A blowtorch is a handheld tool that produces an intensely hot, focused flame, hot enough to melt metal or cut through steel. It works by mixing fuel (often propane or another gas) with air and igniting it, creating a narrow blue flame that can reach very high temperatures.

Welders use blowtorches to join pieces of metal together by melting their edges until they fuse. Construction workers use them to cut through old pipes or beams. You might see a plumber using a smaller blowtorch to solder copper pipes, heating them just enough to melt a special metal that seals the joints.

Chefs also use small blowtorches in the kitchen, most famously to caramelize the sugar on top of crème brûlée, creating that satisfying crackly crust. These culinary torches are much smaller and less powerful than industrial versions, but they work on the same principle: a controlled, concentrated flame that delivers intense heat exactly where you need it.