Best Wok For Stir Fry – List of 5 Woks Good for Frying (Updated Stir Fry Pan List)

When it comes to stir fry and other types of food, getting a wok is the best choice you can make. You’ll need a wok to make authentic stir-fried dishes. A wok is your go-to pan for flavorful, fragrant stir-fried dishes, but it’s also a very versatile pan. It can be used for a variety of cooking tasks, including steaming, sautéing, braising, deep-frying, roasting, and smoking a variety of foods, as well as creating soup and roasting nuts. You can check out our listing of the best wok for deep frying if you love to make deep-fried food.

Different Types of Wok – Best Material for Wok

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel offers a number of distinctive characteristics that make it the preferred material for many professional chefs as well as home cooks. Check out our list of the best professional wok if you are looking to buy the best of the best wok.

The highly polished mirror surface gleams beautifully, and the steel is extremely durable. It doesn’t react with meals either. Stainless steel provides a superior natural non-stick resistance and is compatible with most ovens and induction cooktops.

Due to the multi-element alloy aluminum core that runs along the bottom and up the sides, stainless steel woks are a great choice for stir-frying food because they have an amazingly quick and even heat absorption and conductibility rate. Check out our list of best stainless steel wok for more options.

Heavy-Duty Carbon Steel

A wok made of heavy-duty carbon steel is a good choice. This extra-durable metal is made of super-strong metal. It’s also noted for having outstanding searing capabilities and enabling fast and uniform heat distribution during the cooking process.

Carbon steel has extremely good anti-warping qualities, thus your wok will be able to tolerate higher oven temperatures with ease. You’ll need to season and maintain the wok to keep it from rusting. Invest in a carbon steel wok for top-notch stir-fry results.

Carbon steel is very conductive and uniformly distributes heat across the wok. For more options, check out best carbon steel wok.

Cast Iron

Cast iron is one of the most durable materials on the planet. Its sturdy structure can endure high temperatures and will provide you with excellent cooking results. Although cast iron takes a long time to heat up, it can maintain and conduct heat quite well. As a result, it’s not only a terrific choice for stir-frying, but it also provides incredible searing results.

Cast iron is heavier than other materials and is prone to corrosion if not properly maintained. If you take care of the wok, however, it will become a timeless heirloom. Some cast-iron cookware companies pre-season their woks, which gives your food an extra layer of flavor.

All of these characteristics should be enough to convince you to buy a cast iron wok. You can go to best cast iron wok and select the one which suits your needs.

Aluminum

Although the word aluminum brings back ideas of flimsy pans destined for the garbage, manufacturers of aluminum cookware are improving their offerings these days. They’re making a wok out of heavy-gauge, hard-anodized, or premium-grade aluminum, which is a great choice.

Aluminum is less expensive than stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron, in addition to being lighter. It’s also a fantastic heat conductor. 

Alternatively, you can also use a titanium wok. It is one of the best cookware materials because of its fast heat conduction and lightweight. Also, check out our expert listing of Best Titanium Wok.

Similarly, you can also check out copper woks as they are the finest heat conductors of all metals. For the list of the best copper wok, refer to our expert listing.

Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Wok For Stir Fry – Wok Buying Guide

Choosing the best wok for stir fry is something that takes some research. There are several factors to consider when purchasing one which are listed below:

Material

Woks are made of many materials, such as cast iron and carbon steel. For frying, though, cast iron is always a good choice. This is due to its ability to transfer and retain heat evenly.

You can also choose to buy an electric wok if you do not want to cook on a traditional stove. 

Bottom shape

A round bottom is the most common shape for a wok. However, due to rising demand for woks, both flat and round-bottomed woks are now available, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Flat bottom– This is the new shape for woks, and it’s highly popular because it’s suitable for all types of stoves. The disadvantage of this form is that food can easily burn on it, requiring extreme attention when using it.

A flat base is the only choice for an electric stove, whether it’s coil, glass, or induction, thus the walls take more time to heat up. Check out our listing of best wok for glass top stove for glass stove models and best wok for coil stove for coil-based stove models.

