Fans of Asian cuisine will need no introduction to the wok. Made with thin walls and shaped like a shallow bowl with handles on either side, the wok makes stir frying easy with plenty of room for the ingredients to move around without spilling. Perfect for stir frying authentic Asian-style dishes, the Chinese cooking wok is also great for other cooking methods such as steaming, toasting, flash frying, braising, deep frying, and much more.

Why should you use a wok when cooking Asian dishes?

The wok, aka Chinese frying pan, is excellent when it comes to elevating your dishes with the distinct “wok hay” to your stir fried dishes. Not confined to only stir-fried dishes, this versatile cookware is also great for steaming dumplings, deep frying, and comes in handy when you need to smoke food indoors. If you make Asian dishes often and love trying out new varieties of dishes, then the wok may be the best cookware choice for you.

Which wok material is right for you?

Woks are available in a variety of materials depending on different kitchen needs and requirements. Traditionally, carbon steel woks are the norm, however cast iron woks, stainless steel woks, and non-stick woks are also rising in popularity thanks to the convenience they provide.

Carbon Steel Wok

Woks made from carbon steel heats up and disperses heat efficiently and evenly to easily reach the optimal wok temperature for flash cooking. It’s also durable and affordable, ideal for everyday use. While it needs to be seasoned, the Chinese carbon steel wok will acquire a fantastic non-stick surface with time for easy food release.

Cast Iron Woks

Offering superior heat retention and even heat dispersion, cast iron woks are also a good low tox cookware option for your household. However, these woks are heavy and may be difficult to shake and manoeuvre as you cook.

Stainless Steel Woks

Incredibly durable and non-reactive, stainless steel woks are perfect for cooking acidic dishes. These woks are lighter when compared to cast iron woks to make light work of cooking and transferring food. Easy to clean, stainless steel woks do not rust, offering optimal convenience.

Non-stick Woks

Cook with little cooking oil with non-stick woks. These are perfect for making healthy eating easy. Non-stick woks are also super easy to clean and require little to no maintenance, the ideal everyday cookware for your household.

Which wok style do you need?

Woks primarily come in 2 different styles - Cantonese style and Northern style. Cantonese style woks usually come with 2 identical small handles on either side of the wok for lifting and transferring food with ease. Conversely, Northern style woks come with a longer handle on one side and a small helper handle on the opposite side to make flipping and stir frying food a breeze. While Japanese woks are also available, Chinese woks are more popular around the world.

Top 7 Woks for Everyday Use

1. Carbon steel wok perfect for Asian cuisine: Ken Hom Wok Carbon Steel 32cm

This Ken Hom Carbon Steel Wok is designed for the Asian chef! Expertly crafted from carbon steel that slowly develops a non-stick coating after each use, this wok is perfect for high heat cooking without food sticking. With a longer beechwood handle on one side and a helper handle on the other, this wok makes shaking and tossing your ingredients easy. This wok is suitable for use on all cooktops including induction to provide optimal convenience for households everywhere.

Features:

• Made from carbon steel for optimal performance
• Withstands intense heat perfect for flash cooking
• Northern-style wok with a beechwood handle to reduce heat conductivity great for cooking on high heat
• Helper side handles
• Hanging loop for easy storage
• Metal utensil safe
• Suitable for all cooktops including induction

2. Elegant stainless steel wok: Scanpan Impact Wok with Lid 36cm

Easily cook up an Asian stir fry feast with the Scanpan Impact Wok with Lid. Crafted from high-quality stainless steel with a polished interior, this stunning wok will beautifully complement modern kitchens. With Scanpan Impact's stainless steel clad aluminium core which provides even heat distribution, you can safely cook with this set on all cooktops including induction. The fitted tempered glass lid will keep food from splattering all over your kitchen counter while keeping heat and steam trapped, allowing you to cook food to perfection. Unleash your creativity with delicious Asian style dishes - from ginger chicken to a 10-minute beef or a black bean stir fry, this wok is perfect for the job!

Features:

• High-quality 18/10 stainless steel 6.4mm thick bonded base
• Mirror polish interior with capacity markings for style and convenience
• Tempered glass lid included for safe and progress viewing
• Handles secured with rivets
• Drip-free pouring rim
• Oven safe up to 200°c (with Lid)
• Suitable for all heat sources including induction

3. Affordable non-stick for everyday use: Anolon Endurance+ Wok 36cm

Ideal for serious and passionate home cooks, the Anolon Endurance+ 36cm Wok provides both functional beauty and the durability required for everyday cooking. Featuring a premium non-stick coating that's PFOA free, rest assured your dishes are cooked safely while cleaning is made simple. The hard wearing anodised cooking surface provides fast and even heat distribution for excellent cooking performance. Complete with a thick induction base, enjoy even cooking without hotspots with this Endurance+ Wok.

