Some people love to line dance or play baseball on the weekend. Not Richard Looft, inventor of the Looft Lighter. Originally from the Swedish archipelago, Richard loves outdoor life, in particular he likes to show off his grilling skills to family and friends.
So, when a BBQ disaster struck at his daughter’s 9th birthday in 1997, Richard took it hard.
It was a beautiful sunny day and Richard had invited family and friends over to celebrate. He’d been diligently grilling a chicken, but when it came time to eat the juicy poultry,
it tasted like he’d used lighter fluid for the marinade. Totally bummed, he did what anyone would do, he threw the chicken in the trash and ordered pizza.
As soon as the party was over, he began searching the internet for a product that would get rid of the need for lighter fluids. And found precisely nothing. Knowing that lighting fuel required two key elements – heat and oxygen – Richard got experimental. Without a thought for his own safety, he poured charcoal into his bread toaster and turned the air flow around with his old vacuum cleaner – and voila, sparks flew in seconds. He had discovered the fastest and cleanest way to light charcoal!
A few years, and a lot of hard work later, Richard stood looking out over Stockholm harbor with a container filled with 5000 pieces of his invention, ready to share them with the world.
Now the Looft Lighter is sold in over 30 countries, and due to the superheated airflow, it’s the most efficient, quickest, safest, and cleanest way to light charcoal and wood. 15 years down the line, it has top reviews, press coverage, and an ever-expanding base of loyal Loofters. Because fire makes the best food seasoning. Not lighter fluid.