Looft Lighter X Review — A Portable Cordless Electric Fire Starter

When your first product is one of the most innovative and straight-up coolest gadgets on the market, what do you do for an encore? That’s the problem Looft faced after the launch of the Looftlighter — now called the Looft Lighter I. How does the new Looft on the block measure up? We’ve got the answer below.

Here’s our hands-on review of the new Looft Lighter X, the follow-up to the original Looftlighter, including pros, cons, full specs, and if we’re happy to recommend it.

A while back, we reviewed the Looftlighter I, a new kind of barbecue starter that uses super-heated air to ignite charcoal or wood. At the time, we described it as “the world’s most intense hair dryer.”

Now, you definitely don’t want to point a Looftlighter (since renamed Looft Lighter I) at your head. But you DO want to point it at your charcoal or kindling because it’s a darn efficient lighter and fun to use. You can even open a cold beer with the built-in opener to enjoy while you grill.

Recently, Looft was kind enough to send me their second product (not counting branded hats), the Looft Lighter X. To be clear right up front, it was sent to me free of charge in exchange for a review.

Having said that, this will be an honest, unbiased test and assessment. I am not about to waste anyone’s money — or risk my credibility — by recommending something I wouldn’t buy myself.

So, with that in mind, let’s jump into my review of the Looft Lighter X. I’ll cover all the specs you need to know, share my thoughts on how it performs, some pros and cons, and my opinion on who it’s best for if anyone, and whether it’s worth the money.

Let’s light this candle!

What is the Looft Lighter X?

Looft Air Lighter X – Portable, Battery Operated Fire Starter

The Looft Lighter X is a portable, battery-operated fire starter that can be used to light charcoal or wood fires in 1 to 3 minutes, using super-heated air up to 600 °C / 1200 °F.

It replaces traditional firelighters with a safe and friendly way to start your fires while being eco-friendly and ‘clean.’ It also looks super cool and is fun to use!

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Not so much a successor to the Looft Lighter I as it is a portable version, the Looftlighter is a battery-operated fire starter that works with almost any flammable medium.

General Overview

It only made sense to address the most limiting aspect of the original Looft Lighter, the power cord. Even at nearly 10 feet long, it still restricted the operating range to a fairly short distance from your house or another source of electricity.

The Looft Lighter X does away with the plug, replacing it with a rechargeable 36V Li-Ion battery pack.

Despite cutting the cord, it supposedly operates to the same specifications as the first generation.

What is the Looft Lighter X Used for?

Whether you want a fire for warmth, ambiance, or to cook over (the best use of a fire), your flammable material won’t light itself.

The Looft Lighter X is a high-tech alternative to matches, butane lighters, and electric charcoal starters for starting and building a fire.

It’s a two-stage lighter, with the initial ‘lighting mode’ using super-heated air to start a fire and a second mode used to ‘fan the flames’ by blowing air at it.

What Can it Be Used for / Where Can it Be Used?

For myself, the main reason to own a Looft Lighter is to start my charcoal burning in a kettle grill, hibachi, or kamado. If it works as advertised, it should be much easier and faster than lighting starter cubes with long matches or a butane lighter and less toxic and food-destroying than soaking everything in lighter fluid.

It works almost equally well with lump charcoal and briquettes.

Sticking with cooking, you can also use it to light wood chunks in a smoker or pizza oven. You might use it on pellets or wood chips in a smoker box, though this could be overkill.

Additionally, you can use a Looft Lighter X to light a fire anywhere you care to enjoy, such as a fire pit, chiminea, or household fireplace.

The beauty of the Looft Lighter X is that you can use it anywhere. Is your backyard firepit far from your house and the power outlets? No worries. Are you heading to the beach or doing some off-grid camping? You’re good to go — provided the battery is charged first.

What We Like

Naturally, we like being able to use this Looft Lighter anywhere, and not just anywhere we can plug in.

It’s a little heavy, but the handle is nicely engineered for balance and comfort, and it is easy to grip.

Operation is straightforward, with clearly labeled buttons right where your fingers can reach them. Notably, the power button is on the underside of the handle, making it virtually impossible to turn it on in transit accidentally.

