PACKLIGHTER.com

ACTUAL SIZE
Those funny little promo lighters that look like a small pack of cigarettes.

HISTORY OF PACK LIGHTERS
(as best I know)
The following are the collection and writings of Phil Pignon.   They are as accurate as I can find and date.   I have collected these little lighters for about 12 years now.  I've done the best I can with manufacturing dates and literature dates, so if you have any other info that might help here, please email me at:
packlighter@aol.com
Have fun!

Defiinitions
Pack lighter - a miniature or actual size lighter that exactly imitates a pack of cigarettes.  Lighter is activated by depressing cigs to actuate spark and ignite flame.
Advertising lighter - Any lighter that has advertising on it.  Typically a zippo type or flip cover style of lighter-no cigs.
Striker lighter - Any lighter that has a removable sparking rod where the rod is then struck on a spark strip on lighter to light flame.

It is believed that TOM LITE was the firstpack lighter mfgr. early 80's , then their name changed to Pack Lites about 1985.  Both were made in Japan.  Somewhere the name was shortened to PACK LITE along 1990 and moved to Korea or at least another manufacturing company was started in the late 80's named Pack LITE.  The name Pack LITES is found made in Japan and Korea.  These early pack lighters were almost always refillable.

Pack lighters seemed to be everywhere in the early 90's and most of those were non-refillable made by Pack LITE of Korea.  These had the clear bottom for viewing fluid level.  Many cigarette manufacturers had "freebie" pack lighters with multipack purchases or even single packs.  These lighters were hot!

FREE pack lighters were everywhere!

This Salem promo mail-in was as extreme as it could get
for your free pack lighter.

They often came packaged in a white box,
with protective cap (cap often lost and hard to find)

This is a sample of a short run test cigarette call Dakota,
that even had its freebie pack lighter.  Never went into
major production.

Pack lighters are rarely seen in production today.
Occassionally an oddball miniature or keychain lighter will show up but as of 2005,
I haven't seen anything new since '02 or '03.

Manufacturers
TOM LITE - Japan
PACK LITE - Korea
PACK LITES - Korea & Japan
SELECTRON - Korea
CONEY CIGARETTE - Korea (now made in China)
CROWN - Korea
TURBO - Korea

Of course, ANY lighters you may have
not photo'd here to add to this collection
are always desired and I would like to purchase.
email me at:  packlighter@aol.com
I only have 56K, so no large photos please.
Or, donate and send your lighters to:
Packlighter.com
PO Box 74
Fair Grove, MO
USA  65648
Your help is appreciated.
 

Images and information are not to be copied or reproduced without written permission from Phil Pignon.
(C) Copyright 2005, Phil Pignon