Well, who wouldn’t fall in love with the best carbon steel wok? You’ll definitely get rid of your old cooking utensil after knowing its many unique benefits – both for novice and professional cooks. Especially those who love the simplicity and flavor of stir-fries, you should not overlook this kitchen tool as it facilitates fast frying action required, as well as the taste that comes from it.
Indeed, there are various options to choose from, so picking the right one could be a challenging task for everyone. That’s why, consider my buying guide and reviews to help you decide the one to purchase. Keep reading throughout this post and pick your best wok.
We know you’ve been yearning for it, but before that let’s take a quick look at our top five best woks.
Quick Navigation
- What is a Carbon Steel Wok?
- Wok History
- Benefits of Using Carbon Steel Wok
- Features to Consider When Choosing a Carbon Steel Work
- What You Need To Do Before First Use
- Best Carbon Steel Wok Reviews
- 1. Craft Wok 14-Inch Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok – Best Product for Solid and Quality Construction
- 2. Town Food Service 14-Inch Steel Peking Style Wok – Best Budget Product
- 3. 14 Inches Carbon Steel Wok – Best Product for Home Cooking
- 4. Joyce Chen 22-0060, 14-Inch Pro Chef Flat Bottom Wok Uncoated Carbon Steel – Best Heavy and Sturdy Product for Stir Fry
- 5. Helen Chen's 14-Inch Asian Kitchen Flat Bottom Wok, Carbon Steel – Best Product for Versatility
- Final Verdict
What is a Carbon Steel Wok?
A wok is a Chinese cooking vessel, which is utilized lengthily throughout East and South Asia. Today, it has become common in the kitchens of North America and Europe. A standard wok has a look similar that of a frying pan; however, with a rounded base and deeper curved edges. On the other hand, a modern wok has a flat base.
The best carbon steel wok is commonly utilized for stir-frying, but braising, deep-frying, stewing and steaming are other uses. An excellent wok will make it significantly easier for anyone to create and cook Chinese dish.
Wok History
In case you didn’t know yet, the first known woks were perceived to be redeveloped from small pottery models on the pottery stove modes in the tombs of Han Dynasty. This dynasty lasted from 200 BC until 200 AD. Metallurgists and historians are still not sure but, if this versatile cookware was an original Chinese creation, or if the concept was borrowed from other culture.
A lot of people believe that it was most definitely the second, which the idea was copied from other culture. The reason behind this is that the similar kind of pan is utilized in Southeast Asia like the Malay Peninsula, Khmer, Laos, or Thailand and India as well. Several scholars also think that it was copied from one of those places, where it’s almost generally known as “Kuali”.
Benefits of Using Carbon Steel Wok
For just about each kitchen, the best carbon steel wok is the ideal purchase to make because the benefits far outweigh any negatives, problems or challenges. Here is a summary of what you can get from the best wok.
Inexpensive
Did you know that a wok made out of carbon steel is not very costly? Apart from that, it can take extremely high temperatures such as the cast iron wok. It’s rather affordable and must be a part of each kitchen. Prices found online could range somewhat a bit, although I would steer a clear of the most affordable ones unless you can confirm in person, which they are not made out of extra-thin metal.
Even Cooking
Compared to stainless steel wok, which isn’t capable of spreading heat equally, a carbon steel wok allows even distribution of heat, thus making some tasty and mouth-watering food. The majority of carbon steel woks, on the contrary, have sloped edges, which makes this a much better suitable for sautéing. When we talk about tossing your foods on a fillet, if you prefer to launch something skyward, you’ll must send it off on a sloping ramp. Carbon steel woks are ideal for that.
Food doesn’t stick
Unlike the concern with using a stainless steel wok; a food made in a carbon steel work doesn’t stick to the walls. As a matter of fact, some non-stick woks are made of carbon steel. The smoother, lightweight family of cast iron, carbon steel woks have been around for many years; however, brands such as de Buyer, Mather Bourgeat and Mauviel have been linked along with fancy European chefs and toque-wearing chefs.
