Lighter Fluid: The Test Results
This head-to-head test of 1 lighter fluid options has the measured results for each. See how they ranked and watch the full test video.
Zippo lighter fluid
Price shown in test: about $75 a gallon
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Products are listed in the order they finished.
All measurements (7 more)+
Claim
- 1Zippo lighter fluid
product packaging claims a clean-burning, fast ignition fuel source
Safety Data Sheet
- 1Zippo lighter fluid50
to 100% distillates, 25 to 50% naphtha, flash point less than 20.3 F or -6.5 C
Fuel Amount Used
- 1Zippo lighter fluid
two cans, 24 oz total, added to the fuel tank
See Through Engine Test
- 1Zippo lighter fluid
burned cleanly with lots of blue flame at low RPM per the video chapters, described as a clean combustion compared to gasoline's bright yellow/orange flame with very little blue
Generator Load Test
- 1Zippo lighter fluid
ran two space heaters at full power on a 4,000 W generator (chapters show over 3,000 watts and 24.4 amps total), monitored with a kilowatt meter for volts, amps, watts, and hertz
Go Kart Test
- 1Zippo lighter fluid
used in the go-kart engine to check for spark knock; transcript does not state an explicit spark knock outcome for this fuel
Overall Performance
- 1Zippo lighter fluid
by far the best burning fuel tested as a gasoline substitute in this test, performing extremely well
How it was tested
- safety data sheet composition review
- combustion clarity/flame color in a see-through engine at low, medium, and high RPM
- heavy load test on a generator (running two space heaters)
- spark knock test in a go-kart engine
- carbon build-up assessment
Data notes and caveats
Single-subject test: winner field nulled per spec (nothing to win against); Verdict subject: Zippo lighter fluid; Verdict quote: It was by far the best burning fuel we've tested today as a gasoline substitute, performing extremely well
