12 Best Waffle Makers [Tested and Reviewed]

Calphalon's Intellicrisp Waffle Maker CKCLWF1 topped our list for its ability to make delicious waffles, and it comes with five levels of browning adjustment.

When we tested this waffle maker, the finished waffles were fluffy and light. They also had a delicious aroma, and our reviewers gave the machines high marks, such as, "delicious with a cake-like fluffiness" and "a good balance between the crispy outside and the soft inside." This waffle maker cooked uniformly, yielding results that were both pleasing to the eye and tasty. Although the entire surface of the waffle was not exactly the same color, there were no signs of undercooking or burning.

Another major selling point is that this waffle maker is almost hassle-free. It comes with a timer and alerts you with a sound when it’s preheated and ready to cook. This machine also alerts you when your waffles are cooked, so it doesn’t require culinary expertise to use this machine. In fact, you can do a little housework while your waffle cooks. And thanks to its locking mechanism, you can store it vertically when the lid is closed, saving space in the kitchen.

On the other hand, this waffle maker isn’t particularly easy to maintain. Although there are grooves around the plate, they are shallow, and the batter overflowed, dripping onto the machine and the surface beneath it. Bearing in mind its tendency to overflow, we recommend using less batter when you make each waffle.

That said, this waffle maker not only lets you bake fluffy and delicious waffles, but it’s also very easy to use. We recommend it for people who are looking to make delicious waffles with little hassle.

Crux's Double Rotating Waffle Maker 14614 comes equipped with two plates, one on the front and one on the back. With the included measuring cup, you can measure out the right amount of batter without worrying about overflow.

The waffles had a perfect balance of crispiness on the outside and fluffiness on the inside. However, some testers found the waffles too crispy, so if you prefer soft waffles, we recommend you cook them for less time.

The preheating time is 5 minutes 46 seconds, which isn’t fast. But this machine alerts you with a sound when preheating is complete. Since you don’t have to stand over it as it heats up, the preheating time is less of an inconvenience.

On the other hand, this machine isn’t easy to maintain. It's a plus that this waffle maker comes with a drip tray to catch any overflowing batter. But the plate can’t be removed, which makes deep cleaning the residue in the grid on the plate a challenge.

The Hamilton Beach Belgian Waffle Maker 26031 is equipped with a feature that can flip a waffle during cooking. The company claims that the ability to flip the waffle makes for thick and fluffy waffles.

The waffles we made had such an impressive crispiness on the outside that we could hear a crunching sound with every bite. Yet the inside remained moist and did not dry out, creating an excellent balance of textures. The baking was generally even, so the waffles not only tasted good, but looked appealing as well.

The main selling point of this waffle maker is how easy it is to maintain. The plate is detachable, which makes it easy to remove even small bits caught in the grid. This model also comes with a drip tray, so even if the batter overflows, it won’t land on the surface beneath. Plus, the plate and drip tray are dishwasher-safe, so there's no need to hand wash.

On the other hand, since this waffle maker does not have a timer function, you’ll have to keep track of cooking time yourself. In addition, when it’s done preheating, the signal is just a simple light indicator, so you have to keep checking the machine to know when it’s ready to cook and you would need to be present for the whole process.

Even though this waffle maker is less user-friendly than some other machines, it gets major points for how easy it is to clean. If that’s your top priority, this is the waffle maker for you.

Bella's Classic Rotating Belgian Waffle Maker 13591 features nine levels of browning. Its handle can also be folded, so it’s easy to store. The waffles were just crispy enough, without drying out or getting hard. One tester said, "They're delicious enough to eat on their own, without syrup."

In addition, this waffle maker preheats in an impressive 2 minutes and 37 seconds, so you can start cooking quickly when you get a craving for a waffle. Keep in mind, though, that this machine doesn’t have a power button, and it will start heating up as soon as you plug it into an outlet.

Another feature is the included drip tray, which will catch any overflowing batter. Unfortunately, you can’t remove the plate, so you’ll need to clean this machine by hand, which can be time-consuming. Our testers also found that it was difficult to clean the edges of the plate thoroughly.

