Need the right bit of cookware to go with your electric stove? From non-stick cookware to stainless steel must-haves, here are 6 of the best electric stove woks to take your cooking to the next level.
- Lodge Pro-Logic
- Cuisinart 726-38H Chef's Classic Stir-Fry Pan
- Swift Spice Heavy Gauge Carbon Steel Wok
- Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel
- Helen’s Asian Kitchen Wok
- T-fal Jumbo Wok
- What kind of wok is best for an electric stove?
- Important Features
- Can I use a wok ring with an electric stove?
- Why do I need to season my wok?
- FAQ
Electric stoves have made kitchen cooking much easier, improving how quickly you can fire up your cooker. The downside is finding a wok that can be used on them. Electric stoves aren’t made for traditional woks. They’re designed with flat-bottomed pans in mind and the heating elements are usually too far apart to get a good stir fry recipe going in a round-bottomed pan.
There are many woks on the market that claim to be compatible with electric stoves, but they don’t always work.
The best electric stove woks typically have an aluminum or steel body with a handle and coil ring heating element, allowing them to be heated up quickly and efficiently.
If you’re looking for a great wok for your kitchen’s electric stove, check out our guide below! We’ve tested 6 of the top rated models and found that these were some of the best available. Our list includes information about each model, as well as what we liked and disliked about them so you can make an informed decision when buying one.
Lodge Pro-Logic
A wok is a must-have in the kitchen if you want to bring that authentic Chinese favor in your dishes. This wok has a large 14-size which allows you to cook scrumptious family meals and hands down the best wok for electric stoves in the market.
The wok is made with solid iron that retains the heat to perfection and distributes it evenly. It has been pre-seasoned with 100% vegetable oil to ensure top-notch flavor and it only gets better with each use. The fun thing about wok is that they require a lot less oil than traditional fryers. Whether you want to cook stir-fried veggies or cook your favorite comfort soup, this one has got you covered.
The flat bottom design makes it a perfect choice for electric stoves, gas stoves, and even induction cooktops. It’s made with high-quality cast iron that will remain brutally tough even after rugged usage for decades.
Pros
- Suitable for cooking large family meals
- Excellent quality and highly durable
- Retains and evenly distributes the heat
- Pre-seasoned with vegetable oil
- A flat base design for easier handling
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a lid
- 14 INCH CAST IRON WOK: Seasoned and ready to use, this cast iron wok features helpful, modern...
- HEAT RETENTION: This cast iron wok features unparalleled heat retention for consistent, high-heat...
- NATURALLY NONSTICK: This naturally seasoned cast iron wok is made with just iron and vegetable oil,...
Cuisinart 726-38H Chef’s Classic Stir-Fry Pan
The Cuisinart 726-38H Chef’s Classic Stir-Fry Pan has a mirror-finish that gives it a classy and aesthetic look. It has an aluminum construction that heats up quickly and evenly distributes the heat throughout the pan. Also, the stainless-steel surface retains its color and doesn’t react with food or alter its flavors.
The wok has a large 14-inch design so that you can cook delicious meals for the entire family. It comes with a lock-in lid that seals in the moisture for a healthier and tastier result. The stay-cool riveted handles will provide you extra-grip while sauteing or stirring the food.
It’s suitable for electric stove, gas stove, and oven safe up to 550° F. Since it’s aluminum cookware, it’s not recommended for induction cooktops. You can wash it both with a dishwasher and handwash. However, woks tend to last longer when they’re hand-washed.
Pros
- Large family size design
- Suitable for electric and gas stove
- Outstanding heat retention
- Comes with a protective lid
- Stay-cool handles for better grip
Cons
- Not suitable for induction cooktop
- EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN: enjoy mirror finish, classic look and professional performance. Aluminum...
- PREMIUM COOKING: stainless steel cooking surface does not discolor, react with food or alter...
- EXCEPTIONAL HANDLING: cool grip handles are solid stainless steel riveted handles that stay cool on...
Swift Spice Heavy Gauge Carbon Steel Wok
Carbon steel is one of the most traditional materials for woks. It needs to be dried quickly and seasoned with oil to prevent it from rusting. The Swift Spice Heavy Gauge Carbon Steel Wok is constructed with 2mm carbon steel that can withstand a massive amount of heat.
