Stir frying is the deep rooted tradition of Chinese cuisine. But it is now quite common in West as well. If you love stir fried foods then you will definitely have a quality wok in your kitchen. If you haven’t then don’t worry today we will explore some of the best flat bottom woks especially designed for this style of cooking.
If it is your first time to enter into world of woks then finding and buying process would be overwhelming. This historical cooking pot has been used in China for more than thousand years but what woks we have today are quite different from those used in the past.
Our Top Picks for Flat Bottom Wok
- The Best Overall :
Lodge Pro-Logic Wok With Flat Base and Loop Handles, 14-inch, Black
- The Best High End :
Cooks Standard Stainless Steel Multi-Ply Clad Wok, 13-Inch, Silver
- The Best Budget:
Carbon Steel Wok For Electric, Induction and Gas Stoves (Lid, Spatula and Seasoning Video Guide Included)
Why Do You Need a Wok In Your Kitchen?
The word “Wok” in Chinese means cooking pot. They are quite versatile as the name suggest and can be used for odd cooking tasks. The round bottom wok is the traditional form of it and mostly found in this shape in market but you can also buy now a flat bottom wok especially designed for modern kitchen cook tops such ceramic glass stove-tops.
Stir frying is something impossible with this traditional cookware. Its round bottom is especially designed to get optimum exposure to heat. The round bottom of it is targeted by flame resulting intense heating that is require for stir frying.
The wok comes with long handle that makes the food tossing a lot easier. But there are also woks without handles especially found in restaurant who also served the food in it and they found them easy to store. Woks without handles are easily stack-able.
Stir frying is the part of Chinese cuisine culture. Without soup and stir fried cooking we can’t imagine Chinese culinary. Stir frying without a wok is something impossible. A wok has an exceptional ability to reach a wicked high heat that is vital for this cooking style. As we already mentioned wok is a very versatile cooking pot so you can use it for other cooking jobs as well such as soups, sauce making, deep frying and braising.
Types of Wok
Structure wise there are two types of wok: round bottom and flat bottom. Round bottom is the traditional design of this pot. In market you will find most of the woks of this shape. But some heat surfaces such as glass top stoves are fragile and would scratch if you continuously move the pot during cooking process. As we know this style of cooking is very fast and required lots of stirring so the traditional round bottom wok is a risk option here.
Shape of Wok: Flat Bottom or Round Bottom
If your current stovetop is gas then you have a lot of options as far as cookware materials or shapes of pots and pans are concerned. Round bottom as we know the traditional and original wok with more than hundred years of history.
If your gas burner fails to cradle the work then there is no reason for tension, a simple wok ring (adapter) is just sufficient to fit the pot on stovetop. Good news is that work rings are extremely cheap and you can also use them as a trivet when you remove the work of the cook top.
But the round bottom work creates a lot of problems when you use it on heat surface that is fragile. It means the surface of the heat source is made of material that is easy to scratch. The electric, ceramic stove or induction glass stovetops are heat surfaces not robust as gas. So you need to use the pots and pans with soft bottom. As we know there is continuous stirring during wok based cooking so round bottom wok is not recommend for this surface.
In market there are hand hammered flat bottom woks. These woks are also not recommended for ceramic glass stovetops and induction glass cook tops. Because of the existence of “uneven” hand-hammered markings or divits on the flattened bottom surface, that can easily scratch the glass surface.
Our team read the reviews of current flat bottom woks owners. There are mix views of users’ satisfaction with flat bottom woks. Some say, “They are happy with performance of their wok on glass top stove. Other say, the wok is not stable and dances around their heat surface. So it is up to you to try a flat bottom wok.
Woks for Heat Induction Burners
Your kitchen heat source plays a vital role in choosing a wok type. As we know woks are made of different materials such cast iron, stainless steel, carbon steel and more. As far as shape is concerned we discussed above there are two types of wok traditional round bottom and flat bottom.
First there is big “NO” for round bottom woks for induction glass burners for simple reason the round bottom can easily scratch the surface because it is not stable and wouldn’t sit on the heating surface calmly.
So you are required to buy a flat bottom wok for heat induction burners. They are more stable on the cooking surface so there are fewer chances of scratches.
Besides the design of the bottom of the wok, constructional material is also important for this heat surface. If the bottom of the cooking pot or pan is not optimized for induction then it will poorly perform. So there will be lot of loss of energy. And in some cases even the cooking is not possible.