Round bottom– This is the standard shape, which is useful when cooking with a spatula or when the dish requires an even and uniform distribution of heat. The disadvantage of this wok form is that it can only be used on a gas stovetop. If you have a gas stove, refer to our expert listing of best wok for gas stove for the best gas stove models 

Size

When selecting the ideal wok for frying, it is important to select one that is precisely the proper size, just as it is when purchasing any other cookware. This is determined by the size of your household and the amount of storage space available. It should be large enough to feed as many people as you want while still being compact enough to fit into whatever space you have at home. 

You might want a wok to take along while traveling. And for that, you would need a lightweight and compact wok. So if you are looking to buy a wok for camping, check out our listing of the best camping wok. And if you travel in your RV, you can check out our list of the best woks for RV.

Quality Vs Price

Every purchase you make should provide you with enough value for your money, and purchasing a wok is no exception. We’re always on a budget, but that’s no reason to accept a poor product. It is best to get a product that is within your budget but still of high quality.

We have listed different woks for different budgets, if you are looking for something more budget-friendly, check out our list of best woks for 25 dollars.

Best Woks For Good Stir Fry – Wok Summary List

#1 Calphalon Contemporary Black Hard-Anodized Aluminum Nonstick Flat Bottom Wok – With a stylish, contemporary design and an exceptional cooking performance, this wok is a reliable pan that is just right for everyday stir-fry cooking for two people.

#2 Lodge Pro-Logic Flat Bottom Wok with Loop Handles – For a superior cast iron wok, you cannot do better than the Lodge Pro-Logic Wok, one of the best manufacturers of cast iron cookware.

#3 Helen Chen's Asian Kitchen Wok – This kitchen wok is unique in its combination of diverse features including the side loop and long handle design, the carbon steel material, and its flat bottom.

#4 T-fal A80789 Specialty Nonstick Oven Safe Jumbo Wok – With plenty of room for a stir-fry feast for the whole family, the T-fal A80789 Specialty Nonstick Jumbo Wok delivers excellent cooking results and it comes at a very affordable price. 

#5 Mammafong Round Bottom Wok 14-inch Traditional Carbon Steel Wok – Built to withstand the demands of a busy professional kitchen, this Wok will have you cooking truly authentic delicious, and also healthy Chinese stir-fry dishes for 6-10 people.

List of Top 5 Woks – Best Pan for frying

#1 Calphalon Contemporary Black Hard-Anodized Aluminum Nonstick Flat Bottom Wok

The Calphalon wok has a heavy-gauge, hard-anodized aluminum construction which is well known for its excellent consistent heating properties and a high level of durability. You do not have to worry about your food sticking to the pan as it has a PFOA-free multi-layer ultra-durable non-stick black surface which also means you can use less oil or butter for healthy, low-fat cooking. Check out our list of best non-stick wok for more options if you are looking for top nonstick models.

The easy gripping double-riveted stainless steel stay-cool handles are extra long and also sturdy. The pan is oven safe up to 450°F so you can use it for a lot of different cooking applications, and it is dishwasher-safe. However, to maintain its cooking integrity, it is best to hand wash it but it is very easy to clean.

User Experience 

This wok has great ratings and a lot of positive feedback from its users. Users who bought this really liked that it cooks evenly, sears perfectly, and cleans without any effort at all. They also mentioned that It’s nice and heavy with a very flat bottom which means it works well on a glass top stove. Users also commented that the non-stick is very durable. One of the users commented that she’s cooking for herself and this small wok is a great size for smaller than family-size meals. Some people were disappointed with its small size but you can always go with a bigger 12-inch size offered by Calphalon. For more options, we have a list of the best 12-inch woks prepared just for you.

Pros

• Heavy-gauge, hard-anodized black aluminum construction
• Very good even heating
• PFOA-free non-stick coating
• Oven safe up to 450ºF
• Dishwasher safe for easy clean-up

Cons

• Too small for large portions
• Thick material takes a while to heat up
• Not recommended for induction stoves

My Verdict: The wok features a traditional wok design with its deep bowl and a flat bottom that keeps the heat contained in a smaller zone, which makes it the perfect pan for quick and also easy stir-frying, sautéing, and searing meat, fish, and vegetables. If you are looking to cook some bbq, check out our listing of Best BBQ Wok.

This is one of the best woks sold by Calphalon. Do check out our expert listing of Best Calphalon Wok for more models.

#2 Lodge Pro-Logic Flat Bottom Wok with Loop Handles

The US-made wok is made from a pre-seasoned one-piece construction that contains 100% cast iron which is well known for its superior heating and also heat retention properties. Also, the large surface area can accommodate large servings for family-sized meals.

