Average Rating:

If you are looking for a stir-fry wok, don¡¦t get this pan and choose a traditional carbon steel wok instead. One major disadvantage of this Chef¡¦s Pan is that it cannot reach the high temperature required to make tasty Chinese stir-fry dishes. If you preheat it for 3-5 minutes, add some cooking oil and then food, the pan quickly cools down. You end up boiling the food instead of stir-frying it. The essence of Chinese stir-fry is to cook food at very high temperature in order to seal the juice in the food. Boiling removes the juice along with the flavor from the food. A traditional wok, made of either carbon steel or cast iron, can reach the high temperature required for stir-fry dishes.

A traditional carbon steel wok is very cheap and can last a life time if cared properly. The downside is that it can rust easily if not cared properly. (I prefer the type without the nonstick coating because the Teflon nonstick coating won¡¦t last long under high heat, and it will eventually disintegrate and get into the food.) You MUST season a traditional wok before using it the first time. Seasoning the wok builds a brown-black patina on the interior that makes it non-stick and also prevents rust. After cooking, wash the wok with hot water only (No detergent !), wipe dry with paper towel, and then heat it on stove to remove any moisture on the wok. Do not soak it in sink after cooking or you will regret. I don¡¦t use my carbon steel wok to boil food and never use it to steam, as they may damage the patina. Scouring the wok or washing it with detergent will also damage the patina. So avoid scouring or you will need to re-season it afterwards.

Overall, I like All-Clad¡¦s Stainless Steel line of cookware. I have several other pieces besides this 12¡¨ Chef¡¦s Pan. All of them are great and I won¡¦t trade them for other cookware. But I have a traditional Chinese wok just to make stir-fry dishes. If you are looking for a stir-fry wok, you can get a 14¡¨ carbon steel wok (no Teflon coating) from Target or Asian food store under $20.

That said, stainless has a few advantages as well and this piece in particular is a testament to the quality of All-Clad's craftwork. It is a heavy, durable piece that holds heat well (though a cast iron wok will do the same thing for 1/10 the price). It is ideal for stir fry or browning meat and it can go from the stovetop to the oven and back, so it is very versatile. You could also use it as a chicken fryer or small roaster for game hen or duck.

There are two things to be aware of with any stainless steel cookware: 1) don't use metal utensils- you will scratch the !@#$$ out of it. Use wood, teflon/rubberized, or plastic utensils. 2) Don't let it soak in water. Contrary to popular belief, stainless steel can and will rust if treated improperly; say, by scratching it with metal utensils then letting it sit in dishwater for days.

I bought the metal All-Clad Stainless Solid Square Spoon and used it to stir-fry with this wok. What a big mistake! It left irreversible scratches all over the wok after just one time of light use! So the lesson here is DO NOT USE METAL UTENSILS ON THIS WOK!! Use wooden ones instead. I called All-Clad and they said their limited warranty does not cover these kinds of scratches, only manufacture defects. Be warned!

This wok has performed very well otherwise. Cleans up easily as long as you soak it in water after use if you don't have time to clean right away.