We suspect a large portion of you have a wok at home. After all, they’re a pretty common kitchen staple. But, are you getting the best use out of it? While stir-frys are a wok cooking classic, the best woks are able to bring so much more to your culinary adventures.
At Circulon, we want to help you master the kitchen. So, to help you understand just how to get the most from your wok – and what to look out for when you’re buying one – we’ve pulled together some of our most important tips and information into one handy guide…
What is a Wok?
First things first, you probably have a lot of questions; like, what is a wok? What makes the best wok? How is a wok different from a frying pan? Fortunately for you, we have the answers. So, let’s start right at the beginning: what is a wok?
Originating in China over 2,000 years ago, woks have become an essential piece of cookware across Asia, and are largely synonymous with Asian cooking styles and cuisines. Woks are identified by their deep, sloping sides, rounded base, and thinner walls – making them much like a cross between a shaped saucepan and a frying pan.
Note: to support use on electric or induction hobs, many modern woks are made with flat bases.
To help you visualise this easier – as well as highlight the key areas of a wok – check out our diagram below. Each part has a role to play in making sure the best woks can have a distinct role in your kitchen.
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The helper handle: where woks are used to cook meals for the family, this secondary handle allows you to easily transfer your wok to the table.
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The high sides: high, sloping sides allows you to easily flip and circulate food around a large surface area.
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The base: whilst traditionally rounded, many modern woks have a flat base to allow for use on induction or electric hobs.
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The handle: wok handles need to be balanced so that you can comfortably grip them and move/toss food around with ease.
Remember, the unique shape is the key to the properties that define the best woks, which we discuss in more detail below.
The anatomy of a wok
But what is it about the shape that makes woks so unique? For that, we need to dive into the science around heat distribution and cooking.
Woks are concave, with the aforementioned high, sloping walls. And, in comparison to other pans, the best woks have relatively little direct contact with the heat source. This construction means that they have three heat zones that cook your ingredients differently depending on where they are in the pan. These heat zones are:
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At the base: the area in contact with the heat source is (obviously) the hottest. This is perfect for getting a sear on meat or vegetables.
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The middle: the middle of the wok is slightly cooler, so the steam partially condenses and helps to cook foods through.
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The top: as the coolest area of the wok, this is perfect for cooking delicate ingredients with the circulating hot air.
This unique heat distribution is perfect for stir-frys because you can cook with different textures and ingredients to get a well-rounded final dish. But this shape also makes woks perfect for:
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Steaming: the size and depth of a wok can easily fit a steamer basket inside, while the heat retention keeps the temperature consistent.
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Braising: this cooking method usually uses a large amount of liquid simmered over time on a low heat. Braising in a wok allows you to simmer effectively, and the shape means you can stir without utensils – simply shake to move the ingredients around.
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Frying: the depth of a wok allows you to comfortably deep or shallow fry ingredients with less risk of oil splatters due to the higher sides.
How to pick the best wok
Now that we’ve stoked your interest with all that you can actually do with a wok – how do you know which one is the best wok to buy? As always, we’ve got you covered. We’ve picked out some of the key features you need to look out for when buying the best wok for your kitchen…
Material
With the temperatures that you will need for wok cooking (especially stir-frying), the material matters. You need something durable, with excellent heat retention and distribution, that can handle rigorous use. Our top pick? Hard-anodized aluminium.
Hard-anodized aluminium is versatile, durable, and most importantly for cookware, capable of withstanding repeated use at high heat. In particular, we love the Total Non-Stick Wok Pan, found in two sizes to suit your cooking style. Constructed with heavy-gauge hard-anodized aluminium, this wok heats up 20% faster, with no hot spots – perfect for midweek meals where you want something delicious but fast. And, built to last up to 15x longer than our closet competitors, this is definitely one of the best woks for your kitchen.
Size
Whether you’re cooking for the family, or whipping up a one-person portion, the size of a wok will definitely influence which one is right for you. The best woks are deep and spacious to hit all the cooking zones we mentioned above. Plus, a bigger wok allows you to use it for more than just stir-frying.
