Best wok pan for induction

On induction, the SCANPAN Wokpan CTX ø 32 cm works best in our view: it has a non-stick coating, and according to its product page the sidewall also gets warm. Without a coating the Beka Wokpan Maestro ø 30 cm performs best — a stainless-steel wok you can use straight away without seasoning. A bare cast-iron wok can also suit your cooktop, provided you can season it somewhere other than on your induction hob.

You can stir-fry in any of these woks on induction, but our pan expert says proper wok-frying doesn’t really work on the flat glass.

Best wok pan for induction

You can stir-fry in any of these woks on induction, but our pan expert says proper wok-frying doesn’t really work on the flat glass.

Is it your fault if your wok simmers more than it sears on induction?

Probably not. On gas the flame comes up under the wok and also heats the sloping sides. On the flat glass only the part of the wok that sits on the zone gets hot, and the wall above has to make do with what the base transfers. The pieces of chicken can stay pale, and moisture can collect in the bottom so the vegetables cook through by steaming rather than browning.

So it’s rarely down to your cooking skills. What you do control is which wok you choose, which zone you put it on and how high you set the hob. It’s different with an induction cooktop that has a recessed wok zone that accommodates a round-bottom wok; our pan expert only encounters those cooktops rarely.

Is it your fault if your wok simmers more than it sears on induction?

Coated wok or bare wok: what do we recommend for a flat cooktop?

If you ask in our shop for a wok for induction, our pan expert comes down on the side of a wok with a non-stick coating. On forums you’ll also read the advice to go for bare cast iron.

There’s something to be said for both. For a flat cooktop choose a wok based on these five points:

The coating: with a non-stick coating you can stir-fry from day one, whereas bare cast iron needs to be seasoned first.
The base: our pan expert wants a wok that lies flat on the glass, because such a wok stays still when you push the side with a spatula.
The construction: a wok made of multiple metal layers conducts heat from the base to the sides, and those sides don’t generate their own heat on induction.
The material: a cast-iron wok cools down less when you add vegetables because it retains heat for a long time.
The size: on a flat cooktop our pan expert chooses a wok that fits everything you plan to stir-fry that evening, so nothing spills over when you toss it.

For each choice below we first name one wok. Our preference for that wok is based on the points above and on what its product page says about the base and underside. The Dutch Consumers' Association hasn’t tested woks for induction — only frying pans with a ceramic coating.

Coated wok or bare wok: what do we recommend for a flat cooktop?

Which non-stick wok suits your induction cooktop best?

With a coated wok on induction you should pay particular attention to the construction. The SCANPAN Wokpan CTX ø 32 cm has aluminium inside with steel on the outside. According to its product page heat is conducted through that aluminium from the centre out to the sides.

This is not a PFAS-free wok — it has a standard coating. That coating wears, so after a few years you’ll be due for a new wok.

The ceramic coating of the Sola Wokpan Ceramic Deluxe ø 30 cm is PFAS-free. If you sometimes steam in your wok, the supplied lid is useful. Our pan expert calls Sola’s Ceramic Deluxe line his budget choice.

The Sola’s product page only says the base is an induction base and says nothing about a layered construction. That’s why the Sola comes after the SCANPAN for us. If you want to look beyond this Sola, you’ll find our woks without PFAS, ceramic or bare gathered together in one overview.

How long a wok lasts depends on the coating and the material. In another article we compare the lifespan of each type of wok.

Don't want a coating and don't want to season it either?

On the product page of the Beka Wokpan Maestro ø 30 cm it states what our pan expert looks for on induction: a flat base that sits stably on the hob. No other wok we currently stock mentions that.

This wok doesn’t have a non-stick coating. Stainless steel doesn’t develop a seasoned layer, so whether you have a gas burner or not doesn’t matter for this wok. Stainless steel without a coating does require two habits: let the wok heat up first, and use more oil than you might be used to.

Why stainless steel behaves differently on your cooktop than cast iron or carbon steel is explained in our guide to each material on induction.

Which non-stick wok suits your induction cooktop best?

If you choose cast iron, how do you handle seasoning?

Because cast iron retains heat, some cooks with an induction cooktop deliberately choose a bare cast-iron wok. If you want to go that route, it’s best to start with the Blackwell Wokpan / Wadjan Gietijzer ø 32 cm. Seasoning is part of this wok: its features state "Not seasoned".

On an induction cooktop you won’t be able to season a bare wok properly, our pan expert says, which is why he uses a gas burner himself. Without a gas burner you can also season it in the oven according to its product page. Temperature and time can be found in the oven method for bare cast iron. Make sure first that the wok, with its handles, fits in your oven.

For a larger group there is the Blackwell Wokpan / Wadjan Gietijzer ø 36 cm. It holds 6.5 liters, almost twice as much as the 32 cm wok.

You get cast iron without seasoning with the Beka Wokpan Mandala Gietijzer ø 28 cm, because this wok has a ceramic coating on the cast iron. That coating determines how long it lasts, not the cast iron beneath. Empty, the Mandala weighs 1.4 kilos; the 32 cm Wadjan is noticeably heavier at 2.5 kilos.

If you choose cast iron, how do you handle seasoning?

Which zone do you put a wok with such a narrow base on?

Place your wok on a zone that isn’t much larger than its base, and that is often not the largest zone for a wok. The product pages list that base for the SCANPAN CTX and the two Wadjans. The CTX measures 13.5 cm across at the bottom; for the Wadjans it’s 15.5 cm for the 32 cm wok and 16 cm for the 36 cm one.

In reviews and on forums buyers complain about a wok that stays cold on the largest zone while it does get hot on a smaller one. The cause is often the narrow base: a large zone doesn’t respond well to it.

For the Sola, the Maestro and the Mandala the base isn’t listed on the product page. Start with a medium-sized zone for those three, because like any wok they widen from base to rim. If such a wok doesn’t get warm there, choose a smaller zone.

Which zone do you put a wok with such a narrow base on?

How high should you set the cooktop to stir-fry without warping your wok?

If your stir-fry is simmering, it’s tempting to raise the power. Online you’ll often see the same advice: heat an empty wok for a few minutes on the highest setting or on boost. Our pan expert warns against that: if an empty pan sits on the highest setting the base can dome. A wok with a domed base no longer lies flat on the glass, and its already narrow base will make even less contact with the zone.

Until the empty wok is warm, keep the cooktop at about 60 percent power. Then stir-fry at around 40 percent. For the Wadjans and the Mandala

How high should you set the cooktop to stir-fry without warping your wok?

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