When it comes down to purchasing a smoking supply for a culinary experience, we are sure that you will find an amazing range of torches and lighters. This is because the torches can be used for the sous vide cooking experience, while the lighter is enough to turn on the stove’s burner. To help you differentiate between the two, we are sharing the comparison on butane lighter vs. torch!
Butane Torch vs Lighter:
Uses Of Butane
Butane is basically a hydrocarbon gas, which is available in natural gas and petroleum. It is widely used in lighters and is filled in the canisters that are connected to the torch for creating a flame. Butane is one of the most flammable gases and can be easily liquefied, making it suitable for culinary uses. In addition, butane can be used in outdoor BBQ grills, heaters, motorhome cooking appliances, camping stoves, and cabinet heaters. Coming back to the point, let’s check out the differences between butane lighters and torches.
Butane Torch
A butane torch is a widely used culinary tool that produces extremely hot flame with the help of butane, which is a highly flammable gas. The butane torches are designed to produce flame temperatures ranging up to 2610-degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range is not only suitable for the kitchen but to solder as well. Keep in mind that the maximum temperature range depends on the brand and torch’s model.
It has a variety of functions in home improvement and culinary functions, such as brazing and soldering. When it comes down to kitchen use, it can be used to caramelize the sugar on desserts, such as crème Brulee. For the most part, they are marketed as a cooking torch, culinary torch, and kitchen torch. In addition to caramelizing the sugar, it can be used to melt the cheese, brown or melt the toppings on soups and casseroles, and roast the vegetables. Also, it works great for charring the peppers.
Since these torches promise high-intensity flame, they can be used for lighting up cigars. Moreover, it can be used for smoking and flaming cocktails.
Butane Lighters
The butane lighters are designed to release the liquid butane, which is stored in a pressured chamber. The butane comes out in the form of a narrow gas stream. A spark is made by hitting the flint with steel, or you can compress the electric crystal to ignite the gas. Since butane can turn on quickly when compressed and shifts to the gas form with a reduction in pressure, it makes a suitable choice for the lighters.
The flame made by butane lighters is the same as a burning candle but consumes more butane to support the flame and keep it consistent. The butane lighters are easy to find, affordable, and accessible at every shop. On top of everything, a butane lighter is a promising choice for people who don’t like electric lighters. These lighters are available for less than $2 and can make over three-thousand lights pretty easily.
When it comes down to the use, the butane lighters can be customized in various colors. Usually, the lighters are designed from plastic and come with a metal ball that seals the gas tank once filled. In addition, the spark wheel is made from steel wire, which is rotated to create a spark.
Safety Tips To Follow
Now that you are aware of the differences between a butane lighter and a torch, you need to be particular about using it, so follow the below-mentioned safety tips;
- Be extra careful about the flame intensity because butane is highly flammable, which can result in burning
- Make sure that you keep the gas canister away from the heat sources to prevent an explosion
- Store the lighters and torches in a dry, cool, and dark place to make sure it doesn’t heat up and is away from the reach of pets and kids
- Always use the torches and lighters at a 45-degree angle and around eight-inch away from the main surface
- Make sure that you are in a well-ventilated place while using the butane lighters and torches because butane is a flammable gas
- Keep in mind that you have to be careful about the flame size, depending on which food you need to caramelize or sear
So, which of these butane tools will you choose?