Here's Oliver Sharp's cookware FAQ from 1993(?) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Well, this update took a little longer than I had planned. I've updated the FAQ to include various comments on the last one, but the basic structure is pretty much the same. I also added a section on woks. As before, please send me any comments that occur to you. Feel free to forward the FAQ to anyone who might be interested. Cheers, - Oliver ****************** Cookware FAQ ============ Introduction: ------------- In the rec.food.cooking group, questions periodically recur about the various types of cookware. This FAQ is an attempt to answer the most common of these questions in detail. I like both facts and opinions when I'm trying to make up my mind, so I've included some of each in the FAQ. People buying their first decent cookware often ask what the "best" cookware is. This is like asking for the best vehicle; it depends on whether you want to haul gardening supplies, drive across the country, or compete in a race. Similarly with cookware, different materials have their advantages and disadvantages. Many pans combine several materials to achieve a good compromise. Ideally, you probably want to have several different kinds of pans made of a variety of materials - perhaps you would choose a cast iron skillet, an enameled cast iron casserole, and tin-lined copper saucepans. It depends on what you like to cook and on personal preference. There isn't much point in getting a wok if you don't stir-fry, or a double-boiler if you don't make fragile sauces. You many be tempted to get a set of cookware, because it is considerably cheaper than buying each piece individually. This isn't necessarily a good idea, because sets force you to stick to one type of pan, and you don't have much choice as to which pans you get. Ask yourself if you are going to use every pan that comes in the set; if not, it might be cheaper just to get the ones you want. Before you buy a set, I highly recommend trying out a sample piece; getting one from a friend is ideal, but many cookware lines sell one pan cheaply as a teaser to get you hooked. A small saute pan or skillet is commonly used this way. If you do decide to get a set, and are not that experienced yet, you should almost certainly get a small one. It is very important to keep in mind that personal preference has as much to do with finding the best cookware as anything else; you may hate my favorite pan. You may also baulk at the prices; a single piece of quality cookware can cost more than a big set of cheap pans. Still, I think that good cookware is worth the investment, because it will last a very long time. If you are going to spend a lot of time in the kitchen using your pans, don't buy something cheap that burns everything you put in it and has the handle fall off just when you are trying to impress your future spouse. Good pans won't cook for you, but bad ones can be a real menace. Enough pontificating. I'll start by listing the characteristics of the various materials, and then move on to discuss different brands. For each brand, I've tried to include comments from people who have actually used it personally. Then there's a quick discussion of where to look in order to get a decent price (mail order vs. your local stores). I've finished up with two topics that seem to be perennial in this group: the care and feeding of cast iron pans, and how to buy a wok. Materials: ---------- ** Aluminum ** Aluminum has very good heat transfer, but it is quite reactive - it flavors some dishes. If you ever see a recipe call for non-reactive pans, they mean "don't use aluminum or cast iron". Aluminum has gotten a bad reputation, because many cheap pans are made of it. They are usually thin, warp quickly, and are prone to hot spots (and hence burning and sticking). Don't buy one. An alternative to pure aluminum is anodized aluminum. This is a nice cooking medium; it is not nearly as reactive, and you can safely cook almost anything in it. You might avoid using it for, say, pickles, and should not store something like tomato sauce in it overnight. A good thick anodized pot will transfer heat well and doesn't warp. Recently there was some research that suggested a link between Alzheimer's disease and aluminum. This led to a great deal of anxiety about aluminum pots, and a general sense that it would be best to avoid them. Subsequent research has shown that the original experiments were badly flawed. Further, there is no evidence that consumption of aluminum leads to higher risk; if the link were there, you would expect workers in aluminum factories to be contracting the disease in great numbers. This has not happened and there seems to be little cause for worry. ** Carbon