The Best Kitchen Torches

The butane torch may sound too industrial to belong in a kitchen, but surprise! They’re not. Professional chefs use them, and so can you. Use a butane torch to sear meat, create the perfect crispy golden top on crème brûlée, or brown a top crust on mac and cheese. If you’re in the market for a new kitchen torch, continue reading because we’ve compiled some of the best torches to light up any kitchen.

Buying Guide for Kitchen Torches

Why buy a butane torch for your kitchen?

To make some dishes, especially desserts, you need a butane torch. Any recipe that calls for a brûlée, a carmelized sugar surface, requires a torch. Baked Alaska is another good example. While you can create a toasted meringue in the oven, the ice cream in Baked Alaska could begin to melt if you do so. A kitchen torch heats just the top layer, making it the superior method. Savory foods like seared steak and fish call for high heat only on the surface, a trick achieved easily with a kitchen torch.

What should you look for in a butane torch?

• Flame Adjustment: Being able to adjust the size of the flame is essential to creating specialty foods. Consider a kitchen torch that allows you to choose different flame intensities according to your requirement. Flames should be blue and hit about 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal results.
• Safety Features: Regarding high temperatures, remember that butane torches can cause fires and severe burns. Look for butane torches with safety locks, adjustable temperature regulators, and sturdy bases. These precautions safeguard the torch from accidental ignition, provide better user control, and prevent tipping over.
  

Can you use a full-size butane torch in the kitchen?

Yes, that butane torch your plumber uses will technically work in the kitchen. More advanced cooks may need a butane torch capable of intense heat, more so than a mini torch can offer. However, it requires skill to hold and apply the flame from a 10-inch or larger torch, and there are better tools for the average cook. Smaller torches specifically designed for the kitchen will be much easier to use for most home cooks.

Our Picks for the Best Butane Torches for Your Kitchen

Pros: The Sondiko utilizes the Piezo Electronic Ignition System ignition for rapid heat gain of up to 2,372 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the torch at any angle to achieve your desired result while maintaining flame control. Press the ignition button and turn the knob clockwise simultaneously until it locks, then fire away, adjusting the flame intensity as you go. Accidental ignition is virtually impossible. The Sondiko’s safety features may be its best-selling qualities. The long-angled nozzle and finger guard shield you, and the broad base prevent it from falling over as you set it down.

Cons: Some buyers struggle to operate the safety lock while firing. 

Bottom Line: This Sondiko torch makes the effort of cooking a lot easier. It’s a fabulous entry to caramelizing, glazing, and searing. Use any butane brand with either a short or long nozzle tank.

 

Pros: Popular for its brilliance in the kitchen, this butane torch offers an intense flame and fine attunement capability to perfect a wide range of dishes. Its compact, handheld design makes it easy to wield as you perfectly roast peppers or finish off crème brûlée. Adjust the temperature using the red fuel valve located conveniently at the top of the handle—up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s some intense heat! 

Cons: The flame on this torch is so powerful it makes some users uneasy about using it in the kitchen. Also, as far as we can tell, there are no unique safety features.

Bottom Line: This is the butane torch to get if you want a lot of heat for various tasks ranging from the kitchen to the campsite. It may be most suitable for those already experienced using butane torches, as it’s a tool of extreme power and little safeguarding.

 

Pros: Unlike the other torches we review, the Jo Chef Superior RX Butane Torch comes with two butane refill canisters, which makes it a great beginner choice. There’s a safety lock, flame adjuster, and assurance that the torch has passed rigorous testing. The extra safety leaves you free to try your hand at using the torch without worry. Of course, the torch isn’t just safe; it’s powerful, giving you a flame intensity of up to 2,370 degrees Fahrenheit. It works for welding and making jewelry outside the kitchen, too.

Cons: If used regularly, you may need to refill the small 5.07-ounce fuel containers frequently.

Bottom Line: The JoChef torch makes an excellent gift for the novice chef for its safety features, overall high quality, included recipe ebook, and stylish gift box. Sounds like a premium tool, right? It’s an excellent option for cooks of all levels.

 

Pros: This sleek-looking, ergonomically designed kitchen torch is one of the best-designed butane torches on this list. Its unique shape allows you to place this torch vertically or horizontally to prevent it from falling over. It has an adjustable flame and can easily be operated with one hand. Just squeeze the ignition trigger, use the safety lock with your thumb, and adjust the flame as required. Refill the tank with up to 11 grams of high-quality butane fuel with the long-nozzle gas cylinder.

Cons: There’s no fuel-gauge window, so it’s difficult to know when it’s near empty. Some buyers report that the flame is thinner or weaker than expected.

Bottom Line: Check out the NANW torch for its easy-to-use one-hand-only design. You know how it can be when you’re following a complicated recipe or cooking more than one thing at a time. Any kitchen instrument, especially a torch with a 2,372-degree flame, that can be used with one hand is one to look into.

 

Pros: The Sondiko S901 is almost identical to the Sondiko S400 (our Best Overall choice), except for some small differences in size, compatibility with tanks, and price. This model features a long-angled nozzle and finger guard shielding. The broad base prevents tipping. Angle the torch from any direction to achieve your desired result while maintaining flame control. Press the ignition button and turn the knob clockwise simultaneously until it locks, then fire away. Adjust the flame up to 2,372 degrees Fahrenheit as you cook.

Cons: The S901 does not fit all butane tanks—long nozzle ones only.

Bottom Line: The Sondiko S901 makes an appealing choice if you’re looking for the operational and safety qualities of the S400 for less.

Final Thoughts

Getting a butane torch for your kitchen to make specialty recipes can feel as rewarding as buying a high-performing blender for the smoothies you crave. Use our reviews to select a torch that meets your kitchen needs or a multipurpose one for DIY projects.