The Honest Dab Torch Guide

The Honest Dab Torch Guide: How to Pick One That Actually Lasts

If you've just got your first dab rig and a nice quartz banger, there's one bit of kit that quietly makes or breaks the whole thing which nobody talks about it enough. The torch.

I've seen people spend fifty quid on a lovely rig, pair it with a cheap flame torch and then wonder why their dabs are flavourless. So let's fix that. This is everything I wish someone had told me when I started. 

What does a dab torch actually do?

Simply: it heats your banger or nail so you can vaporise a concentrate. That's it. You heat the quartz, let it cool, drop your dab in and rip

The reason it matters so much is that quartz needs to hit the right temperatures to work properly and it needs to get there evenly and quickly. A weak or fiddly flame will heat unevenly, and wastes gas. A proper torch gets the job done and gives you control. 

Why won't a normal lighter work?

Because a soft flame from a standard lighter tops out somewhere around 800 to 1000°C (1470 to 1830°F) at the very tip, but it's a lazy, wafting flame that loses most of that heat to the air before it ever reaches your quartz. You'll be there ages, you'll scorch your fingers, and you'll blacken the outside of the banger without properly heating it through.

A butane jet torch is totally different. It fires a direct, focused blue flame that is wind resistant and you can actually aim. It should run a flame around 1300°C (2370°F) and deliver where you point it. That's what quartz wants. Once you've used one you won't go back.

What is it about Blazer torches?

Fair question, because if you've spent any time in cannabis forums or watching videos online, Blazer comes up constantly. The Buddy and the Big Shot are the ones people mean and they have earned the reputation. Made in Japan, genuinely reliable, a wind resistant flame that Blazer rates around 2500°F, a flame lock slider, a clear fuel window so you can see your gas level. They're the benchmark and it’s what we use! 

We are B.S free at A Bong Shop so honest we are! A Blazer is a premium tool at a premium price and it seems overkill for a lot of people. If you dab daily, want something that'll outlive cheaper torches x3 and you just want to buy once, a Blazer is a sound shout. If you're a casual user or you're just getting into concentrates, a good mid range jet torch will heat your banger every bit as well for a fraction of the money. The flame does the same job. You're paying Blazer for the build quality and the longevity, not for hotter dabs.

So don't let anyone trick you into thinking you need one to dab properly. You don't. You need a reliable jet flame and clean fuel. Where you land on price is about how often you dab and how long you want the thing to last, nothing more.

Single jet, triple jet or a big soldering torch: what do you actually need?

There's a lot of choice out there and most of it comes down to flame size and fuel capacity.

Single jet pocket torches are the classic dab torch. Compact, refillable, pocketable and they heat a standard banger fine. This is where most people should start.

Triple and quad jet torches throw a wider, hotter flame and heat larger quartz or a big flat-top banger faster. Great if you run bigger pieces or you're impatient, but they burn through gas quicker and they're chunkier.

Big soldering-style torches like the Blazer Big Shot or a Newport are the heavy hitters. Loads of capacity, strong flame, they'll heat anything. They're less pocket friendly and more of a home-station tool.

For the average person with a standard 14.5mm quartz banger, a single or dual jet is the sweet spot. Don't overbuy. A monster torch on a little banger just means you're more likely to overheat the quartz and chazz it.

What butane should you use?

This is the bit people skip, and it's the reason half of all cheap torches die early. Use properly refined butane. You want gas that's marketed as five times refined, or near enough. The cheap stuff has impurities and propellant that gum up the tiny jet inside the torch, and once that jet clogs you get a spitty, uneven flame or nothing at all.

Good butane is cheap. A clogged torch is annoying. Spend the extra pound on refined gas and your torch will thank you by lasting years instead of months. This one small habit saves more torches than any brand name ever will.

How do you refill a dab torch without wrecking it?

Nothing complicated here, but a couple of things people get wrong:

1. Empty the torch first if it's spitting. Turn the flame adjuster to low, hold the torch upside down, and press the fill valve with a small screwdriver to bleed out any old gas and air. Do this outside or by an open window, away from any flame.
2. Turn the flame dial to low or off before filling.
3. Hold the torch upside down, press the butane can straight down onto the fill valve, and give it a few short presses. Don't force it.
4. Let it sit for a couple of minutes. Cold gas needs to settle to room temperature before you spark it, otherwise the flame runs weak.
5. Adjust your flame back up, spark it, and you're away.

