Spider strainers’ (a.k.a skimmers) origins lie in East Asia, where they’re commonly used in wok cooking, allowing the user to deftly and quickly toss or scoop food.

Whether you’re buying a wok for the first time or you’re a seasoned wok user, Consumer Reports offers tips on how to choose and use your wok.

How to cook with a wok. Here are a few bonus tips on how to use your newly seasoned wok. • A flat-bottomed wok works well on standard American stoves; carbon steel is great for gas burners, ...

“Using a wok and fire is already complicated enough. When you make it too difficult, the audience is just gonna be like, ‘I’m gonna stick to a pan, my microwave or air fryer,’” he says.

When cooking, set the wok over high heat, then flick a drop of water in the dry pan; when the drop evaporates in a second, the pan is hot enough for cooking. Don’t worry about a few scratches ...