I used to have a wok, a long time ago. I didn't have a lot of cabinet room so I stuck it under the sink for storage. I didn't pull it out for awhile and when I did it was completely rusted through.

My sister just gave me a Lodge brand cast iron wok, but it's little and hard to cook in.

I'd like to purchase a new wok but I have no idea what to get.

Carbon Steel or non stick? 14 inch or what size? I don't need a huge one.

Stainless steel wok?

Flat bottom or round bottom? There is a ring thing some of the woks sit on.

I have a natural gas range with cast iron grates.

What about the tools for it? The scooper stirrer whatchamacallit and the other things?

Please tell me anything else I need to know.

I'd like to keep it under $100 bucks total, if I can, including the accessories. I don't mind spending up to $150 if I have to.

A few weeks ago I started making Fried Rice, really like it.

Thanks!
.

I saw a flat bottomed, mandarin wok at walmart that would fit your price point. I see plenty of cheap ones on amazon.

I have a carbon steel hand hammered 16" round bottom cantonese wok I bought through an importer in San Franciso back in 2002. It got a bit rusted up in some extended storage situations before I knew how to properly care for it. I was able to take a wire wheel and a grinder and refinish it. It was over $200 back then, so I have no idea what a real one runs now. I believe restaurant supply chains sell reasonable middle ground ones.

I have a flat bottom, cantonese style spun steel wok that I found in Canada back in 2009. It lived in my RV when I had one, and was our camping wok. It's in my kitchen now, and I find myself using it often for smaller batches where I don't want to break out the large one and ring. I think getting a spun steel or carbon steel one is worth it. I don't own any coated non-stick cookware.

I bought this back in 2018:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/pr..._title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


So far it has fit over two different brands of gas stoves for my round bottom wok. I really like how low it gets to the flame and how secure it is on the stove. I like it a lot better than the sit on top style round wok rings that move around too easily on the burner.

Really can't share any answers, just a purchase experience. Back in the 2000's I decided I needed a wok and did a lot of research (back then). Purchased woks and ancillary equipment from https://www.wokshop.com/ in San Francisco's Chinatown. Great folks to deal with. Answered questions and every order from them had some kind of freebie accessory tossed in. Made a move at one point and didn't really have as much space at the new place, wasn't even using the woks much ... and tossed them. SOoooo, I basically know nothing "wok" and depended on the experts @ wokshop. If I ever got back into it, I'd give them a first look.

EDIT: Only tossed the woks after I decided I could cook most all that wok stuff in a large cast iron skillet I have. But cast iron is an art too

We got this a few of years ago when living in the Yoop as mail order was our only choice since there wasn’t anything like it locally. It has served us well since. Its the real deal.

https://importfood.com/item/th...t-vendor-wok-14-inch

They also sell all the rest of the stuff you will ever need unless you have a local asian grocer.

A wok should be made of carbon steel, and sit over a very hot gas burner. A cast iron wok is simply a marketers idea and has no practical application. Carbon steel will heat quickly and cool quickly; nearly impossible to properly do over an electric stove unless you have a high-end induction stove. Ideally you'd swap the grate over your burner with a wok ring, thus a fully curved wok can sit correctly. Because of how some stove grates are configured, rings can be a problem so, flat-bottom woks are getting popular. Some people have endorsed non-stick woks, it sounds counter intuitive given the high-heat and the constant scraping/rubbing inherent to this cooking technique.

How to Buy, Season, and Care for a Wok

Here's what Serious Eats recommends
https://www.amazon.com/Joyce-C...?tag=se-equipment-20

^^^ workshop.com is another solid location. They've got a hardwood cutting board that I really like.

The spoon and spatula are the main tools as there's no tongs or, forks being used.

A strainer/spider/slotted spoons are the other tools that's good to have

Another vote for wokshop.com

I’d have to disagree with corsair on the cast iron wok. These suckers were in use before carbon steel. I have a very large cast iron wok that works great. It is a different way to use a wok, though. You can’t do the tossing motion you see used with lighter, carbon steel woks. It sears very well over high heat.

One of the only things I ever bought off of a TV promo (about 35 yrs ago) was a carbon steel hand hammered wok that has been money for me all these years.

It came with a lid and fire ring for proper placement over a gas burner, as well as with a brass strainer, chopsticks, bamboo cleaning brush, ladle, spatula that was the same curvature as the bottom of the wok. I think it was $30

^^^^^^^^^^ That would be Wally the Wok Guy. Wally Link

Wally Link #2

That was how I got mine too. I really enjoyed it back then, made some good meals from it.
.

Yes, talk with Tane Chan at the Wok Shop. She's a cool lady.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I’d have to disagree with corsair on the cast iron wok. These suckers were in use before carbon steel. I have a very large cast iron wok that works great. It is a different way to use a wok, though. You can’t do the tossing motion you see used with lighter, carbon steel woks. It sears very well over high heat.

Tossing is definitely a part of wok cooking...of course not everyone does it (weight big factor) and there's also a whole host of people that aren't familiar with seasoning cast iron or, how to clean/care for cast iron.

Been pretty happy with the Town carbon steel wok from here.

https://www.webstaurantstore.c...aterial:carbon-steel

Similar to a wok, I just bought a disc from Southwest Disc

I haven’t had a chance to cook on it yet, but I think it’ll do rather well. It’s 1/4” thick steel, formed, no welds. Made in America, and a veteran owned company. I bought the 20” Moab and a King Kooker 54k BTU burner. I would have used it, but we actually have snow outside and well, that ain’t happening.

Anyways, if you’re making fried rice, I think one of these could suit you pretty well.

None of the above. I've got an electric stove with a glass top so I use an electric wok.

OH, and don't forget my favorite cookbook, 101 Ways To Wok Your Dog.

I bought a carbon steel imported round bottom wok a few years ago. I have a gas stove and tempered it to a lovely blue finish. If I had it to do over, I would get a nice non-stick one.

So based on the advice given above, I phoned the Wok Shop and asked them to help me pick a wok from their website since they have many to choose from.

We decided one of the package deals would best suit my needs.

Then the lady told me that they could not ship it yet because the wok itself is on backorder but they're expecting a shipment any day to arrive.

I asked if it was made in China. I mean, who wouldn't think a wok would not be made in china.

Nope, the lady said the wok was made in the USA.

That made me happy.

Hopefully it will arrive soon so they can ship me to me.

Thanks everyone, for your advice.
.