Breville BEW600XL Electric Wok: Full Review

A wok is an essential piece of cookware in Asian cooking, allowing for quick, high-heat searing and stir-frying. While traditionally made of cast iron or carbon steel, electric woks provide a more convenient option for home cooks. The Breville BEW600XL is a popular electric wok featuring 1800 watts of heating power, a versatile control panel, and a durable non-stick bowl. With thoughtful design touches like an innovative wrapping element and dishwasher safe parts, this Breville model aims to bring authentic wok cooking into the modern kitchen. Read on for a detailed review of the features and performance of the Breville BEW600XL electric wok.

Design

The Breville BEW600XL electric wok has a sleek and modern design that will look great in any kitchen. It is constructed from brushed stainless steel that is both durable and easy to clean.

The wok itself has a 14-inch diameter cooking surface which provides ample room to stir-fry ingredients. It has a domed lid that helps circulate heat and moisture. The stainless steel loop handles stay cool while cooking.

Weighing in at just under 11 pounds, this wok is lightweight enough to move around the countertop or stovetop easily. However, the sturdy construction gives it enough heft to feel stable during cooking.

In terms of aesthetics, the brushed stainless steel exterior gives it a classy look. The analog control knobs and LCD display provide a nice blend of retro and modern styling. The Breville logo is tastefully displayed on the base.

Overall, the design focuses on delivering the best cooking performance in an attractive and user-friendly package. The size is optimal for most households and the materials allow for versatility across different cooking surfaces. It will look great displayed in the kitchen.

Another great option to consider is the Aroma Housewares AEW-306. This electric wok boasts a durable non-stick coating, making it easy to clean after each use. With a wide cooking surface, it is perfect for preparing family meals, and its adjustable temperature control ensures precision cooking. The tempered glass lid allows you to monitor your food as it cooks while retaining moisture and flavors. Additionally, the cool-touch handles ensure safe handling during cooking. It's an excellent addition to any kitchen, combining functionality with modern design.

Heating System

The Breville BEW600XL features a powerful 1500 watt induction heating system which swiftly generates heat to high temperatures up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows any type of cooking, from simmering sauces to searing meats.

The induction coils are located securely beneath the non-stick wok bowl rather than at the base. This provides incredibly even heat distribution across the entire wok, eliminating hot spots. The wok is made from die-cast aluminum which further promotes rapidly heating and superior conduction to prevent over or undercooking.

You can precisely control the temperature from 250-425°F to perfectly suit the dish you are cooking. Whether you need a gentle simmer or blistering heat for a good sear, the Breville electric wok lets you master a range of cooking techniques.

If you're considering alternatives, the Aroma Housewares AEW-307 is worth a look. This electric wok is known for its versatile cooking options and affordability. With a 5-quart capacity and a durable non-stick surface, it provides excellent heat distribution for even cooking. The adjustable temperature controls make it easy to find the perfect setting for any dish, ensuring your meals are cooked just right every time. Additionally, the Aroma Housewares AEW-307 is designed for easy cleaning and maintenance, making it a practical choice for busy kitchens.

Control Panel

The Breville BEW600XL electric wok has an intuitive and easy to use control panel. There are several buttons that allow you to precisely control the cooking process.

The power button turns the wok on and off. There are also buttons to adjust the temperature - you can set it anywhere from 250F to 425F to suit different cooking needs. The wok heats up very quickly and maintains an even temperature.

There is a timer button that you can use to set cooking duration up to 60 minutes. This is useful for recipes that need very precise cooking times. The timer has an auto-off function so the wok will turn off when the timer is complete.

The keep warm button sets the wok to a lower temperature to keep food heated after cooking is complete without overcooking. This ensures your ingredients stay ready to eat while you finish preparing other items.

An LCD display clearly shows the set temperature and time remaining. The buttons have lights that indicate when a setting is active. The controls are very intuitive and easy to use even for beginners.

Overall the control panel provides excellent precision and convenience when cooking in the electric wok. You can easily adjust settings as needed for different recipes with the responsive buttons.

Cooking Performance

The Breville BEW600XL Hot Wok delivers excellent cooking performance for a wide variety of Asian cooking techniques like stir-frying, steaming, and deep frying. The 1500W heating system generates rapid, even heat across the entire 14-inch non-stick wok pan to ensure thorough, consistent cooking.

The high heat output allows you to achieve an authentic wok sear on ingredients in just seconds. This rapid temperature increase is ideal for quickly cooking sliced vegetables, thinly sliced meat, seafood, egg dishes, noodles, and more while retaining texture and moisture. The heat spreads evenly up the sloped sides of the wok so you can toss and stir fry ingredients without burning.

