Head to head
Craft Wok Flat 14 vs Round 14 (2026)
Craft Wok flat bottom vs round bottom 14 inch compared on hob fit, wok hei, seasoning, and which traditional pow wok suits your kitchen.
Craft Wok Flat Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok, 14 Inch Flat Bottom vs Craft Wok Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok, 14 Inch Round Bottom: the specs, side by side
| Spec | Craft Wok Flat Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok, 14 Inch Flat Bottom | Craft Wok Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok, 14 Inch Round Bottom |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 14 inches | 14 inches |
| Material | Hand-hammered carbon steel, 1.8 mm | Hand-hammered carbon steel |
| Bottom | Flat | Round, needs a wok ring on flat hobs |
| Care | Season before first use, hand wash, dry immediately, oil lightly | Season before first use, hand wash, dry immediately, oil lightly |
Craft WokCraft Wok Flat Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok, 14 Inch Flat Bottom
A hand-hammered 14 inch flat bottom pow wok in heavy 1.8 mm steel, built for high heat stir-frying.
- Size: 14 inches
- Material: Hand-hammered carbon steel, 1.8 mm
Sources: Craft Wok official product specifications, Major retailer product listings, Published kitchen gear reviews
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Craft WokCraft Wok Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok, 14 Inch Round Bottom
The classic round bottom pow wok, hand hammered in Guangzhou, for gas burners and real wok hei.
- Size: 14 inches
- Material: Hand-hammered carbon steel
Sources: Craft Wok official product specifications, Major retailer product listings, Published kitchen gear reviews
Check price on Amazonor add to your Amazon cartOur recommendation
Choose the Craft Wok flat bottom if you cook on a standard home hob, because it sits stable without a ring and still gives you hand-hammered steel. Choose the round bottom only if you have a powerful gas burner and a wok ring, because that is the only setup where its hotter centre and true wok hei show. Same steel, same maker, same seasoning work: the decision is entirely about your hob.
Bottom shape and hob fit
The flat bottom sits directly on electric and gas hobs with no accessories, which is why it suits most home kitchens. The round bottom needs a wok ring on any flat hob and cannot sit on induction or glass at all. If your hob is electric, glass, or induction, the flat bottom is the only Craft Wok that works.
Heat and wok hei
The round bottom concentrates heat in a small pool at the centre, which is what creates wok hei over a powerful gas burner. The flat bottom spreads heat across its base, which sears evenly but never reaches the same peak centre temperature. On a standard home gas burner the gap is smaller than the tradition suggests, because home burners cannot match a restaurant jet burner anyway.
Tossing technique
The round bottom tosses in the traditional way, with food flipping up the curved walls and falling back to the hot centre. The flat bottom tosses well too, but food meets a flat cooking surface at the bottom of each toss. Both have the same wooden handle and steel helper handle, so handling feels familiar either way.
Seasoning and care
Both ship unseasoned in the same 1.8 mm hand-hammered steel and need the same seasoning session before first use, the same hand washing and drying, and the same light oiling after use. There is no care difference between them: buy on hob fit, not on maintenance.
Choose Craft Wok Flat Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok, 14 Inch Flat Bottom if…
- You cook on electric, glass, or a standard gas hob
- You do not want to buy and store a wok ring
- You want hand-hammered steel without hob complications
Choose Craft Wok Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok, 14 Inch Round Bottom if…
- You have a powerful gas burner and a wok ring
- Wok hei is your main goal
- You already cook with traditional round bottom technique
FAQ
Questions, answered straight
Can I use a round bottom wok on an electric hob?
Only with a wok ring, and even then poorly: the ring lifts the wok away from the heat source and the round base cannot make good contact. Flat bottom is the right choice for electric hobs.
Which Craft Wok is better for a beginner?
The flat bottom, because it sits stable on the hob you already have. The round bottom adds a ring, a wobble, and a burner requirement on top of the same seasoning learning curve.
Do both need the same seasoning?
Yes. Both are unseasoned hand-hammered carbon steel and need the same wash, dry, thin oil layers, and fatty food first month. Seasoning is identical; only the bottom shape differs.