The Hiuchi Ceramic-Coated Wok

Look inside the Hiuchi: a honeycomb pattern lines the base and runs up the sides. It carries a non-stick coating, so a drizzle of oil is enough to start a stir-fry. Pieces come away with a flick of the spatula instead of staying stuck. Your dishes stay light, and you'll rarely have to scrape the bottom after a meal.

A glass lid comes with the Hiuchi, designed for steaming. You can watch the meat brown or the vegetables soften without lifting anything, and both heat and aroma stay inside. It works just as well for simmering a sauce as for braising a thick cut under the lid after searing it. One pan then covers searing, gentle cooking and steaming.

Prawns, green beans, peppers: you sear on full flame and the heat spreads evenly across the bowl, from the centre to the edges. Gas, induction, electric or ceramic: the Hiuchi heats on all of them, so there's no need to choose your wok to match the cooker. A long handle on one side, a helper handle on the other: you can lift it with both hands when it's time to tip out a generous dish.

Tomato sauce that has reduced on the bottom doesn't bake on: a sheet of kitchen roll takes almost all of it off. For the rest, the Hiuchi is dishwasher safe, a real help on busy evenings. Its stainless steel body resists corrosion, so you don't have to watch out for rust. The wok goes back in the cupboard clean and dry, ready for the next batch of vegetables or noodles.