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If you love to make waffles, this is undoubtedly the review for you – the best waffle maker has been decisively crowned. We loved to try out all the different machines for this review, and we also had no shortage of syrup.
While we were not professionals at making waffles when we started – we quickly became experts. Since there are so many waffle makers on the market, we aggregated millions of actual customer reviews, and did our own testing on the top models. Here are our choices for the best waffle maker.
Our Top Pick
Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker
With thousands of five star reviews, an affordable price point, and perfect performance – this is our top pick for the best waffle maker. Waffle irons can be complicated, but this distills everything you need, with nothing extraneous.
If you want to spend a little more, you can move up the ladder, and go for the deluxe version – which also makes omelets. Every feature you need, flawless performance – this is easily our top pick.
Other Great Picks
Presto 03510 Ceramic FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker
This awesome machine from Presto easily fulfilled all of our waffle making needs. With an incredible price, thousands of five star reviews, and durable stainless steel construction, it’s impossible to go wrong with this choice.
We had delicious waffles in no time. And best of all, there was no muss, no fuss, and everyone was happy. Make your breakfast 100% better, with this one.
Dash DMW001SL Mini Waffle Maker
This mini waffle maker from Dash is a unique little machine. The price point is absolutely insane, and the amount of great reviews is staggering.
However, if you want full-sized, classic waffles – this may not be the machine for you. Fun for kids, easy for travel, and with mouth-watering results – this is a perfect pick for anyone who doesn’t mind smaller waffles.
Breville BWM520XL No-Mess Waffle Maker
Breville is a king in the field of home and kitchen appliances. Not only do we love their ice cream makers, we also love this waffle maker.
While not the cheapest option on our list, this waffle maker is made with a very high amount of care. It even has advanced settings like darkness control, so you can have crispier or fluffier waffles – it’s all up to you.
Oster Belgian Waffle Maker
Oster is well-known for making quality kitchen products, and this machine is no exception. With a great price point, high quality craftsmanship, and thousands of great reviews – this will make for an excellent addition to your kitchen.
While it does lack some of the pricier features of the deluxe machines, for most people, this waffle maker will do everything you want. There isn’t even an on/off button, but the stainless steel construction feels very solid, and the waffles we made turned out perfectly. Two thumbs up.
Cuisinart WMR-CA Round Classic Waffle Maker
This stainless steel waffle maker has thousands of five star reviews, and an excellent price point. Cuisinart is known for making high quality kitchen appliances, and this machine was no different.
We tested it vigorously, and every waffle we made turned out a perfect golden-brown color. While you could certainly spend more money on a waffle maker, for most people, this finds the sweet spot between budget and a wide array of features. Definitely recommended.
Presto 03512 Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker
Another spectacular (and affordable) waffle maker, this machine offers everything you could want – without a hefty price tag. This waffle maker worked flawlessly in all of our testing, and we think it will be a perfect fit in your kitchen, as well.
This machine is made with aluminum, but most uniquely – you can even make stuffed waffles. The options are truly limitless, but we enjoyed pizza waffles the most. Definitely recommended.
Dash Multi Mini Waffle Maker
If you really like waffles – try this multiple mini maker. You won’t have huge waffles – but you’ll get to eat a lot more of them, for the same amount of calories.
With an amazing price point, and thousands of five star reviews, it’s hard to beat this machine. Keep in mind that the waffles won’t be large, so if you don’t prefer smaller ones, this may not be the product to go with.
Disney Mickey Mouse Double Flip Waffle Maker
Does your child love Mickey Mouse? If so, this is 100% the waffle maker for you.
Not only is each waffle shaped like Mickey’s iconic head – they taste great too. With thousands of great reviews, and an affordable price point – this a great pick for anyone with kids.
Marvel MVA-278 Captain America Waffle Maker
If you have a little kids, this is a perfect waffle maker for you. Your kids will love their Captain America themed waffles – and you’ll feel like a cool parent for making breakfast superhero themed.
With a very affordable price point, and tons of great five star reviews, this is a winner for the whole family. While you can certainly spend more and choose a machine that does fancy things (like also cooking hash browns), this is perfect if you just want to make cool waffles for the kids on Saturday morning.
What Is A Waffle Maker?
It does not take too much explaining to tell someone what a waffle maker is – it simply cooks the crispy breakfast food to perfection. Whether you go with a brand like All-Clad, Krups, Black+Decker, or Hamilton Beach – you can customize your waffles any way you like.
These days, machines will offer versatile options, so you can have square waffles, slice Belgian waffles, have a waffle moat to avoid spillage, or even use a vertical waffle maker. One key thing to remember – even the best waffle recipe can be messy.