Steel ** You will most likely encounter this material in a wok. It is the traditional choice in Asia, and should be treated just like cast iron. A good carbon steel wok should be solidly built and quite cheap; it will last a lifetime if cared for properly. ** Cast Iron ** This is one of the oldest materials to cook in, and still one of the best. Because they are tremendously heavy, cast iron pans provide very even heat. It takes them a while to get hot, but once there they even out any oscillations in heating. Cast iron must be handled a little differently than other materials; see the end of the FAQ for more details. A well seasoned pan is quite non-stick; ideal for pancakes, etc. You can also get cast iron as hot as you like, for blackening or stir-fry. There is some controversy among cast iron afficianados as to whether the seasoning is better for pans with a rough or a smooth cooking surface. I don't have any opinion on it, and have seen arguments on both sides, so I will just mention the issue without trying to resolve it. Because cast iron is highly reactive, some people suggest that you should avoid making acidic foods like tomato sauce in it. At least after it is seasoned, however, I think this advice is unnecessary. I have used cast iron pans to make hundreds of batches of tomato-based sauces with no difficulty. One final thing to know is that it is possible to shatter cast iron if it falls onto a hard floor (though this is not that likely and I would worry more about giving the floor a hefty dent). A variant on the straight cast iron pan has an enamel lining. This eliminates the need for seasoning, the reactivity, and lets you clean the pan any way you like. You keep the heavy weight and even heating, so this kind of pan is terrific for braising, casseroles, etc. - any dish that wants to be heated evenly for a long time. However, you do lose the non-stick quality of the seasoning layer and such pans don't do very well at browning. Unlike cast iron, these pans are usually quite expensive. ** Copper ** The traditional choice for continental cooking. Copper has excellent heat transfer, so it is very responsive. It has three problems: it is expensive, a nuisance to clean, and poisonous. Because of the last of these, you never cook with a pure copper vessel. You can use pure copper for a few things, most notably a mixing bowl for egg whites; there is a chemical reaction between copper and the albumen in the whites that makes the whites froth more quickly and resist over-beating. When no heat is applied and contact is relatively short, the copper isn't dangerous to use. Although it is possible to cook with an unlined copper pan, if acidic food is left in contact with it for any length of time and/or at heat, a poisonous reaction can occur. All cooking pans must therefore be lined with something so that the food doesn't contact the copper. See the listings for tin, nickel, and stainless steel for more details. Copper looks nice when it is bright and shining, but it doesn't stay that way very long unless it is polished regularly. Some people like the look of unpolished copper, in which case copper is no harder to clean than anything else, but if you feel differently you will need to break out the polish periodically. It is getting increasingly difficult to get good-quality copper pans; when you find them, they usually cost the earth. The best are imported from Europe and have a thick copper layer. The thicker, the better; good ones are very heavy. Some pans have a very thin copper layer on the bottom; this is unlikely to have any effect on its cooking performance. To get the benefit from copper, there should be a thick, heavy layer (a few millimeters thick). These pans usually come with either a brass or a cast iron handle; the latter is the traditional choice, but is very heavy. The former can be a sign of a cheaply made pan but can also work perfectly well. The advantage of cast iron is that it doesn't heat up as quickly, though both will get too hot to handle if the pot is left on heat for an extended time. ** Glass ** Glass has one big advantage: you can see the food inside it while cooking, without having to take off lids and allow heat and steam to escape. However, it has a lot of big countering disadvantages (besides, I like to smell and taste the food as it cooks!). Glass doesn't handle extreme temperature changes well, so it can shatter if you pour cold water into a hot pan. Things stick to it. If you drop the pan, it will shatter. Glass is also very heat retentive, so it doesn't stop cooking when you turn off the heat. Some types of cookware use glass lids; unless these are very well made, they warp. A badly fitting lid is an abomination, making the pan useless for the many