Cooking with a regular wok can be enjoyable, but you probably have encountered some issues with them. Most of those could be that the wok was too big for your gas or electric stove, or the heat distribution throughout it was far from ideal. That’s why you should look into getting yourself an electric wok. It will allow you to make the exact same dishes as in a regular wok and is an incredibly convenient cooking device to have as you can literally cook anywhere with it!
In our review of the best electric woks, we’ve taken a look at 24 different models, and we’ve identified nine of the best to present to you. Starting off with our Editor’s Choice, the Aroma Housewares 5-Quart Electric Wok AEW-306, this one is great for its overall quality and stainless steel and aluminum-clad base. It has a simplistic design and is easy to wash. We’ll also take a look at five other electric woks if you want to check something else.
In our review of the nine best electric woks, we took a look at the most important features, namely: power, material, handles, dimensions, and weight. It took us 70 hours to complete the research, and we’ve used multiple sources like the official website and asked experts to help us. After our product table, we’ll then take you through our detailed reviews and buying guide, where we’ll discuss more individual features of the electric wok in-depth. If you still have more questions after this, they will be answered in our most commonly asked questions section at the very end. So, let’s get started in our review of the best electric woks!
More features: rapid heat-up, great heat retention
The Aroma Housewares 5-Quart Electric Wok AEW-306 is very similar to the Aroma AEW-305 in the build and construction of the wok itself, but it also comes with wooden chopsticks for deep fry and tempura and steam racks.
It features a metal body with a domed lid, except with this electric wok, the lid is actually transparent (unlike the 7-Quart one), and you will be able to check the progress of your cooking through it. This one has slightly less power than the 7-Quart version, but 1400 watts still do an effective job at cooking and can easily heat up oil in 2-3 minutes.
As for heat retention, this wok shows great results at maintaining the heat and distributing it evenly throughout the cooking area. Despite having a smaller capacity, with only 5-quarts, it still should provide enough space to cook a decent sized stir-fry dish.
Like all electric woks, this one too comes with two side handles that are cool to touch, so you won’t have to worry about burning yourself. Much similar to the 7-quart wok, this one also has a detachable probe, and the appliance won’t require much storage space. However, despite being smaller and made of the same materials as the 7-quart version, this model is actually almost twice as heavy. Still, you can easily wash it the way you prefer, either in the dishwasher or in the sink.
More features: rapid heat-up, great heat retention
Our choice for Best Value Electric Wok is the Aroma Housewares 7-Quart AEW-305. This one is fantastic for its great price and a high-quality build that will last you a long time.
Let’s start with its 7-quart capacity. That is more than enough space to cook a large dish for the entire family. This wok is made of metal and has a perfect non-stick coating so that you don’t have to scrape off the bits that stick to the bottom after you’re done cooking. The metal wok heats up very quickly and maintains a high heat level, thanks to its 1500-watt power that can increase the temperature in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, it comes with a non-transparent lid, so if you’re steaming or simmering your food, you’ll have to lift the lid each time to check on the progress of your cooking.
It also comes with two loop handles that you can easily use to transport the wok from room to room if needed. These handles along with the base stay cool while you cook, so that you don’t have to wait for either of these parts to cool down before touching them.
This Aroma wok is the lightest one in our list, weighing in at 4.4 pounds, and so you should have no issues moving this around. In terms of storing this electric wok, just keep in mind that the wok is not detachable from the base, as they come as one piece. So, you’ll have to be mindful of where you store it. The cleaning process can also be a bit tricky with it.
More features: 15 heat settings up to 425°F, dishwasher safe wok
If you’re looking for a pure and exceptional quality electric wok, look no further than our Premium Pick, the Breville BEW600XL Hot Wok. This appliance is built to last with its aluminum and stainless steel base and Quantanium non-stick coating to help you avoid furiously scrubbing the bottom of the wok after cooking.
