breakdown of the zippo butane insert covers from top to bottom.
Top Picks
How To Choose The Best Zippo Butane Insert
You only need to settle three things: the flame type you want, whether the insert fits your case, and how many lights you get per refill. Nail those and the rest is easy.
Match the flame to what you light
A torch insert pushes a concentrated blue flame that holds up in wind and lights a cigar fast. A soft flame insert burns cooler and angled, which keeps pipe tobacco from scorching. If you want no fuel at all, an arc insert uses two plasma arcs and a rechargeable battery instead of butane.
Check your case before you buy anything
Almost every insert here fits all Classic Zippo cases. None of them fit Slim, Armor, or 1935 Replica cases, so measure nothing and instead eyeball the model name stamped on your case. A standard Classic body is the safe target.
Understand the fill, not the marketing
Butane capacity is the number that decides your routine. The Zippo torch inserts list a.9g capacity, which the maker pairs with a stated number of five-second ignitions per fill. More capacity per light means fewer refills in your pocket.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Model | Best For | Flame Type | Fuel / Power | Case Fit | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zippo Lighter Inserts★ Best Overall | Everyday torch lighting | Single torch | Butane, refillable | All Classic Zippo cases | Amazon |
| Z-Plus Pipe Flame Insert | Pipe smokers | Soft flame, angled | Butane, refillable | Most flip-top lighters | Amazon |
| Thunderbird Vector Butane Double Torch Insert | Cigar use on a flint ignition | Double torch | Butane, flint ignition | Flip-top lighters, mixed fit | Amazon |
Detailed Reviews
1. Zippo Lighter Inserts
Our pick — 4.0+★ from 26,500+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The insert that keeps the Zippo click and swaps the fluid for a torch.
This is the one most people mean when they say they want a butane insert. A push-button piezo ignition (a button that sparks the gas without a flint wheel) fires a single blue torch flame that adjusts in height. The flame reaches up to 2,300°F / 1,260°C, hot enough to light a cigar in seconds. And it preserves the famous Zippo “click” when you snap the lid shut, so the lighter still sounds like a Zippo.
What wins people over is the look and the feel — the appearance of the insert in the case draws the most praise of any single trait. The honest fit note lands on functionality, which splits both ways across the review pages: plenty of owners light up daily without a fuss, while a share report dead-on-arrival units or a flame that quits. Reliability is the most-discussed theme and it leans negative, so treat this as a buy from a maker with a stated 2-year warranty rather than a guarantee of a perfect unit.
At 1.76 ounces and measuring 2.25″L x 1.5″W x 0.5″Th, it drops into a Classic case and disappears in a pocket. Compared with the gift set (5.28 ounces packed as a boxed kit), this single insert is the lean everyday carry. If you own a Slim, Armor, or 1935 Replica case, it will not fit — that is the first thing to check.
Where it earns its keep
- Single torch flame adjustable up to 2,300°F / 1,260°C
- Push-button piezo ignition, no flint wheel
- Keeps the classic Zippo “click” on close
- Slim 1.76-ounce build fits all Classic Zippo cases
What to weigh first
- Functionality feedback is split — some units arrive faulty
- Won’t fit Slim, Armor, or 1935 Replica cases
- Refill routine is on you; no fuel gauge to warn you
Reach for this if: you want the simplest torch upgrade for a Classic case and love the Zippo click.
Look elsewhere if: your case is a Slim, Armor, or 1935 Replica, or you smoke a pipe and need a soft flame.
2. Zippo Single Torch Butane Lighter Insert
Two blue flames that light a cigar half a second sooner.
Two torch nozzles instead of one give you a wider, hotter ignition and the same odorless up-to-2,300°F / 1,260°C blue flame. It keeps the distinctive Zippo “click,” fires on push-button piezo ignition, and fits all Classic Zippo cases. The aluminum body holds at 1.76 ounces, so twin torches add flame but not pocket weight.
What most buyers talk about is quality — the build and feel of the thing draws the widest praise, with fit and the upgrade it gives a standard case close behind. Owners describe it as a great upgrade that sits perfectly in their shell and keeps the classy look. The mixed part is fuel: the.9g capacity the maker cites gives up to 60 five-second ignitions per fill, not the up-to-100 of the single torch above, so a twin-torch habit means the butane can comes out more often.
Reliability and flame strength split both ways across the reviews — some find it lights first press every time, others hit a unit that quits early. That is a spread in the review pages, not a verdict. Where the single torch stretches a fill and the double torch widens the flame, this one clearly leans toward the faster light.
The flame case: a twin nozzle lights a cigar faster and holds up in a breeze, backed by a two-year Zippo warranty.
Where it costs you: up to 60 lights per fill against the single torch’s up-to-100, so it asks for butane more often.
Best fit for: cigar smokers who want a fast, hot light and do not mind topping up.
Not the pick for: anyone who fills once and wants the longest possible run between cans.
3. Zippo Butane Insert Gift Set
The one insert here built to coax a pipe, not torch a cigar.
