Tefal Unlimited Premium Induction Non-stick Wok 28cm

A versatile wok, but temperature limits and lack of dishwasher safe cleaning a bit of a limitation – TEFAL UNLIMITED PREMIUM NON-STICK INDUCTION WOK 28CM PLEASE NOTE: I don’t have any sort of formatting options on this site, so I use capitals for headings and emphasis. I do this to make this review easier to read and is not me yelling, ok? Please keep this in mind. I don’t tend to yell… ever.. but in the famous words of the Disney movie,… Read more

“Tangled”:

“Frypans, who knew?!”

Perhaps in this case:

“Non stick induction woks, who knows?”

And that, dear reader, is what I endeavour to find out. :-)

This is an “Ambassadorial Review”, meaning that the folks at Product Review have sent me this item for free in order to express my opinion. I tend to write “in depth” reviews on items that I’ve bought in the past, so they recognise that I might “go the extra mile” to provide useful information. I do get to keep the wok, but I won’t let that sway me either way. The Ambassadorial system just allows recognised reviewers to assess things they don’t already have. So with that open-handed administrative stuff out of the way, I have one final tip before I start the review…

GET COMFORTABLE AND/OR READ SMARTER (NOT HARDER):

Have a look at my pictures first. They're a little out of order, but they show:

1. The temperature indicator, and damage free coating after a month of use. 2. The box and it's entire weight. 3. A random chicken stir-fry where I felt the chicken was not fried, but more simmered in its own juices. 4. What came inside the box (showing the lack of padding) 5. The weight of the wok itself. 6. Side by side comparison of a cheaper, and more expensive wok (typical photo) 7. (And this is the special one) A side by side comparison of all three woks (same arrangement) showing a thermal camera's view after three minutes on my biggest gas hob on max burn. This shows how evenly they heat up, and any cold spots.

Last point before I begin, I write long reviews in order to provide as much information as possible. Grab yourself a snack, and a tasty beverage, make yourself comfortable. While reading this may seem intimidating to some, reading this will be faster than hopping from one site to the next collecting disparate facts about this wok. If that’s too much, feel free to scan the headings, and read the bits that are useful to you.

Haven’t scared you off? Let’s go.

WHAT OTHER REVIEWERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE TEFAL UNLIMITED PREMIUM 28CM DIAMETER NON-STICK INDUCTION WOK:

On Tefal’s own (Australian) web site, I had a look around to see what (if any) issues I should be looking out for.

With an average rating of 4.6 (out of 5) stars, and 26 reviews (at the time of writing), the break down was as follows:

5 stars: 20 reviews 4 stars: 4 reviews 3 stars: 1 review 1 star: 1 review.

So let’s dispense with the bad… what did that 1 star review say? It was quite long, but the two sentence synopsis is as follows:

The wok was deformed in transit because while there’s lots of padding on the outside of the wok, there’s no padding inside it. It is no longer round.

Ok, so that’s some useful info for people considering getting it delivered. I’ll add a photo of the packaging situation below.

The three star review, said it didn’t look like the image they saw when ordering… so they returned it.

Ok, it’s not a fault per se, so these are the two most negative comments about it… and they don’t really say anything about an intact wok… so if you ignore these two scores, out of a potential 24 x 5 stars, (120) this wok gets 116. That’s 96.67% (note: This is Tefal’s own site, but many of the reviews were acquired from Myer’s site)… so it’s fairly unlikely that the results are horrendously skewed.

Overview of the 4 star reviews:

Some people don’t like the weight of it (whether that’s too high or low, is not always clear), some say it’s light, but maintains even heating. Interestingly, there are comments like “it’s lasted about a year, the coating is coming off, so I’ve bought a second one”.

Overview of the 5 star reviews:

“We love this wok and use it every day, but we have to buy new ones every 8 months to a year as the non stick stops working” Other comments like:

“I love the size, and how easy to clean it is”, “Downside is that it doesn’t come with a lid”, “Good size when cooking for two or four people” and “Love the ovenproof handle”.

THE IMPRESSIONS FROM ONLINE REVIEWS:

So without even seeing one of these pans “in person”, you know it’s a wok without a lid, it’s possible to damage it in transit, people love the shape, and “general usefulness”, it’s easy to clean but the coating (with heavy use) might not last even a year. Yet strangely enough, people are happy to buy another one, sometimes one after another…. Which at between $95 and $190 per wok… adds up… even with free delivery.

Let’s put it another way…. “What questions should I as a reviewer, or theoretical buyer… be asking here?”

Firstly, Tefal has a two year warranty on this wok. If people are treating it correctly, and using it in a domestic situation, then the folks replacing it every 8-12 months should be eligible for a replacement under their two year warranty. Why they’re just buying replacements is beyond me… It makes me wonder if the warranty claim process is difficult or somehow not worthwhile. Perhaps it’s just that people are abusing the wok by doing things “against recommended practices” and are consequently ineligible for a warranty claim. That said, if you’re washing this wok by hand with non abrasive cleaning tools, and using non-metal implements to cook with, then according to Tefal’s own terms and conditions, they should be replacing or repairing the wok for you.

Secondly, if you’re going through a wok every year or so, this leads to questions about long term/ongoing costs:

Is it better to buy a higher-end solution like Swiss Diamond… which has “limited lifetime” warranties? If Swiss Diamond’s 32cm induction wok is $300-550 (or as low as $274 when on sale as it is at the time of writing), it may only take a few years for it to break even, and then any time after that SAVES you money. Conversely, my partner’s “trusty” $15 Woolworths-branded wok of similar dimension, that lasted about 12 years of routine use, (albeit not induction-capable, as that wasn’t nearly as popular as it is today). Alternatively, perhaps one should consider a fairly comparable offering from Baccarat’s “Rock” range, perhaps the 30cm induction compatible “Wok with Lid” that sells for between $120-$280… and has another “limited lifetime” guarantee, and of course, includes a lid. (Which we purchased a few months before receiving this Tefal wok).

