Best Kitchen Torch Under $50

Burn It Up With Bernzomatic

Features:

• Auto start/stop ignition
• Cast aluminum body construction
• Adjustable flame control knob 
• Lock button
• Cast aluminum body
• Pressure regulated

The main feature I look for in a cooking torch is convenience. They largely run on gas, which has a cleaner flame than wood or charcoal.

Gas is also kinder on the environment than matchsticks. I hate it when used matches litter my kitchen. My kids like to chew on the burnt bits – which can’t be good for them and is a disturbing habit (especially around guests!) Plus, all that wood or recycled pulp used to make the sticks themselves – such a waste.

I haven’t even mentioned the matchstick head – it contains sulfur and glass powder, plus the red phosphorous on the sides of the matchbox. That’s a lot of raw material, and a gas-burning torch is just … greener.

You can turn the fire on and off in microseconds, so less fuel usage overall. Plus, as you can see in this video, the Bernzomatic looks pretty bad*ss.

The version in the video is a basic model. The Bernzomatic TS8000 – High-Intensity Trigger Start Torch retails at twice this price and has handy additional features.

I like that it has both an on-off trigger and a gas-release screw because it serves as a double safety feature for the kids. Something about this blow-torch just makes their eyes light up, and I dread the day they’ll sneak it out and try some internet prank, like melting the snow instead of shoveling it *shudder*.

Some kitchen torch aficionados will tell you about technique, and harp on about the right way to hold the torch. Bernzomatic has a built-in pressure regulator, so whether you hold it upright, tilt it, or invert it, the gas gauge ensures the flame stays steady and constant.

It also has an ‘ultra swirl flame’ feature which makes it versatile. After all, it’s sold in hardware stores, so it wasn’t necessarily designed for strictly culinary purposes.

You might think that the Bernzomatic isn’t the best cooking torch because it seems too hefty. But it has a lock button you can engage when you don’t want to keep flicking your flame on and off. Its sturdy aluminum body also keeps it safe.

These two are my favorite features because my house is full of babies – two-legged, four-legged, and winged (toddlers, kittens, parrots). Multiple times a day, they dash by and spook me into dropping the torch, so I’m glad it can take those unexpected falls.

I do – however – ensure the door is closed before I engage the finger-free mode. At least in regular usage, the flame will go off as soon as the torch is out of my hands, making it less of a fire hazard.

But when I want to keep the fire on lock for a continuous burn, I make sure the kids are elsewhere, fully occupied, and unlikely to wander into my kitchen.

Pocket-Perfect Pepe Nero

Features:

• Ergonomic handle
• Quick-refill design
• Safety lock
• Easy push button ignition system

According to internet lore, James Bond’s 007 code name is a bit of innuendo. Whether you believe that or not, 7 is a good number.

In terms of gadgets and labor-saving devices, 7-inch items can fit in a clutch bag … or be carried around for emergencies. A 7-inch cooking torch can easily slip into a culinary carry-on – as proven by me. When your household has as many cute accident magnets as mine does, you learn to have ‘unusual items’ around.

Case in point, my handbag (and my car’s dashboard) always has pepper spray, baby wipes, kitty toe clippers, antihistamines, a Swiss knife, and a Pepe Nero.

Unlike prior contenders for the best culinary torch, its gas bottle is refillable, so you don’t have to lug its fuel around. You can have it refilled at any butane supplier. You can find refill instructions online, and some units even come with recipe books inclusive. Still, it’s usable for beginners, even without instructions.

That said, it doesn’t have a visible fuel gauge, so it can be a bit tricky to refill. Online users suggest you pump the gas nozzle five or six times, holding the lever down for about four-seconds-per-pump.

It has a child safety lock, which prevents children from accidentally turning it on. It also has a flame lock you can use for a consistent burn without keeping your finger pressed down. Hubby isn’t a fan though, because the flames are too little for his projects.

European Elegance From EurKitchen

Features:

• Piezo press ignition
• Adjustable flame
• Refillable
• Finger guard for safety

I’ve noticed when most people are shopping for kitchen torches, they want the option for a continuous flame. It makes sense – nobody wants to be pressing that button endlessly. Finger fatigue is real! But on the other hand, I don’t want unbroken flames to be a default setting. Sometimes, I just want a quick ‘heat flash’ to perfectly singe my served slices of steak. Euro Kitchen’s culinary blow torch – for me at least – falls short in this one aspect.

