Wok | The best of 2022
The wok differs from all other pots due to its shape with a flared and high wall that widens starting from a rather small bottom. Usually, for maximum comfort and versatility, it can have different types of handles, starting from a single and long one, up to two small side handles of different materials and variable dimensions.
Read also: Bistecchiere | The best of 2022 The Chinese models, most common on the market, have a rounded bottom, not a flat one, and are used on stoves with a traditional hob and circular openings in which to place it. This type of wok is ideal for the preparation of various dishes and to make the most of it it is essential to consider the cooking of the individual ingredients and prepare everything separately. In general, however, the big secret for optimal cooking is to use very little oil and mix often, always bringing everything to the center of the pan. The fact that taking advantage of the wok allows you to avoid the use of large quantities of oil makes the renowned utensil one of those also suitable for healthy cooking. In addition, steam and grilled cooking further amplify its cooking potential and greatly simplify the process compared to any other product.
Thanks to its characteristics, you can prepare appetizing recipes with very few added fats by passing from meat to fish to vegetables, of which you will retain the most important nutrients. Even the cleaning of the wok is a feature in favor of the purchase, although it is particularly linked to the type of model chosen. If you decide to buy a pan with a non-stick coating, you will not have to clean it with abrasive but soft sponges. Instead, for a wok made with non-stick materials, just fill it with hot water and leave it to soak for 30 minutes before being emptied and washed with a soft sponge.
In today's guide, we will talk about some of the pans the most valid ones that you can find on the market and, once we have come to the conclusion, we will carefully explain what are the characteristics to evaluate at the time of purchase.
The best woks
Wok Amazon Basics Wok Coin Etnea Wok Lagostina Lavinia Wok Flavemotion Wok WMF Profi ResistWok Amazon Basics
The AmazonBasics wok will ensure the quality of stir-fried foods like in a restaurant, but with the comfort of being in your home. The pan is constructed of excellent stainless steel, ideal for a kitchen product designed to last for a long time, being thick and of 304 grade. The wok signed by Amazon will always offer you reliable results and long lasting performance, bearing in mind that for any problem you can refer to the assistance of the store, in no time. Last but not least, the product can be quickly washed in the dishwasher, but it is advisable to opt for hand washing more frequently, in order to adequately protect the non-stick coating that distinguishes it.View at Amazon
Wok Moneta Etnea
This wok is equipped with a thick forged aluminum body, suitable for contact with all foods, even those that are easier to burn. The Artech Stone Ultra coating is non-stick and the external one, in PTFE with stone effect, is long-lasting and also extremely particular aesthetically. The handles of Etnea are made of bakelite for a safe and comfortable use when cooking any ingredient, although we believe that it is advisable to use regardless of the pot holders, in case of long cooking. It is an ideal item for quick, uniform and fat-free cooking, extremely resistant to scratches and abrasions.View on Amazon View on eBay
Wok Lagostina Lavinia
The Lavinia model Lagostina wok is equipped with a high quality multi-layer non-stick coating with a marbled effect, reinforced with mineral particles and safe for health and the environment thanks to the total absence of PFOA or lead. The bottom of the Lavinia line products combines the elegant sunburst design with the quality of stainless steel, suitable for all heat sources, including induction. The handle guarantees a comfortable grip thanks to the slightly rounded line and the soft touch coating. In addition, the hole at the bottom of the handle allows you to store the pan even in the absence of space, by hanging it on a hook.View on Amazon View on eBay
Wok Flavemotion This stainless steel wok features a flat bottom perfect for an induction hob. Erroneously, many believe that this type of base is too small for the correct cooking of the ingredients, but thanks to the large thickness of the wok walls, you can cook anything efficiently and quickly avoiding burning everything thanks to the edge, designed for stay drastically cooler than the rest of the body. The solid steel rivets connect the auxiliary handle and the wooden handle to the wok and ensure a correct and comfortable hold in all conditions. In addition, the ergonomic shape and natural roughness of the wood ensure a stable grip, preventing your fingers from slipping.
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Wok WMF Profi Resist
The Profi Resist pan line combines the benefits of stainless steel with those of non-stick. The multilayer material is composed of chromed steel, aluminum and Cromargan. In addition, the wok's honeycomb coating is protected by a stainless steel structure and will ensure excellent distribution of the sauce. It is a perfect kitchen product for grilling meat, fish and vegetables, as well as being suitable for all hobs including induction. Thus, the WMF Profi Resist wok is versatile robust and, not least, it is characterized by a timeless beauty, enhanced by its extremely shiny and elegant appearance. Obviously, it exists in food acids and tolerates temperatures up to 250 ° C!
