Customer Reviews

Joyce Chen Classic Series 14 Inch Carbon Steel Wok

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Been using this for 2 months, love it. It is everything you expect it to be. Few comments worth thinking about before buying:

1) 1.5mm diameter is actually quite thick compared to thinner 1mm diameter woks. Heats up slower, distributes heat more evenly, is heavier to lift. 1.5mm is good for slightly longer stir frys, I find 1mm to be handy for very quick flash stir frys.

2) This wok is moderately heavy to lift if you like to toss when stir-frying. It's more of a stationary wok but the handles are solid and function all the same.

3) Treating is a pain but a necessary step for all carbon steel woks. Treating this one is no different than any others.

Quality: The wok is excellent. It sits well on an electric burner and heats quickly for good stir frying. We don't flip it to toss food so we haven't noticed a weight problem. Have you noticed that some frying pans tilt on a burner because the handle is too heavy compared to the pan? That doesn't happen with this wok. The wooden handle is substantial but there is no wobbling.

Seasoning: The initial process was a little time consuming, but since then we can clean it with just hot water and a cloth. Works great! Then I warm it and wipe it with a little oil. Cleanup is amazingly easy and fast. No rust problems here. We got our seasoning instructions from Eating Well Magazine.

Cost: I think this is a great price and when you add free Prime shipping, wow.

Recommendation: It's used in and recommended by the Eating Well test kitchen. We agree - highly recommended.

Assembly: Ours came with the handle assembled which meant the box was huge. Thank goodness for cardboard recycling in our town.

Love this wok! As long as you take the proper steps to season it (which I think is where most wokkers fail), this wok is a great addition to the kitchen. I love that it has a regular handle instead of two helper handles as I can never flip properly with those helper handles. I could do without the wooden accents on the handles, however. That makes it not a good fit for oven cooking if you wanted to throw it in the oven for a spell.

Other than that, I love it! Make sure you season it, make sure you get a proper wok burner for it so you can generate enough heat, and don't ever wash it with soap!!

I bought this wok as a Christmas gift for my fiance. It came in good condition and it has a wide bowl, with tall sides and flat bottom. Since our stove has an electric element I wanted him to have a flat-bottomed wok. It had a pot-style handle (his request) that required assembling to the wok. The quality of the item was high. I would have preferred a lid to come with it, and also some sort of written instructions on how to season it properly, but we found those soon enough on the Internet. There were no real bells and whistles. The price was reasonable, considering the quality.

After having used several expensive modern "non-stick" stir fry pans, I grew very tired of having to deal with their poor non stick performance and eventual chipping of the cooking surface. I decided to go the more traditional route and picked up this wok. Let me just say it has been one of the best decisions I've made in terms of cookware. If this is your first carbon steel wok, here are some tips to get you started:

Preparation - When you first get your wok, give it a real good scrubbing with soap and water. They come coated with machine oil to prevent rusting from the factory.

Seasoning - If you're unfamiliar with this process, there are some good articles online on how to do this. A good initial seasoning will give your wok a non stick surface that will last years. Unless you don't mind having a smoke filled house, I suggest doing this outside if at all possible. After the first few uses, you might want to do a few touch up mini seasonings to help build the coating along.

Care - Never use soap on your wok. Simply clean with hot water and a soft scrubbing sponge (the less abrasive the better).

I've been cooking with this wok for a little over 6 months now and it has developed a great non stick coating. Considering how things are going, this wok (my first) is probably the last wok I will ever need to buy.

I read so many reviews before I made this purchase. And I was so thrilled to have it shipped like literally within a day! BUT, an odd thing happened after I used it. I washed it with soap and water and then hung it up..then when I took it down the next day to use...it had a RUSTY orange film on it and the METAL was discolored!It had odd black marks and the metal itself turned "blotchy". I recleaned it with baking soda, a light scrub pad...and yes..the orange film came out but the discoloration (black marks) and blotchiness is still there!I didnt do anything unusal, I even preseasoned it! I am dissappointed in the quality of this wok. I kept looking for a label that said "made in china sucker!" Everything about the wok was nice..the size...the handles...but this metal...I cant figure out WHY. I guess I attribute it to a low grade of metal. Who knows..i wish I could return it now. Buyer beware!