Advantages: quick healthy eating
Disadvantages: unlikely to be used regularly

.... Make sure you do not use any metal tools with your wok as they can damage the non- stick coating. If you buy a Carbon steel wok without the non stick coating then you will have a little more work to do before you can use it. There is a protective coating in the wok which you need to remove by placing the wok over a low heat with one tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot you then swirl it around the pan until it is all coated, remove from the heat and scrub until all the coating is removed. I don't have this type of wok so can not comment on how easy this is to do. Once the protective coating has been removed the wok needs to be thoroughly washed and dried. It then needs to be seasoned - this is done by rubbing the inside of the wok with oil. Place the wok over a gentle heat until the oil starts to smoke, then remove from the heat... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to clean, very functional, solid hard wearing cast iron pan stands
Disadvantages: None

...I bought this hob in February 2007 and my kitchen fitter fitted it with no problems except he said the electric cable (for the electronic ignition) wasn't very long. It is very easy to use with the ignition being automatic when you turn the knobs. The gas flame is very controllable, from a minium size flame to, what seems, a very powerful flame. There are two medium size gas burners, a small one, a large one and a wok burner. I tend to use the small and medium burners the most. Even for a large frying pan the medium burner is fine. The wok burner is excellent. The cast iron pan stands are very solid and hard wearing gives the hob an impressive look. All parts come off quickly and it is very easy to keep clean. The only slight critisim is, if you look closely at the hob, the metal does look slightly tinny and it would scratch... Read review

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Advantages: Stylish, well built, easy to use
Disadvantages: nothing worth noting

...in from work at night. Especially useful if, like me, you live alone and are always hungry when you get in from work, and don't want to spend an age preparing a meal before you eat it, you can do it all the night before. The wok burner is a particuarly useful piece of kit. The 2 separate rings of flame for the base and walls of the wok make sure an even heat is distribited over it's surface and the wok support keeps the wok upright and cetralised over the heat without the need for you to worry about it. The cooker looks brilliant in the stainless steel finish with a black hob and pan supports, and is easy to clean inside and out. It sits fantastically well in my kitchen in a hollowed out, reclaimed brick chimney and is a great addition to any contemporary kitchen set-up. One very minor gripe is that the main oven light works independantly... Read review

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Advantages: Yummmmmeeeeeee!!!!!
Disadvantages: Some ingredients not widely avaliable, you may not like the spicy tastes.

...can eat out at Thai restaurants regularly. Even for amateur cooks like myself, Thai food is reasonably easy to cook and many dishes are done in a wok, so don't create much washing up either! The wok is an essential part of Thai cookery. In case you didn't know, a wok is a pan with curved sides and a small flat bottom. It is like a large frying pan but with curved sides. You can get a wok from Argos (the cheapest is £10), on a market, or a specialist cookery shop. I have found mine invaluable for making quick, tasty, steaming hot dishes. In Thai cookery, you can use a wok to stir-fry, saute (I don't know how to get the accent on the e!) and deep fry. The reason for using a wok is because the heat spread around the whole pan rather than just the bottom. Also, the convex shape allows the food to be stirred and tossed without falling out... Read review

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Advantages: CHINESE FOOD IS JUST THE BEST!!!!
Disadvantages: SOME MAY OBVIOUSLY NOT LIKE CHINESE AS MUCH AS I DO!!!!

...to resemble cutlets. 4.Dip the cutlets in beaten egg, then in cornflour. Repeat. 5.Heat the oil to 350F (180c) in a wok or deep-frying pan. Drain on kitchen paper. 6. Arrange on a serving plate and garnish with Chinese parsley or corriander, if using. Serve with sweet soy bean paste or chilli sauce as a dip. RICE Basic Fried Rice Serves: 2-4 Preperation and Cooking: 20 minutes Ingredients: 2 spring onions, 3 eggs, 1 tablespoon salt, 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2oz (50g) cooked prawns, peeled, 4oz (125g) frozen peas, thawed, 6oz (175g) long-grain rice, cooked, 1.5 tablespoons light soy sauce, Directions: 1. Finely chop the spring onions. Mix half the eggs, add a pinch of salt and beat lightly. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or frying-pan, then add egg mixture and stir until scrambled. 3. When eggs are set, transfer to a warmed... Read review

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Advantages: D-E-L-I-S-H.
Disadvantages: None

