Butane is a highly useful gaseous component extracted from natural gas. Many of us use it every day. The most common uses we have for butane are in cigarette lighters, stoves and refrigerators as well as being used in regular gasoline oil.
Butane fuel can boost the performance of regular gasoline without becoming volatile. You will also see it in engine use as LPG (liquid propane gas) where it is mixed with propane gas. Not only cars run on liquid propane but in camping stoves and outdoor gas cookers too.
For small cookers that are used for both indoor and outdoor use butane cylinders are cheap and efficient. The cookers are designed to hold a standard canister that will last for at least a few good cook-ups. A butane stove is almost an essential for hikers, a great back up in case of power failure, and handy to have if your regular stove should happen to blow up.
Having a butane lighter on hand is also a good idea whether you are a smoker or not. Probably the most famous of all butane lighters are the Zippos. Zippo lighters have been with us for around 75 years and are generally considered the highest quality available. Anyone who smokes anything wants a Zippo.
Of course there are other fine quality lighters available too, and some cheaper ones. If you keep a variety of lighters then getting hold of a butane gas container with lots of different fittings on the lid is a good idea. Collecting butane lighters can be a great hobby and in the end they cost less than buying the cheap disposable kinds. A quality engraved butane lighter for cigarettes or cigars also makes a great gift idea for someone you care about.
Butane is of course flammable and apart from its use in refrigerators should always be used with some caution. While it can be a stabilizing influence in some fuels it is nonetheless a gas. Butane lighters and stoves while being brilliantly efficient need some common sense in handling.
