You can’t have a brunch without warm, freshly baked waffles. If you’re looking to buy yourself a waffle maker, you will find there are essentially two kinds of waffle irons/makers. There are old-fashioned waffle irons and electric waffle makers.
Why would you want a cast iron waffle iron?
Make waffles outdoors!
If you’re someone who goes camping now and then, you don’t have to depend on fast food to feed your family. You can make fresh and crispy thin waffles made in an old-fashioned cast iron waffle iron every morning on your camping trips.
This is not only a good camping waffle iron, but you can make waffles on your grill or you can put them over a fire pit in your background. Imaging cooking up a delicious waffle/smores recipe on your fire pit one evening. Or making waffle burgers on the grill.
Back in the days, traditional cast iron waffle makers were pretty much the only way to make waffles. Now, electric waffle makers and other cooking devices are becoming common in this country.
Most cast iron waffle makers feature a 6.75″ diameter cooking area and have pie iron style handles or rods that can be unscrewed for storage purposes. A cast iron waffle maker can make perfectly baked, delicious waffles without any electricity. Cast iron waffle makers are made from quality cast iron, which makes them more durable and long-lasting than plastic, yet “modern” electric waffle makers.
Cast iron waffle makers are your only alternative if you want to bake waffles outdoors. It is also a good option for making traditional crispy, thin waffles in your kitchen.
Watch out for your health!
Cast iron waffle makers are great if you don’t like Teflon surfaced electric waffle makers. Some folks believe the Teflon coating on electric waffle makers contains toxic chemicals. Besides, having a little bit of iron has been proven to be good for your body and overall health.
Nowadays, it is rare to find cast iron waffle makers that can make thick Belgian style waffles. Most waffle irons makes thin waffles. But, if you keep looking around, you may find some waffle makers that have deep pockets, which can bake thick, Belgian style waffles.
Useful UH-CI194 Old Fashioned Cast Iron Stove Top Waffle Iron
This is a high quality, efficient cast iron waffle iron made by Useful that bakes thin, crispy traditional waffles. So, you would not be able to make thick Belgian style waffles in this waffle iron. This iron waffle maker is mainly targeted for customers who want to make thin or classic waffles at home or outdoors.
It is made entirely of cast iron. It’s dimensions are 12.1 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches. and weighs around 7 pounds.
Useful Cast Iron Waffle Iron Pros
- This waffle iron is 100% cast iron
- Pre-seasoned with vegetable oil
- Is campfire and stove friendly
- Can also be used on electric stoves
- Bakes crisp, delicious waffles
- Has a compact and easy to store design
- Sturdy and well made
- Hinges interlock and can be separated for easier cleaning
- Slim profile makes it easy to store
- Takes up less space than than electric waffle maker
- Can be cleaned easily
Useful Cast Iron Waffle Iron Cons
- It’s heavy! Remember, it’s cast iron
- Some users may find the handles cumbersome and difficult to maneuver with
- Short handles make it hard to flip
- Makes small waffles
- Doesn’t include instructions for care
Amazon Ranking
The Useful UH-CI194 Old Fashioned Cast Iron Stove Top Waffle Iron has great customer reviews on Amazon with a rating of 4.1/5 stars based on more than 60 customer reviews.
In Comparison
There two similar cast iron waffle makers that can be compared with the Useful Old Fashioned Cast Iron Stove Top Waffle Iron. The first is the Rome #1100 Old Fashioned Waffle Iron made by Rome Industries and the second is the NordicWare Cast Aluminum Stovetop Belgium Waffle Iron.
The product features and design are similar. The dimensions are close to the waffle iron by Useful, but the Rome’s #1100 Old Fashioned Waffle Iron weighs less at 4 pounds. The Rome’s #1100 Old Fashioned Waffle Iron also makes 6″ waffles, which is larger than the ones Useful Old Fashioned Cast Iron Stove Top Waffle Iron.
Read our in depth review of the Rome Old Fashioned waffle iron.
NordicWare’s Belgium Waffle Iron is similar to the Useful one in how it looks and even it’s color and shape. However, it’s actually not cast iron. It’s made from cast aluminum. Cast aluminum is a different composite than cast iron.
So although the NordicWare Waffle Iron has incredible reviews and it’s at a great price, it’s not cast iron.
Read this for our in depth review of the NordicWare Cast Aluminum Waffle Iron.
FAQ
Q: Does this come preseasoned? What type?
A: This waffle iron comes preseasoned with vegetable oil already. Although many people prefer to do their own seasoning with ghee, butter, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.
Q: Will it work on a glass stove top?
A: Yes, it will absolutely work on a glass stove top. However, be very careful because even setting it down a little “rough” might crack your glass top. This is true of all cast iron cookware.
Q: Does it make Belgian or regular waffles?
A: This makes regular waffles, also known as thin, classic, or American style waffles.
Q: Can this item be place in the oven?
A: Yes, it can be used to bake in the oven.
Final Words
The three waffle irons we looked at all had pros and cons.
The Useful Cast Iron Waffle Iron is at the top of the list because not only is it reasonably priced, it’s also 100% cast iron and has great customer reviews.
At the end of the day, Cast iron, cast aluminum, or electric, waffle irons are great appliances to have in your kitchen. If you’re health or price-conscious, or if you would like to make waffles outdoors, go for Cast iron waffle irons.
Click here to learn more about the history of waffle makers.
What do you think about cast iron waffle irons?