It has a flat base that makes it suitable for electric, gas, induction, and ceramic stoves. It has a 14-inch dimension that can easily accommodate a large meal for 6-8 people. It doesn’t have a non-stick coating; however, you’ll not face any issues with the food sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Carbon steel woks are not recommended for handwashing. So, if you prefer tossing the dishes to the dishwasher then you should give this one a pass. However, in terms of durability, this one absolutely impeccable and it’ll last you for decades with proper care.
Pros
- Made with highly durable carbon steel
- Flat base design
- Suitable for cooking a large meal
- Stay-cool handle
Cons
- Can be hand washed only
- Manufactured from 1.8mm Carbon Steel for the serious Asian Cook
- Carbon Steel is the ideal material for Woks as it can withstand very high temperatures
- Manufactured with a flat base for use on the modern cooker
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel
Calphalon boasts quality that has been unmatched for decades. This wok has a two-layers of stainless-steel construction with a heavy-gauge aluminum core in the middle. It has an excellent heat retention rate throughout the cooking process.
The aluminum core ensures superior conductivity that plays a vital role in the browning and equal heat distribution. Thanks to the non-porous stainless steel cooking surface, you can use all kinds of utensils with this wok. It features long stay-cool stainless-steel handles as well.
It has a flat bottom design that makes it an ideal choice for different cooking surfaces and it’s one of the best woks for electric stoves. It comes with a clear tempered glass lid that effectively locks in the flavor and lets you have a good look at the food. The wok is dishwasher safe and includes Calphalon’s exclusive lifetime warranty
Pros
- Stylish and durable design
- Aluminum core even heat distribution
- Oven and broiler safe design
- Stainless-steel exterior
Cons
- Not pre-seasoned
- A heavy-gauge aluminum core is sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel by means of...
- Aluminum core provides superior conductivity and even heating for excellent browning and control of...
- Clear tempered-glass lids let you see food while it's cooking and are oven safe, so you can finish...
Helen’s Asian Kitchen Wok
We have got another amazing carbon steel wok for that traditional Chinese flavor. From frying, braising, sauteing, to steaming, you can do it all with the Helen’s Asian Kitchen Wok. It’s constructed with 1.8mm carbon steel that only requires you to use little oil to make a quick, healthy, and scrumptious meal.
Carbon steel is highly conductive and spreads the heat evenly across the wok. It comes with a 2-tone heat-resistant bamboo handle with riveted design. It has a flat bottom design that sits effortlessly on any stovetop. Be it electric, induction, or a gas stove, this wok is suitable for them all.
You need to keep one thing in mind for carbon steel wok is that you need to keep seasoned after every wash to prevent rusting. Don’t worry, you’ll get an instruction manual with this wok to help you with the maintenance process.
Pros
- Large size
- Lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defect
- Sturdy and durable construction
- Heat resistant bamboo handles
Cons
- Requires a lot of maintenance
- Helen’s Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok for stir frying, stewing, sauteing, steaming, braising,...
- Made from 1. 8-millimeter carbon steel with 2-tone heat-resistant bamboo handle and helper handle;...
- Carbon steel distributes heat quickly so foods cook evenly; cooking surface collects a natural...
T-fal Jumbo Wok
Your quest for finding the best wok for an electric stove hopefully ends here as it doesn’t get any better than this. The T-fal Jumbo Wok comes at a super budget-friendly price and it’ll surely not make a dent in your wallet. It’s incredibly durable, on top of that, you’ll get a limited lifetime warranty with the product.
It lives up to its name and it has a huge size with a 14-inch diameter. The large capacity makes it a great fit for making family-size meals. It has a non-stick surface that ensures no food gets stuck on the pan. Even the most stubborn ingredient like thinly sliced onion garlic or veggies will slide right off without any struggle.
The wok is made with the finest quality aluminum for fast and even heat distribution. It can be used on electric and gas cooking stove without deteriorating the quality. It’s completely dishwasher safe, however, we recommend hand washing for a longer life cycle.
Pros
- Large capacity
- Aluminum construction
- Oven safe up to 350 ° F
- Evenly distributes the heat
- Easy cleaning process
Cons
- Not recommended for induction cooktop
- 14-inch jumbo wok for cooking family-size meals; ideal for stir-frying, browning, searing and more
- Superior nonstick interior and exterior make it easy to cook and clean; Healthy cooking results with...
