Wok Recommendations

[Evan Estern]

I'm looking to purchase a carbon steel wok. Seems like "hand hammered" ones are popular these days and the prices range from $40 to around $300. I have to admit, the pricey ones from Zhensanhuan look incredible, but that's a lot of $$. Anyone have recommendations or advice?

 

[Delat]

IMHO with woks you don’t need to spend a lot of money - less is more. Check out the wok shop in SF. I found that place when it was mentioned in “Breath of a Wok”. Great book on wok cooking, btw.
https://www.amazon.com/Breath-Wok-G...eywords=breath+of+a+wok&qid=1610211553&sr=8-1
I’ve had one of these for about 15 years now. Threw out a fancy $100+ Calphalon wok I’d gotten before I knew any better, and this cheap little $30 wok is way better. If you want to spend an extra $100 on something better looking with the same performance, that’s a 100% valid decision too as I just did the same for a damascus-clad knife

https://www.wokshop.com/newstore/product/carbon-steel-wok-with-metal-side-handle/

 

[o_in_nyc]

It's been like 30yrs since I bought one so can't direct you to specific wok but happy to share my experiences/thoughts. Attached is a picture of the one i own and love.
- It's going to be a very large item in your kitchen and you need to be able to lift it so think twice about very heavy ones.
- A key feature of a wok is that only very bottom cooks while food pushed up the sides can, at the same time, just keep warm. Consider how big the bottom part of the wok is (you probably want the bottom to be wide).
- It's all about the patina. I'd definitely avoid non-stick, coated, stainless etc...
- You're going to want to "cure" it with a thin coating of oil and some heat virtually every time you use it. This is super quick and easy. Curing enhances the patina (vinegar eats patina).
- It's big, heavy esp. with food in it so consider a non-conductive handle - or two (see picture) to protect from burning hands!
- To really cook with a wok, you want a SERIOUS fire underneath to get it super hot. There will be splatter... When I make stir fry, I put a layer of tin foil on top of the other burners on my stove so I don't have to clean oil from all the nooks n crannies.
- I lived in HK for years and noted that most folks bought cheap woks which they then grew into as opposed to buying fancy kinds from the Williams Sonomas of the world.

 

[Konig9402]

+1 for the wok shop made in USA wok. Make sure to get a flat bottom wok for western-style (ideally gas) burners. If shopping around, be careful of woks that weigh too much. A wok too thick will limit one hand tossing ergonomics.

 

[Delat]

Also note the relationship between wok size and your burner output. I have a 12” carbon-steel wok which my 15k btu gas burner is just barely able to support properly for true wok cooking.

 

[coxhaus]

I have this wok that I bought at a Chinese grocery store around 16 years ago. It is cast steel very thin. You can't drop it as it will shatter. I like it better than my old flat bottom rolled steel I used on electric. I bought it since I moved to a gas cooking setup in a new house.

I use a steel ring when I actually cook as it seems more stable and I think it concentrates the heat. I let my wok heat up for a long time before I actually cook. I would like twice the heat. I am thinking 40,000 btu.

 

[Noodle Soup]

If I'm cooking outside on a propane wok burner, I really like my 16" cast iron Chinese model. These are nothing like the things Lodge sells as cast iron woks. As mentioned before, they are thin and kind of fragile.
Inside on our electric stove (you use what you have) I use a Japanese Yamada with a flat bottom. Really useful wok for a wide range of things.

 

[Evan Estern]

I have two woks now, a 16" cast iron exactly like the one above that I've had for 20 years or so--my current sealed burner gas stove just can't seem to get it hot enough. I guess I should give it another chance, but it's also very big in my tiny home kitchen. Then I have a non stick 14" one that I got gifted. It isn't terrible, but I think I will get better results with one that's carbon steel.

 

[dafox]

I have a 14 inch flat bottomed carbon steel wok with a wood handle and no helper handle, i think it was from a shop called London woks, cant find it on ebay or Amazon now, and a 12 inch non stick Joyce chen. I use the carbon steel wok for deep frying, stir fries, and serious cooking, the non stick for pre cooking proteins and lots of other non Chinese cooking, I like the high sides of a wok.

 

[Michi]

I'm looking to purchase a carbon steel wok. Seems like "hand hammered" ones are popular these days and the prices range from $40 to around $300. I have to admit, the pricey ones from Zhensanhuan look incredible, but that's a lot of $$. Anyone have recommendations or advice?

There really is no point in spending that much on a wok (other than aesthetics). You can get a very nice 14" wok at any Asian supermarket for probably no more than $50. Just stay clear of coated, stainless and the like. What you want is a simple carbon steel wok.

Thicker steel is not necessarily better. You want it just thick enough to not be fragile. Beyond that, extra thickness just makes the wok heavier and harder to handle, and it makes the wok perform worse, because wok cooking is a lot about instant temperature change.

The important things are to season it properly, and to have a burner that can put out a lot of heat. If you can spend extra money, you'll get more value out of a good burner than out of an expensive wok.

