They’re both iconic and legendary in the culinary world, but can anyone buy a wok without Teflon and succeed in cooking authentic Chinese cuisine at home? The answer is yes, you can! The traditional wok is for everyone, and with a bit of adjusting to the way you cook, you can start cooking authentic Chinese food with your trusty new wok.
If you want an authentic experience while cooking, we recommend that you work with a traditional wok, which has to be seasoned before use. We have rounded up three of the most promising conventional woks on Amazon so that you can get it right the first time.
Why buy a wok?
Traditional woks are fantastic partners in the kitchen, and they offer the same level of even heat distribution as Dutch ovens. We can say that the wok is the Dutch oven of the east because it’s just as versatile and helpful in the kitchen.
Woks are also naturally conical because the goal is uniform cooking each time. This is why woks are preferred in restaurants – they deliver the same results each time.
The wok is a powerful vessel that can deliver a wide variety of meals in record time, too. So, if you are still doubtful if you need a wok in your life or not, we hope that our reviews will convince you that you do need one. Let’s start!
Black Kenmore Hammond Wok (14″)
We fell in love with the Kenmore Hammond wok because it has an extra handle that makes it so much easier to carry the wok from the stove to any other area in the kitchen.
The Kenmore Hammond brand has been around for more than 100 years, and they know a thing or two about designing effective and long-lasting cookware.
You usually have to do a double grip on the wok’s long handle before lifting because woks are among the heaviest cookware. Many woks weigh five pounds, and as you go up the size chart, they get heavier and heavier, too!
Since this is a traditional wok, always do hand-washing only. It would help if you never put a wok in any dishwasher, and using any solid detergents and bleaches will rust your wok immediately. Trust us – in a day or two, that wok will turn orange with rust if you don’t take care of the seasoning.
Pro tip: Even though this Kenmore Hammond wok has not been manufactured with an enameled layer, it does have a flat bottom. What’s the significance of the design?
Flat-bottomed woks are not limited to gas stoves because they can sit atop flat surfaces. That means you can use your black wok on various heating sources, from ceramic stoves to induction stoves. It will also work on electric stoves and glass stoves. Awesome, right?
Black Yosukata Chinese Wok
There is just something about the Yosukata design of the pow wok that takes our breath away. But here are our expert takeaways about this produce. The conical design of the body is perfect while maintaining the appropriate height of the walls. The connection of the handle is soldered-on, which provides the necessary strength when lifting heavy loads.
Other woks have handles that have been riveted on, so this is an excellent alternative method of adding the handle to the wok’s body. The thick wooden handle seems to have been shaped ergonomically, so you will have an easier and more comfortable time handling this wok.
In terms of size, Yosukata outranks other brands with its solid 13.5″ black wok, and the fact that they used heavy-gauge carbon steel means this wok will heat up quickly and will offer superior heat distribution if tested side by side with ordinary stainless-steel pans.
If you have no idea how to season a wok, we recommend this brand because they have already pre-seasoned the wok, so you don’t have to. However, this doesn’t mean that you will never have to season your wok ever again. Seasoning eventually dissipates as long as you keep cooking with the wok, so finally, you will have to strengthen the wok again. Seasoning is possible with an ordinary gas stove. The only difference is when a wok is seasoned in a factory, they can go up to 600°F/315.56°C. The higher the temperature during the seasoning process, the better the results.
Carbon Steel Craft Wok (14″)
Craft Wok offers an equally impressive traditional wok with the look and feel of a professional pow wok used in authentic Chinese restaurants. Craft Wok’s wok is made of naturally colored carbon steel (gauge 15), and the thickness of the wok walls is 1.8 mm.
The original design was first released in 2014 and has not been changed since. Since this is a round-bottomed wok, it can only be used on a dedicated single-stove burner (the ones used in restaurants for large woks) or on a regular gas stove.
This wok is incompatible with ceramic stoves, induction stoves, glass stoves, and other flat-type stoves that use electricity. Other than that, there are no additional issues with it. This is not a pre-seasoned wok, so before buying it, be sure that you already know the procedure for adequately seasoning a carbon steel wok.
In case you don’t know how to, you can always check the manufacturer’s instructions, or you can reach out to them to find out how it should be done. Keep in mind that the seasoning you can do at home will be different from what they do in the factories. Factories are equipped with unique rooms and equipment for seasoning. They also have special kilns that blow a lot of heat with little effort. Reproducing the same amount of heat at home might take a while, so don’t be disappointed with the results, either.
This wok comes with a specially-angled wooden handle that is hygroscopic. This means the wood will absorb moisture, which will make the handle safer and less slippery while cooking.
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