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In the cigar world, there is much debate on the proper way to light a stick. Most aficionados agree that butane is the fuel of choice. It is a clean burning fuel which will not affect the taste of the cigar. Most of the best and most expensive lighters use butane.

On the other side of the spectrum are the folks that love their Zippo and feel that it makes no difference. Zippos have been around forever and are still some of the most popular and widely used premium lighters around. Officially, Zippo says that by letting the lighter burn for a second before lighting your cigar will take care of any ill tastes.

Personally, I don’t know who’s right. I enjoy a cigar very occasionally, and am unable to tell a difference one way or the other. I suspect that most folks simply like the look and style of their Zippo and don’t want to give it up.

Here is a way to have the best of both worlds. The Z-plus Torch Flame Lighter Insert is a converter that will change that Zippo into a butane burning beauty. Plus, this will put to end the problem of evaporating fuel. So, keep the look, upgrade the lighter. Available here for only $9.95!

Here is another timeless, yet practical gift. There aren’t many things out there that you can honestly say have the exact same purpose that they did 900 years ago. Well the hour glass is one of them. This one comes in your choice of either black or white sand for only $25!?

Two things strike me. One, its good looks. Many hourglasses are encased in wood, and look like they need to be displayed in a mahogany library, right next to the old world globe and telescope. However, this one has a modern, all glass look that will always be in style and would look good anywhere. Second is its function. This hourglass times 50 minutes. As many uses as you can imagine. You can always have a 10 minute break every hour. Perfect for home office workers, or procrastinators. Remember, give him something fun. A clock serves the same purpose, but he’s more likely to use this! Click here for more information.

Let me first clarify; I don’t know who Karim Rashid is. I know nothing about fashion, designers, or what’s chic. I care little about brand names, who’s clothes I wear (as long as they are my own), or what’s in style one year to the next. I like what I like. When I have to go shopping, I can usually tell right when I walk into a store if they’ll be anything in there I’ll buy. I don’t have to look around forever. I think this is a fair statement to make about most men; we like what we like. There may not be any rhyme or reason, and it might not match, but if we like it, not much else matters to us.

For whatever reason, I just simply like this watch. Maybe it’s super hip, or maybe Rashid’s designs are so last year. I don’t know. But one thing I do know, I like it. And your guy might also. Check it out here.

My good friend Jacob wrote the following piece about cheap poker chips. Poker chips are like anything else; you get what you pay for. I think his points hold true for most things you purchase. Getting good, quality products is what most men will appreciate. If you can only do it half way, maybe you shouldn’t at all, or at least wait until you can get the good stuff.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive set of poker chips, I’ve got a suggestion. Use pennies. Not penny poker, rather just use pennies as markers, or chips. They can represent quarters or dollars or five-dollar bills, depending on your stakes. That’s what we did when we were in high school. They’ve got a lot going for them. They’re cost effective. Unlike quarters, they’re accessible as there is usually an old jar full of them just lying around. And, they’re durable – just try to break one. The only downside is the vulnerability to the occasional unscrupulous buddy sneaking a few into a game, but those types tend to stick out and they usually aren’t invited back.

Pennies are great for kids. In fact, we believe they’ve got a lot more style than cheap poker chips. When you show up for a game and you find out they are using pennies as markers for dollars, you get the sense this is a no-nonsense game. There’s no pretension going on here. This is an understated, honest crowd. In this game, it’s all about the cards. Idiots are tolerated, so long as they bring cash, lose it quickly, and move on.

Poker games with cheap poker chips are often times a whole different story. When you show up for a game and the host brings out a 1970s-style carousel of plastic chips, cardboard-like chips, or knockoff clay chips, you immediately get the sense you’re in for a long night. If you look around, there are good odds you’ll see wood paneling on the walls. Saving a few bucks is one thing, but please pick your battles. Just use pennies. Cheap poker chips are a lot like a cheap suit. Either get a nice suit, or go casual. Everybody can respect the fact that casual is casual. You’re not pretending to be something you’re not. You can’t say the same for a cheap suit. Cheap poker chips are no different.

Poker is a classic game with hundreds of years of rich history behind it. Those who know and appreciated the game know it’s about tradition. They know it’s about camaraderie. They know it’s about excitement. And they know it’s about excellence. It can be a competitive battle of wits among formidable opponents. It can be an intoxicating mix of good friends, good drinks, and fine cigars. Real poker players know the money game is just a scoring system that keeps everybody honest. Real players know it doesn’t matter whether you play for dimes and nickels or for twenty-dollar bills. It’s all about the action.

Poker is most definitely not about a bunch of hacks that barely know the rules, sitting around a wood paneled room playing with imitation plastic chips. It’s not about 2s, 3s, and 9s being wild. It’s not about getting comfortable with the idea that it’s ok to lose your money time and time again, and that you’re just paying for the entertainment value. And it’s not about showing up in your cheap suit.

As far as the chips are concerned, they can either add to the tradition and excellence of the game, or detract from it. If you want to save some coin, use pennies. If you want to add a little style to your game, invest in a set of nice chips. Whichever path you choose, get comfortable with it because poker chips last a lifetime, even the cheap ones.