A tempered glass lid is fully transparent so that you can watch your simmering or steaming cooking process without opening it. This unit also comes with 1500 watts of power, which is great for heating up the surface quickly. With 15 different heat settings that go up to a maximum of 425°F, you’ll easily be able to find a cooking temperature you are happy with. It evenly heats up the entire wok and not just the bottom so that you won’t get overcooked and undercooked spots.
It has a 6-quart capacity, which is more than enough for your favorite stir-fry dish. It comes with two heat-safe handles, as well. However, since this electric wok is built like a tank, it is on a heavier side and weighs 12.57 pounds.
The wok is also detachable from the base, which should allow you to store it away in a conventional spot. Since it is detachable, the wok is dishwasher-safe, or you can clean it in the sink if you prefer. Cleaning the wok by hand is also incredibly easy and quick because of its non-stick surface. Overall, this is a great and premium product.
More features: internal divider, anti-skid silicone feet
A different and more versatile type of electric wok is our top choice for Best Multi-Purpose Wok, the Sonya Shabu Electric Mongolian Hot Pot. This stainless steel appliance provides multiple ways to cook your food and is much more versatile than the other electric woks.
Let’s talk about its build first. It has stainless steel construction and comes with a tempered-glass lid that has a small hole to allow a bit of steam out. Its base is great because it has anti-skid, silicone feet that are created to protect your table surface. It comes with two loop handles on the sides that are heat-resistant and make it easier to transport.
As for capacity, it is only able to hold up to 5.5-quarts, which is on the lower side but still has enough space to cook a good amount of food. The heating is wonderful, and this model has a knob for different temperature settings, which should be simple enough to find the optimal temperature for your cooking.
The design of this appliance is fantastic because you can remove the pot from the base that makes it incredibly simple to clean. You can have a regular wok style, or you can insert the divider to cook different dishes at a time. Nevertheless, some people said that the food would stick to the bottom if you use this divider and don’t stir in from time to time. Having this versatility definitely makes this Shabu electric wok worth considering.
More features: heats evenly and quickly
An electric skillet that has a functionality of a wok is our top choice for Best Hybrid Appliance, the CucinaPro Stainless Steel 12-Inch Round Electric Skillet. As the name suggests, there is quite a bit of space inside, and while it is not very deep, the 12-inch diameter gives plenty of surface area to cook anything from stir-fry to burger patties and steamed rice. Still, you should be able to avoid the mess on your table even if there are multiple ingredients inside, and you need to stir them constantly.
This skillet has a cooking surface that is made of stainless steel and has a great non-stick interior that prevents your cooked food from being hard to come off while you’re cleaning it. It uses 1500 watts of power, which is quite a lot to heat this skillet up quickly. However, it can be somewhat tricky to adjust the temperature, since the knob is located right under the handle, which isn’t very convenient. Still, if you plan on cooking a skillet-full of burgers or pork chops, it will evenly cook everything you have put there.
It comes with a tempered glass lid so that you can check the status of those burgers and pork chops. Unfortunately, you will only be able to clean this by hand in your sink after you’re done cooking. Once that is complete, feel free to store it anywhere in your kitchen, as it should not take up too much storage space, since it is much flatter than other woks and has a detachable cord.
More features: safe to use in an oven or broiler up to 600°F, dishwasher safe wok
The All-Clad SK492 is a 14-inch stainless steel bonded metal skillet designed to give you multiple cooking options for the perfect recipe results. It features easy-to-use controls that allow you to cook various foods within it at the temperature required, indicated by the handy temperature dial. With a nonstick coating, there’s no need to use lubricants either, so you can keep cooking as healthy as you like. As if that wasn’t enough, without any cords or plugs, the cooking insert and glass lid can be used in a broiler, oven, and even in a dishwasher for easy post-meal cleanup.