It is quite easy to check whether the pot or pan is induction optimized or not. First check the box of the cookware to see the induction stove-top compatibility logo on it. If there is no logon then you can check the pot or pan with magnet. Just hold a magnet up to the bottom of the pot or pan. If the magnet sticks well, it means it is induction compatible.
The best materials for induction glass top stove are carbon steel, stainless steel and cast iron. Reading reviews of current holders of flat bottom induction stove-top optimized woks their opinions are mixed types; some are satisfied while some folks don’t get the desired results.
Some customers with induction top stoves who have purchased the flat bottom woks are well satisfied with performance the way the wok works on their cook top. While other customers said that their wok can’t get hot enough. And it doesn’t sit perfectly on cooking range etc. So it is up-to you to buy a flat bottom wok for your glass induction cook top.
What’s The Best Material for Your Future Wok?
Carbon steel is still the best material for wok manufacturing. This material comes with features such as quick heating, quick response to change in temperature and it transfers the heat well. Other benefits of it are its natural nonstick behavior. You can easily create a natural nonstick coating with simple home based seasoning. While in case of stainless steel pots and pans it is not possible to get this natural nonstick cooking surface. The natural nonstick coating keeps the food offs the cooking surface for less fat intensive cooking and breeze cleanup. The negative of carbon steel is that it can easily get rust so regular care and seasoning is must for it.
Cast iron is another best material for construction of wok because of its superior heat conductivity and retention. You can easily create a natural nonstick coating with simple seasoning and maintenance procedure. Cast iron is also a rust pro metal. It can easily get rust so you need to take care of it with regular cleaning and seasoning.
Washing with soap is not recommended for cast iron or carbon steel made woks because it may remove the patina of seasoning.
The Best Overall:
Lodge Pro-Logic Wok with Flat Base and Loop Handles, 14-inch, Black
If you are looking for a quality flat bottom wok to perfectly sit on your induction cook top then this is one of the best options to consider. It is pre-seasoned and ready for instant. The natural nonstick coating works perfectly for all types of foods even the stickiest ones.
The one pieces oven safe wok with two loop handles provides the user with absolute freedom to put the pot on different heat sources such as stovetop, on the grill, in the oven and even on campfire.
The sturdy flat bottom sits on all stovetops without any compatibility issue. It is good for all heat surfaces even the induction stove-tops.
It is made from cast iron. One of the best material for its exceptional heat conductivity, even distribution of heat and high heat retention. As we know stir frying is a heat intensive cooking process so there is need for lot of heat. And this material is perfect for meeting all these needs of this cooking style.
The pan comes with wider cooking space, so you can make enough amount of food without feeling any space scarcity.
This cast iron is made by “Lodge”, a well-known US brand famous its caliber of manufacturing premium quality cast iron kitchen products.
Hand wash is recommended for this wok.
The Product in Eyes of Its Current Owners
There are a lot of positive reviews about this product. They love it for its excellent heavy duty performance. They say, “They like this wok for its fast preheating and excellent heat retention attributes”.
There are also some owners who don’t like this item. The main reasons for their negative opinion are that the product is too heavy and the interior cooking surface is rough.
The Best High End:
Cooks Standard Stainless Steel Multi-Ply Clad Wok, 13-Inch, Silver
The 13 inch wok is made from 18/10 stainless steel and aluminum core disk bottom for fast and even distribution of heat. Its V-shaped handles are made of stainless steel also. The robust stainless steel handles are riveted. They stay cool on stove-top.
An extra feature you will observe in this high end wok is its dome shaped lid. It works perfectly for keeping heat, moisture, flavor and aroma intact.
Because of its magnetized stainless steel base you can use it on all cook tops including induction. It is oven safe up-to 500 Degree F and dishwasher safe. It is made in China.
What Other Are Saying?
It is one of the popular products in this category on many online stores with high customers’ satisfaction ratings. People who have positive views about it expressed their thoughts in favor of its sturdy construction, quality robust stay cool handles, its fast heating and heat retention and its breeze hassle free cleanup.
But there are still folks for which the product fails to satisfy their needs. The main areas of concern for them were low quality construction and inner cooking surface easy staining.
The Best Budget:
Carbon Steel Wok For Electric, Induction and Gas Stoves (Lid, Spatula and Seasoning Video Guide Included)
You can easily develop a natural nonstick coating with help of some oil seasoning. This 12.5-inch diameter wok with flat bottom is tested on all heat surfaces with satisfactory results. You can use it on all heat surfaces, gas, electric, and even induction cook tops with confidence.