The non-stick surface and domed lid make the Breville wok great for steaming dumplings, dim sum, fish, chicken, and other ingredients. Steam is trapped to gently cook the food through without drying it out. The wok is also well-suited for deep frying favorites like wontons and egg rolls. The lid contains splatter during frying.

So whether you want to stir fry a veggie medley, sear scallops or chicken, or steam dumplings, the Breville Electric Wok provides the high, even heat needed to prepare authentic Asian meals. The non-stick cooking surface also makes cleanup a breeze after cooking.

Ease of Use

The Breville BEW600XL electric wok is designed to be very convenient and easy to use.

Setup

Setting up the wok is simple - just place it on a stable, level surface and plug it in. The non-stick surface means you don't have to season it before first use.

Cleaning

Clean-up is easy thanks to the non-stick bowl and lid. Food doesn't stick, so you can just wipe it out with a sponge or cloth after cooking. The wok and lid are also dishwasher safe for more thorough cleaning.

Storage

The wok has a compact, vertical design that doesn't take up much counter space. The lid locks into place on top of the wok, so you can store it upright or on its side without any hassle. The power cord can be wrapped under the base for neat storage as well.

Safety Features

The Breville BEW600XL electric wok has several useful safety features.

• The wok has an auto shutoff that turns the heating element off if left unattended for an extended period. This prevents the wok from overheating or burning food if you forget to turn it off. The auto shutoff provides peace of mind when cooking.

• The wok also comes with cool touch handles on both sides. The handles stay relatively cool while cooking, allowing you to move or adjust the wok safely without burning your hands. The cool touch handles make it easy to toss ingredients or remove the wok from the heating element. You don't need bulky potholders to grasp the wok while cooking.

• The non-stick coating inside the wok helps prevent food from burning or sticking. This allows you to cook with less oil and also makes cleanup much easier after cooking.

• The premium die-cast aluminum body distributes heat evenly, reducing the risk of hot spots that could burn food.

The combination of auto shutoff, cool touch handles, non-stick surface, and even heating provides a safer cooking experience when using the electric wok. You can cook with confidence knowing the wok has safety top of mind.

Accessories

The Breville BEW600XL Hot Wok comes with some handy accessories to help you make the most of this electric wok.

It includes a tempered glass lid which is useful for steaming and locking in heat when cooking. The lid fits nicely and has a stainless steel rim and handle for safely removing it.

You also get a bamboo spatula which is heat resistant up to 400°F. The angled head and flat edges make it easy to stir-fry and toss ingredients in the wok. It feels sturdy enough for frequent use.

Some woks come with steaming racks but this one does not. However, you can purchase a stainless steel steaming rack separately if you want to stack and steam foods.

It's also missing other handy accessories like a recipe or cook book. But you can find numerous wok recipes online to take advantage of this versatile cooking tool.

Overall, the included lid and spatula are useful additions. And you can expand the accessories as needed by getting a steaming rack and using online recipe resources.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Large 14.7 quart capacity can cook for a large group
• 1800 watt heating system provides fast, even heating
• Non-stick coating on bowl and lid make cleanup easy
• Temperature range from 200°F to 425°F for versatile cooking
• Digital control panel is easy to use with presets and adjustable temps
• Bowl, lid, and tools are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup
• Safety features like cool touch base and handles
• Comes with bamboo spatula, chopsticks, and steaming tray

Cons

• Heavy and bulky, not ideal for moving around frequently
• Nonstick coating may scratch over time
• No dedicated simmer function
• Lid does not seal tightly for pressure cooking
• Short power cord may require extension cord

Conclusion

The Breville BEW600XL Hot Wok is an excellent electric wok that performs remarkably well for home cooking thanks to its sturdy build, powerful 1500-Watt heating system, and useful features like a removable temperature probe and vented glass lid.

The non-stick wok pan provides ample 6.3 quart capacity for family meals while the combination of wraparound heating elements and high heat output allow you to achieve a real stir-frying experience. The intuitive control panel makes it simple to preheat, regulate temperature, and indicate when ready to cook.

In terms of ease of use, the Breville wok is very user-friendly. The non-stick surface prevents sticking, it's easy to clean, and the dishwasher-safe parts add convenience. Safety features like the cool-touch base and handle allow for secure handling.

Overall, this is one of the best electric woks on the market in terms of performance, build quality, and features. It's comparable to other top models like the Aroma Housewares AEW-306 Electric Wok and the Oster CKSTWF23-S Electric Wok. However, the additional power of the Breville's 1500-Watt heating system gives it an edge for fast, high-heat searing and stir-frying.

For home cooks seeking an electric wok that delivers excellent cooking results, the Breville BEW600XL Hot Wok is highly recommended. It brings authentic stir-frying capabilities right to your kitchen.