Customer Reviews

Tom Douglas by Pinzon 2-Piece Stainless-Steel Grill-Wok with Removable Lid

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Tom Douglas grill pan is wonderful for grilling small items together on the grill. You can cut up veggies, place them in the pan and they are done in less than five minutes. The dish my guests liked best made in this pan was shrimp and summer vegtables grilled together and then served over pasta. No more making little shish ka bobs which is time consuming. Just add shrimp and vegetables in a bowl with a little olive oil and then toss into stainless grill pan and you are finished making entire dish in under 10 minutes. The pan is very sturdy and well made. The cover that fastens securely lets you toss contents of pan as much as you would like.It is a pan that will inspire you to become creative. As luck would have it, my stovetop failed just before I received the pan. The Pinzon 2 piece stainless grill top frying pan with removable lid was a life saver while I was in process of replacing the stove. I used it to grill some fruit to mix with yogurt and granola for breakfast, yummy!
If you purchase this pan you will not be sorry, thats for sure!

When Amazon is nice enough to send me a Vine product for review, I hate to complain about it. But this pan was a disappointment.

The design is nicely done:

- the mesh of the pan body is fine enough to hold in pretty much anything (even popcorn), while still allowing heat and smoke to permeate
- the lid is high enough to accommodate a whole bell pepper or large Spanish onion, if you somehow wanted to roast one
- the lid detaches completely for cleaning, or to use the pan as an open stir fry
- the long handle will keep fingers (or, rather, forearms) away from hot grill parts
- there are four thicker steel rods and a metal ring supporting the bottom of the pan, not just mesh (much preferred if you want to put drippy things down on an outdoor surface).
- The lid handle and hinge make it easy to refill and rearrange things in the pan.

The execution of the pan I recieved, however, was miserable:

- One of the four support rods under the pan was welded so poorly it had come loose during shipping
- A narrow metal plate that is attached to reinforce the handle was attached off-center, leaving a sharp exposed edge
- The mesh had one strand that must have come loose as the material was being woven, because it was rippled and twisted and generally out of place (if you've ever gotten corn in a crazy ear, you know what I'm talking about).

Amazon has a money-back guarantee, and the Vine items are probably the first ones off the production line (before all the bugs are worked out), so if you really want this pan don't let the problems discourage you. But be prepared take a gamble.

I was actually surprised by the high quality of this product, since grill woks are like the bastard child of outdoor cookery. I was expecting something of cheap quality, like most grill woks tend to be. But this gadget is of very high quality and will please any grill wok enthusiast (are there any out there?).

First, it feels much heavier than it looks. The wires are strong and do not bend and warp. The spacing of the mesh is sufficient enough to not allow most things to fall through. The metal used on the rim and handles is strong and feels solid. I think that's the defining character of the item - it feels SOLID, despite just being a wire mesh. It will last a long time.

The mesh lid is attached to the bottom part by a hinge at the helper handle. And there is a spring latch on the main handle that locks the lid down. It works very well and again, feels solid.

The wok works well enough on the grill. The metal does tend to discolor and get s dark, but how can you not expect it to over a charcoal fire? And of course, use a pot holder when handling it, since the handle will get hot. It's not nonstick (thankfully), but it does mean that a few items tend to stick. If you preheat the wok and then use some spray oil, you'll avoid major disasters. Use a wire brush for cleaning.

Out of several grill woks/toppers I have, this one is the best. The mesh allows the smoky essence to permeate food (yum!) while holding everything inside. The other toppers have 1/4" to 3/8" holes so ingredients invariably fall out. This does not happen with this wok. The lid is securely latched and tossing the ingredients is possible and even desirable. No need to move things around with a spatula or tongs. The steel is high quality and does not appear it will corrode.

I tried it out with a Kamado style cooker (my "fake Green Egg") and a propane grill. The Kamado cooker worked well and provided a wonderful smoky finish to the ingredients. I simply tossed some frozen veggies and frozen shrimp in a bowl, added a little olive oil, and put it in the wok on the grill. Very simple and it turned out great. I also tried it on a propane grill. It cooked well, faster than the Kamado cooker, but the end product did not have as much smoke flavor. I did use a grill lid holder both times to partially close the lid and trap more heat. It's a useful addition when using this wok.

There were a few things which could be improved: 1. The edge of the lid lock lever is sharp. I cut my finger while cleaning the basket. This may just be an issue with mine, but I'm careful around this now. 2. The mesh is not super easy to clean. I poke mine with a kitchen brush from the outside and then scrub it. 3. Minimal instructions are included. Amazon/Pinzon should consider including additional information and recipes.

