Short answer: The Bethlehem Alpha, Bravo, and Champion are three surface-mix bench torches from the same maker, and the difference between them is size, oxygen appetite, and price. The Alpha is a single-stage 6-jet burner that Bethlehem calls ideal for household gas and a 7 psi oxygen concentrator, at $350. The Bravo is a two-stage burner (a 6-jet center fire inside a 12-jet outer fire) that Bethlehem says can also run on a concentrator, at $1,171. The Champion is a two-stage burner with a 6-jet center and a 30-jet outer fire, rated for 40 LPM of tanked oxygen at full flame and carrying no concentrator claim from Bethlehem, at $1,916. Pick by the size of work and the oxygen you can supply: Alpha for beads and small pieces on a concentrator, Bravo for small-to-medium work with room to grow, Champion for medium work on tanks or bulk oxygen.
If you’re still mapping the bigger decision, start with the complete glass torch buyer’s guide, this article zooms in on these three Bethlehem models specifically.
What all three Bethlehem torches share
All three are surface-mix burners: gas and oxygen leave the face through separate ports and mix just past it, rather than inside the head. Bethlehem’s own pages say each one melts both soft glass and borosilicate, and each runs on propane, natural gas, hydrogen, or butane per its operating instructions. Two practical consequences follow:
- The flame family is the same. Moving from an Alpha to a Bravo or Champion changes the size of the flame and how many stages you control, not the way the flame behaves, so your settings instincts carry over.
- Flashback protection follows Bethlehem’s surface-mix guidance. Bethlehem’s Alpha instructions state an exception from the arrestor requirement for its surface-mix burners, subject to local regulation; premix circuits are different. Fit the flashback protection your torch and gas supply call for.
Bethlehem also has a reputation for running quietly, which matters in a home or shared studio; if noise is a real constraint, see quietest torches for shared studios. Because the three share one design approach, this isn’t a contest between philosophies. It’s a ladder: how much flame do you need, and how much oxygen can you supply? Sources: Bethlehem Alpha instructions, The Crucible.
Bethlehem Alpha, the entry/starter
The Alpha is the entry rung: a single-stage burner with six gas jets on a 5/8 inch face. Bethlehem lists 10 LPM of tanked oxygen at full flame and describes the Alpha as ideal for household gas at 1/4 psi and a 7 psi oxygen concentrator, while also running the traditional settings of 5 psi gas and 20 psi oxygen. For a first-time buyer assembling a home setup on a budget, that keeps the whole system affordable, not just the torch.
Its limit is range. One stage of six jets suits beads, pendants and small soft-glass or boro work, not large boro or heavy assemblies, and there is no separate center fire to switch to for detail. If your world is beads and small pieces, that’s no loss, and it’s why an entry Bethlehem shows up in best beginner glass torch discussions. At $350 it sits at the bottom of Bethlehem’s bench-burner pricing.
Bethlehem Bravo, the middle-of-the-road choice
The Bravo splits its flame across two independently controlled burners: a 6-jet center fire inside a 12-jet outer fire on a 1 inch face, 18 gas jets in all. Running the center alone gives a small flame for detail and stringer work; opening the outer fire adds heat for larger beads and small boro. Bethlehem lists propane at 2 to 5 psi (6 LPM) and oxygen at 8 to 20 psi (30 LPM) at full flame, and says the Bravo can also operate on household gas at 1/4 psi and oxygen concentrators at 7 psi. Read that 30 LPM as the ceiling on tanked oxygen, not the flow you need for every session.
The Bravo replaced Bethlehem’s discontinued Barracuda, and Bethlehem lists it with a swivel base and scroll pedestal. Think of it as the balanced middle: a second stage and three times the Alpha’s jet count, at $1,171.
Bethlehem Champion, the more capable step up
The Champion keeps the two-stage layout but grows the outer fire: a 6-jet center inside a 30-jet outer fire on a 1.125 inch face, with 78 oxygen ports on the outer fire. Bethlehem lists propane at 5 psi (8 LPM) and oxygen at 20 psi (40 LPM) at full flame, and 775 BTU per minute. Bethlehem makes no oxygen-concentrator claim for the Champion on its product page or in its operating instructions, so plan on tanks or bulk oxygen if you intend to run the outer fire hard.
