The Cozy Little Luxury I’m Giving to Everyone on My List
The best kind of gift is always the thing you didn’t realize you wanted, but suddenly can’t imagine life without. That’s how I felt about my beloved Smeg espresso maker and the AirPods I thought I wouldn’t like — items I now thank my lucky stars for and use every single day. And that’s how I feel about this Luma Flame Flume electric lighter. I light candles around my home all the time, and I’ve always had a plethora of matchbooks and lighters to get the job done. But the first time I used the Flume lighter, I knew there was no going back.
Of course I still like the ceremony of striking a match from time to time, and I keep my mini lighters for travel purposes, but my Flume is the one I reach for without fail. To use it, you simply switch it on and slide up the ignition button, holding the tip up to your candle wick (or whatever you’re lighting) to let the electric current zap it to life. And voila! A beautifully lit candle in two seconds. One element I love about this lighter above other electric versions I’ve tried is how it stands up on its own, almost mimicking the shape of a taper candle.
I keep mine on my mantel because I love the sculptural look, and the color is gorgeous — I have Canyon, a rich rusty color. But it also comes in Sandstone (a gray-toned white), Sage (a gray-toned green-blue), and Dune (a neutral mocha, which is ideal if you’re looking to bring some of Pantone’s Color of the Year into your home).
The same sturdiness that lets it stand up also gives it such a nice heft in the hand, too. Made out of metal rather than plastic, the lighter feels high-quality and durable. And because it’s rechargeable (it comes with a USB-C cable), you can use it endlessly. According to the Luma Flame site, you can ignite it up to 100 times before needing to recharge the lighter, and although I haven’t counted every candle I’ve lit, I can attest to only having to charge it once in the six months I’ve been using it all the time.
Now that the time of year has arrived where gifts are top of mind, I’ve found myself jotting “Flume lighter” down next to several people’s names on my list. Not only is it beautiful and practical, but it also doesn’t take up a ton of space and is something I think will bring them joy each day. It also comes in a lovely triangular prism package, which makes it easy to wrap or, honestly, ready to gift as-is.
It’s the perfect example of the “level up” method, or buying an elevated version of something basic someone uses all the time. So, rather than the restaurant matchbooks or disposable lighters most people already have, this is a chic, streamlined item that they might not treat themselves to otherwise.
And, as temperatures drop and 4 p.m. starts to look like midnight, I love the idea that this lighter might bring the loved ones I give it to some warmth and contribute to their self-care this winter. What more can I ask for in a gift?