Light It Up by SansMinds

Effect

The Light It Up trick by SansMinds is a self-igniting lighter designed for magicians. To the audience, it appears as a standard Zippo-style lighter. The magician can hand it to a spectator or place it on a table, then snap their fingers to make a flame appear seemingly on command. The effect creates a moment of surprise and wonder, especially when used in routines involving signed cards or other interactive magic.

Full details

The Light It Up lighter is slightly larger than a standard Zippo and comes in three colors: midnight, red, and medium brown. It has a leather-like exterior, though reviewer Scott Perry notes it feels more like plastic than premium leather. The lighter includes a built-in circuit board for the self-ignition feature, which can be removed for maintenance.

It charges via micro-USB and has a long battery life, lasting up to five days on a single charge. The lighter also requires traditional lighter fluid, which needs occasional refilling. Two ignition settings are available: a five-second delay and a thirty-second delay. The magician can also cancel the ignition if needed.

Who should consider the trick

This trick is best suited for professional magicians who perform regularly and are willing to invest time in troubleshooting. Due to its high price ($120) and occasional unreliability, beginners or casual performers may find it frustrating. Those who perform fire-based magic or need a dramatic ignition effect in their routines will benefit most if they can master its quirks.

Information on how difficult it is to perform

The mechanics of the trick are straightforward—handling the lighter and triggering the ignition is simple. However, the main challenge is consistency. As Scott Perry demonstrates, the lighter sometimes fails to ignite, requiring adjustments to the wick or lighter fluid levels. Magicians must practice extensively to ensure reliability during performances.

What magicians say

Scott Perry, a professional magician, praises the build quality and concept of Light It Up but criticizes its inconsistency. He says, "It's a phenomenal gimmick that will really enhance the magic... but mine just doesn't seem to want to light sometimes." He also mentions that SansMinds provided good customer service when he needed a replacement, but even the new unit had issues.

His final verdict: "If you can get it to work consistently, it's fantastic and completely worth the money. But for amateurs, I would say don't bother—it's a lot of money on a product that is quite inconsistent."