The Champion is the choice for someone who’s confident at the bench, doing medium soft-glass and boro work, and wants headroom rather than a starter’s ceiling; our catalog places it at intermediate to advanced. At $1,916 it sits above the Bravo in both flame size and price.
Side-by-side: Alpha vs Bravo vs Champion
Figures are from Bethlehem’s own product pages and operating instructions. Prices are Bethlehem’s list prices as recorded 2026-07-18; confirm current prices and configurations with Bethlehem before buying.
| Factor | Bethlehem Alpha | Bethlehem Bravo | Bethlehem Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Entry / starter | Middle-of-the-road | More capable step up |
| Mix | Surface mix | Surface mix | Surface mix |
| Stages | 1 | 2 (center and outer) | 2 (center and outer) |
| Gas jets | 6 | 18 (6 center, 12 outer) | 36 (6 center, 30 outer) |
| Face | 5/8 inch | 1 inch | 1.125 inch |
| Oxygen at full flame (tanked) | ~10 LPM | ~30 LPM | ~40 LPM |
| Concentrator use per Bethlehem | Ideal at 7 psi | Can operate at 7 psi | No claim published |
| Work size | Beads, small pieces | Small-to-medium | Medium |
| Skill level (our catalog) | Beginner to intermediate | Beginner to intermediate | Intermediate to advanced |
| Fuel | Propane / natural gas / hydrogen / butane | Propane / natural gas / hydrogen / butane | Propane / natural gas / hydrogen / butane |
| Price | $350 | $1,171 | $1,916 |
Sources: Alpha, Bravo, Champion.
Which should you buy?
- Brand-new, small work, modest oxygen and budget: Alpha. Bethlehem pitches it at a 7 psi concentrator and household gas, at the lowest entry price in the line.
- Past the beginner stage, want one torch for small-to-medium work: Bravo. The separate center fire handles detail and the outer fire adds heat, and Bethlehem still says it can run on a concentrator.
- Confident at the bench, doing medium work, with tanks or bulk oxygen: Champion. The 30-jet outer fire is the headroom, and its 40 LPM full-flame figure is why the oxygen plan comes first.
- Noise is your top constraint (shared studio, thin walls): match the size to your work and see quietest torches for shared studios.
Don’t forget oxygen and fuel
The flame is only half the system, your oxygen supply has to feed it. Bethlehem’s full-flame figures step from 10 LPM (Alpha) to 30 LPM (Bravo) to 40 LPM (Champion) on tanked oxygen, and only the first two carry a concentrator claim. Those are ceilings at full flame, not the flow every session draws, but they tell you which torch a single home concentrator can feed. All three run on propane, natural gas, hydrogen, or butane; never mix up fittings between fuels, and run proper ventilation. For the full breakdown of oxygen, fuel, and budgeting the whole system, see the complete buyer’s guide.
Key takeaways
- The Alpha, Bravo, and Champion are three Bethlehem surface-mix bench torches; the choice is flame size, oxygen supply, and budget.
- Alpha: single stage, 6 jets, 10 LPM at full flame, pitched by Bethlehem at a 7 psi concentrator.
- Bravo: two stages, 18 jets (6 center, 12 outer), 30 LPM at full flame, concentrator-capable per Bethlehem.
- Champion: two stages, 36 jets (6 center, 30 outer), 40 LPM at full flame, no concentrator claim.
- Confirm current prices and configurations with Bethlehem before buying, and plan your oxygen and safety gear as part of the budget.
Sources
- Bethlehem Burners, Alpha: https://www.bethlehemburners.com/torches/alpha/
- Bethlehem Burners, Bravo: https://www.bethlehemburners.com/torches/bravo/
- Bethlehem Burners, Champion: https://www.bethlehemburners.com/torches/champion/
- Bethlehem Burners, Alpha operating instructions: https://www.bethlehemburners.com/resources/operating-instructions/alpha-operating-instructions/
- The Crucible, “Lampworking/Flameworking tools & supplies”: https://www.thecrucible.org/guides/lampworking-flameworking/tools-supplies/
- Lampwork Etc., “Pre-mix vs Surface mix”: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191042
Editor’s note: specifications are from Bethlehem’s product pages and operating instructions, read by us between July and September 2026; prices are Bethlehem’s list prices recorded 2026-07-18. Verify current lineups, configurations, specs, and prices with Bethlehem before purchase.