Winco 16" Carbon Steel Wok, Integrated Hdl, Black

For $15 this 14 inch wok is an excellent value. It needs to have the shipping coating removed before seasoning. I use a propane torch now to get that done on coated woks. Easiest and fastest way I’ve found after trying several other methods along the way. After that you can start to season the wok to make it basically non-stick. It’s light for it’s size as it’s a thinner gauge but performs well on my residential gas stovetop. I have Yamada single handle woks but they are 12 inch. Wanted something a little bigger. Yamada’s are Japanese and prices can be high. But they are hammered and the hype about that I feel justified. They are my favorite so far. I didn’t want to spend that money💸 for another single handled one. I all ready have 15 and 16 inch double handled ones. I haven’t been disappointed with my Winco cookware I’ve purchased in the past. It is usually budget priced. The reason I have purchased Winco products is usually the low price. To pay a little and be disappointed or shell out a lot more money to only be disappointed as well. Can go either way. A lot of times the budget stuff works just as well as uber expensive in the actual cooking of things. That’s just my opinion developed over the years. It’s the cook. So. This wok caught my eye because of the very low price. Or maybe I might just be a wok hoarder. I have about a dozen woks from cast iron to aluminum. From 12 to 20 inchs. Anyway. Glad I picked it up. It’s light compared to the smaller Yamada single handled woks I have. I was worried 14” would be too heavy to easily manipulate with a single handle. So it’s lightness for size is a plus for me. It is a thinner gauge though than those single handled ones. Being thinner though it doesn’t have the same heat retention. A tradeoff. There are no problems with construction I can see. Good weld on handle. I think in some of the negative reviews I’ve read a few of those reviews show they have no idea what actually has to happen in prepping it for seasoning or what it takes to make it non stick through seasoning. But that’s just my observation and personal opinion. It isn’t plug-n-play. And for those that don’t know it’s not dishwasher safe either. And carbon steel rusts.

THIS WOK HAS A BLACK PROTECTIVE COATING THAT IS MEANT TO BE REMOVED. I ordered this wok knowing that it was not seasoned, and doesn't ship as raw steel with just oil coating. While the black protective coating could trick you into thinking it is a pre seasoned wok, I assure you, you must remove it, as it is some type of lacquer meant to inhibit rust until you are ready to season it. People have many different methods they use to do this, I have watched videos of people simply burning it off, or using a lye based oven cleaner, but neither of those sat right with me just because I was afraid chemicals would be left behind afterwards. This is how I did it. I put heated white vinegar in the wok, you can see the color of the bare steel where it has made contact and splashed around. Eventually I realized I'd need a lot of vinegar if I was just going to try to soak the finish to dissolve it, so I took it to my outdoor propane burner and heated it on low, knowing I'd at least end up having to burn the bottom coat off, but would be able to scrub the interior with more vinegar and remove it without burning. The rim and the handle were the most difficult parts, due to a thicker coat and uneven surfaces where the handle welds are. I ended up scrubbing with a blue brillo pad and paper towels while most of the vinegar was being heated in the wok, turning it and tilting it to contact all the inside surfaces. The handle required a little bit of 400-600 grit sandpaper to break up the coating and then it was also able to be scrubbed off. After I made sure I'd removed everything from the interior and handle, I immediately washed the whole wok in hot soap and water, scrubbing off the gritty dissolved coating, and the flash rust caused by the acidic vinegar (make sure you don't wait to scrub it after you are done with the vinegar.) After the wok was dried I took the bare steel back out to the outdoor burner and turned it up to high heat, and again tilted it and rotated it to both burn everything off the exterior but also blue the steel so it would season better. Once it stopped stinking like chemicals I oiled the handle and let it cook off over the flames. I then washed the whole walk again inside and out, brought it outside a third time, and heated it, removed it from the heat, wiped on a very thin layer of cooking oil, and then wiped off as much as possible with paper towels. Back on the high heat burner, moving the wok frequently until the oil layer stopped smoking, and I repeated this step a few times before adding some cooking oil and frying some chopped onions. I've since used it a dozen times for stir frying, heating corn tortillas like a comal. It works great for everything, and cleans up easy, I just take it to the sink hot and spray it off with hot water, if any little bits have stuck they come right off with blue scotchbrite. It's important after cleaning a carbon steel wok to apply heat to dry it, do not just wipe it off and assume it's dry, you'll probably end up with some rust that way. So back on the burner to hot, this time on the gas stovetop inside, after it's hot, turn it off and again apply a thin layer of oil, removing any excess, it should have a little shine but no visible oil. The next time you use it, heat it until the old oil stops smoking, add your cooking oil, and do whatever. This wok is well made for a home kitchen, it's about the largest that will fit on a regular home range, though because it is so large you will not be able to fully utilize it without using a higher BTU outdoor burner, so cook in small batches if you're using it indoors. After seasoning it looks great, has a very nice interior surface, and heats very evenly. I would absolutely recommend this wok to anyone willing to do the work, you will not find a good preseasoned wok at this price, so you will either need to be willing to work or spend more for something else. Hollow handle gets hot, but you could make a wooden extension if you were so inclined, I likely will make a detachable wood handle for the outdoor burner, but indoors it would add too much bulk to allow for ease of use, in my kitchen anyway.