The product can be compared to an aluminum skillet which is known to be great at conduction heat. In fact, many people find that an aluminum pan helps to cook food faster, and so it can be more convenient for quick and easy cooking. The All-Clad SK492 is coated to help the pan spread the heat more evenly, though, and stainless steel is as near as you can get to being indestructible so that it could last you a lifetime with good care and maintenance.
The temperature control feature is really handy if you’re into precise cooking or love helpful tech to ensure you get recipes right. We also really like the nonstick coating, which helps to limit the need for oil or butter, which traps moisture in and creates delicious healthy food in addition to the glass lid. Lastly, the fact that the cooking insert can be placed in the oven, broiler, and dishwasher makes it super versatile and very easy to clean up after a yummy meal.
One minor criticism of the product is that the glass lid only has one hole in it to let out excess steam, which can cause particularly steamy cooking to cause the lid to rattle. A slightly more challenging issue is that some customers also felt that the temperature fluctuates quite a bit, which renders the temperature adjustment feature less handy overall.
More features: diamond particles, dishwasher-safe, cool-touch knob, PFOA-free, scratch-resistant surface
The Oster 2124087 Diamond Force Electric Wok is a premium product made from reinforced diamond particle metal, making it exceptionally tough and durable. It features a removable temperature probe, tempered glass lid, and nonstick PFOA-free scratch-resistant coating for plenty of cooking control. Customers will love that the 4.7-quart capacity wok has special cool-touch handles and a cool-touch knob to avoid nasty cooking burns and aid pan transportation and checking on the recipe you’re making.
The standout feature of this Oster is its diamond particle-infused cooking surface, which is something that you’re going to pay more for. Why choose this ahead of standard metal pans? Because diamonds are the hardest material, humans have discovered. A cooking surface infused with these precious gems can only make it much stronger and wear-resistant, making it truly designed to last. For this reason, the pan is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a pan that you can use time and time again without worry of deterioration.
We really like that the wok is so responsive to temperature changes, allowing you to slightly switch the heat up to cook the perfect dish in need of careful adjustments, like eggs. The product also gets a thumbs up for having diamond-infused metal, offering great value and durability at such an affordable price.
Most customers’ biggest complaint about the Oster 2124087 is that the temperature control is under a handle when you have the pot plugged in. This is a huge negative when you’re cooking, with some feeling they could have used a flashlight actually to see the black temperature dial during use. It’s a hefty design flaw that we felt would get old really quickly after a few uses.
More features: multi-functional, titanium-ceramic nonstick-coated flat plate, adjustable-height steaming plate, adjustable temperature control
The smart-looking Zojirushi EP-RAC50 Gourmet d’Expert 1350 watt electric skillet is a stainless steel 9 pounds cooking appliance showcasing multiple features to help you create the perfect dish. It features a tempered glass lid, titanium-ceramic nonstick coated flat plate, and sliding adjustable temperature control (up to 480 degrees F), giving you a strong, versatile and durable base to use for making all kinds of yummy meals. The deep inner dishpan is perfect for soup and stews, or the adjustable-height steaming plate can be used for veggies or meat, all easily checked and taken off the heat with the cool-touch handles and detachable power cord.
This skillet can be compared to more minimal electric woks and pans without as much versatility. Some home cooks may not need all the extras this product comes with, but if you do like one appliance to do a lot, this is the pan for you. You can even cook a full breakfast in it by using the deep pan and steaming plates at the same time.
We really love how you can detach the skillet and separate the components for a convenient clean. The components are also relatively lightweight, making it even easier to main tea in and handle them between cooking. We also love how many different recipes you can enjoy cooking with this product, utilizing every inch of space inside the skillet with the various inserts and great temperature control.
We found that the pan slopes slightly from the middle outwards can cause the oil to gather at the edges, making even cooking slightly tricky with a lubricant. The pan is also really big, which is excellent if you are a family of 4-5, but for couples, it might be too big for single meals (perfect for batch cooking, though!).
