A stir-fry goes wrong when the pan cools down. Put cold beef into a wok that has lost its heat and the meat stews in its own juices instead of searing. Restaurant burners run far hotter than a home hob, which is most of the difference between the two. Everything about choosing a wok comes back to how much heat it holds and how fast it recovers.
That makes the material the first decision, and it interacts with your cooktop. Carbon steel is the traditional answer and takes the fiercest heat, but it rusts if you leave it wet. Stainless with an aluminium core is the one most likely to work on induction. Non-stick is the easiest to cook and clean with, and the most likely to be ruled out by an induction hob.
1. Best on gas: Cuisena 35cm Carbon Steel Wok
Plain carbon steel, 35cm across, around $50. It is the wok a Chinese kitchen uses, and the reason is heat: thin steel gets hotter and recovers faster than anything else here, which is what puts char on the vegetables instead of steam. Seasoned like cast iron, it becomes naturally non-stick over a few months of use.
It also takes the most upkeep. Wash it, dry it on the hob and wipe it with oil each time, or it rusts. That routine is why the other three woks are on this page. Harris Scarfe does not state whether the base is flat, so check it against an induction hob before buying for one.
What We Like:
- Takes the highest heat here
- Around $50
- Seasons to a natural non-stick
What We Don't Like:
- Rusts if it is left wet
2. Best for induction: Scanpan Impact 32cm Stainless Steel Covered Wok
Stainless steel over an aluminium core base, induction compatible and dishwasher safe, with a lid and capacity markings inside. Around $91.
The lid is more useful than it looks, because a wok with a lid also braises, steams and cooks a curry. Stainless needs a little more oil and a properly preheated pan or food sticks, which is the usual complaint about cooking on it.
What We Like:
- Works on induction
- Lid included, so it braises and steams too
- Dishwasher safe
What We Don't Like:
- Food sticks if the pan goes in cold
3. Best non-stick: Tefal 36cm Large Wok with Stainless Steel Lid
36cm with a ceramic coating that is free of PFOA, lead and cadmium, and a stainless lid, at around $85. The biggest of the four, which matters because a crowded wok steams: 36cm is enough surface for a stir-fry for four without doing it in two batches.
Harris Scarfe lists it for gas, electric and ceramic cooktops and specifically not for induction, so check your hob before this one. Ceramic coatings also stop releasing food well before they look worn, and high heat is what wears them.
What We Like:
- 36cm, enough for four
- Ceramic coating, PFOA free
- Lid included
What We Don't Like:
- Not induction compatible
4. Best budget non-stick: Smith + Nobel Professional 36cm Hard Anodised Jumbo Wok
The same 36cm size for around $60. Hard anodised aluminium, non-stick, with a silicone-gripped stainless handle, and oven safe to 180 degrees so a stir-fry can finish under heat or a braise can go in the oven.
Like the Tefal it is not induction compatible, and hard anodised non-stick wears faster than most people expect at wok heat, so this is the one to keep off the highest burner setting.
What We Like:
- 36cm for around $60
- Oven safe to 180°C
- Cool silicone grip
What We Don't Like:
- Not induction compatible
How to choose a wok
| Size | Material | Induction | Lid | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuisena Carbon Steel | 35cm | Carbon steel | — | No | $40–60 |
| Smith + Nobel Jumbo | 36cm | Hard anodised | No | No | $55–75 |
| Tefal 36cm Large | 36cm | Ceramic non-stick | No | Yes | $80–100 |
| Scanpan Impact 32cm | 32cm | Stainless / alu core | Yes | Yes | $85–105 |
Materials, induction compatibility and prices are from the Harris Scarfe product listings.
Check your cooktop first. Two of these four are listed as not induction compatible, and a wok that will not heat is an expensive mistake. If you are on induction, a flat-based stainless or a flat-based carbon steel wok is what works; the traditional round-bottomed wok needs gas.
Size up rather than down. A wok that is too small steams the food, because everything goes in at once and the pan cannot recover. 30cm suits one or two people, 35 to 36cm feeds four.
A lid changes what the pan does. With a lid a wok steams dumplings, braises and cooks a curry, which is the difference between a stir-fry pan and the pan you reach for most nights.
Carbon steel needs a routine, not skill. Wash without detergent, dry it over the burner until the water has gone, wipe a film of oil around the inside. Thirty seconds after each use, and it lasts decades.