Every other butane pick on this list throws a hot torch. This one is different: it produces a soft, steady flame angled downward, which is the shape you want for lighting a pipe without scorching the tobacco. It runs on butane, so you lose the taste and smell of lighter fluid, and it drops into most flip-top lighters to keep the classic open-and-snap design.
Owners who smoke pipes find it does the job — it fits snugly into Zippo cases and the flame is adjustable, so you can dial the soft flame down to a gentle draw. That is the whole appeal: a pipe-friendly flame inside a familiar body. The flame size is where opinions split, since a soft flame is simply smaller than a jet, and buyers who expected a big torch got a quiet little flame instead.
Set your expectations to the pipe. If you light a pipe most evenings, this is the deliberate choice and the torch picks above are the wrong tool. If you want a cigar lit fast in wind, look up the list — a soft angled flame will feel weak next to them.
what separates it: an angled soft flame that treats tobacco gently, which none of the torch inserts here deliver.
The expectation gap: the flame is small on purpose, so anyone wanting jet-like heat will read it as underpowered.
Made for: pipe smokers who want an even, soft light inside a flip-top case.
Wrong tool for: cigar smokers and anyone who lights outdoors in a stiff breeze.
4. Thunderbird Vector Butane Double Torch Insert
A twin torch that sparks off a flint wheel, not a button.
Where the Zippo inserts fire on push-button piezo, this Thunderbird model uses a flint ignition system — you roll the wheel and the twin torch lights, a familiar motion for anyone who grew up on a flint lighter. It burns clean-smelling butane instead of liquid fuel, so it swaps the fluid smell for a cleaner light, and it is aimed at turning a flip-top body into a cigar lighter.
Reliability is the theme that dominates the feedback, and it splits both ways — some units work well, others reportedly quit within a week, which is the biggest caveat on this list. Fit is similarly mixed: it seats perfectly in some Zippos and hits compatibility snags in others. The plastic body and the flint mechanism are the trade-offs that come with the lower-tier internals, so the warranty backing through Vector KGM is worth noting.
Buy this for the flint feel, not for a bulletproof build. If you want the twin-torch heat and a body that is more likely to seat cleanly, the Zippo Double Torch above is the safer path. If the flint wheel is the part you love, this is the only insert here that offers it.
Why some buyers like it
- Flint-wheel ignition for a traditional spark
- Double torch converts a flip-top into a cigar lighter
- Clean butane burn replaces liquid-fuel taste
Be ready for
- Reliability splits — some units quit within a week
- Fit is inconsistent across different flip-top bodies
- Plastic build limits how tough it feels
Go for it if: the flint-wheel spark is what you want and you accept a lighter build.
Choose a Zippo instead if: you want the most reliable fit and the strongest odds on a clean-seating unit.
Know the Specs
Flame type: torch vs soft flame vs arc
A torch insert fires a concentrated blue flame that reaches up to 2,300°F / 1,260°C and holds up against wind — the right pick for cigars. A soft flame insert burns cooler and angled so it does not scorch pipe tobacco. A double-arc insert skips flame altogether, using an electric plasma arc that stays lit indoors or out. Match the flame to your daily habit before anything else.
Butane capacity and lights per fill
A butane insert’s capacity is the number that decides how often you refill. The Zippo single torch carries a.9g capacity the maker pairs with up to 100 five-second ignitions per fill. The double torch holds the same.9g but delivers up to 60 five-second ignitions, because the twin flame burns fuel faster. Fewer lights per fill means the can comes out more often.
Ignition: piezo, flint, and plasma
Most butane inserts here use piezo ignition — a push-button that sparks the gas with no flint. The Thunderbird relies on a flint wheel, a more traditional spark. The double-arc insert uses its own electric arcs and a button press. Piezo is the easiest one-handed light; flint is the familiar motion some buyers prefer.
Case fit: which Zippo bodies accept an insert
Most inserts here fit all Classic Zippo cases. None of them fit Slim, Armor, or 1935 Replica cases, and the double-arc insert also excludes the Slim or 1935 replica models. The Thunderbird and Z-Plus fit most flip-top lighters but can hit compatibility snags. Check the model on your case before you commit.
Common Questions
Will a butane insert fit my Slim or Armor Zippo?
How many times can I light a Zippo butane insert on one fill?
What is the difference between a torch flame and a soft pipe flame?
Does a butane insert keep the Zippo click sound?
Can I use any butane fuel in these inserts?
How long does a butane insert last before it stops working?
Is the rechargeable arc insert really windproof?
Can a butane insert scorch pipe tobacco?
Do these inserts work in a standard flip-top lighter that is not a Zippo?
The Bottom Line
For most people, the zippo butane insert to start with is the Zippo Lighter Inserts because it delivers the adjustable single-torch flame and the classic click in a slim 1.76-ounce body that drops into a Classic case. Want more lights between refills and a lifetime warranty? The Zippo Single Torch Butane Lighter Insert stretches a fill furthest. And if you smoke a pipe, the Z-Plus Pipe Flame Insert is the only soft, angled flame here that treats tobacco gently.
How we choose
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of November 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
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