Defi Extreme by S.T. Dupont

MSRP $300

Background

As I pondered writing this review, it came to my mind that I can’t remember the last time I wrote a review of a cigar accessory. I think I wrote a lighter review about 5 or 6 years ago, but I honestly don’t think I’ve done one since. What is there to say about the average lighter? It lights well, it refills easily…it doesn’t make my cigar taste funky…what else really matters? The problem, I think, may lie in the fact that I have been using purely average lighters. Not to say they were bad…my go-to lighters over the past few years were a major brand that overall performed well and were a definite improvement over the crap lighters that most shops sell for $10 or $20 as “impulse buys.”

I ended up deciding to do this piece because of a couple things. First, I got sick during Christmas week, missing out on the chance to do 2 or 3 cigar reviews to put into the January rotation (I try to get reviews done early, especially at this time of the year, and also because if I get sick it doesn’t kill the schedule). Second, after I got this lighter I discovered that it’s just freakin’ great…best lighter I’ve ever had. Did I give away the ending?

S.T. Dupont is well known for their Ligne 2 lighters…the ones that go “ping!” to let everyone in the room know you have lots of money. These lighters aren’t for everyone, but they do have a sense of class that’s hard to beat and have made S.T Dupont what is known as an “aspirational” brand. So you can’t afford a Ligne 2 today…maybe you can get a Minijet or Maxijet…or splurge just a bit and pick up the Defi Extreme.

When I first saw these I knew I wanted one. I eventually got one as part of our trade deal with our sponsor Small Batch Cigars, which was quite helpful as I didn’t have to spend anything out of pocket to get into this lighter. Before I continue with my own thoughts, I’ll let S.T. Dupont’s marketing department have a word:

S.T. Dupont continue to innovate and develop a new lighter, DEFI EXTREME, with incomparable performances.

Its innovative and unique construction combines a body with high precision injected metal and a semi rigid matt black jacket for high protection.

Its intuitive ergonomics and its tactile features with Diamond Head pattern make DEFI EXTREME, “the daily product”, effective in any circumstances.

…

Its blue torch flame, powerful and uniform resists the most violent winds.

Defi Extreme is effective from the iciest temperatures (-10°C) to the warmest ones (+45°C).

Nothing resists it! With the height the oxygen becomes scarce; Defi Extreme was tested and works at a height of more than 3500 m.

Notes

When I talked to an S.T. Dupont representative around the time of the Chattanooga Tweet-Up, he assured me that the company’s micro-piezo mechanisms were of the highest quality. Basically they want to ensure that the lighters work “first time, every time.” In my experience that has been exactly the case.  Usually when you fill a lighter with butane, it won’t work until the butane has had a chance to warm up a bit…2 or 3 minutes, anyway. I popped my Defi Extreme from its case, filled it with butane, clicked it and it came to life immediately…no hesitation. The only time I clicked the button and had it not light was immediately after after a refill…after 10 seconds or so, it worked like normal. I’m not sure how to explain why it worked the very first time and didn’t on the first refill, but even then it’s better than 100% of the other lighters I’ve used in the past.

I can vouch for the fact that this lighter works well at low temperatures. During this time of the year, I regularly smoke on my front porch in temps ranging from 40ºF to about 55º (today is closer to 60, but that’s abnormal). Every other lighter I’ve tried to use in those temps has failed unless I keep the lighter in my pants pocket the entire time it’s not in use, thus keeping the butane and surrounding metal (or plastic) warm. I purposely left the Defi Extreme out on the table where I sit outside for 15 to 20 minutes at a time and then tried to spark it…nothing phased it…it still fired up first time, every time.

I can’t speak for the high altitude qualities of the lighter at this point.

I love the design of this lighter. The company’s website calls it “definitively masculine” and with the exposed screw heads and many angles, I would agree…it looks like a lighter that would pair well with a Cadillac CTS. The clicker mechanism has a definite and purposely feel to it, the tank window is easy to read, and the adjustment wheel is easy to use. I’ve carried it around unprotected in my pocket (not the one my keys are in) quite a bit with no visible marring, so it seems the finish is hardy.

As I said above: Best Lighter I’ve Ever Had. The price tag is high…and unapologetically so. If you look around you’ll find a variety of pricing, but I’m going to stick to recommending that you buy from your local B&M, or call Maxamar at 714-633-3000 (they are the B&M home of Small Batch Cigars) and they can hook you up.