• The best woks are nonstick, provide even and consistent heat distribution, are easy to clean, and are built to last a lifetime.
  • This description fits the Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Wok to a T, plus, it’s oven-safe and made in the USA.

A stir fry is a healthy meal alternative that even the pickiest of vegetable eaters can warm up to. This simple and tasty dish is best made in a wok because of the cookware’s quick frying abilities and the fabulous flavors it produces.

But, stir-fries are not all that woks are good for. Used in China for roughly two millennia, these cooking utensils – originally made of clay – date back to the Han Dynasty, and are ideal for a broad array of cuisines that requires high heat searing. Today’s woks are versatile enough to replace your standard frying pans as you cook fried potatoes, eggs, burgers, steamed vegetables, and even popcorn. And, if you are interested in using your wok for deep frying or smoking, there are woks that come with lids.

Woks are made from a wide range of materials and each has strengths and weaknesses. Though originally cast Carbon steel is traditionally a favorite material for woks because it reacts quickly to heat adjustments and has a natural nonstick finish.

Cast iron woks also have a nonstick finish thanks to their cooking oil seasoning. But cast iron is a heavy material, and it does not cool quickly, so it can be quite a workout when it comes to stir-frying. Some users may find the cleaning, drying, and oil seasoning process tedious.

Stainless steel woks have grown in popularity in recent years because of the buyer demand for nonstick (without a need for seasoning), dishwasher-safe alternatives. Stainless steel is also durable and not prone to rust. Aluminum is also used to make woks because of how lightweight and heat conductive it is, but it dents and wears out more quickly. Many models use stainless steel with an aluminum core to take advantage of the positives of both of these materials.

We thoroughly researched the expert and consumer experiences with dozens of wok styles and models before picking the best woks. In order for a wok to be included in our guide, it needed a strong history of durability, even heat transfer, and ease of use and maintenance.

Here are the best woks you can buy:

Updated on 8/3/20. We updated prices and links for accuracy and added a selection of relevant buying guides. We also removed our selection for "Best traditional-style wok" due to it currently being out of stock.

The best overall

The Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Wok is ideal for home chefs who want a wok that is versatile and durable.

The Lodge Wok is made entirely of cast iron, which is celebrated by foodies the world over for its heat retention properties. The pan is 14 inches in diameter at the top and has a 5.5-inch flat base that works on most cooking surfaces, including gas, electric, and induction stovetops. This product comes seasoned with oil, which gives it nonstick properties that improve with use.

If you are unfamiliar with cast iron, you should understand that it requires special cleaning. First of all, never put it in the dishwasher. Instead, hand-wash the surface with a non-abrasive cloth and water. Next, dry it immediately. I use heat to evaporate absolutely all of the water. Lastly, apply oil to the interior of the pan using a paper towel.

The flat bottom of this wok is ideal for electric and gas stoves and the handles on both sides allow for a solid, firm grip. However, the pan weighs more than 10 pounds, which limits its maneuverability.

Pros: Retains heat, durable construction, designed for even cooking

Cons: Heavy, requires oven mitts to hold handles, requires washing by hand

The best stainless steel

Foto: Source: Cooks Standard

With its large lid, cool handles, and stainless steel construction, the Cooks Standard 13-Inch Stainless Steel Wok is a pleasure to use and easy to clean.

The Cooks Standard Stainless Steel Wok is not made out of solid stainless steel. It features an aluminum core with 18/10 stainless steel on the cooking surfaces. This allows for more heat control and makes the wok slightly lighter, but with the lid, it still weighs almost eight pounds.

The handles are solid stainless steel and remain cool throughout the cooking process. The pan measures about 5-inches deep with steep sides tapering to a gentle slope near the bottom. Cooks Standard stands behind this product with a lifetime limited warranty.

This wok is dishwasher safe, oven safe (up to 500 degrees), and is useful on all types of stovetops. It also comes with a lid and has stay-cool handles, but is on the heavy side.

Pros: Includes a lid, easy to clean, stay-cool handles

Cons: Heavy, takes up a lot of space with its lid

The best Teflon

Foto: Source: TeChef

The TeChef Art Pan Wok is an attractive aubergine wok that features five layers of nonstick coating, a measurement guide on the base of the pan, and lightweight construction for easy maneuverability.

The TeChef Art Pan comes in 12-inch diameter by 3 inches deep and 9.5- by 2.75-inch sizes. Aside from the sizes, both styles are identical. The Art Pan is made of heavy-gauge aluminum with five layers of Teflon.

The base is where most of the heft is with a uniform 3.5-millimeter thickness that features a design pattern that allows for even heating across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. The thinner sides contribute to the light three-pound weight of this unit.