So questions I’ll be finding answers for are:

1. What state does the wok arrive in? 2. How does it stack up against our very old “cheap and cheerful Woolworths wok” and the Baccarat “Rock” wok, or even our much loved, 12 year old Scanpan Paella pan with lid? 3. What (if any) degradation do I see with heavy use… albeit limited to only a month of use at most for this ambassadorial review? Maybe I’ll do a follow up “after the fact”, but since I have to write the primary review first, I better get to it.

THE DAY OF DELIVERY:

Ok, so the postie placed it on our front doorstep with an audible thud. In our case, it was a typical brown cardboard box, with the pretty coloured box inside. There was no padding whatsoever in the brown box, and to my surprise NO padding whatsoever inside the internal box. (Well, there’s a sleeve of bubble wrap on the handle, but that’s it. If this is typically the case, damage in transit wouldn’t surprise me. That said, our wok seemed fine to me. (See image).

The first thing that struck me was just how light the entire delivered package was. Some of my more recent reviews have been cast iron cookware, so this may have skewed me somewhat. However, I wanted to know how heavy the internal box + contents was. I took a photo of it on my kitchen scales, and it came in at only 1.6Kg. Weighing the wok alone it came in at a little under 1.2Kg (1184g according to my scales). Compared to my other cookware (a mix of enamelled or seasoned cast iron, steel, aluminium alloys, and ceramics) it feels quite a bit lighter, but if you run a lot of aluminium cook/bakeware, then this might be normal for you.

LETS TALK ABOUT THE BOX FOR A MOMENT:

I’ll get to the care instructions pamphlet next, but ignoring the marketing for a moment, there are a few things mentioned ONLY on the box, or mentioned in greater detail on the box than the included pamphlet.. which largely deals with care instructions.

1. All hobs + induction (ok, so regardless of your stove top, like gas, electric, induction, etc… this wok will work). 2. “Stands the test of time” (ummm… clearly other owners who are routinely replacing it disagree, but we’ll see). 3. The red seal in the bottom of the wok, actually changes to a deeper red as it heats up. When it gets hard to read, it’s “perfect for searing”. (Note that the lighter red bits darken to match the text/hourglass icon). This is in the pamphlet but the only photos to explain it are on the box.) 4. The pan itself is recyclable (no nasty chemicals, but see point 8 below). 5. Made in France… so if you’re a Francophile, maybe this will matter to you. If you started your driving career on a 1982 Renault Fuego that literally (as its name suggested) caught fire while you were driving it… “Made in France” might go the other way. 6. “Images may differ from the photos” (really, you can’t match the photos on the box to the pan? Sounds somewhat sad to me, especially for a company that claims to be no. 1 in European sales value back in 2018.) 7. Upper (widest) diameter may vary from the specified 28cm by as much as +/- 0.5cm. 8. “No INTENTIONAL addition of lead or cadmium” (both at toxic heavy metals).. I’m glad they’re not doing it intentionally…(Which makes me wonder: “Are other woks likely to have these metals in them?”)… apparently they test for it, but the conditions of that test aren’t mentioned.

THE PAMPHLET:

The key bits of information that I found useful are:

a. Oven safe up to 250 Celsius (That’s higher than the official 220 limit that LeCreuset/Chasseur enamelled cast iron pots can handle). b. Cannot be used in the microwave (that’s obvious, and I don’t know many microwaves that would FIT this wok) c. The “searing ready” (mood ring/temperature indicator) on this wok is called “Thermo-Signal technology”. There’s greyscale image of the seal (too cold/hot enough) but I find the photos better on the box. However, it does warn you that the heat should be turned down once hot to avoid damaging the wok. So this is to stop people from overheating the wok.. I guess… at least more so than indicating when the wok is hot enough to sear.. but I suppose it could be interpreted either way. d. The product has a 2 year warranty against “Manufacturing defects unless the country you bought it in has higher warranty requirements” It does not cover: i. glass components. (None included with this wok) ii. anything “sticking” iii. damage caused by “incorrect use” iv. “professional use” v. damage caused by “knocks or drops” vi. “stains, discolouration, scratches ANYWHERE on the product due to normal wear and tear”.

So proving that there’s a manufacturing problem… might be a challenge.

Care instructions:

- Initially, you need to hand wash, and lightly oil the pan. - Avoid heating the pan without food, it’ll overheat and distort. - “Metal utensils may be used, except Knives and whisks. Avoid using sharp-edged utensils” (Umm whisks aren’t usually sharp edged.. but if you want the maximum life from you non-stick coating, I’d just use wood, plastic, or silicone coated utensils. - To prolong the life of the coating, we recommend hand washing, avoiding abrasives, and after each wash, dry the induction base thoroughly. - However, if you DO clean it in the dishwasher, we recommend gentle detergents such as liquids or gels (not tablets).

INITIAL TEST OF THE “THERMO SIGNAL” (MOOD RING) OF THE WOK.

If a mood ring changes colour based on temperature, (ostensibly defined by mood-related increases of blood flow, rather than poor blood circulation) then this “Thermo Signal” stuff works in a similar way, albeit at much higher temperature. I had to try it out after I washed and oiled the wok. It does indeed darken as it heats up. I wasn’t cooking at the time, so I used my smallest gas hob (I have a gas stove) to avoid overheating. While I couldn’t find my laser thermometer to test how hot it needs to be to darken, the radiant heat from the pan once removed from the stove was noticeable. I believe it would be a good searing temperature. I’ll hopefully see the temperature in my subsequent tests.

Down sides of the “Mood ring”:

1. It’s a “hot enough” indicator. It tells you NOTHING of how far you’ve overshot…. Until the pan starts deforming.. and by then it’s too late. 2. It requires you to heat the pan up EMPTY (or close to it... if it’s full of food, how will you see it?) 3. It basically REQUIRES you to stare at the empty pan as you heat it up, because if you go away and come back, (say, to do some food preparation) you really won’t know if you needed to turn the heat down five seconds ago, or five minutes. You might well have overheated the pan already. So if you heat the wok up as you prepare your food, then this indicator isn’t going to help you much at all.

