The gas canister wand thingys.

Do they work? Mrs Blackflag has started mentioning them but i’m not convinced.

Not gas one, but bought my mum an electric one recommended on one of the gardening websites – was £30 and she loves it and says it deffo works

How big are your weeds?

I got one to sort out a big block paved drive and it was pretty effective. Has to be properly dry though.

Unless you’re talking 420, in which case I’m a bit out of the loop.

I’ve got one, good and very satisfying. Ideal if you camp and end up with lots of near empty cannisters. It’s more useful as a tool to keep on top of things rather than something to clear a jungle. 5 minutes here and there is ideal.

Don’t leave it out in the rain, you’ll get corrosion in the jet and it will be pooped.

I have one and it’s crap – the only way it works is if I blitz the area with weedkiller then burn the dried husks off a couple of weeks later.

One was fairly effective at setting my neighbour’s shed alight two weeks ago. Seemingly used it and stored it away.

They’re great, I use mine all the time – for lighting the bbq/fire pit, garden candles etc etc. Less useful for weeds unless your garden is the size of a Subbuteo pitch. I mean, it works but it’s so slow.
Based on the fact it’d proved the concept to me though, I got a Sheen X300. Now that gets the job done! Scares the **** out of me everytime I light it up though 🤣 🔥🔥🔥

Go big or go home

Based on the fact it’d proved the concept to me though, I got a Sheen X300. Now that gets the job done! Scares the **** out of me everytime I light it up though 🤣 🔥🔥🔥

I initially bought a roofer’s flame gun to blitz my drive, but couldn’t source a suitable Calor gas canister (Covid shortage). Probably for the best.

+1 on it being a bit rubbish.

My Wife bought one after a recommendation from a neighbour.
I think it’s OK if you are getting out there regularly to blitz tiny weeds as they pop-up. But anything that has time to establish just comes straight back again.
It’s also pretty slow to use & stinks.

Apparently the idea is not to burn the weeds right back with them, it’s just to singe/wilt them with the heat. That way you weaken the plant and the root, burning the top off leaves the root in place pretty much unaffected

Go big or go home

that’s the fella 😃

Apparently the idea is not to burn the weeds right back with them

yeah exactly. Quick blast which kills it, then it dries out over the next few days (assuming no rain!) Then you can go over again to actually burn them, or just pull them out really easily.

We have a small paved driveway that was getting a bit weedy so I bought a cheapie one after spending one to many weekend on my knees painstakingly pulling them out one by one.

Way easier, great bit of kit. You don’t need to incinerate the weeds though, just run the torch over them and they’ll die and disappear over the next few days. Do it about one ever 10 days now, takes ten mins.

EDIT: WOT THEY SAID

Go big or go home

I used to have one of those when I had a large garden with lots of weeds. It was insane!

A bit like a hand held jet engine with afterburner.

Invite Snoop Dogg round for a bit.

Love mine- I don’t really like using chemicals but killing things with fire feels appropriately vindictive when dealing with my crappy patio. Quite versatile too, I use it loads for little diy jobs.

(I have a bigger one that fits to a propane cylinder but the principle’s all the same)

I prefer chemicals, ideally Glyphisate, safe to use, kills the roots which burning doesnt and for me doesnt feel as bad environmentally although for all i know it produces more CO2 making it than the burner creates.

As said above. Glyphosate applied as a spray is 100% effective. If the browned off plants bother you then going over the area with a strimmer 4 weeks after application will quickly solve that.
Other option for block paving is pathclear applied by watering can. Works faster and stays in the ground reducing re-infeststion. Do not use it on beds!
Flame guns are slow, expensive and won’t kill the roots so many of the weeds will be back within a month.

Apparently the idea is not to burn the weeds right back with them, it’s just to singe/wilt them with the heat.

exactly – you only need to get living material over 60 odd degrees to kill it. You don’t need to vaporise it. You’re heating not burning

They definitely don’t work for weeds but great for starting fires!