Use this guide to define a shortlist before you compare current models in ProChef’s commercial wok-burner range or request commercial kitchen design advice. Final selection still needs current manufacturer documents and review by the relevant licensed trades and building professionals.
Quick decision table
| Decision | Start here | Confirm before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking method | Stir-fry, boiling, braising, steaming or mixed work | Wok diameter/profile, burner or induction-bowl compatibility and tested menu result |
| Station count | Number of cooks who must wok-cook at the same peak moment | Line width, safe working clearances, simultaneous service load and prep/plating flow |
| Heat source | Existing approved gas service or suitable electrical capacity | Connected load, gas type/pressure or circuit/phase, isolation and commissioning requirements |
| Cooling format | Waterless, water-cooled or manufacturer-specific design | Water, drain, filtration and maintenance requirements in the current manual |
| Controls | Hand, knee, lever or electronic control | Operator ergonomics, training, emergency controls and cleaning access |
| Exhaust | Treat the whole cooking line as one coordinated system | Actual appliance schedule, hood design, make-up air, fire system and adopted requirements |
1. Map the menu before comparing output numbers
Begin with the actions the station must perform. Record the wok dishes sold during the busiest 15-minute period, the average batch size, how many batches can overlap and whether the same position must also boil noodles, simmer stock or support steamers. A brochure heat-input number describes an appliance, not the plated result. Wok material, geometry, food load, control response, technique and recovery between batches all matter.
A useful early planning calculation is:
required station cycles per peak interval = peak wok orders × average wok cycles per order
Then compare that demand with controlled menu trials:
tested cycles available = number of stations × usable cycles per station in the same interval
Add a practical operational margin for changeovers, cleaning, complex dishes and uneven order arrival. Do not substitute a supplier’s theoretical output or an untested heat rating for a real trial using the intended cookware, recipe, portion and operator.
2. Choose the burner or induction format
Dedicated gas wok burners
Gas wok stations remain common because they accept familiar round-bottom cookware and provide visible, rapidly adjustable flame. Commercial ranges may use different burner geometries and control arrangements, and may be configured for natural gas or LPG. Those options are not interchangeable assumptions: confirm the exact fuel, appliance approval, connected load and commissioning instructions for the chosen model.
Gas appliances require competent design and licensed installation. The existing meter or pipe does not prove there is spare capacity. A qualified gas practitioner must assess the whole installation, and the mechanical designer must assess the cooking line and exhaust together.
Commercial induction woks
A purpose-built induction wok uses a shaped induction bowl and compatible wok so the vessel couples correctly to the field. It can reduce open-flame and combustion heat at the appliance, but it introduces an electrical load and a cookware constraint. Check power supply, circuit or phase requirements, controls, pan detection, ventilation obligations, service access and the manufacturer’s permitted wok.
Do not compare a gas input rating directly with an electrical input rating as though they were the same measure of heat delivered to food. Trial the actual menu and confirm the site services instead.
Waterless and water-cooled tops
“Waterless” usually describes a design that avoids a continuous cooling-water flow across the cooktop. A water-cooled or water-wash arrangement may help manage heat or food debris on certain equipment, but it can require supply, drainage, filtration and cleaning provisions. These terms do not guarantee a particular surface temperature, water saving or cleaning time. Read the exact manual and include the plumbing arrangement in the design review.
ProChef’s broader Asian restaurant equipment pathway is useful when the wok line must be coordinated with noodle cookers, rice equipment, steamers and other adjacent appliances.
3. Size the number of stations around simultaneous work
Count cooks and concurrent pans at the busiest moment rather than choosing by daily covers. One station may suit a venue where wok dishes are occasional or sequenced by one cook. Two or more positions can make sense where different cooks must work simultaneously, but only if the line gives them safe space and the services can support the combined load.
Use this station-planning checklist:
- sketch every cook’s standing zone, wok path and utensil landing point;
- show where raw ingredients arrive and where finished dishes leave;
- keep hot, clean and dirty flows from crossing unnecessarily;
- allow access to isolation, filters, grease collection and serviceable parts;
- include side burners, taps, stock pots and noodle equipment in the plan;
- test the line with real containers and a representative peak ticket sequence; and
- confirm the structure, clearances and anchoring against the current installation instructions.
If the station is part of a new line or major alteration, ProChef’s commercial kitchen fit-out service can coordinate the equipment schedule with trade and workflow planning. It does not replace statutory approvals or licensed design.
