I'm not a smoker, but I've owned a Zippo for several years. (Actually, more than one. Mostly they were given to me as gifts.)
As much as I appreciate the coolness of the brand, and have fun learning and performing tricks with them, it strikes me that they're actually somewhat terrible at their basic function: being lighters.
I will gladly acknowledge that when they were designed, more than 80 years ago, they were miles ahead of their competition. However in the intervening time their basic design has not evolved to keep pace. And that's what most consumers want, they want the nostalgic look and feel of a classic Zippo lighter. Unfortunately that comes with the same "classic" performance.
One reason why Zippos don't ship with fluid in them is because it's pointless. Fill your Zippo and then leave it on your shelf for a couple weeks and try to light it. It probably won't work. Why? Because even when it's closed it's not air-tight so it's not sealing in the lighter fluid. I've found that even if you don't use it, the lighter fluid will evaporate out of the lighter after about two weeks. A bit quicker if you keep your lighter in your pocket, as your body heat will accelerate the process. And obviously quicker still if you're using it every day several times a day.
I've done this test with several different Zippos over the years, and I've tried the official zippo fluid as well as generic fluids.
From a cost standpoint, it doesn't make much sense to me. But neither does smoking.
The "wind-proof" design is far more wind-proof than other designs from the 1930s, but on a windy day you'll still be cupping your hand around it. It's more wind-resistant, than wind-proof. A butane torch or electric lighter would do better in the wind, if that's your concern.
Along with the lighter not sealing air-tight to prevent loss of fuel, it's also not waterproof. Most modern lighters can be dropped in a pool, shaken off, and still light. Not a Zippo. It will still work, but you'll have to dry it out and refill it first.
Because of the choice of materials, the lighter body has a tendency to heat up if you leave it lit for more than a few seconds. If you leave it lit for a minute it can become warm enough to be dangerous if you're not anticipating it.
The design of the lighter is such that it works best when held in an upright position. This can make it difficult to perform some tasks as simple as lighting a stove or candle (you need to tilt the candle into the lighter, rather than tilting the lighter to the candle).
I have on occasion used it for fusing the ends of synthetic cordage (eg, paracord). It stays lit without you needing to hold a button and it can stand pretty stably upright on a table. Even if you knock it over, it doesn't easily burn the table surface.
And again, none of this is to say that Zippos are bad. I certainly enjoy mine. They look cool, and they're fun to play with. But when you actually need a lighter, you'll probably be better served by a Bic. If you like the idea of refillable lighters, there are tons of refillable butane torches and lighters which, because of their modern design, are more efficient at storing fuel and provide the added benefit of being waterproof. You might even already own one. Look at the bottom of your plastic lighter, if you see a metal nozzle then it's probably refillable.
Now that you're informed, if you still want a Zippo, do yourself a favor and get an authentic Zippo (like these). You might see some cheaper Zippo-style lighters at gas stations or gift shops. Those cheap knock-offs are pretty terrible, and have no redeeming qualities versus a real Zippo. If you like the design on them, they might be fine for display; but they don't perform as well as the already under-performing original. They also feel/sound a lot cheaper and are less reliable at lighter tricks.
As much as I appreciate the coolness of the brand, and have fun learning and performing tricks with them, it strikes me that they're actually somewhat terrible at their basic function: being lighters.
I will gladly acknowledge that when they were designed, more than 80 years ago, they were miles ahead of their competition. However in the intervening time their basic design has not evolved to keep pace. And that's what most consumers want, they want the nostalgic look and feel of a classic Zippo lighter. Unfortunately that comes with the same "classic" performance.
One reason why Zippos don't ship with fluid in them is because it's pointless. Fill your Zippo and then leave it on your shelf for a couple weeks and try to light it. It probably won't work. Why? Because even when it's closed it's not air-tight so it's not sealing in the lighter fluid. I've found that even if you don't use it, the lighter fluid will evaporate out of the lighter after about two weeks. A bit quicker if you keep your lighter in your pocket, as your body heat will accelerate the process. And obviously quicker still if you're using it every day several times a day.
I've done this test with several different Zippos over the years, and I've tried the official zippo fluid as well as generic fluids.
From a cost standpoint, it doesn't make much sense to me. But neither does smoking.
The "wind-proof" design is far more wind-proof than other designs from the 1930s, but on a windy day you'll still be cupping your hand around it. It's more wind-resistant, than wind-proof. A butane torch or electric lighter would do better in the wind, if that's your concern.
Along with the lighter not sealing air-tight to prevent loss of fuel, it's also not waterproof. Most modern lighters can be dropped in a pool, shaken off, and still light. Not a Zippo. It will still work, but you'll have to dry it out and refill it first.
Because of the choice of materials, the lighter body has a tendency to heat up if you leave it lit for more than a few seconds. If you leave it lit for a minute it can become warm enough to be dangerous if you're not anticipating it.
The design of the lighter is such that it works best when held in an upright position. This can make it difficult to perform some tasks as simple as lighting a stove or candle (you need to tilt the candle into the lighter, rather than tilting the lighter to the candle).
I have on occasion used it for fusing the ends of synthetic cordage (eg, paracord). It stays lit without you needing to hold a button and it can stand pretty stably upright on a table. Even if you knock it over, it doesn't easily burn the table surface.
And again, none of this is to say that Zippos are bad. I certainly enjoy mine. They look cool, and they're fun to play with. But when you actually need a lighter, you'll probably be better served by a Bic. If you like the idea of refillable lighters, there are tons of refillable butane torches and lighters which, because of their modern design, are more efficient at storing fuel and provide the added benefit of being waterproof. You might even already own one. Look at the bottom of your plastic lighter, if you see a metal nozzle then it's probably refillable.
Now that you're informed, if you still want a Zippo, do yourself a favor and get an authentic Zippo (like these). You might see some cheaper Zippo-style lighters at gas stations or gift shops. Those cheap knock-offs are pretty terrible, and have no redeeming qualities versus a real Zippo. If you like the design on them, they might be fine for display; but they don't perform as well as the already under-performing original. They also feel/sound a lot cheaper and are less reliable at lighter tricks.