Yum: Kohl's $10 waffle maker sounds good to us

So far, we've seen a lot of ho-hum appliance deals in early Black Friday circulars -- lots of mediocre coffee makers and hit-or-miss slow cookers. But here's one that's a solid pick if you're looking for a fun kitchen-gadget gift that's not a big investment.

The deal: Oster Rotating Belgian Waffle Maker for $10 (after $10 mail-in rebate)

The store: Kohl's doorbuster, Friday only, 4:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (or until sold out)

The verdict: Fluffy Belgian waffles for $10? Definitely a steal

Sure, to get the $10 waffle maker from Kohl's (featured in its leaked Black Friday circular) you'll have to mail in a rebate form (you'll pay $20 at checkout), but the Oster Rotating Belgian Waffle Maker, also sold as the Sunbeam Flip 3874, normally sells for $40.

So what do reviews say?

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Great fluffy Belgian-style waffles
• Temperature control
• Easy to clean

Cons:

• Handle or knob breaks off on a small percentage of models
• Waffle batter can drip out
• Actually costs $20; mail-in rebate saves you another $10

In our report on waffle irons, we found the best reviews for the VillaWare UNO Classic Round Waffler, but this model goes for $45. While we didn't read any professional reviews for the Oster/Sunbeam model, users are pretty pleased. The only complaint? In a minority of reviews, a few owner report that the handle or knob broke after a few uses (the waffle iron does have a one-year warranty). For $10, we'd take the chance, and we wouldn't feel too badly if the Oster waffle maker ended up in the closet after the holidays.