My Parents Owned a Chinese Restaurant, and This Is the Only Wok I’ll Use

I was skeptical at first, having been (un)burned by the downright tragic heating capabilities of other electric woks, the lack of immediate responsiveness to the cookware material, and the BTU limitations of home ranges. The “As Seen on TV”-style packaging didn’t give me too much faith, and many of the exclamation points on the box were echoes of what others had claimed, too.

However, there were several things that made it different from those that had come before it. The two main things that caught my interest were that 1) the wok itself was round-bottomed and made of traditional lightweight, naturally nonstick carbon steel, and 2) the heating component was high-powered induction and a completely separate piece of equipment. Both of these (theoretically) mean high heat conductivity, fast responsiveness, and easy cleanup.

As I unpackaged the gorgeous matte black wok with its silicone-capped, grippy handle, I felt a glimmer of hope. Then out came the cooktop and the included accessories, a glass lid, a metal wok ring stand, and a draining rack for fried items—a well-considered kit.

I plugged it in, eager to use it quicker than I could read the instructions, and that spark of hope quickly turned into a flame. Within minutes of using it, the thought flitted across my mind, “Do I even need a stove?!” I was reminded that my parents supported our family and business in the belly of one designated saute wok.

The dials were easy to use and the tactility of the way they responded was satisfying with small, soft clicks. The temperature controls were sensitive to the slightest touch—necessary when you’re doing the fast maneuvering of woking and can’t afford to take a single hand off your cooking. I was able to choose the wattage and therefore control how close to the sun I wanted to fly—a great training wheels option for beginners.

The curved induction surface, molded against the rounded well of the wok, hugged the cookware in a touch-safe but blazingly hot embrace. The preheat button was laughably unnecessary—the precise digital thermostat reached top temps in a minute, the wok lighting up in bright blue and calling me home.

After one use, it looked and felt like an old friend. The heat was such that it burned a permanent iris ring of blue into the bottom, the initial shine dulled with signs of seasoning.

But after that one use, it proved that it was even better than that. There were no open flames nor gas leaks to worry about. It even has an automatic shut-off and beeps when the wok is off the cooking surface for too long. It has programs that you can preset for Stage Cooking, to allow for more authentic Chinese techniques. It’s deep enough for a family-sized batch, light and curved enough to flip-toss, and small enough to fit in my double sink for cleanup, which was easy and scrub-free.

Most importantly, from the way viscous sauces bubbled up to thickness then slid off the naturally nonstick carbon steel to the way veggies charred and meats seared, and finally, the smokiness that infused everything I made, this mighty powerhouse is a testament to the versatility and power of wok cooking.

If you’ve ever tried stir-frying at home and wondered if it was just you, here’s how you find your answer. Because flame-free as it is, this wok is absolute fire.