Wirecutter - Our brand-new guide to the best woks

A photo of our top wok picks, and a plate with bok choy on it.

Connie Park

Hey, Marilyn Ong here, one of the editors on Wirecutter’s kitchen team. Working on our woks guide with the wonderful Cathy Erway had me pulling out my own wok (and setting off the smoke detectors in my apartment) even more than usual. But it was all worth it: Here’s our brand-new guide to the very best woks.

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We’ve been wanting to cover woks for a while, especially as we saw more and more pots and pans marketed as being able to do everything. Unlike other gimmicky appliances, the wok has truly earned that distinction—since prehistoric times. With its deep bowl and ability to heat up quickly and efficiently, the wok is a versatile cooking vessel. Of course it’s great for stir-frying, but it’s able to do so much more, including braising, steaming, boiling, and searing—all of which may come in handy if you’re planning a Lunar New Year menu in the coming weeks.

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If you’ve never used a wok before, don’t be intimidated by it. Our picks were chosen for their ability to work in a home kitchen, with convenience and practicality being our guiding principles.

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Cathy Erway

As Cathy, the guide’s writer, conducted research, spoke with experts, and got cooking, we had a lot of chats about which design elements were most impactful. Do we need stick handles and helper handles? (Yes.) Are nonstick woks a viable choice? (Not so much.) How much does the wok’s shape impact usability? (A lot, check out that funny-shaped egg!)

In the end, one clear winner stood out: The Wok Shop’s 14-inch Carbon Steel Wok With Metal Side Handle. For a flat-bottom wok, it has the perfect curves to mimic a round-bottom vessel. And its handle—a svelte, wooden shaft screwed onto an L-shaped metal piece that’s fused to the wok’s bowl—is unlike any others we’ve come across, providing excellent leverage for lifting, tossing, and pouring.

Our pick is made of carbon steel, which means you’ll need to season it, but we provide advice for that, too. And we offer an alternate pick that’s pre-seasoned, giving you a shortcut to a slick surface.

Ready to wok?

Romulo Yanes

For Lunar New Year, try your hand at longevity noodles. We’re also eyeing Andrea Nguyen’s recipe for braised pork and eggs in caramel sauce, which is described as an “extravagant treat” and is a great way to try a different technique than stir-frying in a wok. Finally, you can’t go wrong with stir-fried greens.

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Explore more NYT Cooking wok recipes →

From blenders and chef’s knives to rolling pins and nonstick skillets

Our kitchen experts recommend the best equipment to help you whip up the finest meals, whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned pro. These reviews are the result of hundreds of hours of research, expert interviews, crowdsourced opinions and owner ratings, hands-on testing, personal experience, and more. Not sure where to start? Here are some of our most popular guides:

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