7 Best Carbon Steel Wok To Feel Like A Professional In The Kitchen
Nothing beats cooking like a pro in the kitchen than to have the right cookware to use. Unfortunately, stir-frying on a regular pan just will not cut it. You’d need to have a big wok to have that space to work with. And what is the best wok out there? A competent one would be using a carbon steel wok.
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So what is the best carbon steel wok that will make you feel like you’re a professional in the kitchen? We have here seven carbon steel woks that will get you started.
Contents
- Best Carbon Steel Wok On The 2022 Market
- #1. Helen Chen's Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok
- #2. Craft Wok Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok
- #3. Souped Up Recipes Carbon Steel Wok
- #4. Timoneylove Pre-Seasoned Carbon Steel Pow Wok
- #5. Mammafong Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Chinese Pow Wok
- #6. Mecete 3rd Generation Traditional Hand Hammered Uncoated Carbon Steel Pow Wok
- #7. Gold Tulip Carbon Steel Wok
- What Is A Carbon Steel Wok?
- Carbon Steel Wok Buying Guide
- FAQs on Carbon Steel Wok
Best Carbon Steel Wok On The 2022 Market
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Make fried rice and stir-fried vegetables without all the mess using Helen Chen’s Carbon Steel Wok. This 12-inch wok is lightweight and small for those who want to try out cooking with a wok for the first time. It’s spacious enough to work with and the carbon steel material distributes heat evenly, so every section of your food gets cooked properly.
When seasoned correctly, this wok works great as non-stick cookware. The 1.6-millimeter carbon steel used is also durable. If properly cleaned and handled, this wok will last a long time.
Cooking with Helen Chen's Carbon Steel Wok is going to be a new experience and is ideal for beginners.
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If you’re looking for a round bottom pan, Craft Wok’s traditional carbon steel wok may just be the thing for you. Made with 1.8-millimeter carbon steel, this wok is tough, durable, and provides heat distribution evenly throughout this cookware.
Craft Wok’s 14-inch wok is known to be hand-hammered in Guangzhou by professionals. According to them, this is why it’s the choice of professional Chinese chefs.
What we like about this wok is the steel helper handle that allows users to be able to lift this appliance carefully. The handle is also used in hanging this wok for storage.
Since it has a round bottom, do note that it is only compatible with burners, gas stoves, and cooktops. Flat surface cooking will not do well with these.
Your view on stir-frying will change with Craft Wok’s traditional wok. This might even be your next go-to cookware in the near future.
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Souped Up Recipes’ flat bottom carbon steel wok is compatible with most heat sources that it has become an ideal wok for many. The wok heats up fast and can evenly distribute heat that it’s ideal for stir-frying, steaming, and stewing dishes.
What’s worth mentioning about this wok is the pour spout on the side for when you want to pour sauces to another container thereby eliminating any possible mess. The wok is also beautiful in black and can look sleek in your kitchen.
When seasoned well regularly and given the proper care, Souped Up Recipes’ wok gets all your cooking done right.
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Timoneylove’s carbon steel wok is an ideal piece of cookware if you’re already an experienced cook and need a wok for your collection. The carbon steel material is durable and also heats up fast which helps in getting all your cooking needs done in no time.
Though Timoneylove describes this wok as pre-seasoned already, they assure you that the coating is not from harmful chemicals. Cooking with their wok also results in less smoke. Clean-up is also convenient.
The wok is not too heavy but not lightweight either. The wooden handle and the handle helper allow you to lift this wok comfortably. Cold forged and hand-hammered, this traditional Chinese wok is crafted to make stir-frying food a joy rather than a chore.
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If you decide to purchase a wok then it must have all the things you need, so your investment is worth it. And with Mammafong’s carbon steel wok, you probably won’t need to get another one anytime soon.
This wok is hand-hammered by professionals in Guangdong, China. The round bottom is authentic and the carbon steel material is durable. Heat distribution is even when cooking with this wok. It’s also easy to stir-fry food since the round bottom helps in gathering up the ingredients all together conveniently.
The wooden handle is also a life-saver since it does not get hot to the touch in a short amount of time. Lifting this wok is also easy with the use of the helper handle.
Make sure to season this wok regularly and clean it properly to ensure a long life with this cookware.
