A reliable lighter or quality matches are essential every single week for candle lighting, and having the right tool on hand makes the process smoother, safer, and easier on busy Friday afternoons. At Eichlers, we carry lighters and matches suited to Shabbos candles, the Chanukah menorah, and havdalah, designed for safe, practical everyday use.
Long-reach lighters extend several inches beyond a standard lighter, providing important distance between the flame and your hand when lighting candles set deep in a candelabra or reaching toward the back row of a menorah. This extra length significantly reduces the risk of an accidental burn, particularly useful for lighting multiple candles in quick succession or reaching candles positioned in a tighter or more crowded arrangement.
While many households rely primarily on a lighter, a quality box of matches remains an essential backup, particularly useful for lighting candles in a candelabra with multiple branches where a match can sometimes reach more easily between closely spaced cups. Long matches, specifically designed with extra length similar to a long-reach lighter, offer the same safety benefit of added distance from the flame during lighting.
Lighting a menorah, particularly later in the eight nights when multiple candles must be lit in succession from the shamash, benefits significantly from a reliable long-reach lighter or quality matches that won't fail partway through. Having a dependable tool on hand prevents the frustration of a sputtering lighter or a box of matches that won't strike properly during this meaningful nightly ritual.
The havdalah candle, with its braided multi-wick design, can sometimes take a bit more effort to light than a standard single candle, making a reliable long-reach lighter particularly useful for this weekly ritual at the close of Shabbos. Keeping a dedicated lighter near your havdalah set ensures it's ready when needed each Motzaei Shabbos without searching for a working match or lighter at the last moment.
Consider where you'll primarily be lighting candles when choosing between a lighter and matches, or stocking both as many households do. A long-reach lighter offers the convenience of repeated use without needing to restock, while matches provide a reliable backup that doesn't depend on battery life or fuel running low at an inconvenient moment. Keeping both on hand near your candlesticks and menorah ensures you're never caught without a working option on a Friday afternoon or during Chanukah.
A quality long-reach lighter or a supply of matches makes a small but genuinely practical gift, especially when paired with candlesticks or a menorah for a new home or a couple setting up their first Shabbos table. Browse our full wedding gifts and Judaica collection for more ideas, or our candlesticks collection and menorahs collection to pair with them.
Always keep a long-reach lighter or matches stored safely away from children, particularly in homes with young kids who may be curious about items kept near the candlesticks. Light candles away from flammable materials like curtains or paper decorations, and never leave a lit candle unattended near the edge of a table or in a high-traffic area where it could easily be knocked over.
Lighters and matches are an essential part of weekly candle lighting. Eichlers carries everything else you need as well.
A long-reach lighter keeps your hand farther from the flame, reducing the risk of accidental burns when lighting candles deep in a candelabra or reaching toward the back of a crowded menorah.
Many households do, since a lighter offers convenient repeated use while matches serve as a reliable backup that doesn't depend on fuel or battery life. Having both ensures you're never caught without a working option.
Long matches provide extra distance between the flame and your hand, similar to a long-reach lighter, which is particularly useful when lighting multiple candles on the menorah in succession from the shamash.
The braided, multi-wick design of a havdalah candle can take slightly more effort to light than a standard single candle, making a reliable long-reach lighter especially useful for this weekly ritual.
Keep them away from children, particularly in homes with young kids, and store them in a consistent spot near your candlesticks or menorah so they're easy to find and use safely each time they're needed.
Yes. A quality long-reach lighter is a small but genuinely practical addition to a gift of candlesticks or a menorah, especially for a couple or family setting up their first Shabbos table.