To Find the 6 Best Waffle Makers, I Made Almost 100 Waffles

Is there a weekend brunch dish more iconic than the waffle? Okay, sure, the case could be made for pancakes. But there is simply nothing like fluffy and tender waffles with a crispy-on-the-outside, golden brown crust. And the best waffles come from the best waffle makers. With a cooking process that relies on quick, even heating elements and controlled steam escape, the materials and quality of your waffle maker really matter. We originally tested waffle makers back in 2018. For this review, I re-tested the previous champions and added new models to the mix. (Or should I say, “to the batter”?)

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Belgian-Style Waffle Maker

Cuisinart WAF-F4 Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker

$120 at Amazon $12 at Walmart $120 at Target

This waffle maker (and longtime Serious Eats favorite) turns out picture-perfect waffles every time thanks to its flipping mechanism, which evenly distributes batter to the edges—no need to overfill and deal with drips. Its heavy plates heat quickly and stay hot, making it easy to churn out waffle after waffle.

The Best American-Style Waffle Maker

Breville No-Mess Waffle Maker

$150 at Amazon $150 at Williams Sonoma $110 at Sur La Table

If you love thin and crispy American-style waffles, this is the waffle maker to buy. There are seven darkness settings—I found level five was ideal for consistently golden-brown waffles. The deep trench around the plates catches drips and can be wiped out cleanly with a swipe of a towel. 

The Best Smart Waffle Maker

All-Clad 4-Square Digital Gourmet Waffle Maker

$330 $220 at Amazon $180 at Williams Sonoma $180 at All-clad.com

This waffle maker has a gleaming steel exterior that looks smart and feels durable. The hefty plates have deep grooves for the fluffiest waffles, and I appreciated that they could be removed for speedy cleanup. I loved the digital display, which took the guesswork out of how hot and how long the cooking time should be. Just choose your setting and desired doneness, and let the waffle maker figure out the rest.

Another Excellent Smart Waffle Maker

Breville The Smart Waffle Pro 4-Slice Waffle Maker

$220 at Williams Sonoma $220 at Sur La Table

I almost didn’t include this waffle maker because it’s so similar to the All-Clad—right down to the settings (classic, Belgian, buttermilk, gluten-free, and so on). But there were a few standout features that earned this Breville waffle maker a spot on the winner's list. The “A Bit More” option was amazing when a waffle wasn’t quite done but I didn’t want to cycle through another round and continually lift the lid to monitor progress. The handle is larger and easier to maneuver confidently, but when it came to waffle quality and reheating time, it was neck-and-neck with the All-Clad.

The Best Budget Waffle Maker

Krups 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker

$80 $55 at Amazon $15 at Walmart View on Bed Bath & Beyond

The waffles made from the Krups 4-Slice reminded me of highway diner waffles in the best way possible. They were light, tender, and charmingly floppy. With space for four square waffles, the Krups made as many as the Breville and All-Clad, minus the flashy features. If you regularly cook waffles for a large group (or prefer to batch-cook and freeze them) but don’t care about techy add-ons, you’ll like this model. It’s another longtime Serious Eats top pick.

The Best Small Waffle Maker

Dash Mini Waffle Maker

$10 at Amazon $13 at Sur La Table View on Bydash.com

Frankly, this waffle maker is adorable. The Dash Mini Waffle Maker didn’t beat any of our other winners in terms of size, power, or fluffiness-to-crispiness ratio, but you really can’t knock the price (under $10) or the size (no bigger than a salad plate). If you’re a casual waffle consumer or just don’t have the space for yet another appliance, look into the Dash. 

The Tests

• Box Waffles Test: This test helped to determine how easy the waffle makers were to operate and evaluate their overall performance. I whipped up multiple batches of Krusteaz Belgian waffle mix and made three rounds in each waffle maker. During this process, I recorded how long the waffles took to cook and for the waffle makers to reheat after each batch.
• Buttermilk Waffles Test: This was where things got heated. I made Stella Parks’ buttermilk waffles because the recipe relies primarily on steam to fluff up the waffles. Waffles that came out dense and flat would reveal the models that couldn’t get hot enough. 
• Yeasted Waffles Test (Winners Only): Once I’d narrowed down the field to the potential winners, I made Stella’s yeasted waffles with each finalist. I wondered how the thicker batter would do in non-flip machines, and if it would affect the crispy exterior.
• General Use and Cleaning Tests: As I used all of the waffle makers, I took note of clever design features, like an easy locking mechanism. I also looked for flaws, like awkward handles or unsuitable reheat times. Once the waffle makers had been unplugged and cooled, I cleaned them all according to the manufacturer’s instructions, noting how easy (or not!) it was to do.