The sturdy 7-inch flat bottom is good for all types of stovetops, even induction stoves, and it can also go into the oven. Similar to this wok, we have a list of similar woks which are compatible with induction. Refer to our expert listing of the best induction woks for more options.

There are two sturdy integrated loop handles that give you a good firm grip. The wok has been pre-seasoned with oil for a natural, easy-release finish that improves with use and also adds extra flavor to your food.

User Experience 

This wok again has great ratings, in fact, the best ratings on our list with more than 5000 ratings. Users commented that this wok is a beautiful piece of art, heats well, and cooks like a pro. Users liked that the wok comes pre-seasoned as advertised. For more pre-seasoned models, refer to best pre-seasoned wok.

They also said that the weight allows for the pan to stay in place without moving while cooking/stirring. One of the users commented that she started cooking as the “seasoning” was already done and immediately stir-fried vegetables and then used it to make fish stew which came out to be delicious. No significant complaints by the users.

Pros

• US-made
• 100% cast iron
• Pre-seasoned
• Large capacity for family-sized meals
• Sturdy flat base
• Can use it on all types of stoves

Cons

• Very heavy
• Rough surface
• Can rust if it is not maintained
• Not dishwasher safe

My Verdict: With a fantastic cooking performance, cast iron is a great investment for your kitchen.

For more flat bottom models, check out Best Flat Bottom Wok.

#3 Helen Chen's Asian Kitchen Wok

One of the impressive factors about this skillet is that it is carbon steel yet flat bottomed, a rare combination allowing it to give you the best of both worlds. Its flat bottom allows for its use on any stovetop, gas, electric, or otherwise. Also, its dimensions allow it to be used to prepare food for a reasonable number of people. It also combines the side loop handle with a long hand handle which makes it suitable for tossing your rice as you fry it and also making it easy to remove from the source of heating using the side loop. For more such models, check out the best wok for fried rice.

Since it is made purely of carbon steel, this skillet is quite tasking to maintain involving consistent re-seasoning and careful washing, drying, and storage to ensure that it does not rust. For more rust-proof woks, do check out our listing of the best rust-proof wok.

User Experience 

Users who bought this wok said that the wok is solid and the perfect size for the average family kitchen. They liked the lid and the weight of the wok. For more models with lids, check out our list of the best wok with lid.

People also said that this is a great wok for the price it comes at. One of the users commented that it is nice and large, with a fairly deep “bowl” and plenty of cooking space for large meals. Some of the users were complaining that the wok started to rust after a while of use.

Pros

• The set comes with handy additions (dome lid and bamboo spatula)
• It is very easy to use because of the side loop and long hand handle combination
• It can be used on any stovetop because of its flat bottom

Cons

• It requires careful and consistent maintenance

My Verdict: A little love and care is all it takes to get the most out of this traditional yet modern wok, which is not much to ask for. It would be a wise kitchen investment.

This is an ideal wok for a home cook with all the features and accessories it comes along with. For more such models, check out our expert listing of the best home wok.

#4 T-fal A80789 Specialty Nonstick Oven Safe Jumbo Wok

The wok is made from premium-grade aluminum that distributes heat evenly for faster cooking. It is traditionally shaped with a wide top and narrow base, which makes sure that it heats quickly and also evenly, sealing in flavor.

You can expect effortless food release as the non-stick coating has a high level of non-stick and scratch-proof ability. It is PFOA, lead, and cadmium-free, and it only requires the use of little to no oil or fat for healthier cooking. As well as being your number one go-to pan for stir-frying, this versatile wok also works well for steaming, searing, sauteing, pan or deep frying, poaching, boiling, braizing, making soup, or even roasting nuts. Check out best wok with steamer for more similar options.

User Experience 

Users liked that the pan is large and it can hold a staggeringly large amount of vegetables in it. They also mentioned that the Teflon surface is extremely slick and nothing sticks to it which makes cleaning very easy. Users also said that it heats rapidly and evenly and will give you an excellently cooked meal. Some of the users were disappointed with the quality of the product. They were complaining that the non-stick was coming off after a while of use and it got scratches also.