For me, it’s not particularly useful for my cooking style, so I consider it a bit of a gimmick. Also, because of the warnings Tefal has made regarding “overheating” the wok, I’m not entirely convinced that searing in this wok is a great idea to begin with. When I sear my steaks on the barbecue, or even the stove, I use seasoned cast iron cookware, and I like my cook surfaces to be upwards of 300, sometimes even 400 Celsius.. I don’t recommend that with pans/woks that have non-stick coatings…. If you want your wok to last, that is.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE (MOSTLY) ALUMINIUM CONSTRUCTION:

If you’re serious about searing anything, you’ll find that the flat base of the wok will do a better job of searing than the walls will…. Unless you’re on a big gas hob and there’s significant flames kissing the other side of the walls. The base will be better (in general) because that’s the only bit that has the thermal retention (read: steel for the the induction hobs) to sear at least passably well.

Since the pan is so light, the bulk of the base, and walls will be made of a coated aluminium. Aluminium has a fantastic thermal conduction rating (ranked third of the cookware-safe metals, after copper and silver.. but is often chosen for low weight and considerably cheaper price)… but that conductivity and lower density means that thermal retention is consequently, pretty low compared to iron (and steel which is refined iron with some impurities). Aluminium has 3 times the thermal conductivity, and at one third the density. That means it’s easy to put heat in and take it out but, keeping that heat in there and only transferring it to your food will be a challenge.

A low heat retention means that a cold slab of meat (or frozen vegetables if you prefer), will suck the heat right out of the preheated wok on initial contact. So searing would need VERY high temperatures to pull that off, and it would be very difficult to control (not to mention, potentially damaging to the pan). It’s for this reason, I prefer a seasoned steel wok or cast iron pan for searing. Metals like cast iron have so much more heat retention (don’t confuse that with conductivity) that preheating it will buffer the pan from the initial “cold shock”, and this tends to give that true brown (ideally not black) “bark” (think: browned meats) indicating that the Maillard reaction is happening (proteins breaking down into flavoursome aromatic compounds).

Frankly, I think this wok doesn't truly work as a traditional wok very well. The shape and materials of the wok aren't "traditional" for the classic style of wok, and it really seems to behave a little more like a deep frypan. Perhaps I was heeding the warnings about overheating the wok too closely, and didn't stretch the wok to "true stir fry" temperatures. Consequently, I found that it took a LOT of time and/or heat to do a nice browning since the aluminium will draw that heat away… and the wok didn't quite concentrate the “juices” coming out of the ingredients. Since I probably played it a bit safe, I found that it’s more likely to simmer/boil, rather than fry your meat.

Of course, this wok with even heating caused by the thermal conduction, will likely be fantastic for heating liquids though, particularly curries, laksas, and stews…. If you don’t have the time for a slow cooker. So perhaps it's also more akin to a small saucepan... than an actual wok.

Aluminium is a highly reactive metal. It does NOT handle acids well at all, and can add a metallic taste to acidic foods. So people who cook with lots of citrus, vinegars, wines, pineapple, and tomatoes would normally be discouraged from cooking with bare aluminium cookware. However, since this wok has the non-stick coating that will protect the metal, you can cook with acidic foods without issue… as long as the coating is intact. However, again, how well the coating holds up to acidic foods is a question I cannot test without destroying the wok.

GOING BEYOND THE FIRST DOZEN COOKS:

After cooking a range of foods, from bacon and egg breakfasts, rainy afternoon laksa, “one pan” steak & veggies meals, and meatballs, to Turkish Pide pizza stuffings, curries and (you guessed it) stir fries, the pan cooks many things besides stir fries, and cooks well. I used wood, plastic and silicone implements, so I haven’t scratched anything yet. Of course, I’m taking it slow and following the instructions provided. If you’re the kind of person who uses dishwashers and metal implements, particularly the pointy/edged kinds, then you can expect to damage the non-stick coating, particularly when it is hot.

Is it mind blowing as a cooking implement? I’m sorry but I haven’t noticed anything majorly different between the $12 Woolworths wok, the $99 Baccarat “Rock” Wok with Lid, or the $300 Scanpan 36cm non-stick paella pan. They’re all based on an aluminium and steel core and merely vary in their shape and coatings.Given their respective sizes and construction, the Tefal wok heats up roughly as quickly (on average) as the all aluminium Woolworths wok. The wider than average flat bottom of the Tefal wok reviewed here does make it a little faster to heat up than the Baccarat, but then again, the wider base (and significantly larger capacity) of the Paella pan evens any gains the Tefal had over the others. Really, it comes down to a size and shape you like to cook with.

Now what makes the Tefal wok better and worse as a cooking implement compared to our other options here?

We love the 28cm size and shape for a typical 2-4 person meal, but we feel that cooking for four adult males with hearty appetites is really only achievable when it’s padded out with rice or noodles cooked in some other pot or appliance. If you have folks with smaller appetites, or often do “multi pot” instead of “one pan” cooking… then this works very well.

If you keep this in mind, and limit the contents somewhat to the sauce/meat/vegetables, (with thicker sauces, or lower amounts of sauce) we can shake the entire wok around and while cooking to “keep the food moving”, to ensure a satisfactory, but hardly amazing sear. That said, this is a FAR cry from the steel 40cm+ diameter woks with narrower bases that force the food back into the middle. Even so, the Tefal wok’s elongated handle allows easy operation one handed, and the “high-enough” walls allows you to shake things around the wok quickly without spilling. That said, we can do that with the Woolworths and Baccarat woks just as easily. The Paella pan, doesn’t have a long handle, it has two tabs on the side. While the paella pan has a higher capacity, the lower walls and short handles require the food to be pushed around the pan, rather than the pan shaken to move the food. That said, Scanpan has woks very similar to the Tefal as well, I just don’t own one.

The Woolworths pan and the Tefal are the only implements that DON’T come with a lid. Now most people won’t care, but we often cook in the pan, and leave it there for “second helpings” to save washing up another pan. Having a lid to keep things warm and dust/insect free is a huge help to us. The Woolies pan cost $15 dollars, so we expected the lack of a lid. The Tefal, at the similar price range of the Baccarat (which did come with a lid) puts it, in my humble opinion, at a disadvantage to similar options.

