Hurrah for the blow torch! Now you can save your pyromania for the kitchen...

A blowtorch is a surefire (ha!) way to bring some serious excitement to any kitchen, letting you caramalise, brown, roast whatever you want – not to mention add some serious crispiness to any meal. Sure, a blowtorch can be a little daunting to most amateur chefs the first time around (high-powered flames have that effect on people!), but there’s no denying that the benefits are clear for all to see. And, once you’ve mastered the blowtorch, you’ll find cooking easier than ever – how else can you heat exactly what you want in a miniscule amount of time, after all?

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t just have to use your blowtorch for making up a creme brulee. Depending on the size and power of your blowtorch, you can use it for browning red peppers, crisping up pine nuts, caramelising sugar and much more. Plus, if you bag a heavy duty blowtorch, you can use that nimble kitchen butane device for soldering metal too – how versatile!

How to choose your blowtorch:

Shopping for the right blowtorch is simple, if you know what you’re looking for. Ideally, you want your blowtorch to be able to reach temperatures of at least 1300°C – the exact same heat as the professionals use – and you want your blowtorch to come with the ability to adjust the flame to the size and power you need. You’ll find that most of the kitchen blowtorch options out there also have an anti-flare option – also a great thing – and spark ignition.

Again, try to make sure that your new kitchen blowtorch comes with user-friendly safety features, such as a safety lock and removable safety stand, to try and prevent any little kitchen mishaps. And be sure to read the operating manual and instructions supplied with your blowtorch before firing it up. We’re serious. Unleashing your inner pyromaniac in the kitchen is all well and good, but only if you a) get great food out of it and b) don’t burn the house down in the process.

The best thing about the blowtorch?

The blowtorch comes recommended by all of the top chefs, such as Delia Smith, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey, so anyone looking to follow in their cooking footsteps should definitely consider adding a blowtorch to their kitchen repertoire asap. The majority of kitchen blow torches are easy to use, cheap enough to refill with a simple gas lighter and all deliver excellent results when used properly.