- Superior ProGlide non-stick interior
What kind of wok is best for an electric stove?
Carbon Steel woks are the best for cooking on an electric stove. They provide even heat distribution without the usual flame that woks thrive on. A wok is not shaped for most electric stoves. They are not the first choice for wok cooking, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be used. You may need to be mindful of the shape, the material used, and the size of the wok. The best electric stoves for wok cooking are those that have rings. They provide much-needed stability when cooking.
Important Features
Shape
One of the things to look out for when choosing the right wok is to make sure that it has the right shape. In most cases, woks are round. It is excellent for stirring food around. However, on an electric stove, a rounded bottom will only get heat when touching the stove. As such, there won’t be even heat distribution.
For better heat distribution, a flat base works better. The downside is that you will not be able to toss the food the same way you do with a round-bottomed wok. A flat wok gets the heat from the stove all through to the wok. There is more surface area getting heat as more of it is in contact with the stove.
Also, a round-shaped wok will not be stable on an electric stove. You can fix this situation by using a ring that will stabilize the wok.
Size
The size of the wok that you use will depend on the number of people you will be cooking for. The diameters usually range from 10 to 14inches. The bigger the wok, the more people you can cook for, and also the more heat it can absorb. If the wok has a larger surface area, then it also means that it has more space to disperse heat, giving you better results as you cook. We recommend a minimum size of 5 inches.
Material
Woks are often made of heavy material such as cast iron, while others are made of carbon steel. On an electric stove, you will find that carbon steel woks are better suited. This is because they are better at conducting heat from electric stoves than cast iron is. It heats up faster. The downside is that it is not as durable as cast iron. You may need to season it a little more than you do cast iron.
Can I use a wok ring with an electric stove?
Yes, you can. It is how you get around the issue of a round base on a flat surface. They come in especially handy because the wok was not initially designed for use on an electric stove. There’s no rocket science to the whole process. Simply place the ring on the electric stove, then place the wok on the ring.
The ring and the plate need to be compatible for this to work. The wok should sit firmly on the ring, which will help you reduce wobbling and allow the wok to sit firmly. Also, the ring needs to be made of material that can effectively heat up and conduct the heat, transferring the heat to the wok.
Why do I need to season my wok?
When you season a wok, regardless of whether it is made of cast iron or steel, you give it a new lease on life. The seasoning protects the material of the pan from damaging elements. Seasoning the wok also helps make it non-stick. After using your wok for some time, it will develop a natural patina which makes it non-stick without trying.
To season your wok, first make sure you wash and scrub your wok clean, ensuring that it no longer has any of the factory oils on it. You can use warm water, scouring pads, and soap. This should remove factory oils. Just remember that this “rough” method is for the first time before you season the wok. Using scouring agents like the wire may scratch the patina off and ruin the pan’s nonstick surface.
You may need to spend up to 15minutes on the initial washing to make sure that all the factory oil is removed. Then dry the wok and prepare to season it. Place the pan over heat, open up the pores, and allow the wok to absorb the oil quickly. You can then go ahead and season the wok using your preferred method.
FAQ
Why does food stick to my stainless steel wok?
Stainless steel has pores. These will shrink as the steel expands when heat is applied. As the pores shrink, they latch onto the food hence making it stick. You can prevent this from happening by seasoning the pan.
What are the pitfalls of using a wok on an electric stove?
Woks are traditionally not made for electric stoves. There are various reasons why off the bat, an electric stove is not the best option on the block. This being that a round wok will not sit properly on an electric stove, you will need a wok ring to stabilize it.
How hot should I make the burners under my wok?
It’s essential to have enough heat for the wok. The point is to ensure that the food reaches an optimum temperature so that the Maillard reaction occurs. This is how you get the best flavors from your food. This reaction begins just after the wok reaches 200˚F. But this is still not enough for a wok. You will need to turn your burners on high heat. The food inside the wok needs to be between 250˚F to 300˚F.
The good thing about using a burner is that it is easy to reach very high temperatures, unlike when using an electric stove. For best results, use a small burner. This is so that the heat is concentrated and directed under the wok. If the wok is placed in a broader burner, the flame is parted. It will heat the sides of the work instead, which you don’t want to happen.
Since it is essential to have high heat, you can optimize these results by making sure the heat is as close to the wok as possible.