My partner likes the shape, the weight, and way the Tefal wok cooks. Since she’s a not-quite-5 foot stick-figured pixie, and I’m a much taller, stronger (lets carry that 80kg railway sleeper by myself on my shoulder) kind of fellow, I was interested in how she handled it. But it’s little different from our other similar cookware in weight and dimensions, so she has made no complaints and uses it with relative ease.

CLEANING:

Overall, I found the cleaning so far to be very easy. I’ve had some burned bits of mince and sauce, but they slid off with almost no effort. The cleaning instructions suggest to dry the bottom thoroughly before storing it. I suspect this is to reduce rusting, so I’ve done that, and I haven’t seen any problems so far. That said, the riveted handle does have some “nooks and crannies” that can accumulate around the rivets themselves. So it’s not as easy to clean as it could have been if the handle was cast or welded to the wok.

The reviews stating that the non-stick coating of the wok is only good for a year or two, coupled with the subtle hint that hand washing or dishwashing with “gentle detergents” is recommended, I’m reluctant to stick it in the dishwasher. While I’m willing to wash up by hand using detergent and a soft cloth, (I haven’t even scratched the coating yet, see attached image) my better half is less enthralled from the cleaning perspective. She’s a “If it doesn’t go into the dishwasher, then I won’t use it” kind of gal. So I get the impression that I’m going to be the only one who uses it. That said, since we’re both crazy food nutters, it actually helps me to have pots “at hand” (for my use at least) when we’re cooking concurrently. :-)

3 MINUTE “AFTERBURNER” TEST - THERMAL IMAGING & ANALYSIS:

OK, so I’m a tech-head, nerd, who uses thermal cameras… so I thought I’d help you, dear reader with images that show just how evenly the woks heat up… and compare it to the cheaper and more expensive woks I already have.

Please note: That the even-ness of the images shows heat conductivity, and does NOT reliably translate into heat retention or cooking performance. (Remember my discussion above). Obviously these images are for the empty woks, and foods (particularly fluids like sauces, stocks, and even water) will help to even the distribution of heat further over time as well.

So to ensure a fair reading. I’ll put the woks I have on the same hob, at the same heating level and take the image at the same time (3 minutes to avoid destroying my woks), and let the hob to completely cool down (to ambient) between images. (See comparison thermal images).

The cheap (and ancient) Woolworths pan (Left) has the hottest base and greatest thermal differential (75 degrees Celsius) on the walls. The thinner Aluminium construction allows the base to heat up quickest in the allotted time frame, and the taller, wider walls cool down as you get further away from the hob. No surprises there. What IS interesting, is that the exposed aluminium (where the coatings have chipped off… largely after 6-7 years of routine use) is actually cooler. This makes sense in that the aluminium is no longer insulated by the coating, but it is surprising that the coating itself helps with thermal conductivity to the point that the core seems noticeably cooler.

The Tefal “Unlimited” 28cm Induction Wok (Middle) has the most even result with a temperature difference of just 29.5C. Part of this is the fact that it is the smallest of the three woks (at only 28cm wide, and shallower/shorter walls). The conductivity of this wok ensures that heat from the base is drawn from the base, and the wider base has a slightly better contact with the hob’s heat. I can’t verify this, but I suspect that the metal is a little thicker, which would also explain the lower base temp and greater wall temperatures. However, I have found that chicken is definitely hard brown in this wok. (See image of stir fry). Now yes, I prefer my veggies to be a little undercooked, and yes, I could have browned it eventually. However, I just don’t like the long-term implications on the non-stick coating if I’m using the Tefal for the kinds of searing temperatures a typical seasoned/stainless steel wok would experience in that short, high-temperature style of cooking that a true stir-fry wok is usually associated with. If you’re wondering what that cooler splotch in the base is, that’s a little pool of oil that accumulated when I oiled the pan after cleaning.

The Baccarat “Stone” 30cm wok with lid (lid not used or shown for test comparison) had a “middle of the road” temperature difference of nearly 50C (49.6 Celsius to be precise). However, it is both taller and wider than the Tefal, and the coating CONSIDERABLY thicker. Interestingly, the extremities temperature was IDENTICAL to the Tefal after the same amount of time, but the core was 20C warmer. If I had to sear something in any of these woks, I think this would be my choice, as the embodied heat is higher, and the walls seem to be a little more efficiently transferring heat than the Tefal. This would probably be a bit nicer than the Tefal and probably noticeably better to sear with than the Woolworths wok. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS:

Cost: 50-80%

For a 28cm wok with induction capability, this is a fair-priced model. I’d say it’s aimed at the lower-mid range of the market. There are a range of alternatives, each with their pros and cons. However, if you can buy it on a sale at the lower end of the price scale, I’d give the price an 80% score. If you pay the higher end, or find you need to replace it within the 2 year warranty period as others seem to, then I’m sorry, the price only gets 50% and I’d strongly encourage you to buy something else (whether that’s a Woolworths el-cheapo, that did serve us well for 12+ years) and replace it every few years, or just buy a high end Baccarat, Scanpan, or Swiss Diamond which can be bought on sale for $100-270 on sale for the long term savings (and dishwasher safe cleaning).

Quality: 90%

I can’t fault this wok for materials so far, so I’m giving it 90% for the lack of dishwasher safe cleaning.

Design: 95%

Light weight, single handed operation, relatively nice shape, and easy to hold handle. Riveted handles a little bit of a pain to clean though, deducting 5%.

Ease of Use: 90%

10% lost because the walls are a little shorter, making spillage a little more likely, and lower capacity probably needs other cookware to pad larger meals out. Very easy to clean while the coatings are intact though.

Versatility: 90%

Depending on your cooking style, temperature range… For general cooking… 90%. It’s not going to compete with preheated cast iron for searing, or copper/silver cookware for rapid -yet-controlled temperature changes. However, I’m only going to compare this with a wok of similar construction, so it loses 10% for those pervasive warnings about overheating this wok.

Effectiveness: 80%

Frankly, the “Thermo signal” is of limited use to me personally. Other than that, it’s pan that can be very versatile if used within the bounds of its construction. For frying up bacon and eggs, cooking mince, or making a curry, this works well and without much fuss. As a high-temp, sear everything right-at-the-smoking-point or “let’s fry the pants off this food”, this isn’t the wok for that… unless you WANT to replace the wok on a regular basis.

