Crux 14620 Electric Wok: Full Review

The Crux 14620 electric wok is an affordable and versatile electric cooking appliance that allows you to stir-fry, steam, simmer, braise, and deep fry a variety of ingredients right on your countertop. This 1500-watt electric wok has a number of features that make it convenient for everyday cooking in a standard kitchen. It has an adjustable thermostat ranging from warm to 425°F that gives you precise temperature control for various cooking methods. The aluminum non-stick coating and domed shape are designed to distribute heat evenly so ingredients cook thoroughly without hot spots. This lightweight yet durable wok has cool-touch handles and a tempered glass lid to make cooking safe and easy. With its 5.5 quart capacity, the Crux 14620 can handle cooking for 2-4 people. If you're looking for an electric wok to add versatility to your cooking, the Crux 14620 is a great option to consider.

Design

The Crux electric wok has an attractive design with a premium feel. It features a durable nonstick coating on the cooking surface that allows food to easily slide around and prevents sticking. This nonstick coating is PFOA free, so it's safer for cooking.

One notable design element is the cool-touch stainless steel handle, which stays cool even during cooking. This allows you to grip and maneuver the wok safely. The handle has a modern curved shape with an ergonomic grip.

Overall, the wok has a sleek brushed stainless steel exterior that looks great in any kitchen. The nonstick cooking surface and cool-touch handle make it convenient and safe for cooking stir fry, steaming, deep frying, and more.

The Presto 05900 Wok is another top contender in the electric wok market. It features a high-quality nonstick surface both inside and out, ensuring easy cleaning and durability. The wok heats up quickly and evenly, making it ideal for various cooking methods such as stir-frying, boiling, and braising. Its adjustable temperature control allows for precise cooking, while the tempered glass cover with a stainless-steel rim and handle lets you monitor the cooking process safely. This wok combines functionality with ease of use, making it a valuable addition to any kitchen.

Temperature Control

A major advantage of the Crux electric wok is the adjustable thermostat that allows you to control the temperature precisely up to 400F. This gives you a high degree of flexibility when cooking different ingredients that require different temperatures. For example, you can turn the heat up high to sear meat and stir fry veggies, then easily reduce the temperature to a simmer when making sauces. The thermostat also prevents overheating or burning food. You don't have to worry about any fluctuations in temperature as you cook - the electric heating element maintains a steady heat. Overall, the adjustable thermostat is a useful feature that makes this wok extremely versatile for all kinds of recipes and cooking techniques.

Another excellent option to consider is the GreenLife CC003725-002. This electric wok stands out with its ceramic non-stick coating, which ensures easy food release and hassle-free clean-up. The GreenLife CC003725-002 can heat up to 450°F, offering even more flexibility for high-heat cooking. Additionally, its ergonomic design with a cool-touch handle ensures safety and comfort during use. The GreenLife design also promotes even heating, which prevents hot spots and ensures consistent cooking results. This product is a great choice for those seeking performance and convenience.

Size

The Crux Nonstick Electric Wok has a generous 14 inch diameter cooking surface which provides ample room to stir fry and toss ingredients. With a 4 quart capacity, the wok can hold enough food to serve 3-4 people comfortably. The spacious interior allows you to cook a full meal directly in the wok, from meat and vegetables to rice or noodles, without ingredients feeling crowded. This makes the Crux wok a great option for cooking family-sized portions. The 14 inch size strikes a nice balance between portability and cooking capacity. It's large enough to hold a good amount of food, yet not so unwieldy that it's difficult to store when not in use. Whether cooking for yourself or the whole family, the size of this electric wok makes it versatile for everyday use.

Ease of Use

The Crux Electric Wok is designed for convenience and ease of use. It features a removable temperature probe, allowing you to easily remove it for cleaning or storage. The probe helps ensure even cooking by monitoring the internal temperature of the wok. It's also dishwasher safe, so cleaning up after cooking is a breeze. Simply remove any excess food, place it in the dishwasher, and let the machine do the scrubbing for you. The non-stick surface also makes cooking easier by preventing food from sticking while sautéing veggies or frying meat. Overall, the thoughtful design makes using this electric wok straightforward and hassle-free for home cooks. You don't have to fuss with hard-to-clean surfaces or temperature gauges that can't be removed. The Crux Electric Wok keeps things simple so you can focus on enjoying delicious stir fry, sautes, or other one-pan meals.

