Should You Get a Non-Stick Wok? (with Pros and Cons)

Most familiar in Chinese cooking, a wok is a round-bottomed cooking pot. They are particularly popular for cooking Chinese dishes and in some recipes considered as compulsory as being part of the recipe itself. Now, non-stick woks are generally new to the market. So, people who have never tried them may wonder, should you get a non-stick wok?  

Just like any non-stick cookware, you’ll be able to cut down on time and thus save a lot of energy if you get a non-stick wok. You’ll also end up using fewer condiments such as butter and oil, as your ingredients are less like to stick to the wok. Which makes it an ideal cookware for making sticky foods.

If you’re still unsure about whether or not you should get a wok, continue reading as I’ll be thoroughly discussing the pros and cons of a non-stick wok. I will also touch briefly on whether or not it replaces the regular wok in your kitchen. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

The Advantages of a Non-Stick Wok 

The main attraction or the wow-factor that comes with non-stick woks is that a non-stick wok does not require much seasoning. And as you’re able to save money by not using excessive butter or oil, you’re also at an economical advantage. Furthermore, let’s not forget that it’s very easy to clean up non-stick woks.

Thus, a non-stick wok is not only giving you a better cooking experience, but it’s also lending a hand to healthier cooking with the minimal use of butter and oil. It’s ideal for making food that tends to stick to the pan like fried fish and eggs. And let’s not forget that when it comes to stir-fry dishes, no other material can compete with a non-stick wok.

After a while, you might be tempted to try out other materials for your wok like a cast iron or stainless steel; but none of them will use as minimal amount of oil as a non-stick wok. This makes the non-stick wok the healthiest choice among all the other types of woks. 

A great thing about non-stick woks is that you don’t have to worry about anything sticking. This makes them a perfect wok for people who are new to Chinese dishes. Sure, the prepared foods won’t taste as good as cooking on a real cast iron or steel wok. But they will give you the confidence to try out this new cooking wear and get acquainted with its usage. 

The Disadvantages of a Non-Stick Wok 

One of the most major disadvantages of non-stick woks would be the fact that you can’t deep fry with these bad boys. And following this is crucial because if you do end up deep-frying with a non-stick wok, the oil will allocate, and the residue will stay with the non-stick surface; more so if you’re deep-frying more than once. 

But that’s not even the worst of it. We already know that you can’t scrub or use too much pressure while cleaning a non-stick wok as it will damage the material and leave scratches which will hinder its future performance. So, in the end, you’ll just end up with a very sticky and slimy non-stick wok.

Another reason why a non-stick wok may not be the best choice for you is the fact that they are not cut out for high heat cooking. If you’re pushing 500 degrees Fahrenheit, unfortunately, that’s as far as you go. So even if woks are ideal for stir-fries, you cannot use high temperatures on a non-stick coating. 

If you still try to go the extra mile and try cooking at a high temperature, chances are that you’ll just be damaging the non-stick Teflon coating of your wok over time. Also, non-stick cookware is not very good at transferring heat. So, even at high flame you won’t be getting results similar to regular woks. For that, it’s recommended that you follow the provided instructions for a better cooking experience.

Things to Consider Before Buying Your Non-Stick Wok

Non-stick cookware is quite convenient and they get the job done nice and easily. But there are still a few aspects that you need to consider before you venture out to get one for yourself.

Be careful about what utensils you use 

You should always remember that when you’re using a non-stick wok, you cannot use any utensils that are made of metal on it. If the metal utensils are used against the non-stick wok, there are risks of scratching the surface. And you wouldn’t want to go through that unpleasant experience.

So, what can you use with a non-stick wok? Silicon, nylon spatulas, and wooden utensils will do wonders as they are heat-safe and adapted to working efficiently at high temperatures. 

Do not stack them up on each other 

When you’re using non-stick woks, it’s best not to stack them up on top of each other as the friction would damage the surface-coating. But if that cannot be avoided, you can line up paper towels or even soft clothes between each wok as you stack one above the other.

Do not clean them with rough objects 

A few more things that you should be careful of are how you choose to take care of your wok. You cannot use anything rough to clean them like steel scourers. They are too rough and will scrap the non-stick coating of your wok. 

Non-stick woks work wonderfully when their surfaces are intact and unscathed. But once you put a scratch on the surface or even damage it even slightly, your cooking experience will go from a 10 to 0 really quick and that’s something you don’t ever want.

The Best Wok for You

In this article I’ve mostly talked about non-stick works. But as I’m sure you already know, there is also a regular wok variant which is not non-stick. Now, the non-stick wok may seem like a no brainer but it is surely not like that. Both the non-stick and regular variety of woks have their uses, advantages and disadvantages that make them great in particular situations. 

Regular woks are pretty good at transferring heat. They are made to cook food in high flame which is a requirement for many Chinese dishes like fried rice. Non-stick woks can’t do that properly as they do not transfer heat as well. So, in some recipes, a non-stick wok just won’t cut it. Also, as discussed before you can’t deep fry in non-stick woks. That can only happen on traditional wok pans. 

But that does not mean non-stick woks have nothing over regular woks. Nonstick woks require less oil and can make your food much healthier. Non-stick woks are also great for beginners who’ve never used woks before. They can be sort of a training wok for people like that. So, yes, non-stick woks have their advantages. 

Conclusion 

Choosing the best wok to buy is strictly a personal decision and depends on how you like to cook your meals. If you’re confident with the pros and cons that you will face with a non-stick wok, only then can I surely conclude that you should go buy one. 

And if you are experienced with using woks and don’t care about the health concerns of using a tad bit more oil then non-stick woks don’t have much to offer you.