ddb@mrvax.DEC (DAVID DYER-BENNET MRO1-2/L14 DTN 231-4076) (02/13/85)
I've used woks extensively on three electric stoves with no problems. I use a round-bottomed wok with no support ring at all. The suggestion of turning down the heat may avert stove damage, but it also makes it impossible to stir-fry properly. My biggest problems with using the wok on electric stoves is getting enough heat. I ALWAYS turn it all the way up (for stir-frying; when the instructions say "simmer" that's something else). It seems like a good electric wok would be the perfect answer to this -- heat delivered exactly where you want it in easily controllable amount. Has anybody used an electric wok that is 1) big enough (14" min) 2) deep enough, 3) plain steel surface (not morganti :-) ? Does the one you used produce enough heat? -- David Dyer-Bennet -- ...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-mrvax!ddb
chris@byucsa.UUCP (Chris J. Grevstad) (02/17/85)
> The suggestion of turning down the heat may avert stove damage, but > it also makes it impossible to stir-fry properly. My biggest problems > with using the wok on electric stoves is getting enough heat. > I ALWAYS turn it all the way up (for stir-frying; when the instructions > say "simmer" that's something else). I would highly recommend gas for the heat and response. > > It seems like a good electric wok would be the perfect answer to > this -- heat delivered exactly where you want it in easily > controllable amount. Has anybody used an electric wok that is > 1) big enough (14" min) 2) deep enough, 3) plain steel surface > (not morganti :-) ? Does the one you used produce enough heat? We use a steel wok often on a gas stove. I have used woks on electric stoves and I find the response time abominable. I can't imagine that you would or could get adequate (for me) response with an electric wok. Perhaps I'm mistaken, though, as I've never had the opportunity to use an electric. My wife tells me she has never seen an electric wok without some sort of coating (teflon, tfal, silverstone.....). -- Chris Grevstad {ihnp4,noao,mcnc,utah-cs}!arizona!byucsa!chris If things don't change they will probably remain the same.
lazeldes@wlcrjs.UUCP (Leah A Zeldes) (02/18/85)
In article <553@decwrl.UUCP> ddb@mrvax.DEC (DAVID DYER-BENNET MRO1-2/L14 DTN 231-4076) writes: >It seems like a good electric wok would be the perfect answer to >this -- heat delivered exactly where you want it in easily >controllable amount. Has anybody used an electric wok that is >1) big enough (14" min) 2) deep enough, 3) plain steel surface >(not morganti :-) ? Does the one you used produce enough heat? I've used the West Bend electric wok with success. The one I have has a teflon coating, which I didn't expect to like, but is actually quite nice and allows you to really cut down on the oil, even when stir-frying absorbent things like eggplant. I find the wok is both large and deep enough, but I rarely cook for more than 2-4 people. (For large dinner parties I prefer less complicated menus than a good Chinese dinner allows.) The electric wok heats up fairly quickly, and going from one temperature to a higher one works fine. Cooling down is a much slower process, and one must keep this in mind and turn the heat down or off sooner than when using a regular wok on a stove, where you can turn the gas heat off or remove the wok from an electric burner promptly. I don't find this much of a problem. On the few occasions when it is, I just dump the food out into a serving dish right away. The big advantages to the electric wok are: 1) You can cook at the table or in any convenient place. 2) A little light goes out when the wok is hot enough (no guessing). 3) You can get a constant temperature, since it has a thermostat, something most stovetop burners lack. (I probably would never have bought an electric wok, since I was happy with my ordinary steel one, so I was quite pleasantly surprised when this one turned out to be so nice. The West Bend electric wok I've been using came with my fiance, whose father works for the West Bend company.) -- Leah A Zeldes ...ihnp4!wlcrjs!lazeldes
dag@tellab2.UUCP (Donald Graft) (02/20/85)
I have an electric wok and find it useless for stir frying due to the wild temperature swings resulting from the thermostat's operation. Also, it has a Teflon coating. I use it for reheating things quickly (alas, i don't own a microwave oven). Donald Graft ...ihnp4/tellab1/tellab2/dag
slack@wxlvax.UUCP (Tom Slack) (02/21/85)
> to use an electric. My wife tells me she has never seen an electric > wok without some sort of coating (teflon, tfal, silverstone.....). Farberware makes one of stainless steel. Their large Electric frying pan was considered good but has the problem that the temperature cycles too much from too hot too cold. We have one and it does exhibit this annoying property, but is in all other ways a quality product. I would assume that the wok would be the same. I have recently looked at one and they are quite large with a flat bottom. I know of no cast electric wok. Tom Slack