14-inch Pre-Seasoned Black Carbon Steel Wok Round Bottomed

I’ve owned a lot of wok pans over the years; this one is extremely impressive.

(Please note that I have a gas cooktop so cannot vouch for it on an electric one.) The pan gets beautifully hot—much hotter much more quickly than my current non-stick wok does—which I think is essential for cooking good Chinese food. I made three dishes that I have made many, many times before, and my husband, who is my biggest fan but also my most thoughtful critic, said they were the best ever. One was a sweet-sour dish with a thick sauce and twice-fried meat, another was a classic stir fry with meat, mushrooms and a seasoning sauce, and the third was a green vegetable in garlic sauce. The meat cooked much more rapidly than it does in my current wok, and for the first time the garlic sauce actually cooked down to almost nothing just like it’s supposed to without boiling the veg to death in the process. The flavors in all three dishes were noticeably more pronounced and delicious because the cooking time was reduced. Also, it heated up so quickly and thoroughly that there was a lot less smoke than there usually is when I make Chinese food, so the smoke alarm didn’t go off.

It was relatively easy to clean between dishes. I wiped it out with a sponge and dried it with a paper towel before starting the next dish but in future will just dry it on low heat on the burner.

About a week before my pan arrived, I got a very detailed email explaining how to prepare and care for it. Definitely save this and read it again when you get yours. The pan is heavy, so choose the size that is best for you. I will definitely use this pan instead of the non-stick version I’ve been using, and I will look forward to seeing how my wok chi evolves.

Better than expected, works great!

I am really satisfied and happy for this purchase. This wok works perfectly for a cooking lover, without being a professional chef. I carefully followed the instructions for its seasoning and use and the wok took on a beautiful bluish hue inside and outside, which I did not expect. Inside it has a smooth texture and the vegetables slide perfectly without sticking. I have cooked four times and it improves its appearance and performance with use. It is very easy to clean if you follow the instructions. I recommend putting a little oil before storing.

While it isn’t totally light, it Woks very well!

Woks just great.
Have to pay attention to seasoning it well and then it's going to be pretty non-stick.
This piece I believe approaches 'pro' level.
I could see a cook using it all day for some or many steps of cooking a dish. Several dishes!

Wok cooking, stir-fry, takes a good bit of prep work.
Then you're heating a smidge of oil and dancing ingredients lightly through the cooking cycle.

This wok is not totally lightweight¹ .
It could be lighter, but then it might be bendy, and, it might not hold or distribute heat well enough to do this type of cooking well. The super high heat along with a pan that you season a little each time you cook² is the only way to achieve 'wok-hai', the true fragrance of Chinese cooking. A good pan, well aeasoned, is a tool, and as such, gains an attractive appearance though function's form. Buy.

¹ the handle is a good one, socketed, and attached with two screws so it can be replaced when the seasoned steel outlives it by 200 years; it tends to cause that one side to sink a bit; maybe a cast-iron hob ring will hold it better, but as the bottom is round, it cooks fine at a slight angle

² always heat the pan, then add a little oil, just enough that you can swish around and coat the pan, let it get to smoking hot, then pour off the oil safely and discard when cooled. Now the pan is ready, it will be non-stick. The oil carmelizes, and polymerizes, creating or adding to a coating that is the seasoning. Only add oil to a hot pan

³ don't forget to get a stainless, long-handled spatula for stir-frying and other cooking types in this pan; it's already the perfect shape, and the length will keep your hands out of the flames. Tip: wipe it with a tiny amount of any food-safe oil each time you use it so it's more nonstick too