posted by Jaden on March 14, 2017
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This is a review of the Frieling Black Cube Wok. I’m so impressed with the performance of the wok that we’re now recommending this wok. We’ve been testing this wok for the past 5 weeks, almost on a daily basis. We’ll highlight both PROs and CONs of this wok.
One of the most popular questions we get asked is, “What wok would you recommend?” My answer is always the same, “It depends…what’s your cooking style?”
For chefs and cooks who really want the authentic wok experience, we love 100% light cast iron woks. They heat up fast, retain heat, and can get super hot, similar to Western style cast iron pans. Light cast iron is very thin, making it incredibly light. But, because they are thin, the light cast iron pans are more fragile and brittle (don’t ever drop one on tile floors!) They are also a little finicky to care for, requiring immediate cleaning, hand-drying, heating and a wipe of cooking oil to keep it from rusting.
100% Light Cast Iron Woks I recommend: Eleanor Hoh’s Wok Star
For cooks who enjoy the properties of light cast iron, but want a non-stick and fuss-free care, our very own Steamy Kitchen Light Cast Iron Wok is still for sale at Amazon.
I love our wok, but sometimes we like using metal utensils and a stainless steel cooking surface. We just found a new favorite. The Frieling Black Cube Wok.
PRO: 100% scratch resistant. The surface of the wok is PFOA-free non-stick, with raised stainless steel “hexagons” that allow the versatility of any type of utensil and non-stick ease. Because the non-stick surface is recessed, you won’t be able to scratch it with metal utensils.
PRO: You can use the Frieling on any type of cooking surface, including induction. It’s oven safe up to 500F.
This wok is durable, very well made, strong handle, no wiggling or jiggling of the handle (a problem you’ll find in cheap, stainless steel woks).
CON: So many crevices for grease and oil to hide, making it difficult to wash and keep clean. I use a very small Oxo stiff cleaning brush (I highly recommend this set – it’s only $5.99 and you’ll find so many cleaning uses for these sizes). Having the hex screw on the handle flush would help with ease of cleaning!
PRO: The Frieling Black Cube Wok is 13″ – which is a perfect size for stir frying. I also like the depth of the wok, it’s actually very similar to the Steamy Kitchen Wok. Deep enough for stir frying without spilling ingredients, and deep enough for searing or frying without oil splattering all over your stovetop.
The stainless steel surface does a great job of searing steaks at high heat.
The wok is such a versatile cooking pan, if I had to choose one pan – it would be the wok. I can stir-fry, steam, boil, braise, sear, simmer, saute….and even make spaghetti sauce.
CON: No lid! All woks should have lids! Mom had to go to Chinatown and find me a generic wok lid that fit the 13″ Frieling Black Cube Wok. You need a lid. Find a generic wok lid on Amazon for ~$15 (I like ones with tempered glass, so that I can see what’s going on in the wok at all times. Frieling has a lid for their frying pan that will fit, but it’s not dome-y enough. Woks need domed lids. By the way, Frieling advertises its wok as 12 1/2″ – but it’s really 13″ wide at the top. If you are looking for a lid – buy one that’s between 12″ and 13″. It’s ok if the lid is slightly smaller than the wok itself, it will still give you a good, snug fit.
Frieling actually has a family of Black Cube pots and pans, but I’d still recommend the wok, it will do everything a fry pan does, and more.
PRO: Dishwasher safe, but I still like to hand wash all my beloved pots and pans.
Cost of the Frieling Black Cube Wok is $120.
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