Like many other brands, it has a safety lock and a gas adjuster. But if you want to stop the fire, you have to shut off the gas flow. There isn’t a one-touch on-off button.

On the upside, it has a protective feature to prevent finger burns. While using the torch, you can place your hands beneath the heat guard and avoid the naked flame. Plus, it comes with a warranty. In other torches, the gas flow and safety locks are separate, but on this one, they’re fused.

Meaning the gas safety lock is the lowest setting on the gas flow dial. This also means you can only engage the safety when the torch is off. On the upside, if you decide to shell out for the version with a gas gauge, then it’s easier to monitor your fuel volumes between refills.

It’s a helpful planning tool because you won’t run out of gas unexpectedly … though it only works if you remember to check. You might still run out while roasting some late-night dessert.

Couture Cooking With JB Chef

Features:

• Safety lock
• Lifetime Guarantee
• Refillable
• Continuous Flame Feature
• Ultimate Flame Control

Based on aesthetics alone, this is my best crème brûlée torch. It’s white and silver with trademark detailing on its fork logo, so it looks gorgeous on my kitchen counter. It’s marketed as a ‘professional chef’s tool’ but how does it measure up? Well, it has key features like adjustable flames. But instead of a screw, dial, or knob, it has a slider. This is a bit easier than visually regulating your gas levels. (i.e. pre-set measurements vs scrutinizing the size of the flame.)

It also has a slider that lets you toggle between pulsing bursts of fire and continuous streams of flame. The refill process is described as 2 to 3 sets of 3 to 5 seconds each. You do this while the blow torch is up-side-down, holding the refill can above the inverted base of the torch. The kitchen torch ignition button is at the back of the torch, while its heat adjusters are on the side.

Brighten Your Kitchen With Spicy Dew

Features:

• Anti-flare
• Child safety lock
• Flame guard
• Hand protection guard
• 90-day money back guarantee
• 3-year warranty

I’m one of those people who is drawn to pretty colors, so Spicy Dew’s cooking torch spoke to me. Spicy Dew seems to combine the best features of all the cooking torches we’ve reviewed so far. It has a heat guard for your fingers, like Euro Kitchen (though its refill gauge is standard rather than optional). It has a child lock and a flame adjustment knob. Its ignition trigger is larger than other torches, and more ergonomically positioned.

The fact that its three control buttons are distinct and unique is a plus for me. No matter how distracted (or visually compromised) I am, there’s no way to mistake the conical gas flow valve with the cute child-lock button or the hefty on-off ‘trigger’. There’s a slight design flaw though, because the trigger is above the heat guard, so there’s still a risk of burning my fingers. And even though the aluminum body is easy to grip, it has no continuous finger-free flame feature.

Go Chef With Jo Chef

Features:

• Safety locks
• Adjustable flame function
• Fuel gauge window
• With freebies
• 90-day money back guarantee

Lots of kids enjoy playing with matches, and the excitement doesn’t fade as we get older. Plus, because it’s a ‘grown-ups-only’ kitchen tool, I don’t feel guilty for playing with it. Jo Chef’s model offers the best of both worlds. They’ve used professional construction materials, so it’s durable and will feel at home in any executive kitchen. But it’s loaded with multiple safety features, including an easy-slider on the side. Meaning novices can use it stress-free.

The flame adjustment knob is positioned at the back of the nozzle for convenience, while it ignites via a trigger at the front. This design makes it easy to use this torch outside the kitchen – it works just as well for minor welding, DIY, and home crafting. It’s also an unexpected way to light your candles or smokes when you’re aiming for dramatic flair. It’s gorgeously packaged in a premium gift box with a placemat and free recipe eBook, so if you want to make up for letting your spouse do all the cooking (or tempt them into spending more time helping you cook), this is the best kitchen torch to offer as a gift.

To avoid burning your tables or kitchen surfaces as you roast peppers and toast desserts, your Jo Chef torch comes with a free heat-proof placemat. Place the dish on the mat before you light up – it will save you the expensive counter-top repair job. The fuel gauge window helps you plan for gas replacement in good time. That said, you have to hold both the refill and the torch horizontally to prevent gas spills and accidents. And don’t lose that detachable stand!

