A good wok is based on the Chinese principle of wok hei, or "breath", which is the specific way a wok channels heat into the middle of the pan for that characteristic quick-cook stir fry crunch. In the West, you'll mostly use a wok for stir fry, but in Chinese cooking they be can be used to deep fry, poach, boil or even stew certain dishes.
But what makes a good cooking wok? You don't want to buy one only to find that it is not a non-stick wok, or that it's not the right shape or type for your hob. With so many options, from carbon steel woks to induction hob woks, our guide is here to help you! We'll also recommend the top woks to buy on Amazon, John Lewis and Argos so you can buy the best one for your cooking needs. Moreover, we have partnered with chef Ryan Yen for reviewing and fact-checking the article to deliver you the best information.
Quick List - Top Woks
Ken Hom
Double-Handled Wok With a Flat Base From Legendary Chef Ken Hom
Ryan is a trained chef with experience in several restaurants (with various kitchen supplies across the restaurant experience) and hotels, he also attended le cordon bleu to further his training in cuisine and patisserie and focus on creating simple and delicious dishes. Ryan is now formally working as a chef tutor.
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Ryan is a trained chef with experience in several restaurants (with various kitchen supplies across the restaurant experience) and hotels.
He also attended le cordon bleu to further his training in cuisine and patisserie and focus on creating simple and delicious dishes. Ryan is now formally working as a chef tutor.
Seasoned, professional chefs will tell you that a traditional wok will give you the best flavour. Traditional woks are round-bottomed and made of carbon steel. They will last you a lifetime, unlike non-stick pans which eventually wear out, and they grant a richer, smokier flavour to your food than those with non-stick coating. Non-Stick cannot produce wok hei because the coating wears off when too hot.
However, therein lies the trade-off. If you want the most flavoursome experience, you're going to have to put some work in. A traditional wok needs seasoning with a mix of oil and spices or herbs every few uses in order to build up a natural non-stick layer, otherwise your food will stick to it during cooking.
If that happens, you risk giving yourself a lot more washing up at best, and burning your food at worst. But if you're up for the extra effort, the added depth to your stir fry's taste could leave you never wanting to go back to a standard non-stick wok.
Since Chinese cooking has become more of a household option in the UK and the rest of the Western world, companies quickly developed flat-bottomed woks that can be used with flat electric or induction hobs.
Round-bottom woks give the most authentic experience and you can even find designs with a non-stick coating, but they only work with gas hobs. Also, you might have to buy an extra piece of kit called a wok ring in order to balance it on your hob. These aren't too expensive though, and some woks will come with one included.
If you opt for a flat-bottomed wok, it's best to go for a wider one with slightly more shallow, angled sides. If they're too steep, they can ruin the wok hei, which is the flash-fry effect that comes from the curvature of a good wok.
Like all pieces of cookware, woks come in many different sizes. They start at about 24 cm (9 inches) which is enough for two servings, or one extra-large portion. This size should be fine in a small household or for personal cooking.
If you've got a larger family, you should probably go for a bigger wok too. The larger woks at UK online shops reach about 36 cm (14 inches). That should be easily enough for five people, and maybe even six. They're ideal for sociable households or big families, as you can literally cook a whole meal in one big pan!
Unsurprisingly, a bigger wok will be heavier, especially when it's full of food. If you're not particularly strong or you have a smaller kitchen, a whopping foot-long-plus wok may not be the best option. For instance, cast iron woks are usually heavier so they might not be suitable. Instead, opt for carbon steel woks that are sturdy but not too thick that it is too heavy to handle.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Prestige Thermosmart 28cm Stirfry Wok | ![]() | Diamond-Infused Non Stick Pan With Heat Indicator | |
2 | Ken Hom Excellence Non-Stick 31cm Wok | ![]() | Double-Handled Wok With a Flat Base From Legendary Chef Ken Hom | |
3 | JML Copper Stone Super Non-Stick Wok | ![]() | Superior Non-stick Wok for Oil-Free Cooking | |
4 | London Wok Hancock Commercial Quality 13" Wok | ![]() | Popular Wok for Professional Kitchens | |
5 | School of Wok 13"/33 cm Carbon Steel Wok | ![]() | Traditional Design Endorsed by a Celebrity Chef | |
6 | Circulon Ultimum High Density Forged Wok | ![]() | Large Wok With a Lid for Versatility in Busy Homes | |
7 | Green Chef Non Stick Toxin-Free Ceramic Open Wok | ![]() | Compact, Eco-Friendly and Perfect for One | |
8 | John Lewis & Partners Non-Stick Carbon Steel Wok | ![]() | Carbon Steel Wok With Non-stick Coating and Heat-Resistant Handle | |
9 | Tefal Excel Wok With Thermospot | ![]() | Tefal Thermospot Wok That Let’s You Know When It’s Hot | |
10 | AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Induction Non-Stick Wok Pan | ![]() | Basic Wok for Beginners From Amazon |
Prestige's Thermosmart collection of diamond-infused pans are built to last. What sets this non stick pan apart from the others on this list is that its heat resistant handle has a heat indicator that will turn green when it is at the right temperature, signalling that it is ready to be used to cook up a storm.
