Joyce Chen Pro Chef 34 cm 14" Carbon Steel Wok

I've used this wok for a while now and it's a big sturdy wok, I have no regret buying this wok, it's just great to use

I've been using this wok several times a week for over a year now. I've been completely satisfied with its performance. Short review: Ok, you've decided on carbon steel for a wok, but which one, there are so many choices... what's different about this one? The phenolic handles and the thicker gauge steel. I have had zero problems with the handles - they're solid, look sharp, easy to clean, and they stay cool during use. The thicker steel, only half a millimeter? It makes a difference. It's very solid, no flex or warp, and it holds heat better. It has noticeably more heft than the 1.5mm, but isn't too heavy. IMO it's worth it. Overall this wok earns its "pro" label every time I handle it. Long review: Wok material - basically three choices: non-stick, cast iron, and carbon steel. Don't bother with non-stick. Proper wok stir-frying is done at high temperatures, and that doesn't go well with non-stick. A non-stick wok is really just a regular pan in the shape of a wok. Meh. Cast iron is not a bad choice, such as the option from Lodge. But it's very heavy, making it difficult to store and manipulate. And you have to use pot holders to handle it. It takes longer to preheat, and then its strength of heat retention becomes a weakness if you're looking to change the temperature quickly. What about the lightweight cast iron wok option, which comes with handles? Too sensitive to thermal shock, i.e. can easily crack due to temperature changes, while the cooking performance isn't really better than carbon steel. So, then there's carbon steel. Like cast iron, it needs to be seasoned (google and use the ginger and green onion method, not the standard methods used for cast iron). But it's stronger and more durable than cast iron of a comparable gauge, and lighter and more easily manipulated than thick cast iron. And it handles the high heat needed for proper wok stir-frying. It's the best choice. And this wok is the best choice of the carbon steel options. Flat or round bottomed? Round bottomed is the traditional shape, but unless you want to mess with a wok ring or retrofit a specialized burner, just go with the flat bottomed. Seasoning: This is not flavoring but building up layers of polymerized oil that protect the steel (or iron) from rust and provide non-stick properties. Look at 10 different how-tos for seasoning and you'll find 10 different variations. The aforementioned "ginger and green onion" method helps get the raised sides properly seasoned, then it's just a case of maintaining it properly. I've been using a traditional bamboo wok whisk with great results; there's a number of them available here. Or you can use some sort of non-scratch scrubber designed for cast iron. The key is to use something that won't remove the seasoning. Rinse it off in hot water (no soap), use the wok whisk to remove any stuck particles and rinse again, dry off with a paper towel, heat it a little bit on the stove to dry any remaining moisture, then coat it with a thin layer of vegetable oil after each use. Basically the same as cast iron. It's easier than it sounds. And the best way to maintain / improve seasoning is to keep using the wok for stir-frying or deep frying, the more you use it the more it builds seasoning naturally... Utensils, I originally used a cheapo wood-handled metal wok spatula from the local Chinese supermarket. It worked fine, until the wood handle kept coming off. So I replaced it with the Tablecraft bamboo handle SS wok spatula found here. It's a quite fine quality wok spatula, but with one problem - it's too good, the stainless steel is too hard and it scratches off the wok's seasoning, a problem I didn't have with the cheapo spatula. I've recently switched to an all-bamboo wok spatula and so far, so good... As of this writing this wok costs 25% less than I paid for it a year ago. Yet I still think it was worth the price I paid. Buy with confidence.

This is the first wok I have ever purchased, and I am overall very satisfied with it. It took me awhile to season it properly before using it, (that's the only downside for me)but after that it was awesome to use. It heats up really fast which is awesome for chinese stir fry and does not require too much scrubbing when washing with some salt. It even gives a nice stir fry smell that my other pots aren't able to produce when I'm cooking. I also enjoy the large cooking area, means I get to cook lots of food all at once and mix with ease! It is well balanced when I am stirring the food inside the pot because it's pretty heavy so it supports itself. Overall I am pleased with the pot and will recommend it for anyone who is new to buying their first decent wok. Update: I've been using this wok for more than 6months now and I'm lovin it! Now that I understand how seasoning works, I don't worry about it rusting. It's amazing at being nonstick and cleans very easy after soaking for a minute. The taste is so authentic, I really love this wok. Been using it for scramble eggs and doing most of my cooking with it now. Its pretty much non stick.

Good size. My issue with it though, as I am a novice when it comes to cooking with a carbon steel wok, is that if i put sauce for my stir fry dishes, the seasoning comes off and exposes the bare metal.

One of my best wok. Non stick not too heavy and easy to clean.

I posted a review about the Helen Chen Excalibur wok, and am essentially repeating the same information here. I love these Excalibur pans. They have been the best non-stick pans I've owned. They're tough, durable, and get super hot on just medium heat (hot enough to carbonize/burn/sear food in a minute!) You get a fabulous wok-hee effect on your foods, even with the low heat typical of a household stove. These pans are heavy, so they do not warp (do NOT put it on high heat, it WILL destroy the pan - I wouldn't even put carbon steel or cast iron on high heat - only stainless, and then only to bring liquids to boil). These pans are a breeze to clean up. Hot soapy sponge, rinse, done! Being so heavy, this is a bit of a detraction for me, I have arthritis weakened hands. But, I manage. The Helen Chen Excalibur pans are slightly more expensive, but the quality is worth it to me. If they endure more than 5 years of abuse in my kitchen, I will have gotten my money's worth! These pans tout a 25 year prorated warranty on defects (which probably doesn't mean much, as it does not cover "normal wear or scratches" - but it's nice to see a manufacturer backing their product up with a warranty of any kind these days.) I think this Excalibur coating gives Dupont Teflon a run for their money. I searched for info about newer non-stick coatings, and found a chart that compared several, including Teflon, generic PTFE, ceramic, and others. Excalibur had the better results overall, particularly durability and heat tolerances. Google "excalibur coating" and you'll come across the test results from the manufacturer. Sorry Fabreware & Teflon-Pro, you were good in the past, but now something better has come along. I'm switching all future non-stick pan purchases to Helen Chen's Excalibur :) Now if Helen Chen would make a nice flat griddle pan, for pancakes, and a saute pan for omelets, etc..... :)