...Honey Mushroom Spinach. Serves 2. I'm currently trying to lose a few pounds; well a stone would be nice. So I am eating low calorie but high tasting food. A very quick and incredibly tasty Stir Fry dish. Try this one it is Gorgeous! Ingredients; ~~~~~~~ 2 tbsp Olive oil. 2 Spring Onions. 2 tbsp clear Honey. 180g or 6oz of Mushrooms. 180g or 6oz of Baby leaf Spinach. Optional. ( 1 clove of Garlic, crushed ). No Salt or Pepper is required for this dish! Cooking Instructions; ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Slice the Spring onions and place to one side. 2. Heat the oil in the Wok or pan. 3. Cut the Mushrooms in half and Put them into the Wok and cook for 5 minutes or until they have softened. 4. OPTIONAL. Stir in the Garlic to the Wok. 5. Add in the Spinach and cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until the leaves 'Wilt'. 6. Pour in the Honey over the Mushrooms... Read review

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Advantages: Looks amazing
Disadvantages: Looks dirty quickly

...I've been working on getting my kitchen sorted for a while now. It's been a long and sometimes tedious project but it seems to be coming together finally and it's been worth the effort. When I originally planned my kitchen I was looking at stainless steel with a wok ring which I thought was the bees knees. Shows how long I've been working on this by the time I'd got to the stage of buying, those cunning manufacturers had come up with "Gas on Glass". One look and I was hooked. Basically the hob is constructed of glass with enamel coated pan rests. the Tech spec is as follows....... Height : 43mm Width: 695mm Depth: 510mm Size: 70cm 4 Gas Burners - 1 of which is a Wok ring Flame Failure Device Automatic Ignition. The colour is described as "Ice White" in reality it is a kind of frosted pale bluey reflective white (if that makes sense... Read review

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Advantages: Brilliant for frying, Fantastic heat retention, very heavy, solid
Disadvantages: Garish colours!

...a saucepan I need to regularly vary the heat. However as already mentioned, cast iron is very good at retaining heat, and thus does not cool down quickly. Time for a gripe! Why oh why does Creuset cookware come in such a garish range of colours. My sauté pan is a rather bright but acceptable red and my saucepan is a hideous jade green - surely purposefully chosen by my mischievous friend! A warning! Being made of cast iron, Creuset cookware is very heavy. To me this is a bonus; there is something satisfying about using solid, dent-proof, heavy cast iron to cook with. However a certain degree of physical strength is needed to use the wok in particular and storage may be an issue if you have limited space. So, Creuset cookware, to be recommended or not? Overall, for frying a definite YES, but for general cooking NO. My advice is: go out... Read review

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Advantages: Lights first time. Powerful wok burner, easy to clean
Disadvantages: wok burner doesn't fit my wok!

.... This means that should the flame be blown out, gas wil continue to fill the room. I have tried to blow it out but could only manage to extinguish the smallest burner whilst it was set to its lowest setting so it doesn't appear to be a problem. The nicest thing is that it lights first time and stays lit. The pan supports are also enamelled and are in two sections which means it's easier to clean (fits in the sink or dishwasher...if you're lucky enough to have one!)whereas the old was the full size of the hob top and rather large meaning it rarely got cleaned! There are four burners, one small simmering burner, two medium burners and a huge triple wok burner which features an interesting whistle. I'm not convinced it's supposed to do this but it doesn't seem to cause a problem, when turned down to the low setting it emits a strange whine... Read review

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Advantages: quick, easy & tasty
Disadvantages: You have to like pesto

...I came upon this dsh via a freind of the family who regularly makes this for here family and her kids love it. What is it I hear you cry, well it is chicken pasta with pesto and pine nuts and is extremely easy to make. What you need. ----Ingredients--- Pasta - I find that tagliatelli works best in this dish. Diced chicken breast Jar of green pesto sauce Pine Nuts Olive Oil Pinch of Salt Quantites for all the above do not exist as I never measure or weigh anything, just throw it in the pan and see how it all turns out. ---Utensils--- Pan to cook the pasta in - size is dependant on how many people you are cooking for or the size of their appetite. Frying pan or wok - to cook the chicken in. Wooden spoon (metal one will do if you do not have a wooden one) -----Preparation---- If you have bought chicken breasts then you... Read review

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