things that need to steam as they cook (like rice). I have been told that the glass lids of modern premium cookware, like the new Calphalon non-stick series, do not have a warping problem. By the way, I am going to be sloppy and use "glass" to mean both glass and ceramic materials (like Pyroceramic and Pyrex). The latter are much more resistant to cracking, so they are usually meant when discussing "glass" cookware. ** Nickel ** In cookware, nickel is used as an alternative to tin and stainless steel for lining copper pans. It is much harder than tin, and will last a great deal longer before wearing away, but cannot be replaced. It is also used in stainless steel, along with chromium. ** Stainless Steel ** Because stainless steel has lousy heat transfer, pans made of it alone have to be very thin. They are generally made cheaply, and warp in very short order. This is dismal, causing the most trouble on an electric range where the pan will no longer contact the heating element well. The result: hot spots, burning, and sticking. On the other hand, stainless has the very nice property that it does not react to anything, so you can cook anything on it. You can store things in it for arbitrary amounts of time, too. It is quite tough, and can be used with metal utensils. It is also relatively easy to clean; if a mirror finish is applied, it isn't non-stick but does quite well. Many high-quality lines of cookware have a thin layer of stainless steel on the inside; this gives all the benefits of stainless with none of the disadvantages. Some people argue that lining copper with stainless reduces its responsiveness somewhat, but I would imagine that anyone who can tell the difference is well past the point where this FAQ is of any interest. One slight warning: apparently it is possible to pit a stainless lining if it left in contact with undissolved salt for an extended period of time. I think this is unlikely to be a problem in practice but I mention it for completeness. ** Teflon, and friends ** Many cooks like Teflon-lined pans because food doesn't stick to them. This is particularly important to people on low-fat diets, because they can use little or no oil in cooking - if you saute without oil in most pans, you will have to deal with a lot of sticking problems. The problem with Teflon (and the reason I never use non-stick pans) is that it doesn't last too long. You must use wooden utensils not to gouge the layer, and Teflon breaks down around 500 degrees. If you heat a Teflon pan very hot, the layer starts to turn into gas (an inert one that won't hurt you, but can kill birds). Even if you treat it well, the layer will gradually wear away - every now and then, you must throw away your pan and get a new one. There are a variety of similar materials (like Silverstone and T-Fal); some of them are supposed to be more durable than Teflon. There has been a recent trend towards high-quality expensive cookware with non-stick surfaces that have a long (up to lifetime) guarantee. Most of these are also safe to use with metal utensils. Some examples are the new Calphalon line, Circulon, and Scanpan. ** Tin ** Traditionally, copper pans are coated with a tin lining. This kind of pan isn't so popular any more, though it is arguably the best construction of all. One problem: tin is quite soft, and if you get a pan like this too hot the lining will melt. Even if you don't do that, with use the tin layer wears away and the copper is exposed. Because copper is poisonous, you must have the pan retinned when this happens. It is getting more difficult to find a place that does tinning, but you can still manage if you poke around. Nowadays copper pans are often coated with nickel or more commonly stainless steel. Construction: ------------- A few things to think about when you are looking at a pan: - check to make sure the lid fits snugly - see whether the handle is oven-safe; most cheap and many expensive pans with plastic or wood handles can't be put in the oven - see how well the handle is connected to the pan - rivets, welding, or a screw that can come loose - put something heavy in the pan; see if the handle is still comfortable to hold and the balance feels good - see if the pan falls over when nearly empty because the handle is too heavy and/or too long - if it is a big pan, check if it has some kind of handle on both sides; otherwise it will be hard to carry when full - make sure the bottom of the pan is *flat* if you are cursed with an electric range; otherwise it will heat very poorly Brands: ------- After giving a fairly objective description of each brand, I list some positive and negative comments from people who have used them. ** All-Clad ** All-Clad sells four different lines of cookware. All but one of them are made of a three layer sandwich of materials; they each have a stainless lining and a pure aluminum core that extends throughout the body of the pan. The third material is what differentiates them. Construction in all cases is very good and all have a lifetime warranty. 