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Fresh, fluffy waffles may seem like a treat reserved for brunches out, but a good waffle maker can easily produce restaurant-quality waffles at home.
After putting in more than 100 hours of research, talking to six experts, and testing 36 models since 2014, we recommend the Cuisinart Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker WAF-F30. In our tests, it consistently delivered lofty, golden waffles that were crispy on the outside and tender within, in about two minutes.
Our pick
This easy-to-operate flip waffle maker produces thick, evenly browned Belgian waffles worthy of a hotel buffet.
Let’s be real: A flip waffle maker is fun to use. But the real draw of the Cuisinart Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker WAF-F30 is the fact that it churns out irresistible waffles and offers excellent value. Its puffy, uniformly golden waffles are the closest we’ve come to the platonic ideal—and we made them in one of the least expensive models we tested.
This machine doesn’t boast a ton of features, but the ones it does have certainly count, including an intuitive interface that makes customization easy whether you’re seeking waffles that are pale or dark, soft or crispy.
The waffles pop out without resistance (whereas it required some prying for us to get them out of our upgrade pick), and the handle remains cool enough to touch while the machine is in use. Though this model is the tallest of our picks, it has a low enough profile to clear the underside of a cabinet while open on the countertop.
The downside: It offers no sounds to indicate when the waffle is cooked, only a green “ready” light that turns on. But since it’s done in about two minutes, hovering is pretty much a requirement anyway.
Budget pick
This round model offers good value and produces thin, super-crispy waffles. But it has a flimsier build.
The Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker WMR-CAP2 makes consistently excellent waffles quickly, and its compact design is perfect for small spaces. It produces just one thin, round American-style waffle at a time (think Eggo), so this model is a good choice only if you like your waffles thin and crispy and don’t need to make many at once. Its hardware also feels cheaper than that of our other picks.
According to Cuisinart representatives, this model is currently being sold under two model numbers, WMR-CAP2 and WMR-CA, but they are identical.
Upgrade pick
This very modern model makes four waffles at a time and has no shortage of features, and it calculates ideal cooking times for different types of waffles.
This is the two-waffle version of Breville’s top-of-the-line waffle maker.
If you don’t mind paying a lot for a waffle maker, Breville’s Smart Waffle Pro 4 Slice is worth the asking price—in our tests, it scored high marks on consistency, versatility, capacity, and speed.
This Breville model makes four deep-pocketed square specimens in minutes, cooks them unfailingly uniformly, and makes a crispier, more dialed-in waffle than our other four-slice pick, the Cuisinart 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker (it’s also about four times the price). You get a wide range of settings to play with to adjust the texture and brownness levels, and an automatic countdown timer lets you know exactly when the waffles will be ready.
If you need something a bit smaller or want to spend less, Breville also makes the Smart Waffle Pro 2 Slice, which has the same features but makes half the waffles.
A caveat for both models: We sometimes had to pry the cooked waffles out of the machines, which wasn’t true for any of our other picks.
Also great
This machine cooks four square Belgian waffles at a time at a fraction of the cost of our upgrade pick, though the waffles aren’t as crispy or fluffy. Like our main pick, it lacks an audible doneness cue.
The no-frills Cuisinart 4 Slice Belgian Waffle Maker WAF-150 is perfect for a full house that needs lots of waffles on the table, fast. This machine cooks a quartet of puffy Belgian-style waffles to a consistent golden brown in about five minutes, and it typically costs the same as our top pick, which makes one waffle at a time.
Its waffles could be lighter and crispier—our main pick and upgrade pick have this model beat on the texture front. But it’s simple to use and to clean, it’s an excellent value, and it makes quick work of a generous breakfast.
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