If you want a chef’s finish to your Crème Brûlée, meringue or French onion soup, a kitchen blowtorch is essential.
The blowtorch provides an easy and safe way to quickly caramelize and sear foods. You can use it to roast peppers, toast marshmallows, caramelize fruits and give a tasty oomph to various recipes.
These torches can produce flames as hot as 1600°C, providing a quick sear or roast without burning or melting the food.
In this buying guide, we review the best kitchen blowtorches available on Amazon UK. We considered factors like safety, maximum temperature and ease of use when selecting our top picks.
But before we get to the reviews, a few things to keep in mind when you are shopping for a kitchen blowtorch.
What to Consider When Choosing a Kitchen Blowtorch
a. Type of Torch
There are two types of blowtorches.
The most common ones are the complete sets with the torch head attached to a refillable canister. They are compact and easy to hold.
The only downside is that you need to refill them often especially if you use the torch daily.
All the blowtorches we have reviewed below come with a refillable canister. They are the best for most people.
If you use your blowtorch for much more than just cooking, you’ll need something bigger.
We recommend getting a torch head that you can then attach to a large butane canister. The torch will be more tedious to hold but it will last longer.
These type of torches also tend to be more powerful and produce hotter flames.
b. Maximum Temperature
You want a torch that burns hot enough to sear, roast or caramelize food quickly.
Get a torch that burns at 1300°C or higher (2372 Fahrenheit). If you’ll be using the torch mostly for steaks and other meats, look for a hotter torch that can hit temperatures as high as 1500°C.
c. Safety Features
The torch should have a child/safety lock, a hand guard, anti-flare protection and a sturdy base.
d. Ease of Use
Check customer reviews to see what other users think about the torch, particularly how easy it is to use.
Some torches are difficult to hold and the safety lock can sometimes jam, making it impossible to light the flame.
Another common problem is difficulty refilling the canister. Check what kind of fuel and canister the manufacturer recommends.
- Note: Blowtorches with refillable canisters come empty. Before using the torch, you have to refill the canister with butane or whichever other fuel the manufacturer recommends. When you order one of the blowtorches below, remember to buy a butane canister as well if you don’t already have one at home.
The Best Kitchen Blowtorch Reviews
1. Spicy Dew Blowtorch Review
This multipurpose blowtorch is perfect for your kitchen as well as other uses like lighting candles, camping or even soldering.
The flame can hit a temperature of up to 1500°C, which is hot enough to caramelize the top of your crème brulee without melting the custard.
It also works great for other delicate foods like marshmallows and toasted bread.
It’s easy to adjust the flame intensity depending on what kind of food you are searing. Some like steak may need a hotter flame while others need a more delicate touch.
The torch uses butane, which is not included in the refillable canister. If you don’t have a butane canister at home, buy one from Amazon as you order this.
Refilling the torch canister is easy and safe.
It holds 12 grams of fuel that provides about 60 minutes of burn time. A fuel gauge window shows you how much fuel you have left.
The torch itself is incredibly well made. It’s made to last. It also looks great and is comfortable to hold in your hand.
The packaging looks beautiful as well, which is great for those who are planning to gift the torch to a friend or family member.
What we like about it:
- Large canister holds plenty of fuel. You don’t have to refill as often.
- Lightweight and comfortable to hold.
- Convenient fuel gauge.
- Child lock ensures only an adult can use it. Also features anti-flare protection for your safety.
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2. Andrew James Kitchen Blow Torch Review
This is a slightly cheaper alternative to the Spicy Dew blowtorch.
It has a lower maximum temperature – 1300°C – though that’s still hot enough for most of your kitchen needs.
You can adjust the flame intensity using a dial on the handle.
In addition to caramelizing your deserts and searing meats, you can use the torch for DIY projects, camping or even as a lighter for candles and the fireplace.
For safety, the torch features an integrated hand guard to protect your hand from the flame and a safety lock to ensure it does not ignite accidentally and to keep kids from using it.
A handy countertop stand makes it easy to place the torch where you can easily reach it.
The Andrew James blowtorch uses a refillable canister. It’s empty when it arrives so you need to have a butane canister on hand.
Like most blowtorches, you refill it through socket underneath the canister.
The torch canister has an extra-large capacity of 16g. It lasts longer between refills.
What we like about it:
- Large canister reduces refill frequency.