1) LTD This is the exception; it has four layers. The outer two layers are a second aluminum layer and an anodized aluminum alloy finish. The handles are stainless steel and connected with stainless rivets. Not dishwasher safe - discolors the exterior. I have been told that if oil drips get cooked on the outside, they can be difficult to remove. I haven't had the problem, but it is probably a good idea to be sure you have cleaned the outside thoroughly after use. Pro: "Leaving aside copper, this is my favorite line of cookware. We have several pieces and they receive intensive use. I am very happy with them and would recommend them without reservation." - me Con: 2) MasterChef The outer layer is a brushed aluminum alloy, which is not as hard as the LTD layer so it isn't quite as scratch resistant. Dishwasher safe, though it will darken and need occasional polishing. Pro: Con: 3) Cop-R-Chef The outer layer is copper; with copper pans becoming less common, this line is one of the few that are readily available. Handles are brass with stainless rivets. Dishwasher safe, though it will darken and need occasional polishing. Pro: Con: "While these are fine pans, I don't think they are a good value. They cost more than other excellent cookware, and the amount of copper is not enough to make a significant difference in the cooking performance. If you want a copper pan and are willing to pay the premium, get one that has a thick enough layer to make a difference." - me 4) Stainless Outer layer is stainless steel, with stainless handles and rivets. Dishwasher safe. Pro: Con: ** Analon ** A non-stick line that is better than Silver Stone or Teflon in its durability, though it will eventually require replacing. They have a glass lid, which is guaranteed against breakage for 10 years. Pro: "It's not quite as heavy as All Clad but it's several steps above Silver Stone. You feel you're getting good value for your money with it." - Robert L. Williams Con: ** Bourgeat ** A premium line of copper cookware from France, used by Jacques Pepin on his show. These are extremely expensive pans ($182 for a 2 qt. saute pan) that are beautifully built and very heavy. They are 2.5 mm copper with cast iron handles, lined with stainless steel. Pro: "I find they heat very evenly because of the thick copper (even the walls of the pots are fairly thick), they can be used in the oven without any problems, they're extremely durable (perhaps that's why restaurants use 'em)." - Tim Bieling Con: ** Calphalon ** These are widely available; they are made of thick anodized aluminum. The handles are riveted on, and almost all of the pans are oven safe. The few exceptions have wood bonded to the handles to make them easier to handle, and are usually stir-fry pans that you would be unlikely to put in the oven anyway. Construction quality is excellent and the pans come with a lifetime warranty. You can use metal utensils, and can cook almost anything in Calphalon. It would probably be best not to store anything highly reactive in them, however. Cleaning Calphalon is fairly easy, though you should be careful to clean it thoroughly as any residue can cause sticking. It is not dishwasher safe. One caution: apparently hard water can leave deposits on Calphalon that are hard to clean. I've never had to deal with this problem so I can't comment. If you find the price of Calphalon prohibitive, you can try a cheaper version (like Magnalite Pro). Also, try your local restaurant supply houses which sometimes sell similar pans much more cheaply. Note that most restaurant lines are of ordinary, unanodized aluminum, which is not at all the same thing. Pro: "I use Calphalon constantly; it cooks well, feels nice, has good balance, and ought to last forever. I recommend it highly for both traditional pans and for their stir-fry pan, which I unexpectedly fell in love with." - me Con: "The handles do get hot quickly, so you need to keep a pot holder or towel handy - or use a handle cover." - me ** Calphalon Non-Stick ** One of the new lines of high-quality non-stick cookware, which comes with a lifetime warranty on the lining. Anodized aluminum pans with a bonded non-stick layer; lids are glass and handles are stainless. Oven safe to 500 degrees. These are not safe to use with metal utensils. Pro: Con: ** Chantal ** Made of heavy carbon steel covered in enamel, with glass lids and stainless steel handles. The enamel covering eliminates the need to season and makes