Blog | Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

As a cooking teacher, I talk about four ESSENTIAL elements to successful wok cooking: a good wok, the right technique, quality ingredients and most importantly, HIGH HEAT.

For the past 20 years, I’ve recommended the 12K Iwatani butane gas stove. It is the most efficient and practical heat source for wok cooking and the best value. Setting the gas stove on top of your electric cooktop with your wok and you’re ready to go. A gas stove also comes in handy during hurricanes and power outages. However, there are issues as some buildings prohibit their use (open flame) and you have to remember to order refills so you don’t run out in the middle of a stir fry.

Showing how to install a gas cartridge in the Iwatani gas stove during my cooking class.

My experiences with different heat sources…

GAS

I’ve used both residential and commercial gas stoves. I’ve found the three main issues:

Many residential gas stoves still don’t generate enough high heat.
The burner rings are too wide since they are designed for flat pans. The heat is not focused on the base of the wok so the sides of the wok and handles become hot.
They’re expensive. Industrial, high end gas stoves cost upwards of $4-6K.

Electric Glass Flat cooktops

These are the most common stoves installed today. Their “modern and clean” design might be the reason for their popularity, but for me this was NEVER an option. The surface contact area between the round bottom wok with the flat cooktop is too small to transfer enough HIGH HEAT. The propensity of the wok to scratch the glass top also makes it impractical and would void the warranty from the manufacturer.

I solved the problem of not enough heat generated by the electric cooktop with my wok by using an Iwatani gas stove ON TOP of an electric cooktop. Photo: Yanni Georgoulakis

INDUCTION…

Induction means generating a magnetic field which causes the wok to heat. No outside heat is applied to the wok. The heat is generated within the metal. If there’s no wok on the stove, no heat is generated.

I’ve followed the induction technology over the past 20 years. Cost and size were the biggest obstacles to the technology becoming a consumer item. The units I experimented with were heavy and bulky (took up too much counter space), noisy (extraction fan), power challenged (220 voltage required), and expensive (all units priced $1-4K).

Now, there’s a perfect unit for the home kitchen…the Nuwave Mosaic Precision Induction Wok Stove!

It meets ALL my requirements…it’s light, attractive, and retails for under $100. My 14” cast iron wok fits the unit perfectly and together they have such a small footprint that it’s always out on my counter top.

I believe so strongly in this product I want to be an affiliate and offer it as an option in my WOK STAR KIT BUNDLE.

I know many of you have been waiting for this review, so share your concerns and ask any questions in comments below.

CONCLUSION:

The wok cooking experience is the same whether you’re using the NuWave Mosaic Precision Induction Wok Stove or Iwatani Gas Stove. I like having both heat sources because gas is a reassuring backup for emergency situations like hurricanes and power outages.

When I said, “the induction stove was the greatest invention since fire,” I wasn’t exaggerating because many people aren’t allowed to have open flame stoves in their buildings, so induction would be their only choice!