You should look at Induction top. Much safer, higher speed, easier to clean, way more efficient. Just plain electric heaters is what my parrents used literally 30 years ago (but yes those do cause more fires statically)
The only reason to go with gas is that you like to use a Wok, but don’t want to invest in a induction bowl.
We have induction at home and we did get a steel plate to use for pots and pans that aren’t ferrous. But it works so badly. Sure the induction plate heats up but then you have to rely on contact heat transfer between the metals and it’s very slow and laggy. Kills all the benefits of induction. I can’t possibly imagine trying to do this with a wok. First of all a wok needs to move and be picked up to stir and flip. The second induction loses contact, it loses heat. We should just say that gas wins hands down for woks because that’s the reality.
There are special wok induction plates (more like bowls at that point), and those work quite well. But I cant see spending so much money on the matter. That’s why for a wok I prefer fire above anything electric.
You can also (we don’t have gas, and didn’t want to spend money on a round induction bowl) buy a wok with a tick and flat bottum. (also suggestions where listed here somewhere)
I use a flat bottom carbon steel wok on an electric stove and it heats up like lightning. Its the top pick from this article. Kenji Lopez-alt, a long time serious eats contributor, also wrote the book on woks that is excellent if you’re interested in getting started with wok cooking.
With the above wok, I can get oil smoking in 30 seconds from cold, and it sears everything like a dream. It is 100% the “dont turn away while its going or else” wok cooking experience. Unless you have very exacting standards, woks are covered on electric/induction.
Only the flat center of the bottom can heat. And you lose the ability to pick the wok up and flip without also losing heat. I’ve lived with both gas and induction - currently have induction. Like everything else everyone here is saying about induction, it’s true in theory but in practice there are compromises, and woks are one of them.
You dont lose either in my experience. I use a electric flat top, which also just heats the bottom of the wok.
The flat bottom isn’t isolated from the rest of the pan. It radiates the heat out over the carbon steel very rapidly. I wasent exaggerating when I said oil smokes in 30 seconds. The sides are always searing hot, and I can flip food with no issue. I get the exact char and smoke flavor I expect from a wok with it.
I would guess your wok isn’t carbon steel if you’re having problems with induction heat. The material seems key to making a flat bottom wok work.
Okay. I guess I’m confused about the difference in context. The method of heating just the bottom of the wok differs, but thats all either does. Induction should if anything be more effective than resistive heat.
Youre saying you have a flat bottom, carbon steel wok you use on a full size inductive range and it doesnt heat in a comperable way?
You should look at Induction top. Much safer, higher speed, easier to clean, way more efficient. Just plain electric heaters is what my parrents used literally 30 years ago (but yes those do cause more fires statically)
The only reason to go with gas is that you like to use a Wok, but don’t want to invest in a induction bowl.
We have induction at home and we did get a steel plate to use for pots and pans that aren’t ferrous. But it works so badly. Sure the induction plate heats up but then you have to rely on contact heat transfer between the metals and it’s very slow and laggy. Kills all the benefits of induction. I can’t possibly imagine trying to do this with a wok. First of all a wok needs to move and be picked up to stir and flip. The second induction loses contact, it loses heat. We should just say that gas wins hands down for woks because that’s the reality.
There are special wok induction plates (more like bowls at that point), and those work quite well. But I cant see spending so much money on the matter. That’s why for a wok I prefer fire above anything electric.
You can also (we don’t have gas, and didn’t want to spend money on a round induction bowl) buy a wok with a tick and flat bottum. (also suggestions where listed here somewhere)
Or if your power goes out often
I use an induction stove for camping. You can clearly cook without the grid if you wanted to.
Let’s be real. You can’t backpack into the wildness with batteries and an induction stove. You can with an ultralight and a bottle of gas.
I didn’t say you can backpack with it. I also agree with you that cooking on fire (let it be wood, or a gas fire) would in that case be smarter indeed
I use a flat bottom carbon steel wok on an electric stove and it heats up like lightning. Its the top pick from this article. Kenji Lopez-alt, a long time serious eats contributor, also wrote the book on woks that is excellent if you’re interested in getting started with wok cooking.
With the above wok, I can get oil smoking in 30 seconds from cold, and it sears everything like a dream. It is 100% the “dont turn away while its going or else” wok cooking experience. Unless you have very exacting standards, woks are covered on electric/induction.
https://youtu.be/CzJKxUCKOBg?is=h7OdAdt9TiAGPYgz
Sure, but you dont need a dedicated induction wok element. The flat bottomed woks are insanely good and work on any stove.
Only the flat center of the bottom can heat. And you lose the ability to pick the wok up and flip without also losing heat. I’ve lived with both gas and induction - currently have induction. Like everything else everyone here is saying about induction, it’s true in theory but in practice there are compromises, and woks are one of them.
You dont lose either in my experience. I use a electric flat top, which also just heats the bottom of the wok.
The flat bottom isn’t isolated from the rest of the pan. It radiates the heat out over the carbon steel very rapidly. I wasent exaggerating when I said oil smokes in 30 seconds. The sides are always searing hot, and I can flip food with no issue. I get the exact char and smoke flavor I expect from a wok with it.
I would guess your wok isn’t carbon steel if you’re having problems with induction heat. The material seems key to making a flat bottom wok work.
I’m speaking only about induction. Sounds like you are using resistive electric.
Okay. I guess I’m confused about the difference in context. The method of heating just the bottom of the wok differs, but thats all either does. Induction should if anything be more effective than resistive heat.
Youre saying you have a flat bottom, carbon steel wok you use on a full size inductive range and it doesnt heat in a comperable way?