Food as art comes in diverse cooking styles using various utensils. In particular, we have taken the interest in one particular type of utensil and that is a wok. If you want to have a feel of the Chinese cooking, then the name that you are going to come across most is the wok. As for the modern kitchen, we recommend using the best wok in order to get the most tasty dishes.
In this article, we have provided important information that will assist in getting the right woks for use on electric cooking tops. Even so, let's first understand the wok better.
What is a Wok?
A wok is a round-bottomed cooking pan believed to have originated from China. On looks, it resembles a pan but is now a deeper one, resembling a cooking pot. According to traditional Chinese cuisine, a wok was used to steam foods, pan-fry it, deep fry, braise, sear and stir fry. Wok has forks and spoons which are used to turn foods and a lid for other great meals.
In a modern kitchen a wok is especially suitable when the food has to be moved judiciously around the pan as is the case with some fragile meats and tender vegetables. With this understanding of a wok, continue below to check out our five best woks for electric stovetop reviews.
1. Craft Wok Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok
- Round Bottom Heavy 14 Inch 15 gauge (1.8mm) carbon steel wok,...
- Not suitable for flat electric or flat induction stove. Carbon...
- Hand hammered by Chinese professionals in Guangzhou. This wok is...
- Steel helper handle will not burn when you stir fry over high...
- Craft Wok - Love Wok! We are a team of professionals drawn...
The Craft Wok Carbon Steel Wok is our top rated wok for electric stove cookers. We like this Asian-style wok because it is manufactured with lightweight carbon steel which remains hot and therefore conducts heat excellently. Further, it has straight wooden handle and alongside a sturdier stainless steel helper handle manufactured from carbon steel. Thus, the Craft Wok model designed so compact and with enabling handles prove to be suitable for stir-frying, reversing and tossing food.
It comes with the regular feature of being made of carbon steel which needs to be oiled before use. Afterwards, the cooking surface will turn black resulting to a glistening surface and in this case you will not need to use much oil while cooking as food will easily slip on it.
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2. Lodge Pro-Logic Wok with Flat Base
- One Lodge Pre-Seasoned 14 Inch Cast Iron Wok
- Large handles and flat base for easier handling
- Unparalleled heat retention and even heating
- Pre-seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil
- Use to sear, sauté, bake, broil, braise, fry, or grill
For a cast-iron wok, you might want to take a look at the Lodge Pro-Logic Flat-Base Wok. The Lodge Pro-Logic pan is long lasting with good heat transfer to allow for fast heat up. Furthermore, this strong pan is also versatile because you can prepare a simple egg toasty or a delicious meal prepared with many compounds. In addition, because of the flat base it came with , this wok is most appropriate to be used on any kind of stove, the cast iron comes out hot on any heat surface.
Moreover, this wok offers the highest safety for your foods since it lacks those stick and non-slippery coatings that can shed off and interfere with the food taste and texture. This wok, with usage, attains a harmless cooking surface that is resistant to slipping. Nevertheless, you should not use this heavy wok on a glass top to avoid cracking it.
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3. Souped Up Recipes Carbon Steel Wok
- PRE-SEASONED FOR IMMEDIATE USE - Sizzling stir frys, crispy deep...
- VIDEO AND WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS - Had problems with other carbon...
- THE ORIGINAL FLAT BOTTOM WOK - Works on electric stoves,...
- SOUPED UP RECIPES CARBON STEEL WOK - Manufactured and imported by...
- VIRAL TAKEOUT RECIPES - Over 900,000 subscribers trust her...
Another carbon steel wok on our list is by Souped Up Recipes. This wok is flat bottomed, it is light and has good heat conductivity, which is very suitable for stove top high, speed cooking. Nevertheless this wok is a better option than a cast iron wok though it will need to be seasoned before you can use it.
To enhance its functionality, this Souped Up Recipes wok allows preparation of simple and even more complex dishes. Apart from using this wok in the electric stove, you can also use the wok on an induction stove. Fortunately, this wok comes with accessories: a spatula and a wooden lid. Furthermore, for safe grip, this wok has a straight wooden handle for stir- frying on turning of foods easily.
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4. Helen’s Asian Kitchen Flat Bottom Wok
- Helen’s Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok for stir frying,...
- Made from 1.6-millimeter carbon steel with heat-resistant bamboo...
- Carbon steel distributes heat quickly so foods cook evenly;...
- Flat bottom sits securely on any stovetop; works with gas,...
Another great pan with the’ authentic Asian kitchenware look and feel is Helen’s Asian Kitchen Wok. This cookware is made of carbon steel and feature a handle made of bamboo. Also, the heat is well distributed within; and this wok has a helper handle, for easy turning, food reversal, and an added bonus of appreciable hanging storage.