Check the video tutorial to get the right refill angle, and you should probably read the instructions more carefully – a blow torch fire can go bad in microseconds. Even if you shake the torch and hear gas, the torch won’t light up or emit any flames unless there’s enough butane to be visible in the fuel glass. And make sure the nozzle is only slightly open when you first ignite the torch, otherwise, it might not work. You can always open it wider once the fire starts up.

Elevate Your Cooking With Kitchen Sophisticate

Features:

• Smart adjustable flame
• Ergonomic balanced design
• Refillable butane
• Child-resistant safety lock
  
  

While it has a lovely-sounding name, this may not be the best cooking torch for your home, especially if you have small kids. Yes, it has a flame regulator and a child safety button, but it’s been known to explode. I didn’t throw it out the first time it blew up on me, because I’m a bit of a clutz so I assumed it was my fault. Plus, it had a warranty, so they replaced it for me. But I had the same issue with the second unit they delivered.

Some kitchen torches use buttons to adjust the flames. This one uses a dial, and I would sometimes forget to turn off the regulator. Could be why it flamed out on me. Also, no one ever tells you this, but refillable kitchen torches are empty when you buy them, so don’t forget to add a butane canister to your shopping cart. Some users claimed it doesn’t burn as efficiently as other torches, so I tested it out on clean water, and yes, it did leave some oily streaks.

That basically means some of the butane leaked out of the nozzle without completely burning through. This could be a safety issue – plus I don’t like the idea of raw butane floating on top of my tasty desserts. Also, the child-safety button and continuous flame button have to be held down. If you lift your finger, they stop working, and that’s a problem. It may just have been my torch with that glitch, but I had already asked for one replacement, so I gave up.

Tiny But Powerful Tintec

Features:

• Aluminum alloy shell covered with ABS plastic handle
• Silicone Basting
• Security lock
• Press on ignition
• Refillable butane
• Removable metal base

This isn’t the smallest kitchen torch I’ve used, but its design makes it look and feel tinier than it actually is. I’ve lost a lot of torch bases, so I like that this one has to be screwed on or off (and comes with its own screwdriver), so I’m less likely to misplace it. The box also has a silicone brush for basting and glazing. The brush works at temperatures of up to 449°F, but the cooking torch has to be stored in a shade at temperatures below 122°F – because of its plastic handle.

The Tintec does have continuous burning functionality, but it doesn’t work for longer than five minutes at a time – otherwise, it overheats. On the upside, the flame adjustment knob only has two positions: open and close. If you’re as absent-minded as I am, then this is the best culinary torch. Why? That open-close button reminds you to turn off the gas, and it has a sliding flame adjuster as well, to control the size of the fire.

It can get cumbersome though because you need multiple steps to make it work. You have to set the ignition button to ‘open’. Then, if you want to light the torch, you press that same ignition button and hold it down. The second you lift your finger, the flame dies. For a continuous burn, toggle the dial to ‘close’ while the flame is already on. Flick it ‘open’ to kill the flame. It took me ages to master these intricacies, though online videos can help you master it faster.

Come Home To IDEAcone

Features:

• Flame lock
• Adjustable ignition
• Alloy body
• Thermostable burner port

I love gadgets, so I frequently buy a cool kitchen device, use it once, then lock them away. The IDEAcone could easily have fallen into that category, but because it’s so pretty, I leave it on the counter for aesthetics. And because it’s always on display, I keep finding excuses to use it, even if it’s just to ‘thaw’ my frozen meat. Plus, unlike other candidates for best kitchen torch, its continuous flame button is easy to understand. ‘On’ for flaming spurts, ‘locked’ for fire streams.

Its flame adjustment knob is equally easy to use: + for more fire and – for less. This gorgeous black and gold culinary blow torch exudes luxury both in tone and construction. The flaming nozzle is made using ‘thermostable alloy’ which enables it to withstand high heat. The IDEAcone’s sleek design and aesthetic appeal make it look more like a blow-drier or clipper than a kitchen implement, but its out-of-the-ordinary-ness is a large part of its appeal.

