A high-quality cigar lighter is one of those little luxuries that make life a lot more fun. The elegant finishes, environmentally-friendly nature of a reusable device and the reliable service make them as practical as they are indulgent. They will have trouble, however, from time to time. A lighter is such an inherently simple device that it’s generally very easy to figure out what is causing the difficulty.

To troubleshoot the lighter, start by determining which of the following is true: there is spark and no flame; there is no spark and no flame. These simple questions will essentially dictate the solution to the problem.

Start by looking into the fuel jets. This is a particularly easy problem to troubleshoot on multi-jet lighters. If two out of three jets ignite, it’s almost certain that the third is obstructed. To remove any obstructions, tap the lighter, very gently, on a hard surface while keeping the jets inverted. Most often, whatever is clogging them will fall out. If this doesn’t work, simply use a wire or toothpick to gently free the obstruction.