View on Amazon
How to choose a wok
As we have said, the wok is a pan of Chinese origin which in recent years has managed to find ample space even in Western kitchens. A valid feature that makes the wok such an interesting and used pan is its ability to cook every dish in a perfectly uniform way and in a short time. Thanks to the wok you can easily prepare almost anything, from sauces, to fried or steamed ravioli. Its enormous versatility is undoubtedly one of the strong points of this product and it is also one of the essential characteristics of the pan, regardless of the specific model, but before buying it what should you know and consider in detail? There are many types, in terms of quality, materials, dimensions and much more, which is why you will have to carefully choose the model that best suits your specific needs.
Obviously, like any cooking utensil, there are characteristics which can guarantee you the excellent quality of the product, starting from the materials used for the realization. In the case of woks, there are really many valid materials, designed to last over time and to ensure homogeneous cooking and generally the prices are not even too high. The basic price to buy such a pan varies from around € 20-€ 30 for a standard one, up to over € 100 or even € 200 for professional and more particular products that you can find on the market.
Another important factor, a further care that can ensure the right purchase, is the wok manufacturer. Obviously, the best known brands and especially the most established ones in the sector will have a considerably higher price than the items of less famous brands. But, in addition to these details to consider, what are the other characteristics to carefully consider when purchasing?
Type Materials Handles and lid Body Dimensions Accessories Type
Obviously, since it is a product versatile and particularly used in world cuisine, you can find various types on the market. There are several categories of this pan, mainly differentiated by shape, size, materials and the presence of one or more handles. The real structure of some woks will allow you to cook certain foods more easily, making them more manageable based on the weight or size of the handles for example. We would like to clarify that, apart from this, the function of the pans in question remains practically unchanged. But let's see in detail what are the main categories of woks:
Cantonese: the Cantonese model is easily recognizable as it is characterized by 2 small U-shaped handles, placed on both sides of the pan. Obviously, due to the arrangement of the small handles, this is not the easiest product to use for skipping ingredients or moving them during cooking. Mandarin: the mandarin type is the most commonly used that we could almost define as the standard even in our kitchens. Thanks to the rounded and concave body, a long handle placed on one side, its structure is undoubtedly more manageable, for this reason it will allow you to cook, bake, fry with much more ease. Materials
Traditional woks are made of cast iron or iron, perfect materials for conducting heat evenly over the entire surface, robust and extremely resistant. Despite the "standards", the proposals are more and more numerous and different from each other, which is why we have decided to list the materials most used for handles and body.
Handles: these elements of the wok can be made of different materials : in plastic, light but certainly not very strong and heat resistant; made of wood, rather sturdy and resistant; in steel, the most solid material and undoubtedly also the heaviest of all; Lid: the lids for these pans can be made of different materials, the most common is steel, but there are also many in Pyrex glass that allow you to carefully observe the cooking of the ingredients in the wok; Body
The body of this type of pan can be made of different materials including carbon steel, which ensures rapid and extremely uniform cooking and which can also be used on an induction hob. Alternatively, there are also many stainless steel wok models which, from its appearance, shows itself as one of the most durable and resistant versions on the market. It is much less porous than cast iron and carbon steel, so it is also exponentially easier to clean at the end of use.
On the other hand, cast iron has several pros in its favor. able to retain heat much longer than other materials used for cookware. In addition, after prolonged use over time it acquires more and more non-stick properties rather than losing them. Aluminum is also another option used for woks, but for a good use you must make sure that the thickness of its wall is about 5mm, in order to ensure an effectively uniform heat diffusion. The alternatives, minor but still present, are well diversified: Teflon, very non-stick and super easy to clean, or stone-effect materials which in addition to being non-stick are also scratch-resistant.
Dimensions
Obviously , in addition to structure and materials, an important consideration could not be missing on the size of the product you decide to buy. This is one of the characteristics to consider during your choice, as the diameter of the pan can vary a lot depending on what you need most. Usually, woks with a diameter of around 20cm are perfect for up to two people; if, on the other hand, you intend to use it for large meals with the family or with groups of friends, the dimensions to consider are about 30 / 35cm or even 40/50 for 8 or 10 people at your table.
Accessories
Last, but not least, the presence of accessories to further facilitate your work in the kitchen. The wok, in many cases, is accompanied by some very useful products for its correct functioning. Among the possible options, there is undoubtedly the grill which is an indispensable accessory in the chaos you need, or enjoy, to cook steamed dishes or in any case many typical oriental dishes. Among the possible and most common accessories, there is also the support ring or an adapter that will prevent the wok from moving unstable on your hob, ensuring comfort and uniform cooking.