What We Learned

Batter Distribution Methods Were Key for Photo-Ready Waffles

Getting batter to the edges of the waffle maker without overflowing is the secret to perfect-looking waffles. If the batter doesn’t spread evenly, the waffles will have patchy edges and doughy, undercooked centers. Thin batter spreads well on its own, but thicker batters, like for yeasted waffles, need help. That’s why the Cuisinart Double Flip did so well in all of the tests: Flipping the irons upside-down and back again helped the batter flow from the center to the edges. Of course, you can achieve evenly cooked waffles by spreading the batter yourself—an offset spatula or silicone spatula will do. But it sure is fun (and satisfying) to spin a waffle maker around.

Does the Type of Waffle Batter Matter?

You'll notice that we conducted multiple rounds of testing in this review: a boxed mix, a buttermilk batter, and a yeasted batter. When using yeasted batters, your waffles are almost guaranteed a beautiful, lofty rise. (That is, assuming your yeast is fresh.) But boxed and non-yeasted waffles really rely on steam to get fluffy. If your waffle maker doesn't allow some of that steam to escape, you'll have dense, soggy waffles. What about the texture? Waffle batter should be on the thicker side. That will result in waffles that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Of course, thicker batters are trickier to distribute over the plates. That's why we liked flip-style waffle makers so much.

Trenches and Moats Kept Messes at Bay

It’s hard to eyeball the perfect amount of batter. Even if you’re measuring, it doesn’t take much to overfill a waffle maker. During testing, I habitually overfilled the American-style makers, because I’d forget to account for their thinner plates. That’s why I loved waffle makers with trenches around their plates. The extra-deep moat of the Breville No Mess Waffle Maker was my favorite, even though it considerably increased the appliance’s footprint. The All-Clad Digital Waffle Maker has a chute at the back of the machine for the batter to drip out discreetly. Models without a moat or escape hatch were fine, although batter tended to drip and stick to the sides as it dried out. The Cuisinart Vertical Waffle Maker, on the other hand, was an excess batter nightmare. With no place for the extra batter to go, it pooled in the pour spout, congealing as the waffle cooked.

Heavier Plates Retained Heat Efficiently

Heat retention goes a long way in efficient cooking. For example, the surface of a hefty cast iron pan doesn’t drop much in temperature when a steak is placed on it. So it makes sense that the waffle makers with heavier plates, like the Breville Smart Waffle Maker, could hold onto heat once they were adequately warmed up. Quick reheating time may not matter if you’re cooking for one or two, but when big batches are on the menu, it’s helpful to have a waffle maker that’s almost instantly ready for rounds two, three, or four. 

The Steamier, the Better

Waffle makers that emitted steam through specialty vents produced the best, crispiest, golden brown-iest waffles. Every waffle maker I tested produced steam, but the best ones were designed with specific spots for the steam to escape quickly. This meant waffles came out fluffy and light, never floppy or dense. If you’re not seeing steam poof out the sides of your waffle maker, it’s because it’s trapped inside, saturating the waffles.

Timers and Alerts Helped Plan Big Batches

I overwhelmingly favored waffle makers with countdown timers and audible beeps for doneness. Every model I tested had some sort of readiness indicator, although simple lights that turned green or flipped off were easy to miss. The best ones made it impossible to overcook waffles or waste in-between time. After all, even if you’re not testing half a dozen waffle makers at one time, there’s a good chance you’re puttering around the kitchen, distracted by other tasks.

Removable Plates Were Ideal for Easy Cleanup

Some waffle makers I tested—like the All-Clad Digital Waffle Maker and the Krups 4-Slice Waffle Maker—had removable plates that snap into place. While I was initially mildly annoyed at having to “set up” these waffle makers, I quickly saw the value in this design feature. It makes cleaning so much easier. Not only could I soak the plates (or even run some of them through the dishwasher), but it also allowed me to clean out the crevices and crannies of the base. Removable plates aren’t a requirement (some of my picks don’t have them), but they are a nice feature.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Waffle Maker

The best waffle makers have heavy plates that get very hot and reheat quickly. Bonus points for removable plates and drip trays or trenches were ideal for easier cleanup. While I especially liked waffle makers with digital displays and customizable settings, any good waffle maker will have five or more darkness settings and audible, hard-to-miss “ready” indicators. 

Our Favorite Waffle Makers

The Best Belgian-Style Waffle Maker

Cuisinart WAF-F4 Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker

$120 at Amazon $12 at Walmart $120 at Target

What we liked: Serious Eats has recommended this waffle maker since 2018, and it still reigns supreme. Most important: The waffles are divinely fluffy. The Double Flip is an efficient machine—you can make two big waffles at once—and it cooks, heats, and reheats quickly. Batter flowed to the edges when I flipped the maker upside-down, resulting in some of the prettiest, most perfect-looking waffles. The waffles were consistently done in around three minutes, with one batch clocking in at an impressive 2:54. There’s a drip plate underneath the irons to catch excess batter, a feature that didn’t exist the first time we tested the Cuisinart Double Flip in 2018.