Click here to see some good quality chips you can be proud of.

So, you know how it’s a cardinal rule not to get a woman something for the house for a gift? Blender, Vacuum, shower curtain, all no-nos. Actually, there is a whole session on this during new husband training. It’s a long grueling course, but you can do it, I promise.

Luckily, because of this rule, most woman never get us anything for the house either. Which is perfect, as house gifts don’t follow any of the men’s gift guidelines we try to stress. However, here is a bowl that actually is a great gift for him. An actual deflated basketball was used as the mold for this ceramic bowl. Perfect for him to throw his keys, change, and whatever else is in his pocket. Sure, he may choose to keep fruit in his bowl, but I doubt it. Available in basketball and soccer for $59.99. Click here for more information.

Sudoku continues to be super popular, and we suspect that many men out there are hopelessly addicted. Crossword puzzles tend to be difficult, word finds are too easy. So Sudoku lends itself to all of us who are right in the middle. We like a challenge, but prefer one we have a prayer of meeting.

The Round Table has introduced a new, higher end sudoku board that we can’t help but tell you about. The Deluxe Sudoku Board is as handsome as it is convenient. The large and small tiles all store in a its own drawer. The large tiles mark the number, the small ones for marking the possible solutions. The set includes a puzzle book and a set of premade puzzle sheets that fit under the grid. Use the included puzzles, the one out of the morning paper, or ones out of any book, either way he’ll really like bringing the game to life, rather than on paper. A board this nice is a steal for $36.99. Click here for more information.

Bar stuff is a good, consistent men’s gift that never goes out of style. Any man needs to be ready to entertain, so even if he’s not a scotch and soda kind of guy himself, he still needs to have the basics available. You can’t just throw a beer at everyone!

For someone who partakes a little more often, this is one of the nicer portable bar sets I’ve seen. Resembling a classic steamer trunk (though only 10″ wide by 14.5″ tall), the Deluxe Portable Travel Bar is perfect for taking it with you. Holds everything you see plus two full sized liquor bottles, kept behind the left panel.

What really caught my attention though was the sophisticated look of this set. The mahogany leather exterior and velvet lining makes it look like you spent a lot more than you did. Click here to check it out. Only $99!

This gift is a modern representation of a classic men’s accessory. Way back when, every gentleman had a shoehorn. You still see them today in nicer men’s shoe stores. The reason being is that the back of those expensive Italian leather dog covers are stiff, and they want them to stay that way. So a shoehorn is used to help glide his foot into the shoe, rather than him standing up and grinding his heel until his foot is jammed in. Not a smooth move for any guy, even at home.

Check this out. The So Smooth Shoehorn is a sleek silver shoehorn that glides his foot into the shoe without having to use his finger. It’s extended 17″ length also saves his back. For just $20, this is a really great gift for dad from the kids. Click here for more information.

When I was a kid, my grandparents had this thing we called The Marble Game. It was basically a big marble run. It stood maybe three feet high and had alternating rails that wound back and forth across it. We’d put marbles on the top-most rung, and watched as they weaved their way down to the collection box at the bottom. I can still remember the sound of the marbles running to the end of the row, the click as it fell down to the next, and ran all the way to the end again. Back and forth. Back and forth. It was mesmerizing. I can imagine the sound being very soothing as well. Of course being kids, we’d load that sucker up with as many marbles as it would hold. They’d jam up at the end of the rows and the sound would be deafening what with all the marbles running at the same time.

I’ve always been fascinated by Rube Goldberg machines, and I think The Marble Game was the foundation. In fact I bought plans to make a Marble Tower years ago, but it proved way too complex for my skills. Still today, I look everywhere I go for one of these and really hope to buy it one day, ready made of course. Know where I can get one?

So to feed my interest in the meantime, I am so pleased to say that I found this little desktop marble game. The Perpetual Tower Marble Run stands 10.5″ high and sits on a 4″ x 4″ base. Five marbles at a time load in the top, and take turns running around, dropping from bucket to bucket, until they reach the end. When one marble gets to the bottom, it automatically starts the next marble on its way. For only $19.99, it’s the perfect little office game. Click here for more information.

I totally enjoy video games. Always have. But as I’m getting older, it seems harder and harder to keep up. I don’t have the time to play all the time. Plus the games and systems are getting more and more expensive. Needless to say, I don’t foresee a Nintento Wii or Playstation in my future. But all is not lost, let me tell you, you’ve already got the perfect system right in front of you, your computer.

I’ve subscribed to the Real Arcade Game Pass for a couple years now. It’s a little program that sits on my computer so I can pop open and play a few minutes of a game anytime I have a little spare time. They offer more than 400 games and they are always adding more. What I really like is the service allows you to download a one hour trial version of any game that seems interesting. So you can really know if you like the game before buying. You can purchase games individually, or join and get a free full version game of your choice every month! You also get discounts on additional games.

Check them out and see what you think. My advise is to sign up for their free 30 day trial of the subscription service. There is no obligation, and you can certainly cancel after your 30 days. Just for signing up for the trial, you can choose one game to download immediately and keep forever! Deals don’t get any better than that.

Click here for the special offer.