Warranty: 50%

Two years, with so many conditions that I think it’d be hard to claim against, doesn’t inspire confidence. With so many cookware brands (some cheaper end) offering 7 year, 10, or limited lifetime warranties, Tefal hasn’t inspired a great deal of confidence here, and the fact that people are reporting that they’re buying new pans whilst WITHIN warranty, only reinforces my concerns. I’d really like to see a re-coating service, or some other way to make the wok last longer.

Support/Documentation: 90%

The pamphlet told me almost everything I needed to know, but the box had better images to show what it was talking about. The box isn’t something I’d keep around, but the pamphlet is. Consequently, I’d have liked to see the pamphlet printed in colour, and perhaps the box be a little less fancy.

Total Score: 645/800 - 675/800 (80.625% - 84.375%)

There are a lot of reasons to judge this differently, and it depends on your needs and situation.

Cost is a big variance here. You can get it from “Peters of Kensington” for as little as $85 (pickup). Some places have it at over $170.. that’s TWICE the price (and still not include shipping). You can get four or even EIGHT “el cheapos” for that price. With the Baccarat having limited lifetime warranty and dishwasher safe cleaning, and larger cook volume, starting at $119 might make more sense. However, if you love the size and shape of the Tefal, and get it cheap, and really look after it, I don’t see why it should lose any more than 20%. If money is no object, and you just don’t care and love Tefal… then add the missing 20-50%. (Add 2.6 to 6.25% to the overall score)

Perhaps you don’t mind hand washing, then add the 5% (add 0.625% to the overall score)

Perhaps you only do simple meals and this wok does everything you need, add 10% back to versatility. (Add 1.3% overall)

Perhaps you LOVE the thermo signal, and rely on it heavily, and don’t sear much…. Then add the 20% back to effectiveness. (That’s an additional 2.6% to the overall score)

Perhaps you are constantly upgrading/giving your “hand me downs” to friends and family, the warranty won’t mean much to you, add 50%… (that’s 8% to the overall score)

Perhaps you’ve never read a manual in your life, forsaking the consequences, add 10% to the documentation. (Add 1.3% overall)

CONCLUSION:

At the end of the day, I have seen no evidence of problems with the non-stick coating. Particularly when following Tefal’s instructions. However, my test was limited to the month I was given, so long term use may paint a more detailed picture. So I personally cannot fault this pan at all. I’ve perhaps treated this one a bit more gently than the other ones, (namely hand washing) because the other models explicitly say I can use the dishwasher. Overall, it’s a perfectly serviceable multi-purpose piece of cookware, but it isn’t going to handle continual use at those extremely high temperatures some stir-fry enthusiasts will want to use.

I like it, and as a one-pan option, it’s great. But keep price and performance in mind when comparing the alternatives.

Good luck and happy cooking! Harmo.

Best nonstick pan I have used – This Tefal wok was provided to me for the purpose of this review, under the Productreview.com.au Product Ambassador program. This wok has really helped improve my cooking of stir-fries. I am a retired professional cook, but I have never really been happy with my stir-fries. The end result has often been limp vegetables rather than crisp crunchy… Read more

ones. I think the issue has been the pan temperature falling too much during cooking. The first time I used the Tefal Unlimited induction wok, I was impressed. At last, a crisp and flavourful stir fry.

The Tefal Unlimited Premium Induction wok has some clever features. It has non-stick surfaces inside and out, so even any spills and dribbles that find their way over the edge of the pan are still very easy to clean off. The inside surface is a premium titanium non-stick, Tefal says it is safe to be used with metal utensils as long as they don’t have sharp edges. That is impressive. I didn’t subject the wok to any torture tests to look at durability, but so far after a few weeks use it is still unmarked. I did cook a chilli dish using minced beef and used a stainless steel potato masher to break up lumps of minced beef, it has rounded edges (like a heavy wire zig-zag) so nothing scratchy, the titanium non-stick surface had no marks or damage at all.

Tefal frypans, including this 28 cm Unlimited Premium induction wok, have a very clever temperature-indicator red dot in the centre. This dot has an image of an hourglass in a slightly different shade of red, one of the two reds becomes darker when the pan is at a good hot temperature for cooking, which is a really good guide for the cook. The hourglass image disappears and it becomes just a plain red circle when at the correct temperature. This isn’t perfect, I could still make out the hourglass image even when hot, but it is certainly less distinct and is still a big help.

I have two ways of heating this wok, my regular stove is gas and has a wok burner, I also use a small benchtop induction cooker and I have used this wok on both. As it is sold as an induction wok, I mainly used it on the induction hob, which has a maximum power level of 2000 watts. At this level it took a little while for the wok to heat up, a more powerful induction cooktop would have been faster. Even on the gas wok burner, it took a few minutes to get up to temperature. This isn’t a bad thing – it means when the wok is hot enough (when the red dot becomes all one colour) there is quite a lot of heat stored in the metal of the wok, so it holds its heat when you put cold food into it, and it cooks the food easily and fast. Nothing sticks, not even a little bit. It is the best non-stick surface I have used. This makes clean up easy, too.

Woks are all about stir frying, but I have found this wok to be good for other cooking too. The way you can “store” some heat in the pan before adding the first ingredients, the large surface area and the even heating makes it great for browning the first ingredients of many dishes. I have cooked a chili beef and bean meal and cooked a few curries in it, each time it was excellent. The initial browning / searing phase was fast and very effective.

I really enjoy cooking with the Tefal Unlimited Premium induction wok, but it isn’t perfect. Its achilles heel is the handle, which is too heavy and an uncomfortable shape, and angles up too steeply. The handle has a raised ridge down each side of the top surface, and these press into the fleshy parts of the hand when you hold the pan. This is accentuated by the weight, which is quite heavy. I’m a 1.8 m tall male, a smaller lighter person might find this pan too heavy. The steep angle of the handle makes you hold it at an unnatural angle, it should sit a bit flatter. The handle is solid stainless steel, which means it is oven safe to 250 degrees C, but it could be made lighter and a better shape. It also has no grip to the surface, which makes it slippery if your hands are wet. The good news is Tefal have another version of this pan, the name is the same except it doesn’t have the word “Premium” in the title, and it has a handle that, in photos at least, looks much better. Wider, flatter, a more comfortable looking shape, a grippy surface, but only oven-safe to 175 degrees C. I would suggest checking them both out in store before buying the premium version.