- Safe to use thanks to the safety lock and handguard.
- Adjustable flame intensity.
- Two-year warranty.
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3. MasterClass Deluxe Gas Kitchen Blow Torch Review
If you want a torch with a bit of style, this one by MasterClass is a good choice. The black, red and white finish looks good on your kitchen counter.
Talking of a kitchen counter, the torch has a sturdy base that keeps it safely in place on the counter. A safety lock ensures the torch does not ignite accidently and keeps curious little hands from using it.
The torch works well but there are several complaints regarding build quality and refilling.
Many customers say it feels a bit fiddly with the lock sometimes getting stuck. Many also had problems refilling the canister.
But we love the non-slip handle – it makes the torch safer to use. The anti-flare protection and instant piezo ignition also add to the torch’s safety.
The manufacturer doesn’t specify how hot the flame gets but users say it’s hot enough for most of their needs. It can sear, roast or caramelize just about any food in seconds.
What we like about it:
- Beautiful professional design.
- Easy to use with instant ignition and adjustable flame intensity.
- Hot flame.
- Multiple safety features.
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4. MasterClass KitchenCraft Gas Blowtorch Review
The KitchenCraft’s design is straight out of a chef’s kitchen. It has a stunning black and chrome designer finish that will complement the décor of any kitchen.
The professional design is probably one of the reasons it’s more expensive than the other kitchen torches.
Beyond the torch’s looks, there are some complaints about ease of use.
Customers say the ignition switch is a bit stiff, making it difficult for some to switch it on. If you have arthritic fingers, this is not the best blowtorch for you.
Some users also had trouble refilling it.
But other than that, the blowtorch works great.
It produces an instant focused flame that burns hot enough to sear or roast any food.
An anti-flare design prevents the flame from reaching your hand while a safety lock ensures the flame does not ignite by accident.
As with other blowtorches, you can easily adjust the flame intensity depending on what you are searing. Select a gentle burn for caramelizing a fruit or turn it up to the highest intensity to sear a steak.
What we like about it:
- Non-slip handle makes the torch easier and safer to use.
- Magnetic stand makes storage easy.
- Comes in a beautiful package – great for gifting.
- Beautiful chef’s design.
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5. WOSTOO Blowtorch Review
If you are on a tight budget, this is the cheapest blowtorch among our picks.
It is more of a mini-blowtorch with a small refillable canister, hence the lower price. But if you only need the blowtorch for occasional use, the WOSTOO mini-blowtorch will do.
With normal use, you’ll get about 30 minutes out of a full canister. You can refill it with any brand of butane.
For its size, it can get really hot. The maximum flame temperature is 1300°C, good enough for any recipe.
A gas flow regulator lets you choose how intensive the flame is.
There is a finger/hand guard to prevent the gas from flaring backwards and a sturdy base for easy storage on the counter.
What we like about it:
- Compact and lightweight – easy to hold and perfect for camping and picnics.
- Easy to refill.
- Flame gets really hot – sears or roasts anything in seconds.
- Multiple safety features.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What can I use instead of a kitchen blowtorch?
The best alternative to a kitchen blow torch is an oven broiler. Place whatever you want to sear or caramelize near the top of a preheated oven close to the broiler.
Depending on what you are cooking, it can take a few seconds to a few minutes to get the result you want. To keep the food from overcooking, leave the oven door slightly open. For Crème Brulee, place it in an ice water bath to keep the custard from cooking.
For searing steak, a hot pan also works. 3-4 minutes on each side is enough to brown the outside.
2. Is it safe to use a butane torch on food?
Yes, it is. The byproducts of butane combustion – carbon dioxide and water vapour – do not affect the safety, taste or odour of food. So you can go ahead and use a butane blowtorch on your food.
3. Can you use a propane blowtorch for cooking?
Like butane, propane is totally safe for cooking. In fact, a propane blowtorch burns hotter than a butane one, making it great for searing steaks and roasting peppers. It’s just that propane kitchen blowtorches are harder to come by in stores.
My wife bought me this blow torch and I was ready to go! Unfortunately unable to fill with gas. However I had noticed that the gas outlet nozzles was very wobberly. Out came my very small long nosed pliers and after 7//9 turns, no wobberly . Re filled the gas and bingo torch now all systems go. Very nicely too.