Wok - Flat Bottom or Round?

[lxskllr]

I want to get my daughter a cheap wok for jul, and not sure which style would be best. I think I prefer a round bottom, but I haven't used mine in a long time. An ex got it, and I'm using a flat bottom I got out of the trash somewhere :^D It works alright. What's nice about the flat is you don't need a ring, and if you're unfortunate, and have an electric range, it probably works better.

So, if you were buying a young non Asian a cheap wok, and wanted to be useful under under changing future circumstances, which one would you get?

edit:
These are the two contenders...

This may be the exact set I got myself ~35 years ago, down to the recipe book. Only difference is mine didn't have wood handles. Loved this wok
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SSX182/ref=psdc_289834_t3_B000684DUE

This looks kind of like the one I got from the trash, including the stick handle, which I'm not crazy about

https://www.amazon.com/Asian-Kitche...=UTF8&qid=1544267205&sr=8-25&keywords=wok+set

 

[DigDog]

Ok,,NOT an easy question.

The *wok* is a conical pan with rough, hammered sides, which is used as a combination fryer and pan. They pull the food off the tip and rest it on the side, and as the oil gathers in the tip, that's used to fry individual bits that aren't as cooked as the rest.
Obviously the conical one is better, but no.
Because a real wok is designed to be used on a fire, or on a chinese hob (which unlike our hobs which have a ring that distributes the gas flame, they have just a gas plume which shoots a foot in the air), neither of which are easily available here.

So, because of this problem, a flat wok is better.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I think a long wok in the cold frigid air would be a nice waker upper!!

 

[lxskllr]

Forum full of Asians, and the only reply I get is from the Italian Scotsman. You guys are as useless as tits on a boar :^P

I went with flat bottom. Despite my nostalgia regarding the round, I think the flat is probably more practical long term. Thanks Dog!

 

[Carson Dyle]

I thought flat bottomed woks were mostly intended for use on electric stoves, while you could use a ring and round bottomed wok only on a gas stove.

 

[lxskllr]

I thought flat bottomed woks were mostly intended for use on electric stoves, while you could use a ring and round bottomed wok only on a gas stove.

That's why I went with flat. I've had gas my whole adult life, but my daughter's young, and will live many places before settling down. Flat will work with anything, but round probably isn't so nice on electric, especially if she ends up with a glass top or something like that. Not like it's a big investment or anything. If nothing else, it'll be a decent introduction to wok cooking, and she can get the gear she prefers later.

 

[sdifox]

Gweilo means you get her a flat bottom wok.

 

[IBMJunkman]

Please, please, please tell her to rigorously clean the counter, stove and overhead cabinets after using it.

The previous owners of my recently purchased house used a wok. I had to replace the overhead microwave and gas stove. No way to get them clean. I literately used a paint scrapper on the granite countertop to scrape the grease off. The cleaner I hired to do a move in clean had to use industrial cleaner to get the overhead cabinets clean.

 

[sdifox]

Please, please, please tell her to rigorously clean the counter, stove and overhead cabinets after using it.

The previous owners of my recently purchased house used a wok. I had to replace the overhead microwave and gas stove. No way to get them clean. I literately used a paint scrapper on the granite countertop to scrape the grease off. The cleaner I hired to do a move in clean had to use industrial cleaner to get the overhead cabinets clean.

Or get a real range exhaust system.