It is made of the famous material carbon steel well-known for its exceptional fast heating and long heat retention. Carbon steel is the most common construction material for woks these days. Besides of its excellent heating properties it is also lightweight.
In this budget friendly offer you will get the following things for affordable price:
- Wok
- Gorgeous wooden lid
- Metal spatula
- And Seasoning Video Guide
The wok is equipped with solid stay cool handles. Both the lope and long handle come with air flow technology that helps them to stay cool on stove-top.
The wok is also accompanied by a dome shaped stainless steel made secure fitting lid. It traps moisture, heat, flavor and aroma for gourmet cooking results.
It is dishwasher safe as well as oven safe. It is oven safe up-to 500 degrees F.
It is protected with limited lifetime warranty.
How to Buy A Quality Wok for Your Kitchen?
What Is the Best Material for Woks?
Wok has a lot of diversity in terms of material, size and shapes. As in this article we just reviewed the flat bottom woks and ignore the traditional round ones for simple reason our post main purpose was to find products that are compatible with glass top stove.
In our above list of top three best woks we included products made of carbon steel, stainless steel and cast iron. We have not included in our list a nonstick wok. So here we also discuss some of the features of woks made of it so opening another option for you to consider.
Carbon Steel
It is the traditional material for wok manufacturing. And it is also the material recommended by majority of stir frying enthusiasts. It is a cheap material. It is durable and most importantly lightweight. It heats up quickly and ensures even flow of heat across the cooking pot. For theses stir frying friendly attributes we included the wok made of this material in our list.
The cons of this material is easy to rust, so careful cleaning and regular seasoning are required for keeping the wok in good working shape.
Cast Iron
Wok based cooking needs a continuous moving and tossing of food. So if your wok is made of material that is heavy then the cooking process would be exhausting. It is a fact cast iron is a heavy metal. But it is also a fact that woks made from this material are also very durable, retain heat well and can withstand high temperatures.
A big con of cast iron is its poor response to change in temperature. It very slowly adapts to changes in temperature. It is also easy to rust. So regular seasoning is also needed for it like carbon steel made pots and pans.
Cast iron woks perform exceptionally well for outdoor cooking! Our reviewed product above Lodge Pro-Logic Wok with Flat Base and Loop Handles, 14-inch, Black is the best product in cast iron category. But one caveat, as we mentioned already cast iron woks are very heavy so you must have a wok-spatula for tossing around.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel made pots and pans are loved for their lustrous surfaces, durability and incomparable dishwasher safety. The woks made from this material don’t require seasoning because there is zero chance of rust. So for these reasons it is the best option for people new to wok based cooking.
However stainless steel is also a very poor conductor of heat. But this problem is solved. So the wok you buy might come with base made of aluminum core sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. Aluminum is one the best conductors of heat. It eliminates the poor heat conductivity of pure stainless steel.
Another bad thing associated with this material is the lack of nonstick coating. You can’t create a nonstick coating with seasoning. So the sticky food would stick to cooking surface.
Nonstick
If you are new in world of wok based cooking then a nonstick is might be another option to consider. It offers easy stick free cooking. As the food wouldn’t stick to inner of the cooking surface so the cleaning task is a lot easier. Furthermore you also are not required to regularly season the pot to protect it from rust and to create a natural nonstick coating.
The negatives of the nonstick woks are they can’t withstand high temperature because the nonstick coating is too fragile to endure this extreme exposure to heat. This is the reason our list is empty of nonstick woks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Flat Bottom Woks Good?
Flat bottom woks work exceptionally well and are very versatile. They can be used on all heat surfaces gas, glass top stove as far as the shape is concerned. But the construction is also a factor you need to consider. If the base of your wok is flat but it is not optimized for induction glass top stove then you can’t use it. As far as the shape of the wok is concerned flat bottom is best for all cook tops.
What is the best material for wok?
Carbon steel is the best material for wok. It is the traditional material for this pot. It heats up quick and distributes heat evenly across the cooking space.
What kind of wok is healthy?
Carbon steel woks are the most popular among stir frying enthusiasts. They prefer it for good reason. China the source of inspiration of stir frying commonly use this metal made wok for this style of cooking so prefer them at home as well.