clean-up easy. Dishwasher safe. Pro: Con: ** Circulon ** ** Cuisinart ** These are very well built pans with a stainless inner and outer lining and a thick copper disk sandwiched in the bottom. Handles are stainless and welded on to the pan. They come with a lifetime warranty and are dishwasher safe. Pro: "I find the Cuisinart to be very well constructed, they conduct heat very well, very little sticks to them, and they are easy to clean." - caralv@caralv.auto-trol.com (Carol Alvin) Con: ** Cuprinox ** This is a premium line of copper cookware which seems to be made in both Switzerland and France. It is lined with stainless (and perhaps also nickel). It is very expensive, but is a beautiful sight and heavy as the dickens - it weighs as much as cast iron. Pro: "If you are going to get a copper pan, then do yourself a favor and get one like this. I'd like a few pieces, someday." - me Con: "If you have wrist problems, or are looking for a skillet that you can toss food in, forget Cuprinox. Even the modest sized pans weigh several pounds." - me ** Faberware Millenium ** A non-stick line; pans are aluminum core with stainless steel outer covering; handles, and lid are stainless. The lining has a 20 year warranty and is safe with metal utensils. Dishwasher safe. Pro: Con: ** Grande Cuisine ** This is a premium line from Williams Sonoma, which is similar to Cuisinart in that it is stainless with a copper disk sandwiched in the bottom. Pro: "It's heavy, attractive, nice handles and lids, and I've had nothing but good luck with it." - Colleen Wirth ** Le Creuset ** This is the best known example of enamaled cast iron. The construction is first rate; pans are guaranteed for 101 years. You do have to be a bit careful because the enamel can chip, but with reasonable care they will last lifetimes. There is some debate whether the pans are worth their expensive prices, since there are much cheaper alternatives with similar construction (like Danish-made Copco and some Korean version sold by Macy's). I doubt if you would be unhappy with one after you bought it, though. One disadvantage to these pans is that they are not good for browning; you might need to start with a second pan if you were making a roast that needed an initial browning. I'm told that some of the Le Creuset pieces like the skillets have a special coating which browns and carmelizes well (called "glissemail). So you still need to use two pans, but they can both be LC (if you bought a set, for example). If you were only getting one piece, I'd make it a French Oven (a.k.a. casserole). Pro: "Better than most anything else you can buy, plus they are indestructible." - Thomas Krueger Con: "Go to Macy's and get their Korean made knock-offs of Le Creuset for about 1/3 the price. Every bit as good." - nola@cats.ucsc.edu ** Lodge ** One of the standard lines of cast iron cookware. Inexpensive, well made, and will last forever if treated properly. Pro: Con: ** Magnalite Pro ** Anodized aluminum pans, like Calphalon. The handles and lids are aluminum and the handles are riveted with aluminum. Not dishwasher safe, though the lids are. Pro: Con: ** Mauviel ** Classic tin-lined copper pans from France. Come with both cast iron and brass handles; the copper is 3mm thick. Pro: Con: ** Revereware ** A well respected lower-priced cookware company that has been around for a long time. The budget pans are an old standby for new households. The handles are not metal, so the pots are not oven safe, and the join between handle and pot is not riveted so it can come loose. Pro: Con: "The current pans don't impress me with their durability and they aren't very thick, so they don't heat as evenly as I'd like." - me ** Revereware Pro-line ** The premium line is entirely different, similar in construction to the Cuisinart pans. They are stainless outside, with a thick copper disk on the bottom. Prices are significantly cheaper than Cuisinart. Pro: "The ProLine is, IMHO, just as good if not better than Cuisnart." - thomp962@armstrong.edu Con: "The handles were horrible to hold--extremely uncomfortable." - Colleen Wirth ** Scanpan ** A relatively new line of cookware from Denmark with a non-stick lining guaranteed for life. The pan is made of pressure-cast aluminum and the lids are glass. The lining is safe for metal utensils and the pans are oven safe to 500 degrees. Handles are Bakelite, so they should stay cool during stovetop cooking. Pro: Con: ** Vision ** This is an inexpensive line of glass pans from Corning. They are not very highly regarded in this group. Pro: "They are inexpensive and you can watch your food cook without disturbing it." - me, reaching for something postive to say Con: "*Everything* sticks to them, and subsequently burns on." - Richard