Lately, I’ve been running through woks. On the cheap end, the $10+ wok from 99 Ranch is okay. If it doesn’t work out, you’re only out 10 bucks. No big deal. However, the wok is really light and the non-stick surface, while decent, is not durable. The last one I had only lasted a few weeks because someone (not me) first scratched the non-stick coating by using a metal spoon or other utensil while cooking and then later burned some vinegar in the wok so severely that it hardened and bonded with the non-stick surface. Just scrubbing the wok with a Dobie Cleaning Pad managed to exfoliate the non-stick coating from the wok.
Wok #2 was the Sur La Table 14″ Nonstick Wok. This was my first time using a carbon steel wok. The rest of my cookware is anodized aluminum. Anyways, while the carbon steel wok heats up very quickly, I was not impressed with the non-stick surface. This wok had the stickiest non-stick surface that I’ve ever encountered. Unfortunately, this wok also passed away prematurely when someone used sandpaper to clean the wok? Who uses sandpaper to clean cookware? Non-stick cookware!! So, another 50 bucks down the drain. At this point, I’m thinking that I should have just bought 5 $10 woks at 99 Ranch.
So, I’m stalling and thinking about my next step. I really like the $20 Tramontina wok I picked up last year at Costco. Made of anodized aluminum, this wok lasted about a year before the non-stick surface gave out, which really isn’t bad. One $60 wok that lasts for 3 years or 3 $20 woks that last for one year each? Finally, I ended up picking a Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick Flat-Bottom Wok for $80. The alternative was a pair of Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick Omelette Pans for $40, both prices factoring the 20% off BBB mailer coupon. I actually think the omelette pans were the better buy, but I really prefer the higher sides that the flat-bottom wok offers since it’s better at keeping all the food and oil in the pan. I’m hoping for this latest wok lasts for a few years. If not, that omelette pan looks very tempting.
2 responses to “Flat Bottom Wok”
I have the Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick Flat-Bottom Wok and I really like it. I have had it for about a year now and it is really not showing any ware yet….
I bought this set of cookware for Christmas 2009 from Amazon and haven’t regret it yet. These Pot and pans are not made for the dishwasher. If you would have taken 10 minutes to read the care instructions prior to using them you would have known this. You are not to use Pam, Metal utensils or place in the dish washer. If you have any objections to these three things i would avoid the set but I Love mine!!