GlassTorches.com
The honest guide to choosing a glass torch.
Independent comparisons, a buyer's guide built around how you actually work, and the history of the craft, from surface-mix to premix, beginner minors to production triple-mix.
Why trust this
-
Buyer-first
Comparisons are made to help you choose the right torch for your bench, not to push a brand.
-
Built around how you work
Soft glass or boro, beads or production pipes: recommendations follow your actual bench, not a spec sheet.
-
Compiled from maker sources
Figures come from manufacturer and community sources. Confirming a model exists is not the same as confirming every spec, so we flag what is still unconfirmed.
Featured torches
A few standout torches to start with, tap any one for full specs and flame notes.
-
Everyday workhorse GTT Bobcat
7-jet standard surface-mix torch (not GTT's patented Triple Mix).
$275 Beginner, Intermediate -
Precision & detail GTT Lynx
7-jet pinpoint detail flame; patented Triple Mix surface mix.
$525 Intermediate, Advanced -
Production / big flame GTT Mirage
2-stage: Lynx center + two rings, 40 total jets; high power across glass types.
$1,975 Advanced
Specs are compiled from manufacturer and community sources and are being verified with makers; confirm details before buying.
Browse by maker
Every manufacturer we cover, with its full lineup and where it fits. Start with the maker you already have in mind.
-
Most covered
Glass Torch Technologies USA · Boro, Production, Pipe, Soft
Standard surface-mix, patented Triple Mix, and 4-Way Mix torches, built by hand in Pennsylvania.
16 torches in catalog - Nortel Manufacturing Canada · Soft, Boro, Beginner
Toronto maker; a surface-mix mounted line with premix hand torches and optional top burners.
16 torches in catalog - Carlisle Machine Works USA · Soft, Boro, Beads
Family-run New Jersey maker of combination, surface-mix, bench, and hand torches since 1918.
14 torches in catalog - Bethlehem Burners USA · Scientific, Production, Boro
Pennsylvania maker of surface-mix glassworking torches since 1950.
12 torches in catalog - Herbert Arnold Germany · Scientific, Industrial, Boro, Soft
German maker of quiet surface-mix hand and bench burners, quartz-capable.
5 torches in catalog - National Torch USA · Hand-torch, Bench, Scientific, Industrial
A division of Premier Industries; premix and surface-mix hand and bench torches with tip systems.
4 torches in catalog
Guides
Plain-language explainers built around how you actually work - mix type, oxygen, fuel, and budget.
How to Choose a Glass Torch: The Complete Buyer's Guide
Confused about which glass torch to buy? This buyer's guide walks soft-glass and boro artists through mix type, oxygen, fuel, and budget to the right torch.
Read the guide →-
Surface Mix vs Premix Torches: Flame, Noise, and Cost
Surface mix burns quieter, gentler, and more adjustable; premix burns hotter and usually costs less. A side by side table and which fits soft glass or boro.
Read → -
Best Beginner Glass Torch: Forgiving First Torches That Won't Hold You Back
The best beginner glass torch has a forgiving flame, runs soft glass on modest oxygen, and fits your budget. Top picks: Carlisle Mini CC and Nortel Minor.
Read → -
Oxygen Concentrator vs Tanks for Lampworking: Which Supply Should You Run?
Oxygen concentrator vs tanks for lampworking: how torch LPM demand decides it, purity and flow ceilings, costs, safety, and the best supply by torch size.
Read →
Not sure where to start?
Answer a few quick questions about your glass, your work, and your budget, and we'll point you to torches that fit.