4. Treat site services as a purchase requirement
Gas
Confirm natural gas or LPG, available capacity under simultaneous peak operation, pipe sizing, pressure, isolation, ventilation and commissioning. Never assume that changing jets is a user task or that an appliance supplied for one gas can be connected to another. Use the current manufacturer instructions and a licensed gas fitter.
Electrical
Record voltage, phase, connected load, plug or hard-wired arrangement, circuit protection, isolator position and any power-quality requirements. A nominally compact induction unit may still need dedicated electrical work. The exact requirement comes from the selected model and the site assessment.
Water and drainage
List the water supply, drainage, tundish or trapped-waste requirements, backflow considerations and access for cleaning. Include taps used for wok filling even when the burner itself is waterless. Confirm local plumbing requirements and the equipment manual.
Exhaust, make-up air and fire coordination
The National Construction Code includes kitchen local-exhaust provisions and references AS 1668.1 and AS 1668.2 for relevant commercial-kitchen hoods. The applicable NCC edition, state variation, building classification and actual appliance schedule must be checked for the project. Standards Australia notes that AS 1668.2:2024 revised kitchen-exhaust provisions, but adoption and project application require professional confirmation. See the NCC kitchen local-exhaust provision and Standards Australia’s AS 1668.2:2024 overview.
Do not size a hood from an article. Engage the relevant mechanical, fire and building professionals using the final appliance schedule. The make-up-air strategy, hood capture, duct route, access, discharge, fire suppression and landlord or authority requirements can all affect the equipment decision.
5. Compare models with a scorecard
Score each shortlisted model against the same evidence:
| Criterion | Evidence to record |
|---|---|
| Menu fit | Trial notes for cookware, batch and recipe |
| Station fit | Overall dimensions, landing space and operator mock-up |
| Services | Certified gas/electrical/plumbing/mechanical review |
| Controls | Operator trial and training requirements |
| Cleaning | Manual steps, access, removable parts and daily close-down trial |
| Maintenance | Service access, filters, consumables, parts and local support |
| Compliance | Current approval/certification information and installation instructions |
| Whole-life cost | Purchase, installation, energy/water assumptions, cleaning labour and servicing — with assumptions stated |
Browse the current Gasmax brand range only after defining those requirements. Brand and category pages are shopping paths, not substitutes for model-specific engineering or a menu trial.
6. Cleaning, training and handover
Write the safe operating procedure around the chosen machine. It should cover start-up, ignition or energising, shutdown, emergency isolation, cool-down, daily cleaning, drain or filter care and fault reporting. Follow the manual for chemicals, disassembly and maintenance; do not use improvised tools on gas ports or electrical components.
At handover, retain the model/serial record, approvals, commissioning certificate, manuals, service contacts, as-installed service drawings and staff training record. A visible routine for checking burners, controls, leaks, filters and abnormal flame or error behaviour helps faults reach a competent service provider early.
Questions to take to a supplier or designer
- Which wok shapes and diameters are approved for this model?
- What are the exact gas or electrical requirements under simultaneous load?
- Does the model require water, drainage or a specific cooling arrangement?
- What hood and make-up-air information must be given to the mechanical designer?
- Which parts are removable for daily cleaning, and what remains technician-only?
- What installation, commissioning, warranty and local service documentation is supplied?
- Can we run a controlled menu trial before final commitment?
Frequently asked questions
How many wok burners does a restaurant need?
Base the number on simultaneous peak wok work and the number of cooks who must operate safely at once. Validate the result with a peak-service simulation and confirm the combined gas/electrical and exhaust load.
Is a waterless wok burner always better?
No. It may simplify plumbing or reduce a particular water use, but suitability depends on the equipment design, duty, cleaning workflow and site services. Compare the exact manuals and whole installation.
Can induction replace a gas wok burner?
Sometimes, but it is a menu, cookware, operator and electrical-infrastructure decision. A purpose-built induction-wok trial and site assessment are essential; it is not a rating-to-rating swap.
Does every wok burner need an exhaust canopy?
Commercial-kitchen exhaust obligations depend on the adopted code, appliance inputs, total line, room and jurisdiction. Wok cooking commonly creates heat, vapour, grease and combustion products. Have the final line assessed by the appropriate building and mechanical professionals.
Next step
Prepare a one-page brief containing the menu, peak ticket sample, required concurrent stations, wok sizes, proposed line drawing and known gas/electrical/water/exhaust information. Then compare the wok-burner category or submit a request for a quote with the brief attached.
Sources and review note
This guide was informed by the live ProChef catalogue and service pages, the NCC kitchen local-exhaust provision, and Standards Australia’s overview of AS 1668.2:2024.