Light
A carbon steel work is lighter than a cast iron wok. So, it is a lot easier to work on, and you can hold it well. That being said, you could even transport from one place to another without much strain.
No Rust
A cast iron wok tends to rust as it ages and it needs occasional seasoning. On the other hand, a wok made of a carbon steel doesn’t have any such problems.
For ways on how to season a wok, watch this video:
Features to Consider When Choosing a Carbon Steel Work
In order to prevent wasting your hard-earned money on a defective product, here are some tips to remember when choosing for the carbon steel wok to buy.
Shape
Look for a carbon steel wok with a flat bottom. One of the crucial things, which separate wok cooking from other cooking is its ability to transfer food in and out of an extremely high heat zone. Choosing a flat bottom is essential to get a high heat zone; however, you don’t prefer it to be too large.
Stickiness
There are three major reasons behind this. It’s not necessary; non-stick pans have a very short lifespan and; non-stick coatings do not perform very well in high heat. In other cases, the non-stick coat will release toxic fumes. However, safe non-stick chemicals are just safe below 500 degrees that are quite easy to hit on a medium-high burner.
Not Made Equal
The process of construction used in making your wok will tell how it will hold the food. As stated, you often wish to be able to transport food to the sides of the wok, so it does not cook as fast. If the edges of your wok are so smooth, it won’t hold the food well.
Handles
There are two major types of wok handles; northern style woks that feature a long handle – more look like a frying pan and Cantonese-style wok, which has two small handles making it easy to lift. Bear in mind; your choice must be informed by your style and preference of cooking. If you want to leave the wok stationary and perform all of your stirrings with utensils, then Cantonese handles are excellent.
However, if you’d prefer to move the wok as you cook, be certain to purchase one that has a handle, which is long enough to utilize while the wok is hot.
Say No to Stainless
Lastly, woks are typically made out of 3 primary materials: cast iron, stainless steel, and carbon steel. While there are pros and cons to cast iron and carbon steel, stainless steel woks aren’t that great. One of these reasons why is that they are very heavy, which makes it tedious to use.
What You Need To Do Before First Use
Ideally, you should season the work before you use it for the very first time. This will eliminate the oils utilized by the maker to avoid rust. In order to do this, you need to heat oil in it twice and wash it away well. Dry it off, and it’s ready for use. You need to remember to clean the wok after each use.
When we talk about seasoning your wok, the proper order of operations is not essential. Put your wok on the stove on a medium heat. Allow it to get hot. Spread cooking oil equally around, with the use of a paper towel held between tongs, or swirl your pan around until things are similarly coated.
As much as possible, try to avoid using soap, as the polymer layer you have made with enduring both scrubbing and hot water; however, you will ruin it if you utilize soap or detergent on your wok.
Watch this video as your guide when it comes to cleaning the wok:
Best Carbon Steel Wok Reviews
Even though a lot of people have seen and utilized woks, you will find a vast number of individuals out there who are not aware of which is precisely the best pick. So for the reviews, continue reading below:
With a robust and high-quality construction, your hard-earned investment is surely secured. This is just one of the many excellent reasons why this carbon steel wok to Craft Wok deserves our top list.
An ideal option for small to medium-sized dishes, this wok comes together with a fifteen-inch gauge and is made of very robust carbon steel for more extended use. Another beautiful thing about this wok is its ergonomics. The steel helper handle keeps cool to the touch even when you place it over high heat.
The downside, however, is that you need to season it before using. If not, it will become slick and non-stick – based on my experience.
Things I liked
- Hand hammered.
- Well-built.
- The inner surface has a bit texture .
- Made in China.
- Comes with 15 inches gauge.
- Pocket-friendly.
- Perfect for cooking small to medium meals.
Things I didn’t like
- Not dishwasher-safe.
- Needs to season before using.
If you’re looking for an affordable carbon steel wok without compromising its quality, I recommend getting the 14-Inch Town Food Service Wok for your kitchen.