This wok is unique in that the interior of the pan features guides to help you estimate teaspoon and tablespoon dollops of oil. It's also lighter than many other woks, making it much easier to maneuver in the kitchen.

It does have a few downsides, though. The wok doesn't come with a lid, isn't designed for use in ovens, and it may not work well on induction burners. And, though most buyers have had luck avoiding scratching, it is virtually unavoidable in the long run with Teflon. Fortunately, with the five nonstick layers, it will take some doing to remove the nonstick properties.

Pros: Five-layers of nonstick coating, attractive color, lightweight

Cons: Potential for scratches to the nonstick coating

The best on a budget

Foto: Source: T-fal

If you're looking for a multi-use wok that's easy on the wallet, try the T-fal Specialty Nonstick Jumbo Wok.

The T-fal Specialty Nonstick Jumbo Wok is 14 inches in diameter and made of durable aluminum for precise and quick heating. The aluminum is covered with a nonstick coating both outside and in. The handle is silicone, which is comfortable and keeps your hands away from the heat.

The pan is dishwasher safe (though we still recommend hand washing) and oven safe, but only up to 350 degrees. The wok has a lifetime limited warranty.

On a personal note, I use several T-fal pans in my kitchen on a daily basis. They have the same nonstick coating found on this wok. We have not had any issues with the nonstick coating rubbing away despite years of use and inattentive family members putting the pans in the dishwasher or using metal utensils on them.

However, some reviewers found the surface scratches easily, and it slides easily on cooking surfaces. Also, if you cook daily with the wok, the nonstick coating may start to wear off after one or more years of use.

Pros: Lightweight design, easy to clean, even heat distribution, lifetime limited warranty

Cons: Durability and scratching concerns, no lid

The best small-size

Foto: Source: Calphalon

If you want a small stir-fry pan, the 10-inch Calphalon Hard-Anodized Aluminum Wok is just the right size.

The Calphalon Contemporary Flat-Bottom Wok is made of heavy-gauge, hard-anodized aluminum which lends itself well to even heating. The interior has three layers of nonstick coating for easy cleanup and durability. The pan is only 10 inches in diameter and 5.5 inches deep, so it's a good option if you have a small kitchen and size is an issue.

For its small stature, this pan is surprisingly heavy at 4.5 pounds. You can use it on all types of stovetops, and it's safe in the oven for temperatures up to 450 degrees. Metal utensils should not be used with this model.

The pan loses a few points because it is heavy and the nonstick coating is not as durable as it should be.

Pros: Even heat distribution, dishwasher safe, heavy, lifetime limited warranty

Cons: Small, durability concerns

The best high-end

Foto: Source: Wal-Mart

Like all of its cooking utensils and appliances, the All-Clad Stainless 14-inch Open Stir Fry Pan is built to last. It has impeccable construction and produces great results.

All-Clad products don't come cheap, but as my perennially wise parents have pointed out, you only have to buy these solid appliances once. And that, as it turns out, actually saves you quite a bit of money on the back end.

Technically, this is an open stir fry pan, though you can just call it a flat-bottomed wok. While many of these pans look a bit homier than the other appliances you may have in your kitchen, the All-Clad version maintains its professional veneer through and through. And it's not just aesthetically pleasing - this wok gets the job done.

The three-ply construction takes the strength of stainless steel on the outside, and combines it with aluminum's conductivity on the inside, which allows for extremely even cooking at high temperatures. And really, that's all you need when you're stir-frying vegetables, proteins, or anything else.

The wide 14-inch area allows you to quickly cook a large amount of ingredients on the flat surface, while the well-sloped sides will let you incorporate sauces and toss around vegetables without creating a horrible mess.

What I appreciate most about the wok is that it conducts heat extremely well. Not only does this wok heat up quickly, but it reaches the temperatures needed to effectively cook Asian cuisine, which is to say, high temperatures. Despite this, the stay cool stainless steel handle and loop stay relatively cool, so you won't burn yourself when you're done cooking and need to transfer the contents of your wok into a serving dish or a plate.

Another thing to note: the starburst finish of the wok means that it's naturally stick-resistant, so even though there's no Teflon to speak of, you won't be scraping food off the bottom of this pan (still, it's a good idea to keep it seasoned). Plus, the stainless steel won't react with your ingredients, allowing your dish to taste exactly as you'd like it, without any metallic overtones. - Lulu Chang

Pros: Extremely well-made, heats up quickly and maintains high heat, flat bottom and sloping sides are perfect for stir-frying

Cons: Expensive

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Foto: Source: Thomas Barwick/Getty Images

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