More features: includes wooden spatula, dishwasher safe wok
The Presto Stainless Steel Electric Wok comes with beautiful stainless steel, aluminum-clad base. This sturdy stainless steel electric wok frame provides great durability. This unit is powered by 1500 watts, which is powerful enough to get a uniform and quick heating all through the entire surface. It comes with a tempered-glass lid as well that is transparent and allows you to monitor the progress of your cooking if you choose to leave the lid on. A wooden wok spatula is also included.
When it comes to picking up this wok, there are two side loop handles that are heatproof and enable you to transport your appliance wherever you need easily. Not to mention, this wok is also incredibly light as well at 5.25 pounds, despite its durable build. When it comes to cooking, you’ll be pleased to know that there is ample space in this wok with a capacity of 7 quarts, and in terms of heat, it can reach a maximum temperature of 400 degrees, although many people say they prefer cooking at less than maximum temperature because the food can stick to the stainless steel bottom.
After you’re done cooking, you can clean it in either your dishwasher, as it is dishwasher-safe, or you can wash it with a regular cloth/sponge in your sink. Once you’re done cleaning this appliance, like most electric woks, it is easy to store away as you can easily detach the cord from its base until later use.
We’ve just shown you the nine hottest electric woks on the market, and now it’s time to turn our attention to the buying guide. This section will help you gain a better perspective as to what makes these electric woks truly magnificent. How are they better than regular woks? What are the benefits of having an electric wok? These and other questions will be answered below since our goal is to provide you with all of the necessary information you need when it comes to purchasing your electric wok.
There is a huge variety of models available on the market. But what should you pick?
Let’s start with things you absolutely need to consider. You have to think about their power, heat settings, materials they are made of, their handles, sizes and weight. These factors are all important because you want your appliance to be suitable for the type of cooking you’re doing. Also, it can be a wise idea to take down some notes while reading to make the buying process simpler.
Power is an essential factor when it comes to your electric wok. More importantly, you’ll want to know how quickly it will heat up, so that you can begin cooking your food. You’ll be glad to know that the electric wok does a fantastic job at heating up quickly and distributing the heat to the entire surface as well. That fast heating is provided by higher power output. Most of the units that we’ve just reviewed boast 1500 watts of power.
Now, you might be thinking that with something so high-powered to heat up your wok so quickly, your electricity bill will go through the roof. But it won’t!
Despite the high power, electric woks actually consume less power than regular stoves, and thus, your electricity bills will be much lower! This cost-saving measure will allow you to purchase more groceries to cook in your electric wok than spending it on expensive electricity bills.
While nothing will be able to replace the heat generated by your classic gas-stove, the electric wok still does a great job at producing plenty of heat. What’s even better is that you’re able to tailor specifically the precise amount of heat you want with an electric wok by using the temperature control knob. This allows you to cook your food at the temperature you want. Most electric woks, including our premium model, the Breville BEW600XL, have a maximum temperature of around 400-425°F, and thus, you should be able to cook comfortably. When you’re not cooking at high temperatures, you can also leave it on a very low setting. This helps to keep your food warm. No matter what temperature settings you have, the flexibility that this cooking device gives us has tremendous benefits and better-cooked meals.
In terms of the materials used to construct those units, we see that they come in very sturdy materials, such as stainless steel and aluminum, to name a few. Having these materials is crucial because they do a great job at retaining the heat inside. For example, the Presto Stainless Steel Electric Wok is made of stainless steel and has an aluminum-clad base for better durability.
Some of the electric woks, generally the ones that aren’t made of stainless steel, have a special non-stick coating. This is a time-saving feature to have because it will save you the headache of cleaning the wok after and having to vigorously scrub the surface to get all the bits that have stuck to it out. Not all electric woks have this feature, so be on the lookout for it if it’s something you highly value.
The last piece that comes with the electric wok is the lid. Most of these lids are made of tempered glass.
