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I'm looking for recommendations for a wok for a gas range. Some info on general size and style so I know what to look for, but if you have a specific recommendation, that's great too.
To the extent that the grids are a factor, my range looks like this
Highly recommend a stainless steel one that is not black in color. Too often cheap woks that are black in color will beging to lose their paint and shed off black paint chips in your food when using metal utensils or after cooking many times at the high temperatures needed.
For woks, you really should look at the size and weight. How much food or for how many people are you serving.
To make good use of wok you have to be able to grip it and handle it so you can get the liquid or oil drained out. The whole point of a wok is you have to be able to flip and toss the food easily with your hand so don't get something too heavy.
For woks, you really should look at the size and weight. How much food or for how many people are you serving.
To make good use of wok you have to be able to grip it and handle it so you can get the liquid or oil drained out. The whole point of a wok is you have to be able to flip and toss the food easily with your hand so don't get something too heavy.
I recommend a carbon steel wok. They are relatively low maintenance as long as you season it beforehand and follow the guidelines on caring for it. My preferred wok would have been a 14" flat bottom with a handle. My wife convinced me to order a 16" with no handle. It works great but it is a little to big and you need a mitt or cloth to handle it while you are cooking. The flat bottom is preferable because otherwise you need a ring to use it.
I bought and LOVE the carbon steel wok from the wok shop over at amazon. I have had it for over a year and use it frequently.
It comes with a wok ring which my husband notched it to custom fit our gas range. He just used snippers to notch a groove which fits onto the metal grate on the range.
Did I mention I love it? I would suggest getting the larger size even if you are only cooking for 2 etc. You can "store" the food up the sides while cooking in the middle the next stuff. For an example, stir fry. You cook the veggies, scrape them up and then in the middle add your meat. Cook and them stir them all back together. The smaller ones makes it hard. I ordered the largest one and it's perfect. Plus to make proper fried rice, it's easier in the bigger wok so it doesn't pile up as high and "steam" rather than fry. Lastly, for soups, it's better also in the larger wok as well. I have two, one with metal handles and another with a long bamboo handle. The bamboo does make it easier to shake, grab etc. I use oven gloves with the other metal handle wok.
My husband learned to cook while stationed in several Asian countries in the Navy, and does a ton of his cooking in woks he had while living in Asia. I find the ones with bamboo handles and flat bottoms easiest to work with. We also have an electric wok, in place of an electric skillet!
Lots of great info here, thanks!! This confirmed how I was leaning. At this point, I'm thinking 14 inch, carbon steel, flat bottom, with wooden handles including a helper handle (Northern style). I'm going to check out HMart and Pacific Ocean Market and see what I can find locally.
Flipping with a wok? What's with that? I've never seen anyone do that unless it's an omelet pan. Usually, the wok cooking I'm familiar with, you get the wok really hot with a little bit of high heat oil in the bottom. Peanut oil is our favorite at the moment for wok cooking. Then start adding small portions and flipping those in and out of the oil with a spatula or other cooking tool. The commercial woks are huge and not able to flip the foods.
Usually the problem is getting the oil hot enough and keeping it hot enough, a high heat burner is important. Our favorite wok is huge (probably around 14" across, although it might be 16" but I'm too lazy to go measure it) and cast iron. It can get really hot and holds heat as food is added so things cook well.
Flipping with a wok? What's with that? I've never seen anyone do that unless it's an omelet pan. Usually, the wok cooking I'm familiar with, you get the wok really hot with a little bit of high heat oil in the bottom. Peanut oil is our favorite at the moment for wok cooking. Then start adding small portions and flipping those in and out of the oil with a spatula or other cooking tool. The commercial woks are huge and not able to flip the foods.
Usually the problem is getting the oil hot enough and keeping it hot enough, a high heat burner is important. Our favorite wok is huge (probably around 14" across, although it might be 16" but I'm too lazy to go measure it) and cast iron. It can get really hot and holds heat as food is added so things cook well.
All the time. Have you ever watched them cook at the restaurants that uses woks? Here's a vid from many many many results:
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LOL! 