I use a Thunder Group IRFS001 5B burner, with a max output of around 80,000 BTU. I can get a wok from cold to cherry red in 45 seconds with that.

To season, scrub off all of the coating the wok ships with. Be thorough. Lots of scrubbing, Bar Keeper's Friend, and soap, until all traces of wax or lacquer are gone. Then blue the entire wok.

To apply the seasoning, you can remove the handle and do it in your oven, or season on the wok burner. Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as rice bran. Make sure to not apply too much oil (after applying oil, wipe it back off until you think none is left), and heat it to slightly above the smoke point.

Decent video:


I'd go more aggressive with the blueing, as shown here, but still stick with using only a minimal amount of oil as shown in the first video. (In a domestic setting, using oil by the half litre is not really practical.)

 

[dafox]

There really is no point in spending that much on a wok (other than aesthetics). You can get a very nice 14" wok at any Asian supermarket for probably no more than $50. Just stay clear of coated, stainless and the like. What you want is a simple carbon steel wok.

Thicker steel is not necessarily better. You want it just thick enough to not be fragile. Beyond that, extra thickness just makes the wok heavier and harder to handle, and it makes the wok perform worse, because wok cooking is a lot about instant temperature change.

The important things are to season it properly, and to have a burner that can put out a lot of heat. If you can spend extra money, you'll get more value out of a good burner than out of an expensive wok.

I use a Thunder Group IRFS001 5B burner, with a max output of around 80,000 BTU. I can get a wok from cold to cherry red in 45 seconds with that.

To season, scrub off all of the coating the wok ships with. Be thorough. Lots of scrubbing, Bar Keeper's Friend, and soap, until all traces of wax or lacquer are gone. Then blue the entire wok.

To apply the seasoning, you can remove the handle and do it in your oven, or season on the wok burner. Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as rice bran. Make sure to not apply too much oil (after applying oil, wipe it back off until you think none is left), and heat it to slightly above the smoke point.

Decent video:


I'd go more aggressive with the blueing, as shown here, but still stick with using only a minimal amount of oil as shown in the first video. (In a domestic setting, using oil by the half litre is not really practical.)

You can also just burn-off the coating, no scrubbing needed. Do it outside, lots of fresh air.

 

[dafox]

I have a 14 inch flat bottomed carbon steel wok with a wood handle and no helper handle, i think it was from a shop called London woks, cant find it on ebay or Amazon now, and a 12 inch non stick Joyce chen. I use the carbon steel wok for deep frying, stir fries, and serious cooking, the non stick for pre cooking proteins and lots of other non Chinese cooking, I like the high sides of a wok.

This is one one I got:
https://londonwok.com/woks/carbon-steel-woks/

 

[banzai_burrito]

I just use one of those $15 woks from 99 Ranch. It's carbon steel. I think Imusa is the brand, should be Taiwanese

This was after using my oven to season it

 

[Tristan]

Yamada hammered wok, done.

 

[jankdc]

If I had a gas stove or outside burner, I would get a round bottom carbon steel wok. For electric or induction, get a flat bottom one. I had an electric stove that we replaced with an induction one. Our decade old carbon steel wok deformed from the heat and wouldn't lay flat anymore. We went through a couple of woks before settling on a 16" cast iron flat bottom wok from the wok shop. It's the perfect wok for my setup.

 

[Evan Estern]

The Wok Shop seems like it's highly recommended here. I did notice that Ali Express has pretty unreal prices compared to US stores--almost too good to be true which leaves me a little suspicious.

 

[tostadas]

A good wok is not expensive. It's simply a thin piece of carbon steel with no special coatings, and minimal finishing steps. There is nothing fancy; no clad layers, no need for perfectly round, and certainly not flat. It will heat up fast and get hot, so I'd recommend either a wooden handle, or have a way to protect your hand from a metal handle.

 

[Konig9402]

Re seasoning a wok: Instead of oven seasoning, it is better to just cook in it. Much like seasoning other carbon steel cookware, seasoning, particularly oven seasoning, tends to be more fragile than such seasoning on cast iron. Methinks it is because the coarse nature of cast iron makes seasoning adhere better.

Many woks, particularly on the cheaper side, have a thin film of machine oil on it to prevent rust. Make sure you give it a good scrub with soap a couple of times when you get it home.

 

[aboynamedsuita]

get a yamada wok if you can find one. The wok itself isn’t usually too expensive, but shipping can be depending where it’s coming from. I have a 36cm x 1.6mm round bottom version (also a 27cm). My kitchen stove is flattop glass, so I use the woks on an iwatani 35fw butane stove or else my outdoor wok burner.

 

[Evan Estern]

They have Yamada woks on Amazon, but only the 1.2mm version. That seems incredibly thin. If I order a 1.6mm one from Japan the shipping is as much as the wok! I also have an Iwatani burner--never occured to me to use it with a wok. Can wait to try that!

 

[Noodle Soup]

They have Yamada woks on Amazon, but only the 1.2mm version. That seems incredibly thin. If I order a 1.6mm one from Japan the shipping is as much as the wok! I also have an Iwatani burner--never occured to me to use it with a wok. Can wait to try that!

