How to Buy a Wok

A wok is an essential kitchen tool for making many Asian dishes, especially the perfect stir-fry. However, there are many different kinds of woks on the market made of various materials and in a variety of sizes. Keeping a few important pieces of information in mind will help you make an informed decision when it comes to buying a wok.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Decide on material. Woks are made of many different kinds of materials, but most experts agree that cast iron and carbon steel are the two best materials for a wok because of their ability to heat evenly. Carbon steel heats and cools quickly, whereas cast iron takes longer to cool, which may be a factor in your decision.

2. Focus your search on round-bottomed or flat-bottomed woks, depending on the kind of stove you have. Flat-bottomed woks are recommended for electric stoves because the shape of a round-bottomed wok on an electric heating coil does not produce even heat. Gas stoves can handle flat- or round-bottomed woks.

3. Buy a wok ring if you decide on a round-bottomed wok for your gas stove. Wok rings help stabilize round-bottomed woks and can be found alongside woks at most kitchen supply stores.

4. Decide on the size of wok you would like. Sizes typically range anywhere from 12 to 16 inches. A meal made in a 16 inch wok will feed around 12 people.

5. Find a reputable retailer. Stores like San Francisco's The Wok Shop specialize in selling only woks and accessories, with many of their items available for purchase online.

6. Settle on a price. The nice thing about woks is that even the ones of high quality can be found at an affordable price.

7. Consider accessories such as a wok lid, spatula and ladle. Many wok recipes will require one or all of these accessories for meal preparation.

Tips & Warnings

• Instead of a wok ring, the grids of some gas stoves, when turned upside-down, work well to stabilize round-bottomed woks.

• A carbon steel, flat-bottomed wok with a long wooden handle and "helper handle" on the opposite side works well in most residential kitchens.

• Avoid non-stick woks. The Teflon does not allow the juices to stick to the pan and brown, which creates many of the traditional tastes of stir-fried meals.

• Stainless steel woks are also not recommended because the heat it conducts is uneven and they often require more oil to prevent sticking.