Breville's Smart 4-Slice Waffle Maker BWM604BSSUSC is designed for families, as it can cook up to four waffles at a time.

The preheating time was relatively fast at 4 minutes and 34 seconds. Also, you don’t need to stand over this waffle maker as it heats up, as it will make a sound when it’s preheated and will also indicate it's ready to cook with a small light.

The waffles we made had a nice, fluffy texture, but the crispiness was uneven in places. Our test panel would have preferred that the waffles were a little crispier.

When it came to cleaning up, this waffle maker didn’t have a drip tray to catch batter overflow, so it could make a mess on the machine itself and the surface underneath.

The Breakfast Set Stainless Steel Waffle Maker 8010000467 from Krups can bake up to four square waffles at once. And thanks to its handle lock feature, it can even be stored upright.

The waffle we cooked was fluffy, but our testers thought it wasn’t crispy enough on the outside. This machine did brown the waffle evenly, so you don’t have to worry about it burning in spots, even if you cook the waffle longer to make it crispier.

We appreciated that this waffle maker notifies you by sound and the color change of a light that the preheating is completed. Keep in mind, though, that this machine doesn’t have a power button, and will automatically start heating up as soon as you plug it in.

This waffle maker also wasn’t easy to maintain. On the plus side, the plates are removable and dishwasher-safe. But this machine lacks a drip tray, so if the batter overflows, you may find yourself cleaning a mess on the table beneath the machine.

The Cuisinart Vertical Waffle Maker WAF-V100P1 has a vertical design with a pour spout for the batter. And the browning level can be adjusted in five stages.

The preheating time is 4 minutes and 11 seconds, which is longer than some other machines but not extremely long. In addition, a sound alerts you when it’s preheated, so you don’t have to stand over the machine; you can tell when it's ready even from a distance.

The golden-brown color of the cooked waffle was relatively uniform on both sides, but the outside of the waffle was more hard than crispy. The waffle also lacked moistness, and reviewers commented that it was “dry and needs to be eaten with jam or syrup."

On the plus side, the vertical design helps prevent batter overflow. But since the plate can’t be removed, this machine isn’t easy to clean, so our reviewers ranked it lower.

The Mini Waffle Maker EWM015M from Elite Gourmet allows you to make small waffles measuring 4.5 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Its lightweight and compact design also makes it perfect for taking with you on outdoor activities like camping.

The waffles we made turned out so crispy that they made a satisfying crunch when we bit into them. However, the waffles it makes are only 1 inch thick, so they’re not very fluffy on the inside.

An advantage of this waffle maker is that it only takes 2 minutes and 25 seconds to preheat, so you can start cooking quickly. However, it does not have a timer function, so you need to keep track of the time yourself.

Another drawback? This machine isn’t easy to maintain. The plate isn’t removable and the grooves are small, which makes it difficult to clean. Also, the batter tends to overflow, so be careful not to pour too much in.

The Mini Waffle Maker Machine CF-WM01 by CROWNFUL is compact, just as the name suggests. It comes in four colors.

Although the waffles we made weren’t thick, they were soft inside. However, some testers said that the waffles lacked crispiness.

On the other hand, this waffle maker wasn’t particularly user-friendly. It doesn’t have a power button, and it starts preheating immediately when plugged into the outlet. And it heats up very quickly, in only 2 minutes and 4 seconds, so make sure to connect it to the power source only after you’ve made your batter.

This waffle maker also got low marks for ease of maintenance. There were hardly any grooves around the plate, so the batter spilled over. Also, since the plate and the grooves are small, this machine may be hard to clean thoroughly.

The Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker 03512 from Presto can make waffles with fillings like chocolate or cheese, thanks to its thick design.

The waffles we made were impressively thick and fluffy, similar to pancakes or sponge cake. Because the inside was so soft, though, the outside wasn’t very crispy. But if you prefer soft waffles, this is the machine for you.

That said, making waffles with this machine involves more work than with other models. It can take as long as 10 minutes to heat up, and there’s no feature to alert you that it’s finished preheating. It also doesn’t have a timer.

On the plus side, it comes with a built-in waffle tong, which helps prevent the batter from overflowing. But since you can’t remove the plate, it can be difficult to clean.