Colibri will never have my business again.

[Teninx]

Originally Posted by dgold21

Or that 100% of all Colibri lighters work fine 20% of the time...

An even better conclusion

[hoax]

I'll throw in my 2 cents. I picked up a Zplus Zippo insert and it's a piece of junk. Cheaply made, flimsy, hard to refill, doesn't fit right, flame goes out, adjustment screw is made from the softest metal possible, etc.

I got one of the cheap Colibri from a JR special. I've only had it for a month but it's worked flawlessly even though I've already dropped like 8 times.

[lenguamor]

Originally Posted by hoax

I'll throw in my 2 cents. I picked up a Zplus Zippo insert and it's a piece of junk. Cheaply made, flimsy, hard to refill, doesn't fit right, flame goes out, adjustment screw is made from the softest metal possible, etc.

I got one of the cheap Colibri from a JR special. I've only had it for a month but it's worked flawlessly even though I've already dropped like 8 times.

I have the same on, and it's my "old reliable." I keep it in the car as a backup, for when one of my other lighters run out of butane. So you know I depend on it.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by hoax

I've only had it for a month but it's worked flawlessly even though I've already dropped like 8 times.

Ahhh.....a month.
Just wait.

Only reliable Colibri out of the many I have is the one my wife found and brought me for free.
Go figure.

[jafount]

I've had several colibris. The last one I bought 4 years ago in Washington DC and it still works great. I can't remember the model. I have a torch from HE thats great. I have a Lotus tabletop and Combo cutter/lighter that are both GREAT. I have a Zplus which I love. I'm not interested in an Xtenz but I will be buying a limited ST Dupont. Why? Cause I do dumb stuff like that and like collecting things. <shrug>

[Blowin' Smoke]

It's interesting to read these stories. I never realized these problems with Colibri were so common. I have a table top lighter ashtray set from them. I received it as a gift, and about 3 months later the decorative trim bgan to crack and fall off.
Also, I bought a Colibri for my brother about 4 years ago, paid around $30 and the night I gave it to him a piece broke off the top.

[sgt_etool]

That's why I love my cigar store hangout - I was eye-balling the Colibris when the guys told me it's crap and better get me a Lotus lighter.

Never had a problem since day one, I have the Lotus 13 - not as over-priced but works like a champ.

[RPB67]

Why buy a Colibri when you can buy a Blazer Lighter.

[Boss Hogg]

I was gifted a Colibri Venom about two years ago. I couldn't stand how it would never burn long enough to toast my stogies. The flame would just disappear and would never get the job done. I was going to toss it, but last week I was in Bevmo and saw "official" colibri lighter fluid. I thought what the heck.. I'll give it a shot. Ever since then it works like a champ... uggh knock on wood

[longknocker]

Originally Posted by RPB67

Why buy a Colibri when you can buy a Blazer Lighter.

I agree! It may not be the best looking lighter, but it always works! My boss has all types of expensive lighters, Dupont, etc., but the only lighter he never has any trouble with is his Blazer!!!

[carbonbased_al]

The only reliable Colibri i've had was a money clip that came with one of the lighters...

[xcutter]

Received a "Colibri [SIZE=2]Venom Matte Blue & Satin Silver" for Christmas. Works like a charm. Refilled it several times using Ronson Butane. No problems. I'm very happy with it.[/SIZE]

[King Leonidas]

[SIZE=3]I have 2 colibri lighters (Tahoe Burlwood) bought from CI,both lasted less than a month.Got a Xikar Enigma from Ci in a combo the other day & seems to be holding up....we'll see [/SIZE]

[OldDirty]

My Colibri is taking a dump on me where exacly do you guys find the Ronson torch lighters in walmart ?

[Contrail]

Lighters are like cars, rather think of them as little machines. If you use cheap fuel with lower pressure or dirty fuel the tendency is to say the lighter is defective when what in reality is happened is user error.

When jet flame lighters produce a momentary flame and go out they 1) need to be turned up or 2) need to be turned down if you can hear the gas shooting out of the burner.

If the internal flame limiter is set too low, you can reset it to a higher setting to get a higher range of settings. If you look closely at any lighter you will see what I mean.

With all the talk in different forums about brands of lighters, 80% of the lighters mentioned are made by 1 of 5 factories in China, so the Xikar and the Porsche and the Colibri are likely all made by the same factory or factories.

Not to say any lighter may not have been set incorrectly at the factory or distributor, but with a small amount of knowledge you can fix any lighter to perform as expected. (Unless of course it's blocked or the piezo-electric igniter has failed) which is why you have a service department.

The most critical part of any jet flame lighter is the diffuser plate, which is a small disk in the fuel tube, this is how they get the high velocity gas by reducing the butane stream to a pinpoint to speed up the gas flow(remember high school physics?). If you use cheap fuel how long do you think it takes to clog a hole 1/4 the diameter of a normal human hair?

With most lighter distributors now offering free straight replacements of lighters the consumers return I think they cover pretty much all that can happen to a lighter in the consumers hands.