The Tefal Unlimited Premium induction wok doesn’t come with a lid. I think it should, fortunately I had a suitable glass lid that fits well. It may not be necessary when used as a wok, but the pan is versatile enough for other uses like curries and then having a lid would be great.

All in all, I’m impressed.

Its not a Wok, but it is an excellent Frypan – The Tefal Stirfry Pan/Poele Wok/Wok Pan, well, in the immortal words of Meatloaf, which was also cooked in this pan using the stove top and oven, “Two out of Three “aint bad”. I have used this pan three times a day over the last three weeks and I can honestly say, it meets its guarantee, perfect searing, no scratches developed on its titanium… Read more

coating, and it exceeds the performance of other frypans in my kitchen, that being fast and even cooking results. It is an excellent Frypan, possibly one of the best I have used.

It performed exceptionally well in the making of Oodles of wok style Noodle Stirfry, Fried Rice, the obligatory Poele, Curries, Fillet and Butterfly cuts of meat and Fish, Big Breakfasts, Pancakes, even outreach dishes like popcorn, mussels and even soups/Laksas, as well as doing a great job in combination with the oven on my experiment with meatloaf. But as the song goes, its third advertised capability for which this pan is branded, and the one that I was most looking forward to, that being the Wok, is a big miss.

Refer "Report Image 01.jpg": When I received the Tefal product my primary desire was for a Wok.

This Tefal product held great promise in the graphics of its packaging, and its Wokpan label set my expectations that a Wok was soon to be exposed. Its Marketing on the package left me salivating for what was about to unfold.

Alas, the Wok like appearance on the packaging revealed itself as a product that was more like a frypan, and had significant shortcomings as a Wok, that being too small – did not cover the 4 servings for my “test” subjects - the side walls of the Wok were far too shallow, there was no concentration in surface area at the base of the pan for the collection of juices and that extra kick of heat, that I had come to expect from a small concentrated flat centre in the base of a traditional style Wok.

Refer "Report Image 02.jpg": The image is what the Tefal StirFry Pan/Wok looked like out of the box

Refer "Report Image 03.jpg": The image is what I was expecting the Tefal Wok to look like, with a much higher side wall and a smaller centrally concentrated base section

In defence of the Tefal Frypan review, my Wok style may not be to everyone’s liking, I have come to expect a small concentration in surface area to the flat section of a Wok, the point where the flavour is infused into the ingredients. This is where I would normally expect the natural juices to be stored as a collection point, and the place for which I toss through the ingredients, where normally the temperature is much higher.

The Tefal Stirfry Pan/Wok spreads the heat evenly over its cooking surface, with the extent of its flat base resulting in most of the natural juices that collect there, evaporating due to this larger flat surface area. It is excellent at spreading its high surface temperature across the entire surface of the pan, but provides no real additional concentration of temperature at the base of the pan, which delivers little opportunity for tossing/basting the ingredients, what is normally a juice collection point at the centre of a Wok.

In addition, no opposing handles to control frying versus tossing and no lid to add the “Steam Reduction” capability so often sought for in a Wok, is sorely missed. Basically, it behaves like a Frypan, is excellent at Stirfry, but requires a different technique from the Wok for cooking Wok Style recipes. The Tefal Stirfry Pan/Wok does not cook like, nor behave like, a Wok.

Refer "Report Image 04.jpg": The Tefal Stirfry Pan/Wok image is what I received, it is an exceptional Frypan.

Refer "Report Image 05.jpg": However, I was expecting a Wok more like the representation in this image.

So I developed a bit of a bug bear in the use of this Frypan as a Wok, that was hard to overcome. The Tefal Stirfry Pan/Wok, as a Wok, has none of the distinctive features of a Wok, being the size (diameter), the side wall (height) that allow ingredients to be tossed controlling how the heat is used from different areas of the pan, techniques for adding heat to the ingredients when held at the wall of the pan, or from tossing ingredients through a highly concentrated central point in bottom where the juices are collected. So, using this Frypan/Wok with your fine-tuned skills for using and enjoying a Wok, well forget it being a Wok.

In conclusion, apart from my “Wok it is not” comment, it does lend itself to a number of features used in Wok style cooking. The heat of the pan is equal across its entire cooking surface, that is, base and side walls, meaning more surface area to fry that Stirfry. It requires no oil, apart from that used in the pans bedding down process, and heats up quickly with a high level of heat trapped into the pan by the thicker/wider energy induction capability that is clearly visible at its base.

As a frypan, it’s a great looking frypan with excellent heat distribution across the pan, its non-stick surface is holding up to hammering I gave it over the last three weeks, and the shape of the pan walls does tend to throw the tossed ingredients off the side walls back into the frypan. The handle is cool to the touch and is at a comfortable angle to allow ingredients to be tossed effectively. The pan is relatively light given its induction plate, and heats up to the cooktop’s set temperatures very quickly. It is extremely responsive to temperature changes at the cooktop. I would have loved a lid to have been included with the pan, if not the additional handle, but if I ignore my yearning for a wok, it can do most things a Wok can do, it just requires a different technique to that used for a Wok.

So would I recommend the Tefal Stirfry Pan/Poele Wok/Wok Pan and add it to my arsenal of cooking utensils. Well, as a Frypan, A Big “Yes”, it will replace a few of them and hold pride of place at that, but as the Wok I was looking for, It is not.

Great for singles, couples and small families – Positives: The Tefal non-stick wok browns meats well and cooks it quickly. The wok generates heat fast and food items do not get stuck. It is also really easy to clean and not too big to store. The handle stays cool to touch and it is not too heavy so can easy pick up with one hand when full. I tried the wok on a range of different meals such as… Read more

storeys and scrambled eggs and it worked really well. Negatives: The size of the wok is just too small for a family of 4 or larger. I had to cook everything separately for a stir fry and then add it all together. If you add too much to the wok at one time it just forces the vegetables etc to release water and become soft. Therefore if you are only cooking full meals like stir fry’s for 1-3 people then this is a great size. Would also be handy if it came with a lid but this is not a deal breaker.

