Best Waffle Irons

Top-rated Belgian waffle irons

There are two main types of waffle irons: American-style and Belgian-style. Belgian waffles, which are generally round, are fluffier and taller than American-style waffles (which are generally square), and they have deeper wells for fruit, whipped cream or syrup.

Round waffle irons of either type tend to be small and yield a single waffle, while square irons turn out perforated waffles that can be torn or cut into four individual waffles. The process of cooking a waffle in any of these waffle irons is pretty simple: Wait until the iron reaches the proper temperature (most irons have an indicator light that lets you know when the iron is hot enough), ladle in the batter and wait until the waffle releases easily from the grids. A few waffle makers require you to turn the iron over during cooking, which is said to distribute the batter more evenly, and some units have controls that allow you to set the level of browning.

Belgian waffle irons tend to perform better in reviews than their American-style counterparts, perhaps because they make crunchier, fluffier waffles. Deeper pockets give the outside a chance to crisp up while the inside stays moist.

The VillaWare Uno Classic Round Waffler (*Est. $45) gets good reviews from professional and owner reviewers. Alton Brown, host of the Food Network's "Good Eats," selects the VillaWare Uno Classic Round Waffler as his favorite. More than 150 owners have posted reviews of the waffle maker at Amazon.com, where it receives an average of 4.5 stars (out of five). Users say this model, which makes 7-inch round Belgian waffles, heats up quickly, makes airy waffles and cleans up with a damp paper towel. The VillaWare Uno has seven browning levels and a "ready" light. It emits a beep when the iron is hot, which some find annoying. The housing is made of attractive stainless steel.

Editors at Cuisine at Home call the less expensive Proctor-Silex 26500 Morning Baker Waffle Iron (*Est. $30) the most consistent of the waffle makers they tested. It produces waffles that are somewhere in between the two styles -- thicker than American-style waffles, but thinner than Belgian waffles. This round waffle iron, which makes 7-inch waffles, has an indicator light that tells you when the iron is ready, and it stands upright for easy storage. Owners particularly like the stay-cool handles, which are said to live up to their billing. Reviews say that the Morning Baker waffle maker heats and cooks quickly and cleans up easily. There's nothing that tells you when waffles are done, however. The housing is made of plastic. Considering the price, user reviews at Amazon.com for this waffle maker are excellent.

If you've sat near the kitchen in a diner that serves waffles, chances are you've seen the Waring WMK300A Professional Belgian Waffle Maker (*Est. $80) in action. Pro-style waffle irons require you to flip the unit over with a handle during baking, which is said to evenly distribute batter and make the waffles fluffier. While this type of waffle iron is fun to use, we didn't find much evidence that waffles turn out significantly better than those made in models that don't flip, and flipping waffle irons are more expensive.

We highlighted the Waring Pro WMK300 in last year's version of this report. That model has now been updated as the Waring WMK300A Professional Belgian Waffle Maker, and outwardly, the two look identical. However, we found some consistent complaints about the newer version; about 20 percent of owners posting to Amazon.com complain that it stops heating after a while. One particularly handy user, who goes by the name "Mark Super-Dad," has explored the problem, fixing his Waring waffle iron with a $1.50 replacement fuse and leaving detailed instructions for others with the same problem.

While the majority of owners are happy with the Waring WMK300A, the number of users having the same problem is a big issue. That's why we're bypassing recommending the Waring Pro waffle iron for this version of our report.

If you don't want to spend that much but want a waffle maker that flips over during cooking, the Presto 03510 FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker (*Est. $45) receives very high ratings from about 500 owners posting reviews to Walmart.com, Amazon.com and Buzzillions.com. Rather than rotating the handle, this model requires the user to flip the cooking plates from right to left. While owners say the Presto FlipSide does a great job cooking waffles, we did read several complaints about the timer, which requires a battery and runs independently of the waffle maker itself. This model also lacks browning controls and temperature adjustments, and we did read a few complaints from users that this makes it a poor choice for cooking whole grain waffles, which need to be baked longer at a lower temperature than standard recipes.

The waffle irons above all make a single waffle. Though expensive, the KitchenAid Pro Line Waffle Baker (*Est. $200) has an advantage in that it can make two waffles at once.

Good Housekeeping magazine chooses the KitchenAid Pro Line waffle iron as the best of 11 models tested. Features include automatic shut-off, a built-in digital timer and an easy-clean nonstick surface. About 250 reviewers combined at Amazon.com, Buzzillions.com and Cooking.com give the KitchenAid extremely high average ratings, praising its consistent restaurant-quality results, its durable nonstick surface and its efficiency when cooking waffles for a family. However, some owners complain that the temperature cannot be adjusted, which limits the recipes that can be used in this waffle iron.

American-style waffles are thinner

If you prefer flatter waffles that aren't as deep as Belgian waffles, classic American-style waffle irons are still around, though the Belgian variety is currently more popular.

Although we found mixed reviews for cheaper Black & Decker waffle irons, experts at Cook's Illustrated recommend the Black & Decker G48TD Grill and Waffle Baker (*Est. $50), which they say bakes "big, beautiful waffles." With the grids removed, this waffle iron can be used as a griddle for sandwiches or pancakes. This waffle maker receives four stars (out of five) in more than 350 reviews posted to Amazon.com. Owners say that the Black & Decker G48TD is versatile and easy to clean, and that waffles turn out crisp and golden. However, about a third of owners give this waffle iron less than a four- or five-star rating. Quite a few complain that the clips that hold the grids in place are flimsy, and some say that the top of the waffle iron is too heavy, resulting in squished sandwiches. We also read that the nonstick interior isn't very effective, and that it's tough to pry waffles off the plates.

We also read mixed reports about the Cuisinart WMR-CA Round Classic Waffle Maker (*Est. $30), which has a five-setting browning control, lights that indicate when the iron and waffle are ready and an unusually long warranty of three years. This model receives 3.5 stars (out of five) on both Amazon.com and Epinions.com. While some owners say it heats quickly and cooks evenly, others complain that the controls are finicky and that, over time, the nonstick coating becomes ineffective. A number of owners complain that the Cuisinart WMR-CA died after only a few months of use.