This is the real deal. NOTE THAT COATING MUST BE BURNED OFF before use. This is the authentic genuine article. It is the same product made by the same factory that is sold at the Chinese mega store near me, It comes out to just about the same cost. For those who are used to going into a department store and buying a wok - THIS IS NOT IT. The coating is a mixture of polymers (plastic) and oils meant to protect the metal during transport. Bare carbon steel will rust spontaneously depending on the temperature and humidity and all GENUINE AUTHENTIC woks are made prepared in this fashion. The coating is not meant to be non stick. Inevitably, those that complain the coating comes off are not aware of this and unknowingly have ingested plastics and oils. It is thin like it should be. Again, those that are expecting a non-stick wok from a department store are unaware of this. There's probably a good bet who make this error are also expecting a flat bottom (in addition to a nonstick coating and a thick metal). This wok is meant to be heated up for about an hour to burn the coating off. It will smell of burning plastic and rancid oils while doing this and spew out loads of black smoke. This is why most people do this outside if they don't have a ventilation system that vents to the outside. After burning off the coating, it needs to be seasoned. If seasoned properly, it will have a non-stick dark brown/black coating. This coating is necessary if someone wants their fried rice to have the texture of take-out. The non-stick coated ones are not able to produce the correct texture on the rice - plus the thickness of department stores are not efficient enough at transmitting heat. Ask any take-out (or sit down) place and they will tell you they use 22" or greater woks - but also with the thin wallls and they came with a protective coating and they needed to be seasoned. Furthermore, cleaning is done with a special tool (usually a bamboo brush) and no soap is ever used to clean the wok. Why only 4-stars? Because I originally had a 14" and thought this bigger one would be good enough. Turns out, I needed an even bigger one. I decided to drive the hour or so to the Chinese mega-store. There I saw this exact model along with an 18" one. I bought the 18" one and use that now. I might occasionally use the 16" one if preparing for only 1-2 people. If you are expecting something like a frying pan with taller walls this isn't it. A frying pan with taller walls is what fits the non-stick, thicker walls product found at department stores. This item is a whole new ball game. Those expecting a taller frying pan will rate this very low - claiming the coating came off after 2 uses and also might say something like the walls are too thin or even comment how it doesn't sit flat on the oven. I primarily use an induction burner that has a round shape to accommodate the bottom of the wok. This is the real deal and those looking for a genuine authentic wok for authentic cooking that need a 16" wok will find this fits the bill exactly. But at the same time, these people will already know about the protective coating that must be burned off and won't find the walls to be thin at all. This would be perfect for those who know what they are buying and also want a 16". It was almost perfect for me, but I needed an 18". Genuine woks generally do not come with instruction manuals.