Features:

• Made from hard anodised construction - twice as strong as stainless steel
• Optimal heat conductivity and distribution with the thick aluminium base
• Enjoy easy food release and easy clean up with the non-stick on interior surface
• PFOA-free
• Riveted helper handles with silicone inserts for added strength and comfort
• Suitable for use on all cooking surfaces including induction
• Metal utensil safe
• Dishwasher safe

4. Vibrant wok to add charm to your kitchen: Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Wok with Glass Lid 32cm Cerise

Add a touch of charm to your kitchen with this stunning Signature Cast Iron Wok from Le Creuset. Perfect for braising, steaming and poaching, this wok is not just for wok frying. Handcrafted from premium cast iron at Le Creuset's foundry in northern France, this Wok fuses Oriental tradition with modern design. The cast iron construction and flat base design ensures heat is evenly distributed for better cooking results and effective heat retention, ensuring food stays warm for longer. Made in the shape of traditional woks, this wok is modernised to be suitable for all hob types including ceramic, halogen, induction, gas and oil or wood. The cerise red unique enamel finish is not only durable and easy to clean but also looks stunning when presented on the table.

Features:

• Made in France from heavy triple enamelled cast iron
• Enamel coating is easy to keep clean and won't absorb stains or flavours
• Energy efficient with low to medium heat required only
• Heavy lid seals in heat and flavour
• Versatile cooking pan
• Freezer, oven safe
• Suitable for all cooktops, including induction
• Limited lifetime warranty
• Gift boxed, ready for gifting

5. Hard wearing Diamond non-stick coating for easy food release: Swiss Diamond Prestige Clad XD Induction Wok 32cm

Made in Switzerland, this Swiss Diamond Prestige Clad XD Induction Wok will surely make light work of your cooking tasks. Featuring a five layer construction made with 18/10 stainless steel base, this wok is designed to provide even heat distribution and prevents hot spots from forming. Finished with Swiss Diamond's patented Diamond Non-Stick Coating, the wok is made with thousands of real diamond crystals embedded in the non-stick coating, allowing it to be 25% harder wearing than comparable brands. The pans are also energy efficient, requiring only low to medium heat for optimum results and pan longevity.

Features:

• Made in Switzerland
• Limited lifetime warranty
• Five layer construction made with 18/10 stainless steel base
• Featuring patented Diamond Non-Stick Coating to provide safe and natural non-stick cooking
• Glass lid included
• Oven safe to 260ºC
• Suitable for all cooktops including induction

6. The home cook’s favourite everyday Non-stick wok: Scanpan Classic Wok 30cm

Scanpan’s Classic Wok is another great option for Asian cooking. Favoured by many home cooks and professional chefs, the Scanpan Classic range is ideal for achieving perfect stir-fry dishes. Scanpan’s unique Stratanium non-stick coating that’s PFOA-free and made in Denmark ensures incredible durability and easy food release. The wok is thoughtfully designed and made from 100% recycled, purified high-grade aluminium for superb even heat distribution and durability to withstand high heat temperatures.

Features:

• Designed and made in Denmark
• Exclusive Stratanium PFOA-free non-stick coating ensures easy food release
• Made from 100% recycled, purified high-grade aluminium which provides extreme durability and can withstand high heat
• The helper handle ensures ease of lifting the wok especially when its loaded with ingredients
• Oven safe up to 260°C
• Compatible with all heat sources excluding induction - the induction version can be found here: Scanpan Classic Induction Wok

7. Commercial Grade and loved by chefs : De Buyer Mineral B Wok 32cm

The De Buyer Mineral B Wok is ideal for professional chefs or enthusiasts who enjoy using commercial cookware. This stunning French-made wok is crafted from high-quality carbon steel that is pre-seasoned with natural beeswax. The beeswax help in the seasoning process and gradually develops and improves to create a natural non-stick with regular use and seasoning. Designed to withstand high temperatures and endure harsh cooking environments of commercial kitchens, this wok is ideal quick searing and browning of meats and poultry while stirfrying and is also great for deep frying. The long handle and sloped sides make it ideal for tossing and turning ingredients easily and is our favourite pick for someone wishing to make authentic wok-fried cuisine, appreciates low-tox cookware and is accustomed to the process of seasoning.

Features:

• Made in France
• Crafted from high-quality carbon steel and coated with natural beeswax to protect against oxidation
• Commercial quality construction that can be used on high heat where regular seasoning will produce a natural non-stick coating
• Ergonomic triple-riveted steel handle for easy handling
• PFOA- and PTFE-Free
• Suitable for all stove types including induction

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