Dupont MegaJet Lighter
S.T. Dupont MegaJet Lighter

Today, we review the MegaJet lighter from S.T. Dupont. Many people are familiar with S.T. Dupont’s single-flame MiniJet and MaxiJet offerings. Both of these lighters are known for their contemporary look, highlighted by their ergonomic, curved design. The MaxiJet is actually a larger expression of the MiniJet. The MegaJet builds on the MaxiJet concept, featuring five flames that converge into a single flame.

In terms of the finishes on the MegaJet lighter, the following colors and finishes are currently being offered by S.T. Dupont:

  • Black Lacquer
  • Green Lacquer
  • Red Latte
  • Red Lacquer
  • Silver Lacquer

The MegaJet lighter being assessed today is the Black Lacquer offering.

S.T. Dupont MegaJet Lighter – Accessory Review

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Dimensions: 73 X 16 X 40mm (2 7/8″ x 5/8″ x 1.57″)
  • Weight: 93 grams 3.28 ounces
  • Finish: Black Lacquer
  • Price: $285.00

APPEARANCE

The MegaJet lighter boasts a sleek black lacquer finish that enhances its visual appeal. Its design poses some challenges for photography due to the reflective surface. Additionally, the MegaJet features a unique, convex, and curved design, a characteristic also present in the MiniJet and MaxiJet lighters, showcasing a cohesive aesthetic across this line of products.

The top of the lighter features a long, thin, open aperture that allows you to see the five jets.

The side of the lighter features a chrome-finish squeeze ignition mechanism. The text “S.T. Dupont” is featured in cursive.

There are three air inlets on the side of the MegaJet (the MiniJet has one and the MaxiJet has two). These are used for airflow into the lighter. They contain a protection grid that prevents impurities from entering the mechanism, and two textile strips of active charcoal help filter other impurities.

OPERATION

Squeezing the side ignition mechanism ignites the MaxiJet lighter. The upper part of the squeeze mechanism is used for ignition, as the lighter won’t light if squeezed lower. When pressed, this opens the aperture at the top of the lighter, releasing the flame.

 

The bottom of the lighter contains mechanisms to adjust the flame and refill the lighter with butane. Adjusting the height of the flame is done by using a flat-head screwdriver. The refilling process is relatively straightforward: insert the nozzle of your butane refill canister into the valve and press down for a few seconds. You might want to repeat this a couple of times until you notice gas escaping, indicating that the lighter is successfully filled.

EVALUATION

Igniting

I tested the MegaJet daily for 30 days and found it to be easy to use, with no misfires during that time. Much like my experience with the MaxiJet, I really like the convex curvature of the MegaJet. The flames are nice and strong. Essentially, the five jets come together to form a single, wide flame, with the middle jet being the strongest. More about that during the wind resistance test.

I wish you didn’t need a screwdriver to adjust the flame wheel. I really like the design of the Ligne 2 and had hoped S.T. Dupont would carry it over to the Jet lighters.

I also am not the biggest fan of open apertures because they get dirty. Thirty days haven’t caused me a problem yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I had a problem down the road.

In terms of touchups, they work with the MegaJet, but given the wide flame, it’s better to use the sides of the lighter. I tried this on a couple of lanceros and it worked nicely.

There are a few additional notes on the flame. First, when the lighter is ignited for an extended period (particularly during testing), the flame may linger for an extra few seconds; therefore, care should be taken. Second (one difference from the MaxiJet and MiniJet), there is no upside-down safety mechanism when using this lighter – meaning the lighter works when held upside down.

Finally, the top of the unit will get pretty hot when the flame is on for more than a few seconds.

Wind Resistance

To test wind resistance on lighters, I typically position the jet flame in front of a room air conditioner set to maximum fan speed. The MegaJet’s flame performed exceptionally well under these conditions. As mentioned, the flame is quite strong. The results of this test are shown in the video below.

Refilling

Refilling the lighter is quite simple. The fuel valve is located at the bottom of the lighter. I refilled the lighter with multiple successive pressures of three seconds.

There is no fuel tank. Most of the time, I don’t really like them, and I think it would have disrupted the artistic design of this lighter. It was a bit challenging to assess capacity, but I managed to get about four to five cigars, along with a normal amount of relights, when I refilled the unit, so it does burn through fuel a bit quickly.

Durability

The black finish on the MegaJet is beautiful, but it requires proper care. I would not recommend putting this lighter in your pocket without a lighter case, as it will be prone to scratching. This is also a lighter that will easily show fingerprints. Overall, this lighter requires TLC.

Altitude

Since I do not live in a high-altitude area, this attribute of the MegaJet lighter was not assessed.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I almost feel like the MegaJet lighter is one of the forgotten stepchildren in the S.T. Dupont portfolio. Overall, it’s a lighter that performed with remarkable consistency. It delivers a powerful flat flame, and I was surprised at how well the sides of the lighter worked for touchups. Ergonomically, this lighter feels great in your hands.  At $285.00, while not the cheapest lighter in the world, it meets Dupont’s standard of excellence in terms of craftsmanship and performance. Yes, it’s another Dupont lighter worth adding to your collection.

Photo/Video Credits: Cigar Coop

Source: Purchased