Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 14-1/4-Inch Wok with Glass ...

• Le Creuset enameled cast iron goes easily from oven or stovetop to the table.
• Each piece features a non-abrasive bottom and a long-lasting, shock-resistant finish
• Enameled cast iron distirbutes heat evenly and retains heat longer.
• Performs on all heat sources - gas, electric, induction and ceramic top. Phenolic knobs and handles are oven safe to 400 degree's.
• Warranted for the lifetime of the original owner, whether self-purchased or received as a gift.

STAUB Wok - versus - LE CREUSET Wok:
Product Dimensions: Le Creuset Wok measures: 14 x 14 x 4 inches ; 14.1 pounds - Limited lifetime warranty Staub 7-quart Wok measures 14 inches in diameter; 15 pounds - Lifetime limited warranty __________________ Le Creuset claims their wok is "Dishwasher safe" However, one should never place seasoned iron cookware in a dishwasher as they will rust and the soap (detergent) will break down the pan's seasoning and "wok hay". Le Creuset is oven safe to 400 degrees. Staub 7-quart Wok: Hand washing recommended by Staub. Although their new cooking surface is less tenuous than the Le Creuset's surface due to Staub's enameled interior, in addition to their exterior surfaces being enamel-coated. Staub is oven safe to 500 degrees. __________________ The Staub wok is ready to use immediately. The Le Creuset must be seasoned prior to first use. Both will become better cooking surfaces with continued use and proper care. __________________ Staub enameled cast iron products are highly durable. They do not discolor or rust, they resist chipping, and do not require seasoning. Le Creuset enameled cast iron products are also highly durable. The lighter colored enamels will occasionally discolor, and etch when cooking acidic foods, there are sometimes rust issues if improperly maintained, they resist chipping, and their wok requires seasoning. Staub's interiors, as well as the exterior surfaces are enamel-coated iron. The durable black ---matte--- finish enamel interior does not require initial seasoning for use or rust protection. The more you use your Staub product, the better it gets! Oils used when cooking will penetrate the pores of the ---matte enamel finish--- and create a natural, smooth, nonstick surface, just like a finely seasoned non-enameled iron pan. The smooth enameled exterior is easier to clean. The almost impervious black coating found on well-used woks takes time, care and lots of cooking before a wok develops this patina. The ultimate goal is for the wok to impart "wok hay", an elusive pan flavor and aroma that is associated with Chinese restaurant dishes. Actually, wok hay comes from cooking over extremely high heat in a well-seasoned pan. Commercial wok burners have as many as 140,000 BTU's. Professional-style home ranges have a maximum BTU rating of 17,000. Regular home stoves' BTU rating is only 7,000 per burner. It is therefore difficult for home cooks to prepare restaurant quality stir-fry. The thick iron construction of both Staub and Le Creuset help compensate for this BTU deficiency by collecting and retaining heat from the burner in order to produce memorable Chinese meals. Once a wok imparts wok hay, it is respected like a finely-tuned instrument. As the patina builds up, less cooking oil is required making foods more healthy. "A wok must be very hot for stir-fries to have the grilled, smoky flavor that is so distinctive of wok hay," says Chinese cooking authority Ken Hom. According to Grace Young, people tend to be very superstitious in Hong Kong and "wok hay" is so coveted that "when a customer is served a stir-fry void of wok hay, it is often interpreted as an ominous sign of bad luck." Staub made a wonderfully functional design decision to coat the interior with a matte surface, while coating the exterior of the pan with the traditional smooth surface. For this reason, I prefer to use Staub when liquids are involved due to their rust-free coated interior surface. Le Creuset has it over Staub when it comes to style. My Le Creuset is Chinese Red (what else?) - and it is a gorgeous utensil that is certain to turn everyone's attention. Le Creuset and Staub are each capable of excellent performance and wok hay if properly maintained and well seasoned.

Great wok!:
I have been using the Le Creuset Wok for about 2 months now and I love it. I use it to make Chinese stir fry, but I have also used it to steam items and make fried chicken. The heat on the wok, never really went up to the temperature I needed it to be at for the fried chicken, but it did the job nonetheless. It's been great for stir frying and for frying whole fish. I haven't had any problems with my food sticking. I had some problems when I first used it, but I have been spraying a small bit of olive oil and wiping it all over the surface of the wok after each use and cleaning. That does a great job of seasoning the wok and I have not had any issues with food sticking since I have started doing this. The wok is very heavy so it doesn't move when cooking, but it makes it hard to clean. You definitely need two hands to clean. No problems with the handles so far, but I'm confident that the lifetime warranty will come in handy if I have any issues.

Fantastic Wok:
I was not sure this wok would measure up to my standards of Chinese cooking. I have two other traditional Chinese steel woks that I use a lot. But, what I found with this wok is that, even though the heat source doesn't have to be on high, the mass of iron in this wok generated much more heat and my Chinese dishes came out fantastically. I have been totally shocked at how this wok performed. The surface needs to be gently seasoned, as do the surfaces of Le Creuset's grill pans, but, once that is done, food rarely sticks to it (or, the grill pans). I usually let some water soak in the pan after I've taken the food out, and after that, stuck-on food easily come off. I highly recommend this pan.

Gift for my wife:
The Le Creuset wok was a Christmas gift for my wife. She likes it, therefore I like it.

Wonderful Wok:
I debated on purchasing this wok for several weeks. Our family already owns a large set of Le Creuset because we prefer to cook with cast iron cookware for health reasons. My hesistation on this purchase was ONLY the price. I did search high and low and could not find this under $199. The fact that Amazon offers free shipping is a huge bonus. After weeks of delay, I finally made this purchase and could not be happier. Le Creuset as a whole is an outstanding product with so many beautiful colors. My set is Red and Cherry. This wok cooks excellently. I have used it at least once a week for asian dishes and even deep frying. The wok sits nicely on my electric burner and cleans up beautifully. If you are considering buying this wok, hopefully the price is the only concern. You need not be concerned about this products durability, appearance or performance, they are all winners. In regards to the price, just remember that quality will beat out price 99% of the time. This is lifetime cookware and is definitely an investment.