The cold fogged steel offers more strength, plus the full shape enables you to fold metals when cooking directly. You can use it for accommodating large amounts of food. Perfect for Asian cooking, this wok promises to reveal the real taste of your favorite dish with less hassle.
The type of metal as well as the thinness of metal make the wok heat up and cool quicker than other pans. It will only take about five minutes heating it before working its way up to the handle.
Similar to Craft Wok, it must be seasoned first to prevent rust.
Things I liked
- Robust construction.
- Includes cold forged steel for added strength.
- Metals can be folded easily.
- Ideal for cooking Asian dishes.
- Made in China.
Things I didn’t like
- Must be seasoned first before using it.
This USA wok is made of 14-gauge carbon steel, as well as features a loop helper handle and a light-colored long wooden handle. Perfect for cooking any home dishes!
With a flat bottom shape, you can put it comfortably either on electric or gas stovetops. The heavy-duty padded base is sturdy, heats quickly and keeps the heat. Hence, rest assured that you’re getting the most of your dollars.
You can hand wash and season the pan before using. When needed, you can also re-season it. This 14 inches carbon steel wok can handle high heat, quick cooling, and heating.
A few things I don’t like about this pan is its quite heavy load. It also needs proper care to avoid rust. Hence, make sure to take preventive measures to keep the wok always in a good condition.
Things I liked
- Durable material.
- Long wooden handles.
- Even, quick heating and cooling.
- Sits directly on grills and electric stove.
- Can accommodate large foods.
- No contaminated non-stick coating.
Things I didn’t like
- A bit heavy.
- Needs proper care to prevent rust.
Beautiful and affordable, the Joyce Chen 22-0060 features a non-stick inside covering to allow easy to keep clean. It has a flat bottom and dramatically works on both electric and gas stoves. You’ll love its loop handle and long bamboo handle design for carrying and cooking.
With the pan’s 14-inch size, you can cook a delicious meal for the whole family without a hassle! Easy to lift and lightweight, this wok is sure to take your cooking to the next level.
Although non-stick, re-seasoning it is still needed. I also found it a bit stressful to wash.
Things I liked
- Thick and durable material for fast cooking.
- Features a flat bottom.
- Very much compatible with gas and electric stovetops.
- Handles are easy to remove.
- Perfect for making medium-sized dishes.
- Affordable.
Things I didn’t like
- Needs to be re-seasoned
- Not dishwasher-safe
Durable and versatile, Helen Chen’s 14-Inch Asian Kitchen Wok is an ideal gift for someone. It is hugely packed with all features contained: spatula, lid and recipes book.
Both beginners and experts can depend on this pan for cooking any of their favorite meals. You’ll need to do the seasoning before using it, though it’s not complicated. Since it has a flat bottom shape, the heat is distributed evenly.
Featuring 1.6mm carbon steel, it can heat up rapidly and can be used either on gas and electric stovetops. The gorgeously contrasted light helper handle and wooden handle with a flat bottom figure and rugged steel colors are another impressive points why this pan is worthy of your penny.
The disadvantage of owning this item is the rust spots that readily occur when not maintained properly and regularly.
Things I liked
- Durable and light.
- Firmly built with good conductivity.
- Wonderful wooden handles.
- Flat bottom, can be used on a gas or electric stove.
- Easy to clean.
- Can cook a family dinner.
Things I didn’t like
- Easily prone to rust.
- Quite low for the average wok.
Final Verdict
These products deserve many applauses, but for me, the Craft Wok Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok is the winner. It is purely made from carbon steel and elegant wooden handles.
Its capacity is ideally suited for cooking your family and friends. Definitely, a more functional use of your kitchen! The handle will make your stir-frying and flip much easier.
There you have it, all the information you need know about buying the best carbon steel wok. I wish you best of luck to you during your search for the most suitable one for you.
I hope you enjoy the entire experience as much as I did. Share us your thoughts by writing your comments below! We will be very pleased to entertain your queries and suggestions. Happy reading!
