Automated Tiki Torches for Liquid Propane or Natural Gas

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site, and have found numerous interesting posts related to Tiki culture and Hawaiiana, great site!

I'm currently conducting some market research for my business which sells automation for existing propane and natural gas tiki torches, as well as fully automated tiki torches themselves, and wanted to see if I could get a feel on here for what people in general think about getting automated tiki torches. Typically, automated tiki torches cost between $1000 and $2200 per torch, which is quite cost prohibitive for the average consumer. We sell the automation for existing torches for roughly $500 per torch, and $700 for the entire automated unit. This cost reflects the cost of the torch head, and the automation components, plus a small margin. So my question is, would you pay these prices for automated tiki torches? By automated, I mean a tiki torch which you can turn on with a switch, rather than manually by opening the gas and lighting the torch. Also, if the flame ever goes out, it will relight itself automatically, providing a great level of safety. We are selling these automated tikis to hotels and restaurants in Hawaii, but want to get a feeling for the residential market as well. Thanks very much in advance for any and all replies to this post!

Mahalo,

Kai

Love the George Carlin line.
If I have the option of playing with fire or pushing a button.....I'm playing with fire every time!

Also, please do not sell any of these down on Waikiki.

My opnion everyone usually does things on a budget and these are high end to me. Im sure they are totally awesome but for me Im playing with fire too. I love your idea though but in this economy I think it may be out of reach for most. Good luck on an awesome idea....

Where is the website?
If I could get a pair for under $1,000.00, I might splurge.

I love the metal ones, but they are not typically avaialable, and I loose the tops over the winter, so this summer I have regressed back to the bamboo ones.

On 2010-05-17 20:49, christiki295 wrote:
Where is the website?
If I could get a pair for under $1,000.00, I might splurge.

I love the metal ones, but they are not typically avaialable, and I loose the tops over the winter, so this summer I have regressed back to the bamboo ones.

Our website is http://www.koahi.com, and you can get an existing pair of torches automated for under $1000, though a pair of powder coated metal or copper torches will start at roughly $1200. Also, we work with a company in Kailua-Kona who supplies us with synthetic bamboo pole coverings, so you never have to worry about your bamboo being exposed to the elements and cracking and needing to be replaced.

Thanks for the input to those who responded. We are working on several versions of the automated tiki torch, so we can offer it at several price points. For example, some people may not be too concerned with the re-lighting capability, and would prefer for the gas lines to simply shut off if the torch is blown out. For a location such as Waikiki, automated tiki torches make a lot of sense, because if a manually lit torch is blown out, the gas will continue to spew from the torch and pool in low lying areas. It would only take one Japanese tourist flicking a cigarette to ignite the gas and possibly cause an explosion. An automated system could prevent a potential lawsuit against a hotel (or homeowner) by ensuring that torches stay lit when they are intended to.

Thanks again, and any additional comments or questions are greatly appreciated!