I love gooey melted cheese, the satisfying crackle of a perfectly brûléed anything, and beautiful browning on a meringue topping. That’s why I’m devoted to my kitchen torch, a surprisingly versatile, space-saving tool that impresses dinner guests and makes mundane cooking tasks, such as melting cheese, feel more like an event.
Sure, in many cases I could use my oven or stovetop to achieve similar results. But the ergonomic and powerful Whip-It Motif Torch gives me the advantage of a more precise flame in less time, offering a level of control that I can’t get from a conventional oven or range.
Not all torches are such a delight to use. The first one I owned required constant butane refills and would drip fuel afterward—it was a miracle that I started only one small fire.
So, to find a torch I loved, I spent two weeks testing four of them. I melted cheese, charred tomatoes and poblano peppers, and brûléed oatmeal and grapefruit. The Whip-It Motif Torch was overall the most comfortable to hold, while also being compact, speedy, and efficient.