I did have one issue with it – it would die off if I used it continuously for 10 seconds. It might be because I filled it up too fast. User forums suggest topping up butane in three to five slow bursts rather than one quick one. I haven’t gotten round to trying that, so for now, the torch is sitting pretty on my counter-top. I’ve heard kids use this torch for pest-control because the flame can be precisely calibrated, so I just might lock it away before my little ones get any ideas …

Shoot ‘Em Up With Iwatani

Features:

• Adjustable flame
• 1-year manufacturer warranty
• One touch piezo ignition
• Safety plate

If you’re a fan of old spy movies (which I am), then the Iwatani will make you think of a silencer. Especially because unlike other competitors for the title of the best torch for crème brûlée, it doesn’t have its own handle. Instead, the torch head sits directly on a butane canister. (The manufacturer makes their own branded butane cans, but they’re sold separately.) Iwatani has a minimalist, industrial design made of stainless steel with white trim.

Because it feeds directly from the can, I was worried about leaks and would always ‘unplug’ it after use. But then I’d end up forgetting where I put the can, and end up buying a new one. The guy at the store told me it’s okay to leave it attached to the can, so now I do that instead. The torch works pretty well, though its tip overheats and gets red when I’ve been using it for a while. This happens often because the continuous burn is the default setting, unless you turn the gas dial.Some models of Iwatani have a stand in their packaging, so if you’re still worried about leaving it linked to gas, you can put it on the stand instead. And it helps that the torch is on warranty for a year. It’s a Japanese model – many of the popular culinary torches are designed in China. I did have some slight challenges with it. The flame temperature feels lower than I’m used to, the trigger sticks sometimes, and the flame adjustment dial does slips on occasion.

Flex That Neck With Ancwzoz

Features:

• Stainless Steel
• Refillable & adjustable jet torch lighter
• 360° rotation & flexible long neck lighter
• Windproof jet lighter
• Child safety lock
• 1-year manufacturer’s warranty

In some ways, this is the most memorable part of this kitchen torch review. First off, you have this un-pronounced-able brand name. Then you have this cute little torch that looks unlike any of the models we’ve seen before. It’s closer to a kitchen faucet than a fire-breathing appliance. While it does run on butane and give off a powerful flame, most consumers think of the Ancwzoz more as a lighter than a torch. It seems too slight for toasting food and browning meat.

That said, it works really well for finely-detailed roasting, because its flexible neck spins 360°, so it can stand straight up or bend to fit into tight spaces, making intricate burn patterns. I use it for cake and pastry frosting, especially for the lower bits of my sweets. Those sections are usually hard to reach, but I can invert the neck of my Ancwzoz and get to those portions with ease. It’s essentially a pipe made of stainless steel and zinc, with a tiny 5ml ‘gas tank’.

5ml may seem impractical, but it facilitates 500 to 1,000 uses. The Ancwzoz torch lighter – like many other cooking torches – has an adjustable flame and a child-safety lock. The latter matters even more with this model – its cute streamlined body and shiny steel build make it a magnet for little hands. And while the entire gadget is metallic, the elongated neck prevents conduction from burning your hand. The head does over-heat though, so avoid touching it directly.

Get Into It With Inter Forte

Features:

• Extra-long nozzle
• Adjustable temperature control,
• Safety lock
• Flame lock
• Adjustable potency handle
• Removable stand

My first thought when I saw this torch is it doesn’t really belong in my kitchen. It’s dull, black, and unremarkable in its appearance. That’s because it’s not marketed as a kitchen torch – it’s aimed more at plumbers, electricians, jewelers, and welders, which is probably why its nozzle is shorter than the average kitchen torch. (There’s a silver version though, with red trim.) But it doesn’t have welding tips though, you’d have to buy those (and the gas) separately.

The (black) Inter Forte is made of iron, so be careful to keep it dry. The silver version is more likely to appeal to kitchen shoppers, which is probably why it’s bundled with an eBook of kitchen tips. Some of my previous torches had detachable heads and bases, which I love because I’m a clean freak. I like to take the bits apart and clean every crevice. The Inter Forte is a one-piece gadget, so I can’t dismantle it … or get spares for damaged bits.

I do like its locks. The air safety valve and the child-lock stand out because they’re these silver ball-shaped trinkets sitting on narrow pins. You might mistake them for decorative baubles, especially in contrast to the plain-ness of the torch. I think they’re probably designed that way on purpose because you want safety features to be easy to find. Especially for nosy little hands. Or busy mums trying to preserve those nosy little hands in the middle of a kitchen crisis.