Chef's Medal Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok with Bamboo and Steel Helper Handle - 14 Inch, Round Bottom

I am very satisfied with this purchase. Although the seasoning process took longer and was more strenuous than I originally anticipated, the result was a beautiful cooking utensil that I felt I had helped create. It's sturdy and heats up in no time, but not nearly as heavy as cast iron cookware, which is what I wanted. I've purposefully let some food burn just to see how easy it would be to clean afterwards and thus far I haven't had any spots that hot water and a paper towel can't wipe away. The wooden handle has a hole in which I plan on running a leather strip through for hanging storage since it is rather bulky, but it will look great hanging up on my kitchen wall. The initial blue coloration does change after cooking certain dishes. This personally does not bother me as I feel it adds character to the wok, though it is worth mentioning.Overall, I'd recommend this product to anyone looking to add something unique to their cooking collection. It is excellent quality, especially for the price. The initial seasoning process can be a bit lengthy, but it's highly satisfying and makes the wok your own.

Much heavier (in a good way) than I was expecting. The handle is very large. It's a great looking piece.Seasoning:Instructions say it may take up to 30 minutes on high, using a 12,000 to 15,000 BTU gas burner. Mine is 18,000 BTU and it took 2 hours to get the ENTIRE thing blue. Maybe my gas pressure is low? Instructions say the ENTIRE surface must be blue. Once completed and oiled the pan is absolutely beautiful! I got lazy and didn't want to rotate it around the stove so I just turned it upside down to create a heat dome. It gradually went from silver, to orange, and then blue, and then parts that were getting really hot went back to silver. The inside bottom went back to orange. It was actually a rust spot as the water vapor was collecting in the dome so I'm not sure this was the best way to do it but the rust wiped off mostly, and was gone after first use. I do have a sort of area that is different from the rest but it hasn't perfected performance.Use:It truly is non stick on very high heat with veggies and meat. As directed, I use hot water and one of those blue sponges made for non stick pans. Anything "stuck" wipes right off. Do not try cooking eggs in it. They bonded to it immediately and was hard to scrub off. Maybe in the future when it is more seasoned this might work. I've used it about four times now and it looks like I've had if for years. It is very smooth on the inside but it takes on a new look after each use.Wok spatula and wok stand:I ordered the suggested spatula and stand. The spatula is perfect. The stand is good for when it is sitting on the counter covered in oil. I don't like using it on the stove as it prevents the flames from going up the sides and you really need to entire surface hot. It's heavy enough that is will stay mostly upright when in use. The stand really isn't needed for cooking.

I purchased the 14" round bottom wok from Chef's Medal and it is the best. Extremely well made, heavy gauge carbon steel and will last generations if cared for,just like cast iron. For the price, you can't beat it. Comes with detailed instructions to season it and it has been great. Even heat distribution and when seasoned, it has a non stick finish. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a great wok at an exceptional price.

I recently purchased this wok to be able to cook more authentic Asian style dishes, and was initially surprised at how sturdy it is. The steel is plenty thick and almost too heavy for my wife's liking. I followed the clear directions on how to clean and season the wok and it was really pretty simple. It just took a few minutes to wash all of the shipping oil off. I bought a cast iron wok ring that has notches that fit on the stove grate and the wok is very stable on the stove. I definitely recommend this style over the thin stamped steel type.I heated the wok until it was a nice blue hue all over and let it cool for a bit before applying avocado oil over medium heat. This wok heats up VERY quickly. I was surprised that after just a few minutes on medium heat that the avocado oil started to smoke. None of my other pots heat like this, but they are the stainless steel clad style.I tried the egg test and was very pleased with how non-stick it is. The egg did stick a tiny bit right at the bottom towards the end of cooking it, but just ran back off the sides with nothing sticking at all. I'm hoping that after a number of uses it becomes even more non-stick. It was simple to clean, just a bit of warm water and a brush worked great.I gave the wok 4 stars because there are several places that look like they might be imperfections in the metal as shown in the pictures. I don't think it will affect performance, but I will revise the review if I have any other problems besides just cosmetic issues.Ignore any ridiculous reviews where someone shows a clearly non-blued wok with water sitting in it claiming it rusts easily. It is not stainless steel so of course it will rust if you don't oil it and let water sit in it. Follow the directions and clean it well, heat it until blued, keep it oiled, and do not wash it with dish detergent or steel scrubbers and the wok does not rust.

this is the real deal! thin but sturdy, quick heating and easy to control. I've been having a great time using this for fried rice and stir-fry, with excellent results. Far superior to standard flat bottomed pans.Make sure you clean the woke thoroughly, season carefully, use a wok ring and pay close attention to your heat level, it's very easy to overheat oil and smoke out your house!My only complaint is that it's easy to burn your hand on the metal portion of the handle - i wish the wood was a bit longer, or extended closer to the bowl. It also takes up quite a bit of cabinet space, but you don't have to baby it, it can take a few dings.