Heats Quickly, Evenly, and Easy to Clean – I received this wok as part of the ambassador review program. This held no bearing on the rating or review which were my own honest opinions. Firstly, I think it is important to also note the following household circumstances: Our household consists of a family of 3 adults. Our most commonly used cookware item is a wok. We have a gas oven and… Read more

stove.

Over the past few years we have had a few woks, some non-stick ones that haven’t lived up to expectations and our current one is a stainless steel wok which food sticks to and can be difficult to clean. I was excited to receive my new Tefal Wok with hopes that it would be a significant improvement to what I have previously used. To summarise, I have broken down my review into the following pros and cons:

PROS: ** Heats quickly

** Even heat distribution. There are no hot/cold patches with heat spread evenly throughout the base.

** Non stick (as the name suggests). With my old steel pan, meat and any sauces would sizzle, stick and sometimes burn unless constantly stirred. When using my new Tefal wok I was relieved to notice no sizzle, sticking and burning and I was able to leave sauces simmering on low. When cooking bacon, it was crispy as it should be and did not stick one bit.

** Easy to clean. Food wipes off with no effort or hard scrubbing required.

** Comfortable, ergonomically shaped handle to allow easy holding and carrying

CONS: ** RRP seems steep (although this range can often be found on sale at major retailers to provide better value)

** Possibly too small for a family of 4. We cook for a family of 3 and just managed to fit the ingredients of most dishes in. A 32cm+ wok might be a better size for a larger family.

** Only having used it for a few weeks, I cannot attest to its long term durability. However, it appears solid and well made which suggests durability may not be of concern.

** Manual clean - Whilst it can be put in the dishwasher, it is recommended to be washed by hand so to play it safe we are following this advice.

Overall, I had no major concerns and none of which affect its performance in any way. As such, I am very pleased with this wok and look forward to getting many more uses out of it.

Not the best wok for traditional stir frying – I was excited to receive the Tefal Unlimited Premium Induction Non-stick Wok 28cm as I use a wok almost every day cooking for up to 4 people. I thought a smaller wok would be useful plus take up less room in the dishwasher. I have included a photo of my original wok and the Tefal one to see the difference in size. On the box, Tefal says the wok… Read more

is big enough for 4.

I have been using this wok for a couple of weeks for different types of recipes, not just stir frying.

This is a high end piece of cookware retailing at around $200 ($90 if on sale).

I am not a fan of the red dot (thermo-signal) heat indicator as over time it stops working from previous cookware I have owned.

MY EXPERIENCE USING ... 1. The wok did not work well on my largest induction hotplate, not able to reach high temperatures. All my other cookware works well on this ring. It is the closest to me so I use it the most. The Tefal wok worked well on a smaller ring and reached high temperatures quickly. 2. I found the size of the wok difficult to use for stir frying due to its' small size. It certainly is better for one or two people, not four. 3. Due to the size, food splashed everywhere when stir frying. 4. The wok is ideal for deep frying. 5. With a small base not that great as a sauté pan due to the smaller surface area. 6. Unfortunately the internal surface is not curved which makes the movement of stir frying difficult. My larger non-stick wok is curved internally and has a flat base.

PROS... 1. Can be used in oven up to 250°c. 2. Dishwasher safe. 3. Compatible with all hotplates. 4. Comfortable to hold handle. 5. Scratch resistant coating (That will need to be tested over time to agree with this claim). 6. Easy to clean. 7. Not too heavy to hold with one hand. 8. Cool to touch handle when using on hotplate. 9. Fast, even heating. See video.

CONS... 1. Too small for proper stir frying. 2. Price. 3. Not curved internally.

Adam Liaw, Masterchef winner and celebrity cook recommends a home wok with a base that measures 35cm and needs to be curved. This wok is only 28cm. A larger wok will have higher sides which keeps sauces from splashing everywhere when stir frying.

If you are right into traditional stir frying like me, this 28cm wok is not the wok to use.

A lovely highly functional wok – I was sent this product as an incentive to provide a fair and honest review in the ProductReview Ambassador Program. Specifics. On the box, the wok includes that it is: (i) ideal for delicious stewing, braising, simmering, slow cooking (ii) suitable for all heat sources (hobs) including induction (iii) has robust riveted handles (iv) easy to… Read more

clean (v) no PFOA/cadmium/lead (vi) the wok is recyclable (vii) 28cm wide, suitable for 4 people (viii) made in France, and (ix) stands the test of time with a perfect cooking guarantee: perfect searing, durable non-stick coating made with Tiranium anti-scratch (lasts up to 6x longer that the Tefal standard Titanium coating), and superior induction with fast and even cooking.

On opening the box, I am not certain if I was or was not expecting a lid in this style and price point. It has a wide, beautifully presented handle which allows it to be lifted 2 handed when hot and quite full. When empty, it was very light weight.

I was surprised based on the wok depth and capacity that there was not a handle on the other side for handling when hot. I was also interested to see that the base was wider than I was expecting due to my previous wok experiences. The wok had a stable wide base and 'sauté pan style' sprang to mind.

Before I go further into the review, let me just state that I have tested this wok with various wooden, plastic and metal utensils including spoons, soup ladles and forks, without it affecting the finish. In all tests, I used a Smeg gas wok cooktop with both a small and large flame as part of the wok heat setup (which I have reviewed elsewhere). Not induction nor electric hobs.

Testing.

Some of my recipes for testing so far included two stir fries, porridge with dried fruits, soup/stew dishes, and spaghetti. In all cases, the wok worked really well. It had really even heat distribution and bubbled effectively and equally on the food surface. This could most easily be seen when making the porridge.

I have included images of a few dishes made. Ingredients/dishes trialled include:

Trial 1 - Porridge with honey and diced dried apples and cinnamon. I was pleasantly surprised that it had a really even heat distribution.  With both wok burners on, it bubbled evenly over the whole surface and cooked very evenly.  No lid, but not required for porridge.  The wok was not very heavy.  I could easily fit both hands on the handle to lift it.  Any bigger or heavier, and the wok would need a riveted handle on the other side.  Very easy to wash with plain detergent and a wash cloth.  Porridge lifted straight off.