Kershenbaum (speaking for many other people who have complained about the same problem - even with pasta) ** Wagner ** Another standard line of cast iron pans. Same comments as for Lodge. Sources: -------- You can buy many of these pans mail order, which often yields a substantial savings. However, I've found that if I wait until the major sales I can get them for even less at a local store. The department stores run regular sales (post-Christmas, etc.) when they sell premium cookware for large discounts. Gourmet stores sometimes discount as well, though usually not as reliably or as much. You can also get good prices from warehouse-style stores like the Price Club or Whole Earth Access. It's nice to be able to pick up the pans, see how they are weighted, etc. If you scope the pans out at your local store and then buy them mail order, try not to be even more tacky by bugging the salespeople with a lot of questions. Mail order sources: Williams-Sonoma PO Box 7456 San Francisco, CA, 94120 (800) 541-1262 - there are also WS retail stores across the country A Cook's Wares 211 37th St. Beaver Falls, PA, 15010 (412) 846-9490 Chef's Catalog 3215 Commercial Avenue, Northbrook, IL 60062-1900 (800) 338-3232 Quality Cookware and Cutlery P.O. Box 368 Scott, LA 70583 (800) 446-9610 Cast Iron Pans: --------------- Offhand, I can't think of any question that seems to cause as much confusion and recur so persistently as how to handle cast iron. As I mentioned above, I like cast iron a lot. It costs very little, takes almost any kind of cooking abuse, is nearly as non-stick as Teflon when properly seasoned, and is a dandy weapon if your guests get fractious. However, you need to prepare it properly and then treat it a little differently than most pots. The basic idea with cast iron is that you cover it with a layer of cooked oil. This layer, which is very thin, builds up gradually with use until it covers the metal with a flat black surface that is the sign of a well-seasoned pan. The whole game is to get the surface on, and keep it there. To season a new pan, first clean it out thoroughly with soap, water, and a good scrub. There are a variety of ways to proceed; the simplest is to rub the pan with a good layer of oil, bake it in the oven at 300 degrees for an hour, and wipe off the excess oil. You can do this a few times to start building up the layer, or just once. After the initial seasoning, you will probably want to use the pan mostly for frying (saute or deep fry); the layer builds up best that way. It doesn't matter too much which oil you use, though one with a high smoke point (peanut, for instance) is probably best. Also, I would recommend that you avoid unrefined oils; they will infuse your pan with a strong odor. Another approach to seasoning is to heat the pan over a strong flame until it is very hot and then wipe it generously with oil. Keep it on the flame until the oil dries out; repeat for as many layers as you like. This is the way woks are traditionally seasoned. Once seasoned, you want to clean cast iron by getting the food remains out without resorting to excessive scrubbing and scraping. This is quite easy with a well-seasoned pan, assuming you haven't burned anything too badly. I use a sponge that has a very mild abrasive layer on one side. Soap is good at cleaning away oil, which is just what you don't want to do, so you shouldn't try to clean a cast iron pan with it. Some people feel strongly that you should *never*, *ever* allow soap to touch the pan, because it will whisk away your seasoning in an instant, forcing you to start over again. I think this level of concern is a bit extreme; after your pan is well seasoned, you can clean it unagressively with a soapy pad and in my opinion it doesn't make any difference. However, others argue that soap will creep into the seasoning and flavor the food. I do try to wring out the sponge so that it doesn't have much soap in it before using it on cast iron, and haven't noticed any problems. It is very important not to leave cast iron pans wet after cleaning, because they will rust. Some people put them back on the stove after drying them, and heat them for a minute or two to get rid of any remaining moisture. I just dry them carefully and have never had any problems. If you discover a cast iron pan that is very rusted, or hopelessly encrusted with grime, you have several options, of which I will only list a few. To clean it, you can put it in a very hot flame (on a BBQ for a while, in a camp fire, or in a heating furnace). You won't hurt the pan unless you leave it in for a very long time; if you get it red hot, you will usually burn anything off that is stuck to it. You will also have destroyed the seasoning and need to start over