All about Waffle Makers and their ratings
Are you looking for the highest rated waffle maker on the market?
When it comes to Waffle Irons, there are several criteria or ratings that you should consider and think through before purchasing one. This criteria can be influenced by your own personal taste, but should be researched before investing. It’s important because you don’t want to wind up with a waffle iron that does not suit your needs or your taste.
Here are some of the criteria and features that you should consider, and the advantages and disadvantages of each feature, as well as an example of a waffle iron that has them. This is not an exhaustive list, as there are a hundred different waffle irons on the market.
Does this Waffle Iron have a reputable brand?
Brands are important to the consumer. Known brands are more easily trusted and more often purchased, sometimes, despite the price tag that comes with a more well known brand label. In the kitchen appliance world, there are a range of well-known and reputable Waffle Iron Brands that you will know and most likely trust. Some examples of these are KitchenAid, Oster, Hamilton Beach, and George Foreman.
If there is a brand that you already know and love, consider researching their range of waffle irons first. For example, if you love your George Foreman grill (I definitely love mine) then why not first research the George Foreman waffle maker?
Is this Waffle Iron easy to use?
This can be a difficult factor to rate because what’s easy for one person may not be easy for another. For simplicity’s sake, the standard waffle makers are generally “easier to use” than the ones that require temperature control handling, fiddling with removable plates, flipping, are not non-stick, or have several different alert systems; which can confuse a novice waffle cook.
What about bonus features?
Being able to perfect the crispiness or softness of a waffle is important because it allows you to make waffles exactly as you enjoy them. It also means that if you’re using a waffle maker with a multi-functional design, the temperature control allows you to cater to different foods. A drip tray also helps clean up and prevents your counter top from getting dirty or damaged.
One of the highest rated waffle makers for bonus features and multi-functional design would have to be the George Foreman Multi Plate Evolve Grill
What about indicators and alerts?
Knowing whether a waffle is done is impossible without lifting the lid, however, if you lift the lid throughout the cooking process, your waffle can be ruined. Therefore, many waffle makers have a visual or audible alert to indicate that a waffle is done.
This rating shouldn’t be confused with the “ready” indicator light. Many people confuse the light as an alert that the waffle maker is hot enough to start, and whether the waffle is done. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to read the instructions. Regarding visual alerts, we’ve found that they’re not very useful. It’s better to have an audible alert so you can focus on other things while your waffle cooks.
An example of a waffle maker with this feature is this Cuisinart Belgian Waffle Maker. This Cuisinart Waffle Maker is a top rated waffle iron within the Kitchen Appliances world and on Amazon.
What about flipping the waffle?
One special feature, that definitely is to be rated highly, is the flip function. Many waffle makers make waffles where one side, the bottom side, is cooked quicker and crispier than the top. That’s because the batter ends up resting on the bottom and therefore cooks faster. This ability to flip a waffle, mid-cook, allows both sides of the waffle maker to cook evenly.
Some like flip features that do it horizontally, others prefer ones that flip 180 degrees vertically. In reality, either way is fine. There’s no big benefit or drawback when compared one to another. One of our favorites is the Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker.
Is it easy to clean?
Being easy to clean means that the plates are non-stick, and possibly even removable. This allows you to wipe away excess batter rather than scraping waffles off, and means that once the waffle maker is cool, you can pop the plates into a dishwasher or soak them.
An example of this type of waffle maker would be the Hamilton Beach Flip Belgian Waffle Maker with Removable Plates (26030).
What’s the final word?
There are also some non-standard waffle irons. The Palmer Electric Belgian Cookie Iron is one of those. This cookie waffle iron is great for thin waffles and is a top rated waffle iron in it’s own right.
The verdict is that the best waffle iron (for us) is one that is highest rated would be one that is of a trustworthy brand, is multi-functional with removable non-stick plates, has temperature control, has drip tray, and has flip-ability. There are many waffle irons that fulfill these features, however, ultimately, what you’re searching for and what your budget is, will depend on the waffle maker you choose.