Charging the battery is a breeze; the Looft Lighter X sits neatly in the charging dock, and the LED indicator shows you when it’s time to charge up. The charger features a wind-up cord, making it easier to store between uses.

The Looft Lighter X doesn’t skimp on power, heating up to nearly 1200°F to light up your kindling, charcoal, newspaper, etc.

There’s no ‘waste’ or mess. None of the packaging, lighters, matches, or anything typically required to light a fire. So it’s a ‘clean’ and eco-friendly way of lighting fires.

What Could Be Improved

It is somewhat large. If you think about how small a gas lighter and a few lighter cubes are compared to this, it rather takes away from it being ‘portable.’

I only managed 2 or 3 uses between charges and would like more. The manual states you can use it ‘up to 10 times’. This is based on ‘optimal use.’ I guess mileage may vary, but it took me 3 to 5 minutes each time to light a charcoal fire, not the 2 minutes or less they state.

First Impressions

When you see the Looft Lighter X on the product page, it’s hard to get a sense of how big it is. When you see it in my rather average-sized hands, you get a clearer picture; it’s not small!

It’s nearly a foot and a half long and weighs about three pounds with the battery attached.

I like the look of the Looft Lighter X; it’s sleek and modern, more so than the original Looft Lighter, which looks much like a large curling iron. The integrated handle creates a hole in the center of the unit’s body, and it feels ergonomic enough, and you won’t need a large hand to grip it.

There are just three buttons on the Looft Lighter X — On/Off, Burn, and Air — so I don’t think it’ll take long to figure out the operation.

There’s also a battery release button, but that’s a mechanical function, so I won’t include that as a ‘button.’

This is very simple to operate if you need to. However, as I only have the single battery and can stand the Looft Lighter X complete into the charging dock, I never have the need to remove the battery. You may wish to if you get into buying spares, so you always have a charged battery ready to go.

Charging the battery pack is as simple as sitting the Looft Lighter X on the base, and there’s an LED indicator on the battery so you can tell the charge level at a glance.

How to Use the Looftlighter X

Ready to set something on fire? Me, too. Here’s how it’s done.

1. Arrange your charcoal or wood as you usually would.
2. Turn on the Looft Lighter X by pressing and holding the power button for three seconds. The Burn and Air buttons will light up white to show that the unit is in standby mode.
3. Look for smaller pieces of charcoal near the center of your pile and touch the tip of the Looft Lighter X to them. If you’re lighting wood, touch the Looft Lighter X to any smaller pieces or kindling.
4. Press the Burn button (the one with the flame icon) to activate the heating element and start a gentle airflow. Maintain contact, and you’ll see sparks forming within seconds. After 15 seconds, the fan speed automatically increases.
5. When the charcoal starts to glow at the point of contact, pull the Lighter back 1–2 inches, but keep aiming at the same spot. You’ll see the glow spread as other pieces combust.

You could stop at this point and just let the wood or charcoal do its own thing. But why? Instead, wait a bit!

60 seconds after first turning on, the air goes into boost mode to inject oxygen, fire’s fuel, at high speed to really get things moving. The heating element turns off at this point.

Pull back a little more when most of the wood or charcoal is burning to spread the flames further. Pretty soon, your wood will be ablaze, or your charcoal will grey over and be ready for grilling. 

Incidentally, you can press the Air button anytime to enter boost mode as needed. This could be useful for stoking a dying fire or if you’re just impatient.

Manufacturer Specs

Dimensions (LxWxH): 17” x 4” x 4”

Weight: 2 pounds w/o battery pack; 3 pounds w/battery

Battery Type: 36V Li-Ion, 200mAh, 72WH

Charger Cord: 4’2”

Max Temp: 1200°F

Who is the Looft Lighter X Best Suited to?

First, you have to be someone who grills with wood and charcoal or lights a lot of wood fires in a fireplace or fire pit. Gas grillers need not apply!

Next, people who frequently grill or build fires far from any power supplies might find the Looft Lighter X handy. If your grill is on the deck right out back of your home, you probably have easy access to an outlet. But, if you have a smoker, pizza oven, or fire pit way in the back of your yard, this is a better option than connecting a bunch of extension cords.