View at Amazon
Wok WMF Profi Resist
The Profi Resist pan line combines the benefits of stainless steel with those of non-stick. The multilayer material is composed of chromed steel, aluminum and Cromargan. In addition, the wok's honeycomb coating is protected by a stainless steel structure and will ensure excellent distribution of the sauce. It is a perfect kitchen product for grilling meat, fish and vegetables, as well as being suitable for all hobs including induction. Thus, the WMF Profi Resist wok is versatile robust and, not least, it is characterized by a timeless beauty, enhanced by its extremely shiny and elegant appearance. Obviously, it exists in food acids and tolerates temperatures up to 250 ° C!View on Amazon
How to choose a wok
As we have said, the wok is a pan of Chinese origin which in recent years has managed to find ample space even in Western kitchens. A valid feature that makes the wok such an interesting and used pan is its ability to cook every dish in a perfectly uniform way and in a short time. Thanks to the wok you can easily prepare almost anything, from sauces, to fried or steamed ravioli. Its enormous versatility is undoubtedly one of the strong points of this product and it is also one of the essential characteristics of the pan, regardless of the specific model, but before buying it what should you know and consider in detail? There are many types, in terms of quality, materials, dimensions and much more, which is why you will have to carefully choose the model that best suits your specific needs.Obviously, like any cooking utensil, there are characteristics which can guarantee you the excellent quality of the product, starting from the materials used for the realization. In the case of woks, there are really many valid materials, designed to last over time and to ensure homogeneous cooking and generally the prices are not even too high. The basic price to buy such a pan varies from around € 20-€ 30 for a standard one, up to over € 100 or even € 200 for professional and more particular products that you can find on the market.
Another important factor, a further care that can ensure the right purchase, is the wok manufacturer. Obviously, the best known brands and especially the most established ones in the sector will have a considerably higher price than the items of less famous brands. But, in addition to these details to consider, what are the other characteristics to carefully consider when purchasing?
Type Materials Handles and lid Body Dimensions Accessories
Type
Obviously, since it is a product versatile and particularly used in world cuisine, you can find various types on the market. There are several categories of this pan, mainly differentiated by shape, size, materials and the presence of one or more handles. The real structure of some woks will allow you to cook certain foods more easily, making them more manageable based on the weight or size of the handles for example. We would like to clarify that, apart from this, the function of the pans in question remains practically unchanged. But let's see in detail what are the main categories of woks:Cantonese: the Cantonese model is easily recognizable as it is characterized by 2 small U-shaped handles, placed on both sides of the pan. Obviously, due to the arrangement of the small handles, this is not the easiest product to use for skipping ingredients or moving them during cooking. Mandarin: the mandarin type is the most commonly used that we could almost define as the standard even in our kitchens. Thanks to the rounded and concave body, a long handle placed on one side, its structure is undoubtedly more manageable, for this reason it will allow you to cook, bake, fry with much more ease.
Materials
Traditional woks are made of cast iron or iron, perfect materials for conducting heat evenly over the entire surface, robust and extremely resistant. Despite the "standards", the proposals are more and more numerous and different from each other, which is why we have decided to list the materials most used for handles and body.Handles: these elements of the wok can be made of different materials : in plastic, light but certainly not very strong and heat resistant; made of wood, rather sturdy and resistant; in steel, the most solid material and undoubtedly also the heaviest of all; Lid: the lids for these pans can be made of different materials, the most common is steel, but there are also many in Pyrex glass that allow you to carefully observe the cooking of the ingredients in the wok;
Body
The body of this type of pan can be made of different materials including carbon steel, which ensures rapid and extremely uniform cooking and which can also be used on an induction hob. Alternatively, there are also many stainless steel wok models which, from its appearance, shows itself as one of the most durable and resistant versions on the market. It is much less porous than cast iron and carbon steel, so it is also exponentially easier to clean at the end of use.On the other hand, cast iron has several pros in its favor. able to retain heat much longer than other materials used for cookware. In addition, after prolonged use over time it acquires more and more non-stick properties rather than losing them. Aluminum is also another option used for woks, but for a good use you must make sure that the thickness of its wall is about 5mm, in order to ensure an effectively uniform heat diffusion. The alternatives, minor but still present, are well diversified: Teflon, very non-stick and super easy to clean, or stone-effect materials which in addition to being non-stick are also scratch-resistant.