Try Hitachiyausa. They have 1.6 and 1.2 versions.

 

[Konig9402]

I wonder if 1.2mm is actually the superior choice here. All things equal, a thinner wok should be more responsive, especially on a weaker heat source. I don't think shattering is an issue for carbon steel, but denting might be.

 

[Tristan]

I have the 1.2mm version, it reacts ‘instantaneously’ to the heat (knob or lifting the wok away/around the heat source at various phases of cooking). Never had a problem with the thickness.
I’m sure a 1.6 would work well too, and was planning to get one to try out.

 

[Evan Estern]

I can see the reasoning behind just getting an inexpensive one--make a lot of sense. From years of shopping in NYCs Chinatown and since I moved out of NY, the nearest A Dong market (like H Mart which I also love) in my area, I figured out that with Chinese household tools and products the superior item is often the least expensive. Unlike in the West, traditional manufacturing in China is still more economically efficient than "improved" modern methods. But... like probably a lot of people on on this forum, I'm also willing to spend more $$ on something that, while functionally similar, might be more aesthetically satisfying. I mean, cooking is a chore and for many of us work--so whatever makes that process a bit more satisfying--I totally get it. So--probably gonna get a Yamada or maybe one of those heavy hand hammered Chinese woks from Ali Express. Leaning towards the Yamada--thanks for the recommendation!

 

[aboynamedsuita]

Some of the cheaper woks are even thinner than the 1.2mm Yamada (I’ve seen 0.9-1.0mm listed). But since the yamada are sort of forged with variable thickness I imagine they are quite thin in some spots too.

this video is in Japanese but still interesting to watch.

 

[Tristan]

I can see the reasoning behind just getting an inexpensive one--make a lot of sense. From years of shopping in NYCs Chinatown and since I moved out of NY, the nearest A Dong market (like H Mart which I also love) in my area, I figured out that with Chinese household tools and products the superior item is often the least expensive. Unlike in the West, traditional manufacturing in China is still more economically efficient than "improved" modern methods. But... like probably a lot of people on on this forum, I'm also willing to spend more $$ on something that, while functionally similar, might be more aesthetically satisfying. I mean, cooking is a chore and for many of us work--so whatever makes that process a bit more satisfying--I totally get it. So--probably gonna get a Yamada or maybe one of those heavy hand hammered Chinese woks from Ali Express. Leaning towards the Yamada--thanks for the recommendation!

Yamada certainly isn’t particularly expensive, though it’s the only hand hammered Japanese wok I think. I have not come across a clearly superior offering yet. Might get a zhensanhuan to see how well it performs. The price gap seems substantial vs the price of the Yamada wok, but it’s nothing vs the 15th gyuto you buy.

With regards to how cheap can be good (I wouldn’t say cheapest is best) Chan Chi Kee is the other mass produced item that has huge market share, and is hard to beat at price/quality. They seem to thrive on mass production and commercial adoption in pro kitchens to keep prices down and prevent competitors getting a foothold.
And in the western approach it’s often the sheer marketing costs and the number of layers in the supply chain that drive up prices.

 

[Evan Estern]

Zhensanhuan woks look incredible. Also worth noting--a store on Ali Express has similar handmade woks from the same district in China for around $130. It's a traditional craft I think, so while Zhensanhuan probably has them beat on marketing, packaging and probably fit and finish, the cheaper ones might still be really nice. That style of wok is pretty heavy, though and I can't decide if that's a good thing or if lighter is better...

 

[boomchakabowwow]

i live in the Bay Area. i have the luxury of walking (woking? no..that sucked) into the the Wok Shop.

it is a total tourist trap. the place is filthy. there are dust bunnies and spider webs hanging off the display woks. that protective grease on a new wok? imagine them coated with dust. last time i poked my head in, i was in the neighborhood to buy Chinese Egg Tarts from the shop across the street. i figured i would look for a cleaver. the owners were just opening up and they were the same typical grouchy ass people i always encounter. i headed around the corner to the best hardware store full of CCK cleavers..not the one i wanted but they were there. great wok selection at a fraction the cost.

back to the wok. i like them built out of thicker steel stock. 1.5 to 2mm thick if i had to guess. i bought that one everyone gets off of Amazon. the "hand hammered" one. yea, sure. its hammered by something, but hands? maybe, maybe not. it's a decent wok. it isnt seasoning as well as the free one i got at a garage sale. (i suspect that wok was from William Sonoma)

 

[Noodle Soup]

I've never been to the actual Wok Shop but I've bought plenty of woks and other cooking items off of them. The owner and I have had long e-mail chats after Grace Young introduced me. I have nothing but good to say about the company.

 

[DavidPF]

Then I have a non stick 14" one that I got gifted. It isn't terrible, but I think I will get better results with one that's carbon steel.

Putting non-stick coating on a wok unfortunately turns it into a very strangely designed saucepan. The coating stops working (and with older coatings also starts poisoning you) at what wok users would consider low temperatures.