Customer Reviews

Typhoon Professional 12-Inch Carbon Steel Wok

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

 

 

This is a great pan. I was looking for a wok that's not too heavy and not coated with Teflon (non-stick) but would allow me to stir-fry tofu without it sticking to the surface. This is the pan! I just used it for the first time and it cooked like a dream. I was even able to use higher heat than I am able to when cooking with Le Creuset or All-Clad.

Instead of following the directions for seasoning that came with the wok, I followed the Williams-Sonoma directions for seasoning their carbon-steel cookware. Without attaching the wooden handle, rinse the wok in warm water with mild soap and scrub lightly with a brush (non-abrasive, I used plastic bristle). Dry the pan thoroughly, then coat the outside and inside with vegetable oil. Leave in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. Let it cool enough to pick up then wipe of any excess oil. Attach the handle and it's ready to use.

Two warnings: The pan smells a little while it's cooking. The outside will stay a little sticky after the oven, but this will keep the pan from rusting over time.

This product has a lot of great features. The way the handle connects to the wok itself is a great design because it is entirely external. The inside of the wok is completely smooth - there's no bulge or nut that holds the handle on. Also, the flat bottom makes this ideal for most stove tops because it can be used without buying a wok ring adaptor. On top of the design, the carbon steel surface and extremely inexpensive price point make this an almost ideal purchase.

Now the down side - the "food safe" lacquer coating. I'm not sure why this thing has a lacquer coating on it. The packaging calls it food safe, yet also gives instructions how to remove it before you use the wok. Well, as other reviewers have stated, it does NOT come off. I followed the instructions to the letter and ended up with a completely burned black bottom, while the upper parts of the wok never got hot enough to get the lacquer off. I'm not sure if extra heat would help though, since no amount of too much or too little actual got the lacquer off. I scrubbed and scrubbed with an oiled paper towel as instructed but nothing came off. The first revelation appeared when my fingernail hit the pan while I was wiping and cut through a line of the lacquer. Now I was left with a black bottomed, silver topped wok with one clean silver line through the blackness. Further attempts to scrape the rest of the lacquer off proved fruitless.

On top of all this, I emailed Typhoon's customer support to ask if they had advice on removing the lacquer (especially since the packaging actually comes with 2 sets of instructions that DON'T tell you to do the same thing). That was over 2 months ago and I've never received even an automated reply.

This wok has great potential and a cool design, but until they get rid of that lacquer coating, stay away and don't make the same mistake I did.

Typhoon Professional 12-Inch Carbon Steel Wok
first, thanks to all who review any products, it helps to select items one can't see in person.

even thou i have easy access to asian products, i could not find an uncoated flatbottom steel wok to replace my trusty round bottom one. i choose not to cook with teflon coated aluminum, which easily available. so i tried this one, and it is working great for me.

it heats up real fast and even on the halogen burner i use. like my old round bottom wok, this one has no problem stir frying at all. its nicely formed, good thickness, and the handle is large easy to control and has a hanging eye in the end. the price is a bargin and i even use my old lid.

the biggest problem is removing the thick, pretty, protective coating. heating even with an welding torch would not burn it off. no solvent even acetone disolve it. basically i sanded it off with abrasive scotchbrite, as i avoid cooking on any coatings. you know when the coating is gone, because it will flash rust, then its perfect to season.

steel woks are for cooking, not serving, cooling or storing foods. also need to be cleaned and dryed immediately, but its no problem if you like to avoid teflon coated aluminum cookware.

it is a very cheap product; it rusts big time for the first time I used. I was very disappointed on the wok. It is a very low quality wok and I never used it again after the first time.