This has the potential to be a good product if it had a removable handle. I don't understand why it does not. The handle is very long and therefore I cannot close my grill lid when using this product. Plus the handle becomes extremely hot (obviously) from the heat of the grill. I probably would have given this a 5 star if it had a removable handle.

I do like the solid, sturdy construction. It cleans up well. The screen mesh helps cook all veggies nice and evenly. Really could be a standout product if they built it with a removable handle.

I had to wait a bit to review this, since several feet of snow on my deck made it impossible to wheel out my grill. Recently we got a little break in the weather, just enough for a die-hard griller to fire up the kettle, and I got a chance to use grill-wok. I can see it's going to be part of my regular rotation throughout the grilling season this year.

The wok is very nicely finished, with no rough metal edges, and the lid opens easily and closes securely. The handle is quite long, as it should be for a grilling implement, but balanced so that it's not difficult to lift the wok and toss the ingredients. Cleanup was relatively easy, although the wok is too big to fit in my dishwasher (I have an apartment-size dishwasher; a larger one might accommodate it). I sprayed both the vegetables and the wok with oil prior to grilling to help prevent sticking, and that worked fine.

I have a flat-bottom, pierced grill pan that I like to use to grill vegetables, but I think the grill-wok may nudge it out of the lineup this summer. The grill pan requires me to stand right over the grill and toss the ingredients with tongs, spoon, or spatula, making it hot work and causing me to flip the odd piece or two into the grill. With the grill-wok, I can stand back and just shake and flip the entire contents for even cooking.

I have a 22-inch Weber kettle, and it was easy to position the pan so the handle stayed cool; a larger grill that leaves the handle over the grill would probably require a mitt or potholder. Also, the pan is big -- nice for lots of contents, not so nice when trying to find a place to store it. I think it's going to have to live in the garage in the off-season, but during the summer it will be hanging on the porch right along with the rest of my grilling utensils. I'm looking forward to some creative grilled stir-frys this year!

My husband LOVES his Grill-Wok. He uses it primarily to cook vegetables while also grilling steak or chicken. He previously used one of the standard, rectangular type grill pans, but it was a pain to get the lid closed and to keep it closed, so when I saw this I knew we had to try it -- and are we ever glad that we did. The round shape mocks a regular frying pan, which makes using it ever so much easier; the lid easily clamps shut and, more importantly, it stays shut. The Grill is made of stainless steel, so it easily goes into the dishwasher after use, although it does take up a large amount of space. The Grill-Wok was definitely worth what I paid for it, and I would definitely recommend this to a friend. If you cook a lot on the BBQ, this is a very well made, must have item.

I've really enjoyed cooking veggies in my new Grill Wok. It's so easy. You can chop up just about any combo of veggies you like and cook them quickly and evenly without losing flavor, moisture, or the good vitamins. I like to add a dash of olive oil to help keep the veggies from sticking to eachother or to the wok. I look forward to trying new things such as adding chicken/beef chunks and different spices to my creations. My only complaint is that with any screen/mesh type materials, food particles can get stuck and it takes some extra effort to clean. This is a great way to get the whole family eating healthier.... and hey, it tastes good too!

I've been wanting a grill wok or similar product for a while now, and this one is a beaut. It is larger than I anticipated, and yet it is well balanced and easy to handle. I especially appreciate the second-handed assist handle because, when the wok is loaded down with food, it could be heavy.

While the lid itself does detach from the bottom of the skillet, it won't come off unless you deliberately open it all the way up to remove it. This is a good thing! Finally, the hanging loop is wonderful. The mesh holes MAY be small enough to pop popcorn, too, but I haven't tried that yet.

This is going to sound crazy, I know, but I'll also use this to sift compost. (I don't buy or keep anything I can't use for at least several purposes!) Held hanging down at my side and clipped shut, the width is perfect to shake along a row to side-dress growing plants. This wok is made of durable, high-quality stainless steel, so I'm sure it'll hold up to this purpose. And if it doesn't, well, it'll be another versatile gardening tool. I could use it to shake dirt off mushrooms I harvest or to thresh dried beans.

Perfect Balance, Perfect Size, Length of handle just right. I use this to cook veggies and everyone loves the taste. I suggest you get one now and enjoy using it daily this summer. No heat in the house and the flavor is much better.
Every Tom Douglas item I have is excellent.