Look out for woks you can fit a steam basket in to make vegetables, dumplings, and much more in!
Handles
As you likely will have seen, woks can have different types of handles depending on their design. Cantonese-style woks have two small handles on either side, which fits in with the cooking style of using the lip of a hob to help flip the food. Two handles also help to improve the stability of your wok, and makes it easy to transport around the kitchen – especially if you’re cooking a lot of food.
On the other hand, you might want to choose a Northern-style wok. These are built with one long handle and a small ‘helper handle’ (like the one in our diagram further up). The longer handle can give you more control and confidence in tossing ingredients – which are both qualities you need as a home chef.
Looking for a Northern-style wok? Check out the ScratchDefense Extreme Non-Stick Wok & Helper Handle. Featuring an aluminium core for fast, even heat distribution, and with a comfortable handle at either side of the pan, it’s much easier to cook larger portions for friends and family. Plus, the soft silicone helps to secure your hold so you can toss stir frys with a flourish!
Lid
To lid, or not to lid – that is the question. But seriously, when it comes to choosing the best woks to buy for your kitchen, getting a lid can take your purchase up a notch and give you so many more culinary options. For example:
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Steaming: the lid keeps the heat in your wok for even streaming of foods like dumplings etc. If this is the case, we recommend looking for a high, domed lid to have more cooking space.
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Braising: using a lid helps to keep your wok at an even simmer, and keeps the moisture in for long cooks.
Top tip: don’t be tempted to put the lid on if you’re using your wok to fry foods. While it can protect you from spitting oil, keeping the steam in will ruin the crispy-ness of your fried foods.
When it comes to woks with lids, we’ve got you covered. But, our top pick of the collection has to be ScratchDefense Extreme Non-Stick Wok & Stainless Steel Lid. At a generous 36cm, this is the ultimate wok for parties or get-togethers where you need to feed a hungry crowd. The high, domed lid is perfect for steaming, while the quality construction, aluminium core, and ScratchDefense technology all combine to make cooking delicious foods easy and enjoyable!
Tips for using your wok
So, you know what to look for in the best woks – but we couldn’t just leave it there. We’ve picked out some of our best tips and tricks to get the most from your wok and show everyone that you’re a whizz in the kitchen…
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Season your wok: the easiest way to avoid food sticking is to (obviously) look for woks with a non-stick coating. Failing that, you can ‘season’ your wok, which is where you create a patina of oil over time that coats your wok.
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Hot Wok, Cold Oil: another tip for avoiding food sticking to your wok (especially when stir-frying) is to always add cold oil to a hot wok. This maximises the frying capabilities and helps you get a good sear.
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Use the right oils: when you’re cooking at high temperatures, try to use oils with a high smoke point, as these won’t break down and affect the flavour of your dish.
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Use a steam basket: if you’re using your wok to steam dumplings or sticky rice, you need to use a steamer that allows the heat to come from the bottom. For meats or fish, you can use a plate or bowl.
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Choose a deeper wok: if you’re regularly using your wok to fry, make sure you get one on the deeper end of the scale to fry safely.
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Don’t overfill: if you’re stir-frying, overfilling your wok can cause your ingredients to steam rather than fry. When deep-frying, adding too many items at once lowers the temperature of the oil, resulting in greasy rather than crispy treats.
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Preheat your wok: to get the all-essential crispness, always preheat your wok when stir-frying. For steaming, make sure the water is boiling before cooking anything.
Looking for more tips and tricks for your wok? Learn How to Clean a Wok with our handy guide…
Find the best woks with Circulon
We hope you find this guide helpful – and put some of our tips to the test with your new wok! But, we’ve also got a lot more on offer for your kitchen. Check out the rest of our range, including Frying Pans & Skillets for perfect seared foods every time, or use one of our Stockpots & Casserole Pans to create flavourful broths, soups, and one-pan bakes!
And, for more tips, tricks, and buying guides, explore the Circulon blog…
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