What should you look for when buying a waffle maker?

“We’ve found that no matter how perfect and fresh the batter is, the waffle maker you’re using will determine your level of success,” explains Cundiff. The first step is determining what kind of waffles you want to make: American, Belgian or Norwegian? From there, you can start to narrow down your options by desired size. Ideally, you should get one with browning settings, a timer with light and/or audio notification, and a moat or drip tray for overflow batter. If it’s easy to clean (perhaps even with removable plates), cooks in just a couple minutes and reheats quickly after each batch, even better.

What’s the best way to take care of your waffle maker?

Good news: Waffle irons are pretty low maintenance. “If you’re not too adventurous or exotic in your waffling, you can probably get away with a quick wipe with a damp cloth,” shares Shumski. If some baked batter drips are giving you a run for your money, pour a couple drops of cooking oil over them, wait a few minutes, and then wipe. Removable cooking plates can be extra helpful during the cleaning process–just make sure to check whether yours is dishwasher safe or needs to be hand washed. And most importantly? Don’t touch it until it’s cooled down.

So, what’s the best brand of waffle maker?

There’s no one best brand of waffle maker, but as you’ll see on our list, there’s definitely a few of them. All-Clad, Breville and Cuisinart are all household names with a reputation for being high quality, attainable, and fairly priced with solid features. That said, according to Shumski “it’s a good idea to stick to a brand you know and trust.” Here at Parade.com, we’re all about sharing products we love with our audience. When you make a purchase on an item seen on this page, we may earn a commission, however, all picks are independently chosen unless otherwise mentioned.

12 Best Waffle Makers

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