Having a transparent lid is very convenient because you can monitor the progress of your cooking through it. Some will have a very small hole that lets out some of the steam when cooking.
All of the appliances we reviewed have two loop or side handles. When cooking with an electric wok, you won’t have to worry about the side handles on the wok being too hot, as these handles are cool-to-touch. These handles are great and super convenient to have because you can cook in one place and then simply transport your cooked meal that’s in the wok by grabbing it by the handles and bringing it someplace else. This is a good feature to have if you don’t want a particular place or room in your house to smell of what it is you’re cooking. The handles also come in handy after you’re done cooking, and you’re washing the wok by hand in your sink.
If you’ve ever cooked with a regular wok before, you know that they can range in size from something resembling a regular pan to something that is much wider and bigger. For electric woks, they tend to be more similar to a bigger sized wok. That is because of the base the wok sits on that heats it up. These woks also tend to be a bit heavier than your traditional non-electric wok. Despite their bigger size, electric woks are actually fairly easy to store, and you don’t really need that much space. Still, you will need a flat area for it because of the base itself.
Another important thing when it comes to the dimension of electric woks is the capacity inside of the wok itself. Among the electric woks we reviewed, we found that the capacity ranges between 5-7 quarts, which is roughly 5-7 liters. In that case, for a bigger family, you can go for the Presto Stainless Steel Electric Wok that offers 7-quart capacity.
For the most part, electric woks are generally pretty light pieces of cooking equipment. While they don’t necessarily weigh as light as a feather, they also don’t weigh like a BBQ grill either. Among the units that we reviewed, we see that the range of weight for the woks varies between 4-13 pounds, but generally, they weigh more towards the medium of this range.
For instance, six of the nine woks we reviewed weigh less than nine pounds, with the lightest electric wok being the Aroma Housewares AEW-305, at a paltry 4.4 pounds. Conversely, on the other end of the scale, the Breville BEW600XL was the heaviest coming in at almost 13 pounds. It is still not much at all, but what you get here is an impressive level of durability.
As you can see, the weights of electric woks can vary by quite a bit, but on the whole, they are reasonably very light.
Like with most purchases, the price can often be a determining factor when it comes to choosing the right model. Fortunately, electric woks are generally very inexpensive considering what they are able to give to you. You can easily find any one of our best electric woks for under $75, but to simplify the process for you, we’ve broken down the prices into three categories: cheap, affordable, and premium.
In the cheap category, these appliances are priced between $40-$50 and, from our list, they include the Aroma Housewares AEW-305 and AEW-306. Both these units have non-stick coatings to simplify the cleaning process and are designed to provide even heat distribution.
Electric woks in the affordable range are ones that are priced between $60-$80, and they include the Presto Stainless Steel Electric Wok and Sonya Shabu Electric Mongolian Hot Pot. Each of them boasts higher durability thanks to the stainless steel construction.
Lastly, the unit that we have in the premium category is the Breville BEW600XL. Although it costs above $110, it can provide higher temperature and better reliability. Furthermore, it is easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
Electric woks are great kitchen appliances, as they are energy efficient and easily transportable. Not to mention, they make a mean stir-fry too! Here, we have our top three favorites.
The first is our Editor’s Choice, the Aroma Housewares 5-Quart Electric Wok AEW-306. This wok shows great results at maintaining the heat and distributing it evenly throughout the cooking area. Despite having a smaller capacity, with only 5 quarts, it still should provide enough space to cook a decent-sized stir-fry dish.
Next up is the affordable Aroma Housewares 7-Quart Electric Wok AEW-305. Not only this unit has a high capacity, but also there is a non-stick coating and lightweight construction.
Lastly, we have our Premium Pick, the Breville BEW600XL Hot Wok. This one is made of some serious high-quality materials. You can tell its premium because of its quick heating, higher max temperature and the luxurious and durable feel.
Whether you feel like making a stir-fry dish or having a hot pot, the best electric wok will allow you to do both.