Pros

• Premium-grade aluminum
• Excellent non-stick and scratch-proof ability
• BPA, PFOA, lead, and cadmium-free
• Oven safe (350°F)
• Dishwasher safe
• Easy to clean

Cons

• Round base
• Bulky to store
• Not ideal for prolonged high heat

My Verdict: The wok’s long, stay-cool silicone ergonomic handle promotes a secure grip and also keeps your hands a safe distance from the heat which is great.

#5 Mammafong Round Bottom Wok 14-inch Traditional Carbon Steel Wok

This stylish silver wok has been 100% hand-hammered by a master craftsman in Guangdong, China, so it is beautiful as well as durable. Take a look at best-hammered steel wok for more similar woks.

The extra-long and also sturdy blond wood handle provides a safe, comfortable grip, and the handle is securely fastened to the wok by two screws. As well as having a lightweight design that makes it easier for you to maneuver the wok as you toss your ingredients, the carbon steel hand helper makes it easier to lift the wok and you can use the hand helper to hang the wok up in your kitchen.  

As the wok has a round bottom, you can add a lot of your favorite ingredients and cook your latest stir-fry creation to perfection. Check out our expert list of best round bottom wok for round bottom models.

User Experience 

Users were happy with its excellent quality and also the ease to season it. They also liked that it heats up quickly and evenly which is perfect for stir-fry. Users also mentioned that the wooden handle is long and stays cool so it’s easy for them to toss around ingredients. One of the customers commented that the craftsmanship is beautiful and it was much lighter than she expected. Some users, on the other hand, complained that the wok got rusted after a while.

Pros

• Great value for money
• Ideal for a large family
• Authentic Chinese wok design
• Round bottom provides plenty of room for ingredients
• 100% hand-hammered by a master craftsman

Cons

• Needs to be seasoned before first use
• Not dishwasher safe
• The round bottom may not suit all cook-tops
• Can rust if it is not dried properly

My Verdict: It is made from premium carbon steel and its heavy-duty 16-gauge body ensures fast, heating conductivity, superior heat distribution, and also retention abilities.

This is the best budget wok available for stir frying. For more budget woks, check out our list of the best budget wok.

FAQ – Best frying wok

1. Why is it better for stir fry than the pots and pans I already own?

Stir-frying has been a Chinese cooking tradition for hundreds of years. While stir fry recipes vary, most rely on fast cooking food at a very high temperature, which necessitates near-constant movement of the items within the pan to avoid burning. For more models, refer to our expert listing of the best wok for high heat.

As a result, woks are typically built to attain high temperatures fast and evenly, with a wide, shallow bottom and rounded bottom to better facilitate the regular “stirring” of the contents.

Although a wok can cook anything from Chinese noodles to Thai curry. Mentioning that, check out our listing of Best Wok For Thai Curry if you are looking for a wok to make some delicious Thia curry.

2. What is the best material for a wok to be made out of?

Woks, like other types of cookware, come in a variety of materials. There are woks constructed of cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, and various types of aluminum on our list of the best woks for stir fry alone.

As this indicates, there is no one-size-fits-all material for a wok, and the best wok for you will depend on how you want to use it and your lifestyle.

3. Is it better to have a flat-bottom or round-bottom wok when cooking stir fry?

Many of the best wok pans have always had completely rounded bottoms on the inside and out, which necessitates the use of a special rack or grate over the flame to keep them in place.

The great majority of woks sold today have flat bottoms to better accommodate most modern cooktops, allowing them to rest firmly on gas or electric stove. Check out our list of Best Wok For Electric Stove if you use an electric stove.

The shape of the wok, like choosing the best material for your wok, is mostly a question of personal preference and cooking technique.

Conclusion

Purchasing a wok would be a wise long-term investment in achieving all of your stir-fry goals. However, you must take care of whatever wok you choose. Ensure that you follow the buying guide in selecting a reputable brand, high quality, and appropriate material. We have also collated a list of the best woks which you can check out and choose the wok which suits your needs.

We’re know that no matter which of our 5 stir fry woks you choose; it will be the best for you, your lifestyle, and your budget. You’ll be cooking fresh, healthy, delicious stir fry for your friends and family in no time. You might even wonder why it took you so long to get on board with the stir fry trend in the first place! 

Meanwhile, you can also check out our list of the best ceramic wok to add an amazing look to your kitchen cookware.