Even more, this pan is perfect with diverse wok-cooked dishes including stir fried, braised, deep fried, and sauté. Further, it has a lid to trap heat inside to get the right flavors in question as well as having a small size to allow easy portability. However, this wok does not have this non stick enhanced layer, the wok is made of carbon steel it develops patina over time and it is actually the patina which offers the non-stick feature.
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5. Cooks Standard Stainless Steel Multi-Ply Clad Wok
- 13-inch wok made of 18/10 stainless steel with aluminum core
- Solid stainless-steel riveted handles stay cooler with air-flow...
- Secure-fitting stainless-steel dome lid traps in heat and...
- Dishwasher-safe; oven-safe to 500 degrees F
Another wok that as been constructed in a manner that is functional, but still aesthetically pleasing is the Cooks Standard Stainless Steel Multi-Ply Clad Wok. This wok for electric stoves is made from stainless steel material, which are easy to use, clean and also easy maintain. It is also coated with a quality silver polish to give it an awesome look to patrons of the bar.
This pan is easy to clean since it has a stainless steel body which is scratch resistant. It is dishwasher safe and last but not the least, it is versatile for use with induction hobs, gas and electric stoves options.
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Flat-Bottom Vs. Rounded-Bottom Wok
Woks mainly come in two bottom forms: concave and convex. If you are going to be cooking on an electric stove it is advised to look for a wok with a flat bottom. This bottom design is preferred because it comes into complete contact with a burner thus distributing heat within the whole wok.
A flat bottomed wok can also be placed directly on an electric stove for quick heating up. As for the recommendation of an electric cooktop, this is stable and secure, thanks to a wide placement bottom that is flat based. Another benefit of a flat-bottomed stir fry wok is that it can be used on other kinds of stoves, including an induction stove.
However, you can also use a round-bottomed wok over an electric coil or stove but with the aid of a burner ring. Even so, such woks will heat up slower than flanged woks because there is considerable distance between the coil and the base of the wok. In fact, it is advisable to stay away from using a round-bottomed pan on an electric stove-top with heating coils, even if a wok ring is used as it is most likely to tip and spill the foods. Well, the same case applies to the gas stove; you have no need of any stand to prop up the wok since you can use either the round-bottom wok or the flat-bottomed wok directly on the stove.
Factors to Consider Before Buying the Best Wok for Electric Stove
1. Material
The first thing to check on while shopping for the best wok for electric stove cookers is the material used. However, when it comes to the classification of wok there is a big emphasis given to the material used. The materials that are used to make woks comprise of stainless steel, aluminum, carbon steel and cast iron. First of all, it is necessary to classify these materials and to explain, what of them is appropriate for using on electric stoves.
Carbon steel is the most desirable type of wok material because it is also cheaper, lighter, heats food evenly, and does not stick easily. Many Asian kitchens use a carbon steel wok because it is safe to throw hot ingredients around by hand. There are also stainless steel woks, which are also scratch resistant, rust resistant, dishwasher safe, and do not impart flavors to your food as non-stick coatings do.
In addition, you can purchase an Aluminum wok; this is also light to carry especially if the intended cooking technique entails much turning of the wok. This material also tends to warm food preparations are faster to reduce on the energy consumption. But aluminum woks are not quite as long-lasting as they putrefy away for some time.
Finally, there are woks made from cast iron which is usually heavy and thick metal. These woks are good for heat conduction and easy to clean thus requiring only occasional seasoning. Fortunately, cast iron woks are long lasting. Despite this, if compared to the types of cookware, cast iron is the least preferred and carbon steel woks are the most preferred.
2. Size
Size and thickness also have a huge influence on the functionality of a wok. You find that the thick wall pan will heat up slower than the thin-walled wok will. In other words, over the basic requirement, it was possible to argue that a thin wok would be easier to handle than a thick one. Size is also directly proportional to the weight and it also measures whether one is capable of handling the wok in order to stir fry, reverse and toss it.
3. Handle Design
A quality wok should be able to bear its weight by means of the handle feature. On the one hand, light woks generally have a straight handle and an added smaller opposite loop, good for turning foods over. On the other hand, as the woks are a bit heavy some have two loops bringing ease to handling them during transfers. In all, a helper handle is needful for safety while maneuvering the hot wok.
4. Accessories
Last but not least, it would be great to choose a wok that comes with accessories. Someof these wok accessories are spatula, ladle, burner rings and steamer tray. For instance, a wok has an aluminum lid as well is quite appropriate for getting the maximum heat and moisture. Hence, it is wiser for people to get woks with accessories attached to them because the extra cost is worth it.
