My first wok was preseasoned and I was a bit hesitant to go through a seasoning process. There are some great online resources for proper seasoning and I read many of them prior to going through that process. I was surprised at how quickly the wok will start to rust as the protective coating is removed. I just used a burner on my gas stove and it worked fine to get that nice, blueish color. This is a very, very nice wok and is very well made. Been using this a year and have no issues with a loose handle and I live in a desert climate that is very dry. Not sure this is a wok I would buy as my first wok since there is a bit of a learning curve. But, for those of us who have used a wok previously and are familiar with caring for cast iron or carbon steel, this wok will be your friend for a very, very long time.