Craft WokFlat Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok with Wooden and Steel Helper Handle (14 Inch, Flat Bottom) / 731W316

I was contemplating 2 other woks. One that was $189 and the other $99. After reading up on woks and reading the reviews this was the winner. I think some companies charge for “bluing” the wok. Since it’s really easy, I didn’t need it already blued. But you still have to season it after bluing with oil and heat just like the bluing process. This wok is almost 2mm thick carbon still and genuinely hammered, not fake hammered. It will take a while before it is completely black all over but I was successful in bluing and seasoning and it’s working just like many reviewers described and I’m happy with my choice. It’s also a reasonable price and I my brother already wants to buy one of these too. You really can’t beat this wok. Just read everything and bluing and seasoning will be a breeze. I also purchased the book The Wok, which is a reference book with all you need to know about Wok-king or Wok Hei with many many recipes I’ve already tried. If you like cooking and you like Asian cuisine, don’t hesitate. This wok is a WoRk horse.

The media could not be loaded. Super Super Impressed!!! My wife and I decided to purchase a wok. And with all the various types and styles that are out there. And there are alot! Weather to go with a non-stick or a traditional wok was a big big thing to consider. We went with a traditional Craft wok/carbon steel, hand forged setup. If were going to buy a wok then were going to go traditional and get the whole experience. Here are some key features to tell you about and hopefully I can answer a few of those questions you might have. IMPORTANT... Please use caution and practice safety when doing the next steps of seasoning your wok.1st.. You should go to Youtube and watch video's on various woks there are in the world. Very informative for sure. If you decide to go the route we did with the Craft WOK then you will need to season the wok. You will also get very useful videos on how to season your new wok. VERY IMPORTANT TO DO.2nd.. Wash your wok before you season it. I used steel wool. I used dawn dish soap with the steel wool to clean and wash the wok. After washing your wok immediately dry it with paper towels or a dry cloth. Then you will need to start seasoning immediately afterwards. WHY??? Because your wok being steel, will start to rust very quickly without a protective coating of oil.3rd.. Before you start to season, make sure you get all your supplies together first. (see my pictures). You will need to make sure your stove is venting to the outside and that you have windows opened for ventilation. your wok will smoke when you apply the oil layer steps. This is normal. You will want to blue up your wok first.. No oil at first. Use a medium to high heat and rotate the wok around till you achieve an even blue hue or color to your wok.4th.. I did this step 4 times: Apply with tongs and paper towel or I used tongs and a small cloth. Apply a small amount of oil (I used Avocado oil because of the low flash point) with the cloth to the surface of the wok evenly without pooling. If you have pooling wipe out the excess with a paper towel. Be careful the wok is hot... Rotate the wok around and burn off the this layer of oil. This will take like 5 minutes each time you apply the oil. Let cool for 4 to 5 minutes the do the step again. Again I did this 4 times.4th.. After the fourth time seasoning the wok I let it cool a little bit then I put Avocado oil in the pan and green onions and ginger. I let the veggies cook for like 5 minutes and rolled it around the wok to do this final step. This step in to eliminate the possible steel taste or smell you might get after seasoning. And it worked great! This step will make your wok smell way better.5th.. Let your wok cool then rinse/wash out your wok. NO SOAP just hot water and a sponge or cloth. I then put the wok back on the stove/gas and heated it up and again applied a this layer of oil to the pan. Let it smoke off a little and I was done. You need to do this last step each and every time you cook in your wok. This is a vital step in keeping your wok conditioned and seasoned for the life of the wok... Which will be many many years if you follow these steps. I purchased the gas top stove ring off of Amazon along with the stainless metal utensils you see in the pictures.NOTE: A lot of people asked the question as to what to do with the outside of the wok. It will be blued when you first do your steps of seasoning. All I have done with the outside is apply a THIN layer of oil/with a paper towel, and coated the outside. Simple... Enjoy your wok and remember to practice safety while doing this.

Great quality at the price. I actually ended up packaging it back up and returning it because it felt like too much for me (small household)…so I ordered the 12” and it felt like not enough. Thank goodness Amazon is great with returns. And then I came upon the Black 13 by Craft Wok and it’s the absolute perfect in between. For a big family, the 14 might be ideal but for me and storage, losing that 1 inch made a difference with space and usefulness (not being overkill) but enough when friends are over and I need more than a 12 inch. Kenji Lopez Alt recommends a hand hammered carbon steel flat bottom so that’s what I went with and this one is great because it’s not completely flat and hits all the other marks. I did a ton of research and this is a great brand if you season it correctly (don’t listen to the “pre-seasoned” marketing - you still need to season. It before use!).

This wok has been very good for the most part. The construction is super solid and feels like it will last forever. It gets hot enough to sear and stir fry, but responds to temperature adjustments quickly. That way you can properly cook a variety of ingredients in quick succession, as is common in Chinese cooking.So far I haven't had any issues with seasoning. I seasoned it in the oven with canola oil and it's been pretty nonstick. It stands up to metal utensils and scrubbing with soap.I knocked off a star for two things. First, as this wok is made with thick gauge steel, it's pretty heavy. The listed weight doesn't seem like much, but when it's full of food and you're trying to stir fry the weight starts to become an impediment. I recommend using a kitchen towel and choking up on the handle to get more leverage.The second issue is the handle, which tends to be a bit wobbly. This hasn't caused any problems so far but I'm concerned that it will loosen further over time. Tightening the retaining screws helps for a little while but the wobble always returns.

The wok is perfect in every way. It's very sturdy and well made -- it feels like something out of a high end kitchen. It has enough handmade feel but not too much, it does feel professionally made. Absolutely.IMPORTANT though -- all carbon steel woks require cooking oil to avoid rust. ALWAYS put a thin layer of oil over the wok after using it. ALWAYS. If you don't, it will rust FAST. I'm talking about minutes! But all you have to do is wipe down the interior part with a thin layer of any kind of cooking oil and it will be fine -- it can go for a month unused as long as you coat it in oil.Last note -- this is a big wok, and the handle on the opposite side is very handy if you fill it up because it can get heavy.I got the version with the flat bottom. I think there was a warning that it might not be perfectly flat, but mine absolutely was. It's outstanding and I expect it to last a lifetime.