What we didn’t like: The plates aren’t removable, so cleanup requires some fiddling around in the nooks and crannies. It’s a bulky machine that isn’t shy about taking up cabinet space.

Key Specs

• Style: Belgian-style, round
• Dimensions: 15.11 x 8.35 x 19.79 inches
• Weight: 13 pounds, 4 ounces
• Watts: 1400
• Number of waffles per cycle: 2
• Number of shades: 5

The Best American-Style Waffle Maker

Breville No-Mess Waffle Maker

$150 at Amazon $150 at Williams Sonoma $110 at Sur La Table

What we liked: Let’s hear it for the trench! The biggest appeal of the Breville No-Mess Waffle Maker is its follow-through on the name. The trench was so deep, I never experienced batter dripping down the sides of the machine, even when I purposely overfilled it. (I like to live on the edge.) The waffles were thin and crispy, but never brittle. Although the machine can only handle one waffle at a time, it reheated in under two minutes. There are seven darkness settings, clearly defined on the control panel. It’s sturdy and well-made. 

What we didn’t like: It’s pretty pricey, considering it only makes one waffle at a time.

Key Specs

• Style: American-style, round
• Dimensions: 9.5 x 12 x 5.25 inches
• Weight: 6 pounds, 7 ounces
• Watts: 900 
• Number of waffles per cycle: 1
• Number of shades: 7

The Best Smart Waffle Maker

All-Clad 4-Square Digital Gourmet Waffle Maker

$330 $220 at Amazon $180 at Williams Sonoma $180 at All-clad.com

What we liked: The All-Clad consistently turned out some of the best waffles in my tests. It’s an impressive 1600 watts, making it the second-most powerful one on the winner's list. (The Breville Smart 4-Slice edged it out with 1800 watts, and yes, I did trip the circuit breaker multiple times when testing both at once.) The All-Clad was the steamiest waffle maker of the bunch, which meant every batch was crispy and fluffy. Some of the settings—like “chocolate”—seemed extraneous, but overall I loved the LCD controls, which were easy to use and read, and took the guesswork out of how long to cook each batch. The plates are removable and dishwasher-safe and there’s a discrete drip mechanism in the back of the machine. It looks gorgeous—gotta love that eye-catching All-Clad stainless steel shine.

What we didn’t like: This waffle maker was sometimes too powerful. (See above re: tripped circuit breaker.) It’s also over $300.

Key Specs

• Style: Multiple options including American- and Belgian-style, square
• Dimensions: 15.5 x 10.75 x 6 inches
• Weight: 15 pounds, 6 ounces
• Watts: 1600
• Number of waffles per cycle: 4
• Number of shades: 7

Another Excellent Smart Waffle Maker

Breville The Smart Waffle Pro 4-Slice Waffle Maker

$220 at Williams Sonoma $220 at Sur La Table

What we liked: It was hard to choose a favorite between the Breville and All-Clad smart waffle makers. With strikingly similar displays and features, they seemed designed to compete with one another. Like the All-Clad, Breville’s Smart Waffle Maker offers an array of specialty options, including buttermilk, chocolate, and “custom” waffles. There’s a powerful steam vent at the front plate, a lock, and a deep trench around the base. Similar to Breville’s popular toaster, there’s an “A Bit More” button that adds a little extra time without restarting a cycle. The doneness timer is helpful and hard to miss.

What we didn’t like: The plates cannot be removed from the base. It’s one of the most expensive waffle makers I tested.

Key Specs

• Style: Multiple options including American- and Belgian-style, square
• Dimensions: 14.9 x 12.3 x 5.1 inches
• Weight: 15 pounds, 2 ounces
• Watts: 1800 watts
• Number of waffles per cycle: 4
• Number of shades: 12

The Best Budget Waffle Maker

Krups 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker

$80 $55 at Amazon $15 at Walmart View on Bed Bath & Beyond

What we liked: The waffles I made in the Krups strongly reminded me of the ones from a popular restaurant chain that rhymes with Shmaffle Shmouse. (They’re square, not round, but the thin-but-chewy, charmingly floppy texture is spot-on.) The plates are removable, a feature that surprised me, considering the under-$100 price. There’s cord storage and locking handles—features I appreciated when stowing the machine away. It makes four waffles at once for a fraction of the price of the other four-waffle irons I tested. 