And it’s best suited to campers and people who go off-grid. A fully-charged battery should allow you to light several fires during your trip. Bringing the Looft Lighter X is an excellent alternative to carrying matches, which are not always reliable, and fire starter material.

Unboxing and Assembly

Gotta love cracking open a brand-new gadget! Here’s what to expect when your new Looft Lighter X arrives.

What’s in the Box?

Opening the box reveals a battery pack, charger base, the Looft Lighter X itself, a Quick Start Guide, and your Operator’s Manual.

Ease of Assembly

There’s no assembly required, and no tools are required to put your Looft Lighter X together.

All you have to do is snap the battery pack into place, and then you’re ready to light up. It couldn’t be easier.

Overall Build Quality

The fit and finish of the Looft Lighter X is excellent. It looks even better than the original Looft Lighter I, and it’s already in its second generation; gen 1 Looft Lighter X was a little bit slower, so I understand.

The plastic main body is solid and durable, and the battery locks in securely. It feels equally secure when it’s sitting in the charging dock.

Another nice touch is the heat shield at the end of the gun, the wire mesh that comes into contact with the embers during use is removable and replaceable. This part can eventually burn through if left in fires too often, so it’s good that they recognize this and built in an easy way to replace it.

The Looft Lighter X in Use

Specs are great and all, but they don’t tell the whole story. To get the real measure of the gadget, you have to put it to use. And what would a Looft Lighter X review be without reporting on its actual use?

So, I headed to the backyard to light some fires, and I have used it MANY times since. Here’s how I made out.

Lighting a Charcoal Fire With Looft Lighter X

I neatly arranged my natural lumpwood charcoal in a heaped pile, with smaller pieces in the center that I could easily reach with the hot tip of the Looft Lighter X heat gun.

I turned the Looft Lighter X on, placed the tip onto the coals, and started the ‘burn mode’ for lighting. Holding it on the coals, it started creating sparks and a small lit area within about 30s, though I find you really do need to keep it there for about 90s, otherwise, the glowing embers are just too small.

At this point, I now had some nicely glowing embers, so I pulled back slightly and pressed the second button to switch to ‘air mode.’

In this mode, the Looft Lighter simply blows unheated air at high speed from its end to oxygenate the fire and fan it.

I found I needed to keep blowing the fire in this manner for a good 3 to 4 minutes to get it sufficiently lit. This gives a total lighting time of 4 to 5 minutes.

Overall, it works well. It is easy, clean, and fun to use (if you like this kind of thing…which I do.) And I really enjoy using it.

Lighting a Wood Fire With Looft Lighter X

In all fairness, I found it a bit of a struggle to light a PURE wood fire with the Looft Lighter X. I managed it, but it took some time. As an estimate, using standard-sized kiln dried kindling, it took two goes of the 2-minute ‘burn mode’ to get a decent ember and then a few minutes of ‘air mode’ to get a fire going.

This pretty much empties the battery, so I would recommend doing either one of two things instead:

1. Chop up your kindling into very small pieces that will light far faster. Or…
2. Use Looft Lighter to light some paper, that in turn will light the kindling.

I ALWAYS go for option 2 myself now.

To light a wood fire, I simply scrunch up 3 or 4 pieces of newspaper, place a handful of kindling on top, then use the ‘burn mode’ to light the paper.

Within as little as 30s, the paper ignites, which in turn ignites the kindling.

Once the kindling is lit, use the ‘air mode’ to really fan the flames, and get a raging fire within 3 to 4 minutes.

Again, I’d say this works well, and I often use this way to light my wood fires now.

Charging

To charge the Looft Lighter X, you simply stand it upright into the supplied charging block, where it sits securely while it charges.

The charging block has a little ring light that slowly dims and lights up to show the device is charging and stays solid to show when fully charged.

On the Looft Lighter X itself, there are LEDs to show the charge status at a glance too.

So I found charging incredibly easy and straightforward.