The number one mistake is refilling with the flame dial wide open, or lighting it immediately after filling while the gas is still freezing cold. Patience gives you a clean, strong flame.

How do you heat a banger without ruining it?

This is where temperature comes in, and it deserves proper explanation, so rather than cram it in here I've written the full breakdown separately. The short version: you heat the quartz, then you wait for it to cool into the right window before you dab. Heating it and dabbing straight away torches your concentrate and wastes flavour. Letting it cool too far and you get a weak, wasteful puddle.

Low temperature dabbing preserves your terpenes and gives you the flavour, high temperature gives you bigger clouds and a harsher hit. Which you want is personal, but a timer or a temperature reader takes all the guesswork out of it. I go into the exact temperatures and timings in the low-temp versus high-temp guide, linked below, because getting this right matters more than which torch you own.

One rule regardless of temperature: don't hammer cold quartz with a full flame for thirty seconds straight. Thermal shock cracks bangers. Heat it evenly, keep the flame moving, and let it breathe.

How long will a torch last on one fill?

Depends entirely on flame size and tank capacity, but as a rough guide a single jet pocket torch gives you plenty of sessions per fill, while a big multi-jet drinks gas and needs topping up more often. The clear fuel windows you see on better torches, Blazer included, exist for exactly this reason: so you're never caught mid-session with a dying flame. If your torch doesn't have a window, get in the habit of refilling before it runs dry rather than after.

Torch safety: what actually matters?

A jet torch is a proper flame, not a novelty lighter, so treat it like one. None of this is scary, it's just common sense that's worth saying out loud.

Keep it away from heat and never leave it in a hot car or in direct sun, because pressurised butane and heat don't mix. Refill in a ventilated space away from any open flame. Use the flame lock only when you actually need hands-free heating, and never leave a locked flame unattended. Let hot quartz cool before you handle it, and give a fresh dab a second so you're not inhaling scorching vapour. If you've got kids about, a torch with a child-resistant ignition is worth the few extra quid.

None of this is meant to put you off. Millions of people dab safely every day. Respect the flame, refill it properly, store it sensibly, and a good torch is one of the most boringly reliable tools you'll own.

Which torch should you buy?

Here's how I'd think about it, honestly.

If you are...	Look at	Why
New to dabbing or on a budget	The reliable Blazer Big Buddy	Heats a standard banger perfectly, costs little, no fuss
A regular dabber who wants it to last	A quality torch like the  Blazer Big Shot GT8000	Better build, longer life, buy once
Running big quartz or a home dab station	Jimmy Greens favourite Blazer Big Shot GT8000	Faster, more capacity, more power
Wanting to skip the torch entirely	An e-rig like the Puffco Peak Pro	Consistent temperature, no flame, no butane

Whatever you go for, the two things that actually determine your experience are a focused blue jet flame and clean refined butane. Get those right and the rest is preference.

If you'd rather not deal with a flame at all, that's a legitimate choice, and an electronic device like an e-nail keeps your temperature steady and takes the torch out of the equation completely. Different tool, same goal.

Beginner glossary

Banger: The quartz bucket on a dab rig that you heat and drop your concentrate into.
Butane: The gas that fuels a jet torch. Use the refined stuff.
Chazzing: The cloudy white scorching that ruins quartz when you overheat it or don't clean it.
Flame lock: A slider that keeps the flame on hands-free so you're not holding the button.
Jet flame: A tight, focused, wind resistant blue flame, as opposed to a soft lighter flame.
Thermal shock: Cracking caused by heating cold quartz too hard, too fast.

FAQ

Can I use a kitchen crème brûlée torch to dab?

Yes, functionally it's the same jet flame. It'll be bulkier and less pocket friendly, but it heats quartz fine. A purpose-made dab torch is just more convenient.

Why does my flame keep sputtering?
Usually cheap or contaminated butane clogging the jet, or air in the tank. Bleed it, refill with refined gas, and let it settle before lighting.

Do I need a Blazer?
No. A Blazer is a great torch, but any reliable jet flame heats your banger the same. You're paying for longevity and build, not performance.

How hot does a dab torch get?
A butane jet runs around 1300°C (2370°F) at the flame, which is far more than you need. That's why letting the quartz cool before dabbing matters.

Is it cheaper to use an e-nail?
Over time, arguably yes, since you're not buying butane and you're not replacing torches. The upfront cost is higher, but there's no flame and no guesswork on temperature.