What types of wok are there?

Despite the similarity in function of all woks, there is variety. The depth and size varies according to how many you will cook for. Some have the traditional handle on either side ("ears"); others have a large handle like a skillet on one side and a small handle on the other.

Woks are one item in which brighter is not better—the inexpensive carbon steel is commonly considered the best material for a wok, and it is easy to season. (Seasoning a wok improves food flavor, makes it non-stick, and prevents rust.)

However, carbon steel does not handle non-stick coatings well; if you desire the coating, another metal is better. A properly seasoned wok is naturally non-stick.

Warning: Cooking with aluminum increases your aluminum intake, because some aluminum gets in the food. Increased aluminum intake has been linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Despite this variety of depths, sizes, handle types, and materials, but the two defining types are the traditional round bottom wok and the newer flat bottom wok.

Round Bottom Wok

The round bottom wok was designed for cooking over a fire pit.

Pros:
This type of wok makes food easier to toss, leaving a cleaner stove when you are done stir frying. When you cook a good-sized fish, the shape helps prevent a grease fire by minimizing splatters. Food cooks evenly from the even heat distribution on the sides. Food is also very easily removed from the wok, to the point that you do not need to clean it in-between cooking jobs. (This is nice because you do not have to reheat your wok if you are cooking two dishes with it.)

Cons:
Unfortunately, the round bottom wok can reflect heat back onto the heating element, damaging it. Most often, the wok requires wok ring to balance properly on modern stoves.

Flat Bottom Wok

This type of wok was designed to balance well on modern stoves. In removing the rounded bottom, it is little more than a saucepan.

Pros:

A flat bottom wok balances well on a modern stove and does not reflect heat back on the heating element.

Cons:
The shape of the wok produces uneven heat distribution, making food much more likely to burn. The wok is easy to scratch in the struggle to remove food from it. It is also difficult to toss food to make, for example, stir fry.