Hi there, welcome to the forum!
Here's a post that might be helpful on the torch:
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=21
I haven't seen a lot of other reviews on the Spartan. What I would do if I were in your shoes is get a torch that has good and solid resale value. I do not believe that the Spartan torch has this yet. You will eventually want to go bigger, and if you go with a Minor burner or a GTT Cricket, you will be able to sell those for about what you paid for them.
Here's some check valve info:
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=252571
Another thought I had - on items like hoses, flashback arrestors, and regulators, I would not go cheap. I would find out where they are getting these items before buying them. They are extremely important and you want to buy first quality.