8 Best Waffle Makers 2022 - Top Belgian Waffle Iron Makers to Buy

2022-05-21 22:15:20 By : Ms. Candice Mao

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Shop these top picks for mess-free Belgian waffles in no time.

We updated this guide in May 2022 to ensure all of our picks — previously tested and vetted by the Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab in the Good Housekeeping Institute — were in stock, available and correctly priced.

Chances are you like your waffles a particular way, even if you don't realize it. Some people like classic waffles, which are thin and crispy, while others prefer Belgian, which are thick and fluffy. Each style is made in a different type of waffle maker, which is important to keep in mind when shopping for one a new one.

In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab, we are constantly testing the latest and greatest kitchen gadgets on the market. Over the years we've tested over 40 waffle makers including classic and Belgian. When testing, we assess doneness and evaluate the evenness of color and crispness. We also score the ease of use, including settings, surface temperature and more. Our recommendations include a combination of waffle makers we’ve tested and new best-selling units reviewers can’t stop raving about. These are the best waffle makers you can buy in 2022:

In our tests, All-Clad’s Round Classic Waffle Maker came out on top for performance and ease of use. It scored top marks across the board for doneness, crispiness, tenderness and consistency when boxed mix and fresh batter were used. It also was very easy to use with the turn of a smooth, ergonomic knob and red and green indicator lights that corresponded with sound. The stainless steel waffle maker features seven clearly-labeled browning settings. Its plates are nonstick, and its handle is large and easy to operate. One thing to note is the body got hot during testing, like many of the other traditional waffle makers we tested.

If you prefer Belgian waffles, the Round Classic Waffle Maker is comparable to All-Clad’s Belgian Waffle Maker which also performed very well in our tests.

The Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker offers a simple solution to making good waffles. It makes great boxed and fresh waffles, and comes with a user guide that includes five waffle recipes developed in the Cuisinart Test Kitchen. The waffle maker features five browning settings that are controlled with a sliding lever and red and green indicator lights. It does not have a ready sound indicator, however, so we recommend sticking close-by during cooking to ensure your waffles don’t overcook. While the exterior gets hot, like most of the other waffle makers we tested, the handle stays cool to touch. The waffle maker has a relatively slim design and can be stood up for storage.

This little waffle maker from Dash is a hot seller. With nearly 170,000 reviews on Amazon, it makes mini, 4-inch waffles – the perfect size for a light breakfast or dessert. The waffle maker operates by simply plugging it in to turn on, and features a ready light to let you know when it’s preheated. It comes with an illustrated owner’s manual, which includes several recipes.

The Dash Mini Waffle Maker comes in 10 colors and there’s even a heart-shaped version (pictured). Reviewers love that the waffles fit in the toaster, which is great if you like meal prepping. Cook the waffles until they become a light, golden color, cool, then freeze so you always have a bunch on hand.

The Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker is a must for families or entertaining. It can make two waffles at a time so you don’t have to wait until one is cooked before starting the next. It features a ready indicator light and variable shade settings. In our test, boxed waffles came out tender and consistent, and waffles made from scratch were also crisp. The Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker features nonstick plates and offers a large drip area that’s easy to clean. Its rotating design is reminiscent of waffle makers you'd fine in professional kitchens; they're known to disperse batter well and evenly. The one features an over-sized handle thats easy to use and also stays cool during the cooking process.

When we tested an older model of this waffle maker, it churned out crisp and consistent Belgian waffles. Now, a new, similar model with detachable plates is available, which makes cleanup even easier than before. The plates click off and are dishwasher safe, as is the included drip tray. It features nonstick plates, ready indicator lights and three recommended browning settings.

According to our testers, the Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker can be depended on for well-browned, tender and crispy Belgian waffles. In addition to ready indicator lights, it features a countdown timer, a unique feature that sets it apart from most waffle makers on the market. The recommended cook time is four minutes, but can be adjusted as desired to achieve the perfect waffle for your preference. The Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker has nonstick plates that wipe down easy after use. Its flip design allows for batter dispersal without a spatula and encourages more even cooking; plus, it can be stored vertically, which requires less room than most of its Belgian-style competitors.

Breville’s Smart Waffle Pro is one of their most popular waffle makers. Depending on the style you buy, it can make two or four waffles at a time. In our tests, the two-square scored one of the highest overall scores. According to our testers, “it excelled at baking waffles from scratch and from a mix, receiving near perfect scores for browning, tenderness and consistency.”

The waffle maker has deep, 1-inch pockets and a moat around the plates to collect any excess waffle mix. It features four pre-set settings for Belgian, classic, chocolate and buttermilk waffle recipes. From there, you can also choose one of 12 different shade settings, and even add a “a bit more” time if the waffle isn’t cooked to your exact desired preference. One especially unique feature is the waffle maker’s ability to adjust the cook time based on the temperature of the plates.

This waffle maker impressed our analysts when we recently tested it for our 2021 Kitchen Gear Awards. It produced the biggest, fluffiest waffles we've ever seen. We used Nutella to "stuff" the waffles in our tests, which evenly dispersed from the center of the waffle into every quadrant. The interior of the resulting waffles were warm and tender, while the exterior was crisp and held its shape. Compared to the other three stuffed waffle makers we tested, this one was the easiest to use – it didn't require oiling the plates or any extra parts. We also preferred that it was automatic compared to the two stovetop versions we tested. The 7-inch model uses a lot of batter, which makes it perfect for sharing. A 5-inch model is also available for smaller portions. It stands upwards for storage.

In the Good Housekeeping Institute, we’ve whipped up more than 420 batches of waffles to test more than 40 classic and Belgian waffle makers over the past 10 years. We used boxed pancake and waffle mix for each test, as well as a homemade recipe. We evaluated cooked waffles on browning, doneness, tenderness and consistency, while the waffle making machines were scored on how easy they were to operate, how many heat settings they featured, "doneness" indicators (like lights and sounds), surface temperature and the quality of the operating manuals. Our top performers cooked evenly-colored waffles — crisp on the outside but not dry, with few holes.

First, consider the differences between Belgian and classic waffle makers:

✔️Belgian waffle makers typically have round plates versus square, but what really sets them apart is the thick, fluffy waffles they produce. Belgian waffles are soft with a slightly crisp exterior. They also have large, deep pockets that trap even more butter or syrup per bite. They can be made on a rotating waffle maker, which allows the batter to distribute evenly, but newer models simply have deeper plates that don’t require flipping. The more advanced ones have moats around the edges to help prevent spillage.

✔️Classic waffle makers have thinner plates than Belgian waffle makers, which yield thinner waffles that are more crispy throughout. The main difference between a regular, classic waffle and a Belgian waffle is that classic waffles don't have that think, fluffy interior. The plates also create more pockets per square inch that are smaller and more shallow. More pockets means more crunch, too, because of more crispy edges per bite.

Next, consider these factors when shopping:

✔️Size: Depending on size, different options can make one, two or four waffles at a time.

✔️Cook time: Most waffle makers we tested have variable shade settings, but lower-priced models simply plug in and require you to use a separate timer. Our favorites had variable shade settings that made consistently good waffles and slim designs that could be stored easily.

Nicole Papantoniou runs the Good Housekeeping Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab where she oversees all content and testing related to cooking products. She started testing and developing cooking tools, gadgets, gear and appliances in 2014 though she started using them all when she started cooking at 12 years old. She is trained in classic culinary arts and is a professional recipe developer. Nicole has been air-frying long before most air fryers hit the U.S. market and using toaster ovens as her preferred oven for years, and she particularly loves testing knives and cookware.