Updated for 2026 — This article has been reviewed and updated with the latest recommendations.
A kitchen torch is one of those tools that feels like a luxury until you try making creme brulee without one. You can try the broiler, but you will get uneven caramelization and probably warm the custard underneath. A torch gives you precise, directed heat exactly where you want it, and it opens up a whole category of techniques that are hard to replicate any other way.
Beyond creme brulee, a torch is useful for searing sous vide proteins, melting cheese on French onion soup, charring peppers, toasting meringue, and browning the top of a casserole.
Here are the best options.
Iwatani PRO2 Culinary Butane Torch
The Iwatani PRO2 is what you will find in most professional pastry kitchens. It uses standard butane canisters (the same ones used for portable camping stoves), produces a wide, powerful flame, and has a piezo ignition that lights reliably every time.
The flame is adjustable from a small precision point to a broad torch that covers several inches.
For creme brulee, the wide flame caramelizes sugar quickly and evenly across the entire surface. The trigger lock lets you keep the flame going without holding the trigger, which reduces hand fatigue when you are working through a batch of ramekins.
It feels substantial in the hand, well-balanced, and the build quality is noticeably better than cheaper torches. Butane burn time on a single canister is roughly 2 hours of continuous use.
A four-pack of butane canisters runs about 10 dollars and lasts months.
Price for the torch is around 25 to 35 dollars. For the quality and performance, this is the best value in the kitchen torch market.
EurKitchen Premium Culinary Torch
The EurKitchen is a smaller, refillable butane torch designed specifically for kitchen use.
It has a safety lock, an adjustable flame control, and a stable base that lets it stand upright on the counter. The flame is narrower than the Iwatani, which gives you more precision for detailed work like toasting individual meringue peaks or melting cheese in a specific spot.
It refills with butane lighter fuel through a valve on the bottom. This is more convenient than swapping canisters but means you need to buy butane fuel separately. The fuel tank is smaller than a full canister, so you get less burn time between refills.
Build quality is decent for the price. The body is aluminum with a rubberized grip. The ignition is reliable and the flame adjusts smoothly.
At around 20 to 25 dollars, this is a good option for cooks who want a compact torch for occasional use.
Bernzomatic TS8000 High-Intensity Torch
This is the nuclear option. The TS8000 is technically a plumbing and soldering torch, but it has become wildly popular in the cooking world for searing sous vide steaks, charring whole peppers, and any task where you need serious heat fast.
It runs on MAP-Pro or propane cylinders and produces a flame that dwarfs any butane kitchen torch.
The Searzall attachment (sold separately for about 75 dollars) fits on the TS8000 and converts the pointed flame into a broad, diffused heat pattern that sears like a broiler on steroids. A sous vide steak hit with a Searzall-equipped TS8000 develops a crust in about 30 seconds per side without overcooking the interior.
The TS8000 itself runs about 40 to 50 dollars.
A propane cylinder costs a few dollars and lasts a long time. This is not a precision tool for delicate pastry work, but for high-heat searing and charring, nothing else comes close.
Tips for Using a Kitchen Torch
Creme Brulee Technique
Sprinkle a thin, even layer of granulated sugar across the top of the chilled custard.
Hold the torch 3 to 4 inches from the surface. Move the flame in slow, even circles. The sugar will first melt, then bubble, then turn amber. Stop just before it reaches the color you want because it will darken slightly as it cools. Work one ramekin at a time.
Searing Proteins
For sous vide or other pre-cooked proteins, pat the surface completely dry first. Moisture prevents browning. Hold the torch closer than you would for sugar, about 2 inches, and keep it moving. You want rapid, intense heat that browns the surface without cooking deeper into the meat. A wider flame (Iwatani or Searzall) is better than a narrow pencil flame for this.
Charring Peppers
Hold the pepper with tongs over a sheet pan and hit it with the torch until the skin blackens and blisters. Rotate to char all sides. Transfer to a covered bowl to steam for 10 minutes, then peel off the charred skin. This works for any pepper from jalapeños to bell peppers.
Safety
Always point the torch away from yourself and anything flammable. Work on a heat-resistant surface. Keep the fuel canister away from the flame. Let the torch cool before storing it. These seem obvious, but it is easy to get casual with a tool you use regularly, and a torch is still an open flame.
Butane vs Propane
Butane torches are cleaner-burning and produce no off-flavors on food. They run at a lower temperature, which gives you more control for delicate work. Propane torches are hotter and more powerful, which is better for searing but can impart a slight metallic taste if you hold the flame too close to food for too long. The Searzall attachment on the TS8000 eliminates this taste issue by diffusing the flame.
For most kitchen tasks, a butane torch like the Iwatani is all you need. The propane option makes sense specifically for searing, where you need power more than precision. Many serious home cooks end up owning both.