What we didn’t like: The plates don’t heat as consistently as the Breville, Cuisinart, and All-Clad. It’s no speed racer: Almost every batch I made in the Krups took around seven to eight minutes. It feels cheaply made when compared to the higher-end models.

Key Specs

• Style: American-style, square
• Dimensions: 6.7 x 12.6 x 16.5 inches
• Weight: 9 pounds, 1 ounce
• Watts: 1200 
• Number of waffles per cycle: 4
• Number of shades: 5

The Best Small Waffle Maker

Dash Mini Waffle Maker

$10 at Amazon $13 at Sur La Table View on Bydash.com

What we liked: Traveling with a waffle maker would be a bold choice, but this one is so small and lightweight that you certainly could. It heats and reheats surprisingly quickly and the waffles are perfectly good. If the typical stainless steel waffle maker aesthetic isn’t for you, this one comes in plenty of colors and patterns (including leopard print and a galaxy design). The plates are truly nonstick and perform fine without a spritz of oil. The Dash is a good option for waffling other food items, like potatoes and ramen—that wasn’t part of the official review, but I couldn’t resist a few rogue tests. Cleanup was easy largely because there’s so little surface area to get dirty. Plus, it’s cheap.

What we didn’t like: At just 420 watts with lightweight plates, don’t expect beautifully burnished, crispy waffles. The pleasure of the Dash Mini is in its convenience. 

Key Specs

• Style: American-style, round
• Dimensions: 5 x 6.4 x 2.8 inches
• Weight: 1 pound, 3 ounces
• Watts: 420
• Number of waffles per cycle: 1
• Number of shades: No settings available

The Competition

• Cuisinart Vertical Waffle Maker: It was hard to get the correct amount of better in this waffle maker, which resulted messy overflows.
• Cuisinart WAF-F30 Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker: This waffle maker worked well, due to the batter distribution flipping mechanism. But one of our winners, the Cuisinart Double Flip, makes twice the amount of waffles.
• Cuisinart WMR-CAP2 Round Classic Waffle Maker: At $30, this was a contender for the best budget waffle maker. But it couldn't outperform the Krups, which made four waffles at a time and had removable plates.
• Cuisinart 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker: This basic waffle maker made very thin and crispy waffles, but the edges were too pale, and the crevices frequently got scorched.
• Black + Decker 3-in-1 Waffle Maker, Grill, and Griddle: I tested this side-by-side with the Krups, because they seemed so similar. But the Black & Decker produced patchy waffles with hot spots, and its construction was less stable.
• Bella Classic Rotating Belgian Waffle Maker: This model struggled to get hot, and took seemingly forever to reheat between batches. It's much less stable than the Double Flip.
• Presto Flipside Belgian Waffle Maker: This was a passable Belgian-style waffle maker, but it took, on average, 90 seconds longer than the top-performing flip models to heat up. It can only make one waffle at a time, and had a tendency to burn at higher temperatures.
  

FAQs

What’s the difference between American and Belgian waffles?

Belgian-style waffles are thicker and fluffier. They typically have fewer pockets which results in a softer texture. American-style waffles have more pockets and a thinner profile, making them thin and crispy.

What's the best flip waffle maker?

The Cuisinart WAF-F4 Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker wowed us in testing, earning the top spot for Best Belgian-Style Waffle Maker. As you turn the waffle maker, batter is evenly distributed from edge to edge. A strong seal keeps it from dripping out. And yep, the word "double" in the name is meaningful: This Cuisinart makes two waffles at once.

Are stovetop waffle makers good?

Well, you’ll notice I didn’t test any. Stovetop waffle makers are made from two cast iron plates that hinge together. They’re long-handled and meant to be heated over a stovetop. Because they don’t use electricity, they’re a good option to take camping. But they require constant monitoring and can be pretty messy. If you’re making waffles at home, an electric waffle maker is your best bet.

Do you need cooking spray for waffle makers?

If the waffle maker has nonstick plates, cooking spray is not necessary. It will build up over time, creating a layer of gunk on the machine. Counterintuitively, that causes the plates to lose their nonstick qualities.

How do you get a stuck-on waffle out of the plates?

A wooden utensil like a pair of chopsticks, or a silicone-tipped spatula will help you wiggle the waffle out of the iron. Avoid metal utensils, which could scratch the nonstick plates.

Why We’re the Experts

• Rochelle Bilow is a commerce editor at Serious Eats.
• Before joining the team, she was a contributor to the site, reviewing kitchen equipment like dish towels and whisks.
• For this review, she tested waffle makers with three different styles of batter, evaluating the machines on their ability to cook excellent waffles, heat and reheat, and handle spills.
• We last reviewed waffle makers in 2018.