If you’re making a batch of waffles for the kids, you are likely to get waffle batter absolutely everywhere. While toasters are universally messy as well, the best waffle makers will actually be relatively neat – meaning your countertop will not be covered in excess batter.
Where Can I Buy A Waffle Maker?
These days, pretty much any store that sells home and kitchen appliances will have waffle makers. Even Walmart carries them – meaning it’s a cinch to make a great waffle at home.
Retailers will offer a variety of machines, with many unique selling points and features – like a countdown timer, a ready indicator, or special waffle plates. All of these mean that waffle making becomes far more convenient than using a stovetop.
What Types Of Waffle Makers Are There?
There are a myriad of options out there – from the Cuisinart WAF models, to the Dash Mini Waffle Maker, the Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, the Presto Flipside, the Breville Smart Waffle Pro, to even the Presto Flipside Belgian Waffle Maker. While all of these options can seem confusing, the truth is – you just want to ultimately make good waffles.
It’s important to value longevity in a machine, as well as how easy it is to clean. Over time, these are two of the biggest factors that can make you unhappy with your waffle maker purchase.
What Features Matter For The Best Waffle Maker?
While most of us likely never think of it, there are actually many different types of waffles out there. Light and crispy Italian style waffles, heavy Belgian style, or anything in between – even Scandinavia has their own type of waffle.
We like syrup on our waffles, but some powdered sugar sprinkled across the top never hurt anyone either. Americans have their own unique take on waffles, but most are most familiar with the deep and thick Belgian waffle.
You can even make waffles in a square or circle – there’s no real rules. If you have kids, you may want to opt for a cartoon shaped waffle instead.
There are no real differences in design between waffle makers, as two cast iron plates are doing the cooking most of the time, with a standard hinge connecting them. This is not that different than cooking waffles on the stovetop.
Handles will protect your hands and arm from the heat of the waffle maker,and usually an indicator light will tell you when the waffle is ready to be removed for eating. Some additional features can come with deluxe machines, but for most people, only the basic details will be relevant for a waffle maker purchase.
As with most things in life – you usually get what you pay for. The more expensive waffle makers are usually a little better constructed, will last a little bit longer, and will offer a wider variety of features.
However, this isn’t always the case. The market is so competitive for home and kitchen appliances, that manufacturers often give deep discounts, to sell more individual units.
As far as bonus features go, most waffle makers already come with adjustable heat – meaning you can cook waffles slower or faster, depending on what you prefer. This is nice, but ultimately not super useful, since usually we want our food to be cooked as fast as possible.
However, an important caveat here is that if you get a cheap waffle maker, the heat may not be as strong. This means that it may take longer before your waffles are a crisp golden-brown.
On the contrary, some of the ultra-deluxe models we tested get extremely hot, so be careful not to burn your hand during the cooking process. We also found that the indicator lights varied widely, in terms of telling us if our waffles were actually cooked all the way through or not.
What should be a nice feature, ultimately did not assist us all that much. Most of the extra features are ‘nice to have’, but not essential.
However, one exception, is the ability to make other types of foods. For example, spending a bit more to get a machine that also makes paninis and omelets – definitely worth it, in our opinion.
Other Buying Factors For The Best Waffle Maker
There are thousands of waffle makers on the market, so it’s crucial that you choose the best for your particular needs. You may want to make pancakes too, or you may care about nonstick coating, the cooking time, whether the machine is stainless steel, if it can make Belgian-style waffles, how the drip tray works – or even the beeps the machine makes.
If you truly want the perfect waffle, you may even dive into the browning settings for the family friendly brunches. Cooked waffles are an art, and some people prefer fluffy waffles, while others like a golden brown crispy doneness for their favorite breakfast food.
Amazon is loaded with an overwhelming numbers of choices for the best waffle maker, whether you care about removable plates, indicator lights, the extra ability to make paninis, or whether or not you can also cook buttermilk pancakes in the same machine. Some of our staff got very into testing these waffle makers – looking at small factors like browning control, cooking surfaces, nonstick plates, the type of grids used to cook – and even how dishwasher-safe any removable elements might be.
This may seem like minutia, but it is important, if you plan on making crispy waffles on a regular basis. Easy cleaning may be important to you – or you could just want a good waffle maker, with deep pockets for thick texture.
A griddle is never the easiest way to cook waffles these days, since modern kitchen appliances have advanced so far with technology. Preheated nonstick surfaces, cast iron skillet, round waffle makers – there are truly an endless array of options.
The Best Waffle Maker
There you have it – our top picks for the best waffle maker. Whether you want something sweet, crunchy, or chocolatey – or just want to make your own breakfast at home – the best waffle maker can get the job done.
Waffles can be just as good at home, as they are in your favorite restaurant – we should know, we tested this theory. And if you loved this list, be sure to check out some of our other great product reviews.