Heating Element

The Electric Wok Crux 14620 is equipped with an embedded stainless steel heating coil for fast and even heating. This provides more efficient, consistent heat distribution across the cooking surface compared to traditional woks that concentrate heat towards the base.

The embedded coil design allows the entire interior cooking surface to heat up rapidly and uniformly. This is important for properly searing and stir-frying ingredients that need quick, high heat cooking. Even delicate foods like eggs and seafood won't have cold spots when they make contact with the pan sides or edges.

Users report the coil provides powerful 1850 watts of heating power that brings the wok to temperature for stir-frying in just minutes. It recovers heat quickly as well so the cooking process isn't slowed if ingredients are added in batches. The coil is designed to withstand the demands of high heat cooking and resist warping or damage over time.

Overall the integrated heating coil is an innovative feature that sets this electric wok apart, enabling fast, even heat essential for proper stir-fry cooking. It eliminates the hot spot problems of traditional wok designs.

Safety Features

The Crux Electric Wok prioritizes safety in its design. It has several features to prevent accidents and injuries.

One key safety element is the cool touch handle. While the wok itself gets extremely hot during cooking, the handle remains cool to the touch. Users can confidently grip the handle without risk of burns. This makes tossing food, stirring, and maneuvering the wok much safer.

The wok also has overheat protection to prevent fires or damage. If the temperature exceeds the highest setting, the heating element will automatically shut off. This prevents the wok from overheating to dangerous levels.

Together, the cool touch handle and overheat protection give users peace of mind. The wok can reach high temperatures for rapid cooking, while still preventing household safety hazards. Users don't have to compromise on performance or safety.

Cleaning

The Crux Electric Wok has several features that make cleaning easy. The nonstick coating prevents food from sticking and makes washing by hand simple. Any messes wipe right off with little effort.

The lid, rack, and temperature probe are all removable and dishwasher safe as well. Just pop them in the dishwasher after cooking for easy cleanup. No need to hand wash the entire wok if you don't want to. The nonstick surface holds up well in the dishwasher without wearing down.

Overall, the nonstick coating and dishwasher safe parts make cleaning the Crux Electric Wok a breeze. No more scrubbing burned on food after dinner. Just a quick wipe down or tossing parts in the dishwasher is all it takes. The simple cleanup is a major perk of this wok.

Pros

The Electric Wok Crux 14620 has several advantages that make it a great choice for an electric wok.

Even Heating

The Electric Wok Crux 14620 provides even and consistent heating across the entire cooking surface. Its 1500W heating element and aluminum body work together to distribute heat evenly, preventing hot or cold spots. This allows you to stir-fry and sauté ingredients perfectly without burning or undercooking. Even heating allows you to make restaurant-quality meals at home.

Easy to Use Controls

This electric wok has user-friendly knob controls that allow you to precisely adjust the temperature from warm to 450°F. The adjustable thermostat gives you complete control to simmer sauces, deep fry, or sear meat at high heat. You don't have to guess the temperature - just twist the knob to set the exact cooking temperature you need.

Nonstick Coating

The nonstick coating covering the Electric Wok Crux 14620 allows you to cook with little to no oil, making it easy to create healthier stir-fries and sautés. Food won't stick to the surface, even when cooking delicate proteins like eggs or fish. Clean-up is also a breeze thanks to the durable nonstick coating.

Cons

• The wok's 14" diameter may be too small to cook large meals for multiple people. While the spacious 5qt capacity can hold a good amount of food, the compact 14" size limits how much can cook at once, especially if including lots of vegetables. For larger households, it may be challenging to cook a full meal in a single batch.
• The sloped sides, while great for tossing ingredients, reduce the overall cooking surface compared to flat-bottomed woks. This further limits how much food can be cooked at one time.
• Taller foods like broccoli or bok choy may not fit well due to the lower sides. Meat and veggies may need to be cooked in separate batches.