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Mecete is known for crafting woks traditionally by hand-hammering them. This gives it that authentic look and feel whenever their woks are used for cooking. This 3rd generation wok features a better connection from the handle to the walk than its predecessors, so it’s more stable to use.
Mecete assures you there are no chemical coatings in their wok. When seasoned and cleaned properly, Mecete’s wok is a durable piece of cookware that’s built to last. You can stir-fry, steam and stew dishes with this wok. The round bottom is convenient wherein it allows you to cook together all your ingredients. Heat is distributed evenly all over this wok as well.
If you’re a beginner looking to try out a wok or a professional who needs a new one, try out Mecete’s 3rd Generation wok and feel the difference when cooking with this appliance.
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Gold Tulip has a lightweight carbon steel wok that stays true to its cooking capabilities. Its flat bottom wok is ideal for any cooktops and easily allows you to stir-fry your desired dishes. It’s hand-hammered and the carbon steel material allows even heat distribution for better cooking results.
The handle is wooden and sturdy that ensures a comfortable grip while using it. There’s also a helper handle for lifting the wok easily. At 14 inches, it’s a suitable size for making medium to large portioned dishes for the family.
If you’re ready to invest in a wok, you might want to consider Gold Tulip’s for that traditional looking wok that will aid you in making the best meals in your kitchen.
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What Is A Carbon Steel Wok?
A carbon steel wok is a type of cookware that’s used to stir-fry dishes. The carbon steel material allows heat to distribute evenly which makes cooking a breeze. The sides of a wok are high that it’s ideal for when you’re cooking up a storm in your kitchen since it gives you more room to move your food a lot. You may also use a wok for steaming, deep-frying, braising, poaching, and boiling food with it. Dishes that are commonly cooked in a wok are sweet and spicy chicken stir-fry, mapo tofu, chow mein, and more.
Carbon Steel Wok Buying Guide
There are so many things to consider before buying a carbon steel wok. Here are a few to help you decide if you’re ready to invest in one.
Round or Flat Bottom
Carbon steel woks come with round bottoms or flat bottoms. Each has its pros and cons that their usage simply boils down to which stove you use at home.
For instance, round bottom woks are compatible with gas stoves. Because of its shape, it would be easier and stable to just set it on top of the gas stove than on induction or electric stove. You may buy a wok ring to keep it stable on an electric or induction top. But you won’t be able to heat the wok easily.
On the other hand, flat bottom woks work with most stovetops. The only problem with flat bottom woks is that they’re not considered authentic or traditional. But if this doesn’t bother you at all, flat bottom woks are just as convenient as round bottom ones.
Weight
Woks can be heavy or lightweight and it’s important that you know how much weight you can carry while cooking with a wok. You don’t want to cause an accident by dropping a hot wok and its contents all because you can’t seem to lift it.
Helper Handles
A helper handle is that extra handle on the wok that lets you lift the wok easier than with just one handle. Not all woks have it so it’s best to check the cookware before buying it to see if it is built with a helper handle.
Handle
A wok’s handle can sometimes be wobbly, so you have to check if the handles are screwed in tight and they’re in good condition.
Price
A wok is not cheap, but it’s not too expensive either. You can find woks less than $50 in the market that works well. Don’t buy expensive woks if you’re a beginner.
FAQs on Carbon Steel Wok
- Are carbon steel woks good?
Carbon steel woks are considered a great investment. As mentioned above, carbon steel is considered a good material for heat conduction. This means that heat is distributed evenly with this type of construction, so it’s an ideal piece of cookware to have in your homes.
It’s also considered an all-around cooking appliance. You can even thicken spaghetti sauce in a wok if you’d like. It’s that convenient.
- Is carbon steel wok safe for health?
Carbon steel wok is safe for your health when cleaned properly on the first use and seasoned regularly. Woks that are built from carbon steel material also do not have a non-stick coating that can harm the body. You would need to season it with oil in high heat to give it that natural non-stick feature.
- Which is better cast iron or carbon steel wok?
Both cast iron and carbon steel wok are considered great investments. They both require being seasoned from time to time and cleaning them is easy. The only major difference is the weight. A carbon steel wok is lighter compared to a cast iron pan.
There you have it. The best carbon steel wok is one you can lift, clean, and cook with easily. Have you found your ideal wok in the list we reviewed? Let us know.
