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I asked all 4 employees but nobody could tell me. It is heavy, and it doesn't look like the same material as my cast iron pan. A magnet sticks to it.

There are no markings on it at all. I think the red handles are silicone.

It is smooth and dark grey on the outside, and the inside is almost black and you can tell it's been well used.

Thank you!enter image description here

enter image description here

Community
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remembershirley
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  • Continuing the welcome to SA, please feel free to [accept an answer](http://stackoverflow.com/help/someone-answers) if it works for you! Accepting is [entirely optional](http://stackoverflow.com/help/accepted-answer), but has mutual benefits and keeps the QA flowing! Also check out the [tour](http://stackexchange.com/tour) and we hope that you continue participating... it's a great site! – hoc_age Jul 01 '14 at 11:30
  • A magnet will make you a genus; I will bet a very large amount that it is steel= magnetic. – blacksmith37 Jan 07 '22 at 01:17

4 Answers4

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My guess is carbon steel. It's used in a variety of cooking implements, including stuff like woks and as bread pans. A quick search suggests that carbon steel is often magnetic as you report.

If it is indeed carbon steel, it benefits from seasoning and ongoing love and care similar to cast iron (lest it rust or deteriorate). Many articles on this, such as this one from thekitchn.

It's a fun material, and looks like a nice find! I hope you like it!

Welcome to Seasoned Advice.

hoc_age
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    Agree, looks like carbon steel from the pic. – DrRandy Jun 29 '14 at 19:21
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    Looks like it could do with re-seasoning on the inside, see here: http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/85/wok-preparation-and-caring – logophobe Jun 29 '14 at 20:41
  • Thanks for the responses! I was hoping it was carbon steel or iron, so yay! Not bad for $5. I followed the advice that it is carbon steel and tried seasoning it. I'm pretty sure I didn't do it properly since it's just flaking black stuff now every time I heat it, but that's another story. –  Jul 02 '14 at 15:22
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IKEA cast iron skillet that sells for about $179. Going to look different because it’s not as heavy as a cast-iron frying pan. But it is indeed a cast-iron pot and you have to treat it the same way as far as how you clean and season etc.https ://www.ikea.com.hk/en/products/kitchen/cooking-tools/pans/identisk-art-50159733

Sharon Campbell
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  • I meant to say above IKEA cast iron skillet that sells for 179 or so. Look very carefully inside the cover and you might still be able to see the faint IKEA – Sharon Campbell Sep 06 '19 at 19:24
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Mine was purchased a few days ago at HKD128 (discounted) at IKEA.

It's definitely not aluminum as magnets are attracted to it very strongly. It feels like steel but not sure if it's carbon steel.

It rusts very very quickly so dry it immediately after use. (mine, at 2nd use meaning, not too well seasoned yet, rusted right after an hour - I used it for steaming food... I took the food without clearing the water or drying it... came back after eating the food and it rusted.

I cleaned it, and seasoned it a few times with rice barn oil: rub with oil, heat until smoking... rub again... heat again... cool down, rub again, heat again...

Hopefully it becomes better and better as my Lodge cast iron skillets.

Anastasia Zendaya
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Ray
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Looks like it's aluminum! http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60149197/ I went thrifting again and found the same wok, but this one was a set with IKEA lid. Looks like I didn't get a steal afterall.

remembershirley
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    Wait, I thought you said a magnet sticks to it? Magnets don't stick to aluminum. Also, in the Ikea picture, it doesn't look like the handles are offset like yours are. – Marti Aug 24 '14 at 02:05
  • The color in the scratched parts is wrong for aluminium – rumtscho Aug 24 '14 at 06:05
  • A magnet does stick to mine. Hmm maybe IKEA ripped off mine then... – remembershirley Aug 24 '14 at 23:11
  • The link you gave does not work, or does not work outside canada). It LOOKS like an IKEA Identisk from the handles, but the bottom design does not match - this might be an old model of that wok, or a copy. Anyway, I would throw a non-stick wok (and I assume it is) away when it has about 10% of the damage that one has! – rackandboneman Jan 21 '16 at 10:41