Battery Life and Charge Time

You’ll need about 2 hours to charge an empty battery fully. Of course, you don’t have to wait that long to use the Looft Lighter X if you’re in a rush. The best thing to do is just leave it on the charger all the time, so you know it’s ready whenever you need it.

Results will vary, but you can expect to start 3 or 4 charcoal or wood fires on a full battery. Of course, this will really depend on what you’re lighting and how difficult it is to ignite.

For example, if you’re always lighting paper and kindling, you should get 10 starts easily. But, if you’re working with larger pieces of wood or charcoal, you will get 3 or 4, particularly if it’s cold or there’s any moisture present.

Warranty and Support

The Looft Lighter X comes with a 2-year warranty against defects. That’s a little disappointing, considering the Looft Lighter I comes with 3 years. It’s like an open admission that the X is more complex and hence more likely to have trouble. I wouldn’t call that a deal-breaker, but it’s something to note. The good news is, it’s a replacement warranty.

There is a small FAQ section on the Looft website, and you can access how-to videos and download the manuals. You’ll find helpful tips, too, for use and maintenance.

You may find that, over time, the aluminum heat shield tarnishes. If you’re not careful, you might even melt it. Fortunately, you can buy a replacement shield from the online shop.

Incidentally, you can also buy another battery from Looft. If you expect to spend long periods of time far away from electricity frequently, you might appreciate heading out with two charged batteries. And I definitely recommend buying the carrying case to protect your investment between uses.

Summary of Pros and Cons

Before passing my final judgment, here’s a round-up of the pros and cons of the Looft Lighter X.

Comparing Looft Lighter X to the Original Looft Lighter I

The biggest difference is the original Looft Lighter I is corded, and the X is battery-powered and cord-free.

If you wish to light a fire camping, fishing, or anywhere away from home, then it’s unlikely you will have a power source to plug into, so the X is a massive improvement.

The Looftlighter X is larger and heavier, but it’s not cumbersome or hard to hold and use, so this is basically a non-point.

When it comes to use — and I do own both the original Looftlighter and the X —  they are pretty much the same, lighting firs in a similar time frame, with pretty much identical use.

The biggest difference between the two, though is the price. At the time of writing, the Looftlighter I is approximately $70, and the Looft Lighter X is roughly $300. This is a big difference, but it’s to be expected for newer, cordless, battery-powered tech.

Final Verdict

Looft Air Lighter X – Portable, Battery Operated Fire Starter

The Looft Lighter X is a portable, battery-operated fire starter that can be used to light charcoal or wood fires in 1 to 3 minutes, using super-heated air up to 600 °C / 1200 °F.

It replaces traditional firelighters with a safe and friendly way to start your fires while being eco-friendly and ‘clean.’ It also looks super cool and is fun to use!

Check Price at Amazon

Check Price at BBQGuys

Check Price at Looft.com

When I first saw the original Looftlighter, I thought it was brilliant. And when I got one for myself and tried it out, I knew it was brilliant. I’ve lit many fires with my Looft Lighter I and I love it. Consequently, I had high hopes for the Looft Lighter X.

I was not disappointed.

The Looft Lighter X works just as well as the original, if not even better. It’s every bit as powerful and fast, looks terrific, and is easy to use. Easier, in fact, than the original since there is no cord to worry about and the ignition process is automated. In a nutshell, I loved using the Looft Lighter X.

But, do I recommend it?

Here’s the thing: it works fabulously well, so, from a functionality standpoint, I absolutely recommend the Looft Lighter X. However, it is very expensive; at the time of writing, it was more than four times the price of the Looft Lighter I. So, to really get your money’s worth out of this purchase, you need to be lighting many fires in places without electricity.

The average home barbecue, smoker, or campfire enthusiast is probably better off spending less money on the Looft Lighter I. It’s a fantastic bit of gear and I highly recommend it, especially for charcoal users.

However, if you’re into wilderness adventures or your backyard is big, then the Looft Lighter X could be a real asset. You’ll be happy with your purchase if you don’t mind the money spent.

Conclusion

Thanks for checking out our Looft Lighter X battery-powered fire starter review.

If you have any unanswered questions about this or any product we’ve reviewed, please reach out through the comment form below. We’ll be happy to help!