Since I’ve never ordered dishes on online stores, I don’t know where shall I purchase a wok. I’m looking for an induction wok, so you’re welcome to recommend or share your feedback on your wok. What should I put my attention on while choosing? What online store do you usually order dishes from?
I got an electric WOK from Amazon. It has served me well because it gets very hot, and changes temperature very quickly which is important in WOK heating (usually the reason they are used on gas burners is to get them very hot very fast, and then remove from heat instantly). However, all of the electric ones come with a teflon non-stick coating, and it never lasts (and you really should never heat teflon over 450 degrees, and a WOK is often used at 500 or more). I would go with a carbon steel one, and just be religious about cleaning and drying it so that it does not rust. Treat like you would a cast iron pan to build up a good seasoning and you won’t have any sticking issues.
Spot, i recommend putting your attention on while choosing by first setting a decision criteria according to your Needs and Want, not someone else’s. Make your list.
Of course your Needs start with a wok being induction capable. You might also consider your budget or price range as a Need. Other decision criteria could be size, depth, and weight. Performance, ease of maintenance and appearance might be a Need or a Want, it’s up to you.
A basic made-in-China flat bottomed steel wok may be all you need. Cheap, functional, but considered ugly by some. Most will function on an induction cooktop or hob and last many years with a little regular maintenance.
At the other extreme consider a stainless steel copper core wok. Those pans are the best i’ve owned and they will be a family heirloom. They are amazingly responsive on induction. All-Clad makes an excellent wok if you can tolerate buying an American made product using American steel at a made in America price. You won’t be disappointed. All the major online vendors sell them.
I rarely buy from on-line sources as i view them as destroyers of small family businesses. My preferred source is a local commercial foodservice equipment dealer. (They all sell to the public.) Their prices are lower than most specialty stores and if an item is not in stock they will obtain it and match or beat any other local price. They will be reopening soon along with the restaurants in your area (hopefully).
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Hey, Gwen,
Not a direct answer to your question, i.e. which shop, but a vital piece of information! I am a professional chef on a yacht, and we recently updated from gas to induction (ugh). The induction cook top will NOT heat anything but the part of the wok that is touching the surface. This negates what a wok is designed for, i.e. the whole thing being hot and staying hot, while you are stir frying.
I have ended up with a big paella pan, as it has short sides and the most contact with the induction surface.
If you don’t want to use a paella pan, my advice to you is to get an electric wok, but a paella pan works just as well (as long as it’s made of the right material!!), and it takes up less space.
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Chef Jessica, your explanation is precisely why i prefer to use stainless clad copper core pans on induction. The copper core goes right up to the rim delivering heat to all the food in contact with the pan.
THANK YOU, CHATNOIR!!
What a great solution, thank you for sharing! I shall investigate my options with copper core cookware, bless you.
Jessica
I don’t really understand this, because I don’t see how it solves the problem. Only the part of the pan in contact with the heating element will be heated. You might get some conducted heat through the copper core but can it really be nearly to the same extent as the base (or a regular wok on a decent gas ring)?
Bazzer, you’re right, nothing beats a high output commercial gas fired cook top with a drop in carbon steel wok. I don’t need that performance and surplus heat at home and i certainly don’t want to breathe the resulting gases of combustion.
As you know copper is an excellent conductor and with browning occurring well up the sides of the wok that’s good enough for me.
My 2 cents: by design a wok was meant to be on an open flame but evolution created choices and my advice would be to get a “pre-seasoned carbon steel” model. I say pre-seasoned because depending on how successful you are at seasoning, your wok could warp a little making it hell for the induction to work properly. A Paella pan is large and flat which in theory would mean that the entire surface would have the same temperature but the wok by its shape is made to be its hottest at the bottom so you can sear at the bottom while being able to push other foods up the side to keep warm. I also own a paella pan and would not think of using it for stir fry. I am considering induction for my next stove and would love to hear what wok you settle on and also if it meets your expectations.
Hi, Jessica!
Thanks for the detailed response. I understood that woks fit better to gas stoves, but what do you think about woks with a big heating surface like this one? I don’t savvy in physics, but this one looks to be appropriate for induction stoves.
We have an induction range. We have an IKEA 365+ wok. It works very well. We have been very happy with Ikea’s induction friendly, cost effective pots and pans.
I have a few woks and my best is a basic carbon steel wok from Chinese shop. once seasoned nothing sticks. I have a none stick one that I don’t like for really hot frying because I had a good quality one that I ruined by getting too hot. Gas wok burner is best with flames up the sides, This topic has made me hungry now Wok on
Welcome to community
I use Le Creuset enameled, All Clad, and Swiss Diamond pots and pans, as well as a collection of unusual pots on my induction range as well as a Mirage portable single induction burner. All of my pots and pans get hot to the very top. I have found some stainless steel pans that don’t work with induction, so when I shop I take a magnet with me.
Then they are not stainless steel otherwise they’d work 
All franks aren’t the same, and neither are stainless steels.
Induction cooking requires a magnetic grade of stainless steel with a high percentage of ferrous material in the alloy that provides a high degree of surface resistance producing heat. Example: Stainless steel 432 is magnetic while stainless steel 304 is not with its minimal surface resistance.
Keep carrying that magnet Penni. Another tip, a thicker steel base will be more effective for induction cooking than a pan with a thin base. Aluminum pans that claim induction compatibility have thin ferrous metal disks on the base and are significantly less effective than s/s pans.
thanks for these details.
Glad to know you found them useful.
Bonus tip: a lot of cooks like their carbon steel pans on induction but they are only about 75% as effective as a good quality s/s pan.
I use the ikea 365 wok also, it is not great for even heating, wilting down a heavy on the veg stir fry, but this was our first foray into induction & ikea had pans when others didn’t (or were crazy money) …I shall look for a copper core that is essentially dual layer throughout (as per chat noir) as all round heating is the great improver here compared to partial heating of a metallic base)
Smithers, release the hounds!
(a-hunting we shall go)