Custom Accessories89960W E-Tek Butane Torch, Blue

Interesting little gadget. Easy to operate. More practical than a lighter. Thus far I've only used it to light wood chips on the BBQ, but I can see many more uses for it. I really only have two complaints about it. First, being a MINI torch, the flame is tiny in length. That means your hand is going to get up close and personal with whatever you're torching. Be cautious and wear a heat resistant glove when possible. My second beef is that this didn't come with butane, which is inconvenient because I had to try and find someone that sold butane refills, and nobody seems to do that anymore (I had to purchase butane on Amazon!); plus the lack of butane upon delivery puts the torch on the pricey side for what you get (IMO). That said, it's real simple to operate. Usually takes me two tries of the piezzo trigger before it will light, but that's fine. Has a safety lever, so it is next-to-impossible to light accidentally; I wouldn't go so far as to say it's child proof (because the safety lever locks in the disabled position), but it's still a nice feature. You can lock the flame in the 'on' position so you don't have to continually hold down the trigger once lit. And even though I have to admit that I forgot about this, there is a little slide on the side of the unit that allows you to adjust the flame; and the reason I forgot about it is because I haven't needed to use it yet. The middle position is pretty much all you need (at least on mine).It's really hard for me to give this thing a 5-star rating, because something inside me is telling me that it isn't... but I've racked my brain for a reason NOT to give it 5 stars, and I can't come up with one. Yeah, I mentioned a couple of things above, but those don't really warrant the loss of a star. Maybe when I start expanding its uses (e.g. soldering, shrink wrapping, etc) I can change my opinion about it; but right now it seems to be a surprisingly good tool.

If you’ve ever bought butane torches before, understand that the difference here is that this one works. It doesn’t break, it doesn’t stop working after a few uses. It is a small torch, that acts as a small torch. Which makes it the best torch/lighter I’ve ever used. I’ve bought 3 now, worried that damage I’ve done to them would lead to the end of their useful lives, but nope. They’re nearly indestructible, and they have this awesome function that most pocket size butane torches don’t include, the ability to be a working pocket size butane torch. It’s incredible. This isn’t sarcasm, this may be one of the best items I’ve ever owned. Buy one, because the only regret you will have in regards to this torch/lighter/heat gun, is that you didn’t buy one sooner.

So it fills easy enough.Lights the first time so far, every time.Controls are simple, but depending , you may or may not need 2 hands.The only "con" I have for this lighter, is the base. And didn't really think about it till I got it and used it.It's not "sure footed" , it could easily tip over when left standing on end.So if you feel you may need to leave it lit and stand it on end, don't count on it.Look for one with a round base.The "pro" of its shape:If you want one to nicely tuck in a draw, this is nice smaller size and slimmer than others I've used that had more "prominent bases".I've had two or 3 from HF for about the same price, and they all failed in 1-2 years.. they had great bases and could stand well, but doesn't mean much when they stop lighting or actually blowing gas uncontrollably.So while I can't comment on the long term reliability of this one, it feels better made than those I had from HF.But it's no Bernzomatic or Dremel torch, but they are in a much different price range and are much larger.

Great value. Holds up really well. Better than a lot of metal torches. Don't let the plastic fool you.

Pros:Very hot and uniform flame which is somewhat adjustable (it doesn't change a lot from low to high). It is very compact to have such a high fuel capacity. It is also very high quality and should provide long term reliability as long as you use premium butane. I used some coleman's from a notched collar top 8 oz. can a couple times and it does not burn as clean as Premium refined brands for cigar lighters. If you don't smoke cigars then use the cleaner butane to make the torch last longer. I had to clean the flame outlet with a soft bristle tooth brush and 91% isopropyl alcohol to get it back to reliable functioning.Cons:only one really; the base is not stable so definitely cannot sit it down while the flame is locked in the "ON" position. I can't believe it even does that which seems like a safety issue. To lock a 2000+ degree flame in the on position on something you might drop and while heatshrinking some wire and burn who knows what or drop while lighting a Stogie and catch your chair or carpet on fire. But we are (supposed to be) responsible adults so I just don't use the auto flame feature unless I really have to.

After about 50 ignition cycles the ignition button and lock switch messed up. The lock does nothing and you just press the button very hard and it ignites. I'd say it's probably OK for occasional use if you don't expect much from it. I wish I had spent a bit more for something better, but then that would probably break also.

This was a good value and it works well. I just wish the "authorities" would not try so hard to protect me from myself. In this case, there is a "safety" button you have to hold before pulling the trigger to light it up. Dumb, dumb, dumb, IMO. It makes it cumbersome to operate, which could be dangerous, but they all have this silly button. When I'm using an open flame, whether it's an acetylene, propane, or map gas torch, or the outside grill, I'm pretty careful not to set myself or the shop on fire! Oh, and I keep the kiddies away from such things. Seems to go without saying. My guess is that lawyers were involved here...

Best hand held torch for the money. I use it to solder wires, it gets hot enough to do some heavier gauge wires as well. I used it a lot and its reliable.

well.made and works as should

It is tricky to control the flame. Too complicated.Do not fill it to max with butane otherwise the flame goes crazy

Work well the first couple of times. I would have to say that the construction is cooler at best. It didn't handle a small accidental fall off the counter well at all. The nozzle where the flame comes out was jarred loose and wouldn't ignite after that. I've had others in the same price range that lasted far far longer.

Junk