I love this wok. You can beat the price and it's working flawlessly for me. I heat this thing up as high as I can and it remains completely non-stick due to the seasoning process. Yes - there is an initial set up required. You have to burn off whatever the factory coating is. You can't skip that step. But once you burn it off it's gone. Then watch some videos on how to properly season the wok and you'll be ready for action. The handle is metal and it gets very hot. I wear one glove while cooking since the handle gets hot. I think even a wooden handle would get super hot at these temps too. The food that's coming out of this wok is amazing. Super happy with it.

I love this wok I always wanted one did a lot of research and got this I didn't have a lot of money to spend and I'll tell you this was well worth it very heavy well made people were complaining about the coating on it I never had any such issues it met all of my expectations very happy with this purchase

This stainless steel wok has exceeded my expectations in every way. The welded handle provides a smooth interior surface, eliminating rivets that can trap food particles , making cleaning a breeze. Its stainless steel construction with a mirror finish not only looks professional but also ensures durability and even heat distribution. The 16-inch diameter is perfect for preparing large meals, and the sturdy handle offers a secure grip during cooking. Whether I’m stir-frying vegetables or searing meats, this wok delivers consistent results. I highly recommend this for both home cooks and professionals seeking a reliable, high-quality wok. I use it to make THE BEST fried rice!

I followed what others said was necessary and burned off the factory coating. However, see my video, I over heated the wok. As I lifted the wok after inserting a stick into the handle it bent and I had to bend the handle back up once it cooled. You can see a crease just below where the handle attaches in my photo. If you use a fire be cautious. I have reworked cast iron many times in the fire and absent-mindedly tossed the wok in not thinking. Once I cleaned it with SOS pads I dried it and sealed the entire surface with the thinnest possible amount of oil with a paper towel. I was surprised to find that it did not try to rust just after drying like cast iron. Next I set it on the stove. I was surprised to find I didn't need a support ring. It sits at a slight angle. I held it level over medium/high heat until the bottom began to blacken and turned it off and let it completely cool. The next morning I wiped it out to remove any dust and got ready to give it it's first seasoning. I peeled and sliced an onion lengthwise to cook as part of the seasoning process. I would have used sliced ginger also but I had none on hand. ☆ Onion and ginger are the recommendations from the Chinese owner of a wok store in California.☆ Next I placed the wok over high heat and let it get very hot. Note: I had to use a towel as the handle was approaching too hot! With several paper towels folded over I added less than a teaspoon of oil and immediately coated the entire surface inside and out. On the intrior I waited for the oil to begin to smoke and polished that area with my paper towel paint brush. Then I leaned the wok to focus on a new area near the first, added a few drops of oil and spread it throughout the whole interior surface watching for the new area to begin to blacken. Note: as I was holding the wok at a strong angle the handle cooled so that I could hold it without protection. After repeating the process and the entire interior was blackened I finished by wiping the exterior with whatever amount of oil the paper towels had retained setting it back down and let it cool. Next I heated it over high, added 2 tablespoons of oil once hot and added my sliced onion a few seconds later. Immediately I began to stir the onion and realized the handle was pretty hot. Then I started to flip the onions as I stirred and the handle got cool again. I was amazed how, although I was pausing periodically to let the onions cook, the tips were not beginning to burn. I was so surprised. I kept lengthening the time I took in-between tossing and stirring trying to see how long would be too long and I noticed the tips beginning to burn. I was well satisfied with the way it performed and no I didn't burn the onions. I removed them but they were way overcooked for stir fry. I remember thinking once I get it seasoned I bet I could make caramelized onions with wine and sugar with this wok. I think I have to agree with another person's description of this being a flipping wok. My picture is of the wok after being wiped out after removing the onions. That is my method for the initial seasoning. So 5☆'s on performance but 3☆'s overall for aggravation.

Homeowners should NOT purchase this unless they have an exterior high-BTU burner such as a propane banjo burner. When you burn off the factory coating it smells TOXIC and a typical homeowner 600cfm range hood on max is completely inadequate to suck away the noxious smell. Note this is a VERY lightweight wok, and is very thin. This can be a pro (light, easy to do flipping motions, heats fast) or a con depending on your needs. As others have mentioned this is NOT quite a flat-bottom wok and tilts/leans towards the handle somewhat. This will also potentially make it unusable on induction stoves.