It's made of high-quality aluminium, which is very durable, lightweight, and is also a good heat conductor, making it suitable for all hobs including induction. It's also dishwasher and oven safe, up to 180C. And the cherry on top - this smart cookware makes cooking and cleaning a breeze.
Ken Hom is one of the most famous Chinese celebrity chefs in Britain, and his wok brand certainly lives up to the "excellence" in its tag. Although this is a heavy-duty wok, it has ergonomically-designed handles and the side slopes are basically as good as you're going to get with a flat-based design.
If you are certain you don't want to mess about with seasoning and standing a traditional wok or you don't have a gas hob, Ken Hom's excellence offering is the next best non-stick option. This wok is a good size for cooking for a family of 3 to 4 people and is best for stir-frying at high temperatures,
Not only does this wok from JML have a super-striking design, but it also has an amazing non-stick coating. Literally one of the best out there! You don't need to oil this pan up at all to get a great non-stick effect when cooking up a stir fry, so you can make healthier meals without the stress.
The handle may look wooden but it's actually heat-treated wood-effect plastic, so you won't risk charring it or burning your hands during use. The rivet-free bowl is also great, as no food can get stuck in the cracks – and it makes for a much easier clean too!
Apparently, the Hancock London Wok series is the wok of choice in professional Chinese kitchens across the UK. It's been a perennial bestseller at Asian food market Wing Yip for decades, and now you can buy them online too.
There's not much concession to modern styles here, as, despite its non-Chinese name, the Hancock London Wok is about as traditional as it gets. That said, it does come with seasoning instructions, and it's also a big old piece of kitchen kit which can serve four dinners with ease!
The School of Wok in Covent Garden is an award-winning restaurant, and they've literally got wok in their name. So, you'd assume they know a thing or two about making woks - and they do! Developed by celebrity Chef Jeremy Pang, you just know it's a reliable option.
This particular example from their range doesn't try to be anything fancy and takes a bit more work to use, as with all traditional options. But it's a super-solid example of a traditional wok that will provide you with a lifetime's worth of authentically flavorsome meals, with the right care!
If you often need to cook for everybody in the house all at once, Circulon's High Density Wok should have you covered. This monster wok has two handles because believe us, it is going to get quite heavy. However, they're metal and can get quite hot – so use your oven gloves.
Speaking of ovens, this wok is also a versatile pan. The non-stick coating is ovenproof up to 260 degrees, and it comes with a big lid too. That means you can use it for steaming, stewing, roasting and all sorts. And whatever you cook in it, you can feed a lot of people. Easy!
Whilst the jury is still out on whether this is true, there's some evidence to suggest that the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) used to make non-stick coatings for pans may give off harmful emissions when heated. This nicely-designed little single person wok from Green Chef doesn't have any of that but is still non-stick.
At 24 cm, this is another great choice if you're cooking for one, especially if you're in a studio flat without much ventilation, for example. We do recommend using a kitchen fan or open a window when cooking a stir fry though, whether you're using a non-stick pan or not.
You don't get too many non-stick woks made from traditional carbon steel – they're usually stainless steel or ceramic. So this combination of old and new-school was quite nice to see. Heating up quickly and evenly, it's perfect to withstand the high temperatures of stir frying.
This small 24 cm wok is great for solo diners or for meals to share between two. It's a nicely manoeuvrable shape that can fit in a variety of kitchen spaces, unlike some of the bigger options on here. The heat-resistant real wooden handle with hook is also a nice touch!
Tefal's Excel is is a great first wok because of its small size and inbuilt thermostat that tells you when it has reached optimum heat for a stir fry. The flat bottom of the pan is also nicely-sized and the sides slope deeply.
However, while it's a plus that it has a titanium non-stick coating (which can even withstand metal utensil use) the aluminium body and standard Tefal design makes this more like a deep frying pan than a proper wok. Great for solo cooks just starting out, but not so much for your Chinese cooking connoisseurs.
It might not be the fanciest or the most high-spec on this list, but this stainless steel flat-bottomed wok still does the job. Other pluses include the fact it's reasonably priced and available for super-quick delivery being Amazon's own-brand, plus, the comfort-grip handle is really nice to hold.
However, the sides are quite steep and the contact area at the bottom is relatively small, meaning it loses some wok hei flavour. It is also heavier than some other woks of comparable size, so watch out for that.
If you've gone for a traditional carbon steel wok, the first thing you need to do upon its arrival at your door is to properly season it. This will result in a natural patina forming over its surface, which will, in turn, make the wok naturally non-stick. Check out this video from Serious Eats to find out how.
Wondering what to do after you've seasoned and used your wok? Here are some post-stir fry care tips from the eminent J. Kenji López-Alt:
Written and researched by David Weir
No. 1: Prestige|Thermosmart 28cm Stirfry Wok
No. 2: Ken Hom|Excellence Non-Stick 31cm Wok
No. 3: JML|Copper Stone Super Non-Stick Wok
No. 4: London Wok|Hancock Commercial Quality 13" Wok
No. 5: School of Wok|13"/33 cm Carbon Steel Wok
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