Kitchen Torch & Smoke Infuser

Common Questions About Kitchen Torches and Smoke Infusers

What does a cooking torch do?

Cooking torches – also known as kitchen torches or crème brûlée torches – utilize butane fuel to create flames at incredibly high temperatures upwards of 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit in order to melt cheese, create glazes, and craft crème brûlée. Kitchen torches are great for finishing products that need a portion melted or to add unique looks or textures to a finished dish. Torch heat is intense in a way most other kitchen tools cannot match, and the finishes a torch can produce bring an air of professionalism to your dishes. Melt sugar over grapefruit, crisp an oatmeal topping, sear tomatoes, and much more with a high-powered kitchen torch.

What establishments need a kitchen torch?

These torches are unique tools not suited for every type of establishment. You only require one if you can think of a specific use that would improve a dish you serve, or if it enables you to serve new dishes that match your aesthetic. One of the most common uses for these pieces is to caramelize sugar into a glaze on top of another item. Tarts, meringues, and crème brûlée can be improved by the bright glaze created by a cooking torch, so bakeries and upscale restaurants that offer these delicacies will need a torch to create the appropriate finish.

Additionally, if you want to offer seared options, a cooking torch can finish proteins at a very high temperature, and sear vegetables to accompany your proteins or be served as main courses themselves. Melting cheese on top of a finished dish is always popular, and a torch can do this quicker and more uniquely than a standard cheese melter. The narrow, intense heat creates different textures in the finished product, as well as a hand-crafted appeal.

How do the torches work?

Most culinary torches use butane, a gaseous fuel, to reach the incredible temperatures required for glazing. The burner houses a canister of butane, which must be replaced after being used up. This is an additional expense that should be considered when purchasing a torch; however, the canisters can endure three hours of active burning at over 2,000 degrees, which is a considerable time. Each individual glazing or browning only takes a few seconds and the torch can be turned on and off promptly.

What options are available?

All our kitchen torches have safety features that will protect you from these impressive temperatures, but not all options offer the same amount of control. Some crème brûlée torches offer air and gas adjustment, which enable you to control the flame heat and size, while others have only one preset option. If that level of control is important to you or your chefs, check the product specification page of the burner you're considering to see what features it offers.

What does a smoker infuser do?

Smoke infusers empower chefs to cook their food with delicious, smoky flavors a smoker can provide without the time or equipment required for traditional smoking. Infusers have a smoking chamber that can be filled with various wood chips, spices, herbs, or even dried flowers, so you can explore a whole range of smoking flavors. Because the infuser doesn't heat the food directly, you can smoke items that could not withstand traditional smoking times and heats. This cold smoking tool provides a level of creativity that can't be found in many other pieces.