again. Another solution is to put the pan in a self-cleaning oven during the clean cycle. To get rid of really bad rust, you can take your pan to a sandblasting shop and have them clean it off; make sure that they use glass beads or nut shells rather than sand, which can pit the surface. Also, I'm told that you can do it yourself with a wire brush on a drill. All of these will result in a nice new pan that must be seasoned from scratch. However, since you can frequently pick up old cast iron pans for a dollar or two at a garage sale, a little elbow grease will get you a nice pan for very little money. Buying a Wok: ------------- The wok is a supremely functional instrument that replaces every other pan in traditional Chinese cooking (aside from specialized ones like clay pots, etc.). Because western kitchens will almost always have a variety of other pans, most people who ask about woks on the net intend to use them for stir-frying. You can stir-fry with many different kinds of pans and there is an excellent discussion that goes into exhaustive detail on the subject in Barbara Tropp's tome _Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking_. I'll just hit the high spots, concentrating on two main questions: shape and material. The first question is whether to get a round-bottomed or flat-bottomed wok. The purists shudder at anything other than the traditional round bottom, which does indeed have much to recommend it. The bottom becomes very hot, so you can cook quickly in a little bit of oil to get the crispness that is a hallmark of good Chinese cooking - stir-fried food should never be soggy or oil-sodden. Food that is not being actively cooked can be moved up the sides a bit, to keep it warm but out of the strongest heat. The shape of the pan adapts nicely to the traditional scoop, allowing the cook to toss food constantly so that the result is evenly cooked. The fly in the ointment is something virtually unknown in China: electric ranges. Would that they were equally rare in this country! I have tried several times to use my wok on an electric range, and it simply doesn't work very well. The point of contact with the heat source is so small that you get one intensely hot point at the bottom of the pan and the rest stays too cold. You may have better luck, but if you are stuck with electric, my advice is to surrender gracefully and use a flat-bottomed pan. You can use a flat skillet, which works reasonably well though it may require a bit more oil than a wok. I prefer a flat-bottomed wok, which acts more like a real wok but has enough contact with the electric element to yield decent performance. I have heard almost universal condemnation for the electric wok, which apparently does not get hot enough and should be avoided. The other issue is the material to choose. A stir-fry pan needs to be able to handle very high temperatures without having food stick and then burn. Ideally, oil will cover it in a thin coat so that a small amount will be enough to get even coverage. There is only one option for the traditionalist: steel. All real Chinese woks are made out of steel; you can buy them cheaply at any Chinatown. If you don't live near a Chinese community, many good cookware stores carry decent steel woks like the ones from Atlas. The wok should be quite solid and weighty; avoid flimsy and thin knock-offs. An aluminum wok, in particular, is a disaster. Steel needs to be seasoned, just like cast iron, and should be treated the same way afterwards (see above). If you don't insist on having a wok, you can use a cast iron skillet reasonably well. Other kinds of skillet are possible, but make sure they can get very hot without damage. Recently the interest in Asian cooking has led a variety of cookware lines to include stir-frying pans, both round and flat-bottomed. Calphalon has several, for example, and I find these to work quite well. I am suspicious about using a non-stick material, because they don't take an even oil coating and many of them must not get too hot or they will be damaged. However, you clearly can stir-fry in them and use less oil than would otherwise be necessary, so you must make up your own mind. Make sure that they are not restrictive about temperature before you buy one. Acknowledgements: ----------------- I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to contribute to the FAQ, either knowingly or not. Much of the information in it was gleaned from a multitude of posts, supplemented by many generous mail exchanges - I hope you won't be offended that I didn't list your names. Thanks to one and all, and please distribute this FAQ to anyone who might be interested. Comments, complaints, and suggestions are welcome. Enjoy, - Oliver Sharp (oliver@cs.berkeley.edu)