Abstract: An igniting system for the burner of a portable gas appliance, e.g. a gas-fired soldering iron comprises a duct running from a mixing nozzle at which air is mixed with the gas, to the mouth from which a torch flame emerges. A chamber communicates with this tube for igniting the mixture ahead of the mouth. A piezoelectric spark generator is provided with an electrode in this chamber to generate the spark which ingites the gas mixture in the chamber and hence the tube.