Trial 2 - Ingredient medley. Mixed shaved mild cattiatore salami, ghee, garlic infused olive oil, finely diced red capsicum, thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced lemon peel, mukimame (shelled soybeans), parsley, two eggs, grated black pepper and grated coarse salt. Delicious. The way the items were cooked, it retained the flavours and did not overcook the vegetables. My only thought was that at one stage the wok started a slow repetitive clicking, indicating that the flame was either too hot or the dish did not have enough liquid, or in fact both.

Trial 3 - Braised ribs turned into a stew. I mixed celery, carrot, onion, olive meatballs, reduced salt beef stock, preserved shredded eggplants, and beef short ribs. My husband said it was the best meal he's had in quite some time. The wok worked really well to retain the flavour with slow cooking to make the meat fall off the bone and add to the stew. It was at this point that I really wished this wok had a second handle, as being quite full of ingredients (for me) it was really difficult to lift.

Trial 4 - Mince medley. I mixed cauliflower, red and white finely diced onion, mild cacciatore, long sweet green capsicum, pumpkin, winter melon, mince, mushrooms, salt, pepper. Cooked well. I think the flavour was the fault of the chef for this one, not the wok. I didn't get the flavours I was after, but it did cook well in the wok.

Trial 5 - Stir fry. In a modern take on stir fries, on two occasions I have bought store-bought stir fry mix (for 6, not 4) and marinated yiros meat and mixed them. Very simple and delicious. I used Coles stir fry mix plus diced chicken or lamb yiros pieces from my local butcher.

Positives - finish/surface is excellent. - easily withstood some harsh utensil use and high heat - handle always stayed cool - flavours were maintained throughout the cooking process - very even heat distribution when cooking - aesthetically a really unusual but pleasant design with high curved walls and a large base which does work for the heating and cooking process - the current handle is wide and can easily fit two hands on the one side

Negatives - I think it could do with a recommendation on the box for a lid model which someone can choose to buy online to match the wok - it could do with a second handle to handle it from both sides to flip heavier contents onto platters - it you are the type of chef that tosses ingredients everywhere in mixing in the wok, the sides could be slightly wider to prevent some escape of ingredients and allow easier use of flat-type utensils

Not a negative per se with this Professional series wok, but it has a wide base and not the rounded or smaller base seen for other woks. I have had many years of Tefal success using various Tefal cookware and find this one is no exception. Overall, it is an excellent buy.

Non-Stick lasted 18mths – o Size: It's actually 20cm across the base (the cooking surface), and 28cm at the top, at first I thought this might prove too small, but take a look at the photo, that's 500g of beef strips & a 250g packet of veges.. and there is tonnes of room left.. I don't think ill go back to a 'normal' frypan, I love the extra height to try and reduce the… Read more

cooktop mess! Obviously, this does limit the number of pancakes or eggs etc that you could fry at once... so there is unfortunately a trade-off as always..

o Materials: The Stainless Steel handle feels really sturdy, balanced, and classy, and the non-stick surface is (so far) faultless.. I will update in a few months, because all non-stick pans die at some stage.. it's just a question of how long they last for the price.. but I have used this one heavily for a month, and so far it still looks brand new... I used plastic utensils even though it does say you can use metal (but why risk it?).

o Cleaning: I just use the dishwasher (I'm lazy......), and it hasn't been a problem yet, the instructions say it's fine to do it, but they hint that they would prefer you to use hand-washing..

o Searing: It has a red 'thermometer' temperate gauge, I couldn't actually detect any difference in the gauge at any temperature.. perhaps the text was 'a little' less clear when it was at full heat.. I think to be honest this feature is a bit of a gimmick.. but it's irrelevant anyway, as you should have a pretty good idea when the pan is hot :P

o Final Thoughts: I've only used it on an electric hotplate, but so far I really love this pan, my last 2 pans (which were pretty decent quality) keep developing like an oxidised film on the base that scratches the cooktop, but this one doesn't have that problem.. its just looks really clean and shiny even after a dozen uses... it also feels well balanced with the stainless handle, and is big enough for my family of 4.

o 6 Month Update: Still no visible scratches, I have cleaned it in the dishwasher.. great stuff..

o 18 Month Update: Ok the Non-Stick surface is starting to fail now.. time to replace, but I think I'll get the same again, that's not bad for a pan imo.

Except one thing, the rest is all excellent – This Tefal wok has many positive points. It is very well balanced, advanced material high build quality, after all it is made in France. Please note it doesn't come with a lid however I already have a lid that fits perfectly when I bought a Tefal pan years ago. Overall, you can feel the solid construction of the wok especially the solidly… Read more

riveted handle and the thick bottom design that generates good even heat. I can hold the handle with bare hands while cooking without any issue, it's very safe. Compared to other pans and pots I have owned, this wok seems to heat up quicker a bit and there are hardly any hot spots. I started using the wok for frying steak and quite happy with the result. Next, stewing the vegies also proves very satisfactory. Last is the main purpose of the wok: stir frying a mix of vegies and meats. I found the wok function is not entirely met. Whilst the wall curves up, the bottom is flat which doesn't entirely facilitate the free movements of the food as Asian woks do which have deep and round shape for both bottom and side wall. So stir frying function is not quite positive and the wok function is pretty much not quite met. Tefal claims this wok can be used in oven up to 250 C and because I have other oven pans and pots, I did not try this function however the long handle requires the wok be placed diagonally inside to be able to fit in a standard oven. A removable handle would be more ideal for someone who wish to use this wok in their oven.

Except the stir fry function mentioned above, the overall cooking experience with this wok is pleasant as it is well balanced, maneuverable easily and safe. The non-stick titanium anti scratch coating is superb just by watching the content moving around so freely. The titanium non-stick coating allows a superbly quick cleaning. If plastic utensils were used, I have a feeling the coating would last a life time.

Tefal should consider developing a new wok based on the shape of the Asian woks with increased diameter and depth and this type of build quality. This would be a winner in no time.