Bernzomatic19425 JT850 Self-Igniting 20,000 BTU Outdoor Torch (JT850)

This really helps with the weeds. I bought another one for my spouse.

I have several tools in my arsenal to defeat the dreaded "weed", hahaha. My property is mostly dryscape. This winter brought a ton of rain in Southern California. A lot of grass/weeds popped up in my DG and rock gardens. I have continually struggled with getting rid of the weeds in a safe, efficient, and low impact on my back way. So I needed to find a different solution.The first time I used the torch I did have a little trouble getting used to it because it's hard to see the flame so you don't always know where the torch is aiming. Also takes a bit to figure out the best setting for how much gas to give it so it stays lit but doesn't have too big of a flame. After a couple test drives I quickly figured out how to harness it's power and easily direct the torch to where I want it to go. And for sure...It works AMAZINGLY!! Instant gratification! No more waiting for dangerous weed killer to work. No more bending over to pull or using other tools to rake out weeds.This thing is perfect for Rock gardens, DG, or paved hard surfaces that are a safe distance from anything flammable you don't want to burn. I wouldn't use it on a full lawn or bush area because it could burn unwanted things. And definitely best to use it in cooler, damp weather.The ease of use is just outstanding. You can either hit the weed with a little heat and let it die over a few days, or you can completely burn it to ash right then and there. And not gonna lie, it's FUN to use, hahah.LOVE this thing!

I've had this for several months now and I love it. This is why:1) It is better than using chemicals. If you read round-up, in order for it to work it has to be applied when the weather is a certain temperature, no wind, and no rain for 24hrs. Add to that that it all has to happen on one of my days off, and quite frankly I have better odds of winning the lottery. I wouldn't use it during a high wind, but other than that, I have been able to use it whenever I wanted. Also, I think it works better than chemicals because it provides better weed control. I removed three large sections of lawn; one section I did weed control with chemicals, one section I used the torch, and on the third section I did nothing. The section with chemical spray looked hardly different from the section that I did nothing, but the section that I torched was almost weed free. There were some weeds that didn't die, and there were some others that sprouted later, but that's the nature of weeds. I just went over them with the torch again. The section of my yard that I used the torch for was far and away the easiest and least-weedy patch of ground.2) I also like that the torch burns things like dead leaves as well as green weeds. I have a lot of rock and gravel and this made cleanup easier3) I don't have to bend over to pull weeds and I don't get hand cramps pumping the weed-killer bottle. This was so much easier and faster!4) Some of the reviews complained about the flame going out easily. Although this did happen to me occasionally, it was always because the propane in the tank was getting too low. When I changed the bottle this problem stopped. Also realize that the hole to the mouth of the tube is little, so it can get suffocated more easily.Cons:1) There aren't a lot. Right now I feel that the tank is too little, but that is just because I am using it so much. I am in the middle of a large re-landscaping project, so I am using the torch A LOT and am running through tanks quickly. I deliberately chose the small model because I wanted to be able to use the torch around my flower beds. I think that it will be perfect once I get my garden established, but for now I am considering getting the adapter that allows you to use the large propane tanks.I highly recommend this product.

This is my second flame weeder and compared with the first, which lasted a few years, I like this one better because of the ignitor and because of the padded grip on the handle. I looked long and hard for a reasonably priced weeder to replace my last, and never found one for less than $50 until now, so kudos for the price. This one functioned perfectly out of the box, and appeared very sturdy and well made. Totally simple to use. Some reviewers mentioned the cushion grip can slip over the air intake, which has not happened. Some also mentioned the ignitor going out--so far so good on that, too (I've gone through two bottles of propane and probably used it several hours at this point, on three occasions, with multiple re-ignites). Others mentioned the propane tank leaking at the screw-on connection (the fix is to wrap the male connector with teflon plumbers tape)--mine does not leak. My one gripe is that the flame only works well so long as the propane bottle is fairly full. Once the bottle starts to dwindle--but with propane left--the flame seems to constantly go out no matter how high you turn the knob which controls the flow of propane from tank to device. Not sure why this happens--assuming it is some sort of pressure problem (?), but you can either keep re-igniting, over and over (frustrating), or just accept that you are going to waste some propane. Not a huge issue--propane is pretty cheap, but needs to be addressed in the design.