The last word in waffle irons

I used to hate making waffles at home.

That’s because, until recently, I had a very bad waffle iron. You know: the kind that only makes one skinny little waffle at a time, the kind that never really gets hot enough to make said waffle crisp, a model so slow it was nearly guaranteed that by the time I sat down to the last waffle (because, as we all know, the waffle maker eats last) everyone else in my household had long since left the breakfast table. But I’d made peace with it — I mean, I reasoned, how much better could a waffle iron be?

But then my father started evangelizing about his waffle maker, the Cuisinart Double Sided Belgian Waffle Maker. A couple of weeks after that, I saw the same model at my brother’s house. What was going on?

Photography by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Liz Neily

It seems that everyone except me had already figured out that this is the waffle maker. It’s earned high praise not only from my family members (though I assure you they’re a trusty lot) but also got the nod from The Strategist, Wirecutter, and Serious Eats, all of whom named it best in class. So I bought one. And now I love making waffles at home.

So, what makes this waffle iron so great?

Undisputedly, the best feature of this heavy-duty iron is that it’s double-sided, meaning you can cook two thick, Belgian-style waffles at once. Obviously, that’s a terrific feature if you are making breakfast for a crowd (more waffles, in less time!), but beyond saving time, waffles made in a rotary flip-style iron like this one actually cook more evenly.

Each side of the iron can hold a full cup of batter (the iron comes with a batter scoop), yielding fluffy waffles with deep cups (all the better for trapping butter and maple syrup or, better still, maple cream). Because they’re extra thick, you get a nice contrast of crispy exterior and fluffy interior. Waffle perfection, in other words.

Photography by Kristin Teig; food styling by Liz Neily

My former waffle iron was terribly slow; each subsequent batch seemed to take longer and longer, like the iron was gradually giving up. By contrast, this Cuisinart model cooks waffles super-fast — I’m talking three or four minutes per batch — and the heavy nonstick plates heat evenly, so my waffles are uniformly colored from edge to edge, from the first to the last. A sliding browning control switch allows you to customize how dark you’d like your waffle. And when the waffles are ready, a green light appears and the iron beeps.

Admittedly, all waffle irons are kind of a pain to clean. But thanks to the nonstick plates and removable drip pan, this one is easier than most. I have a dedicated waffle iron toothbrush that I use to get in all the crevices on the interior plates, then just sponge off the exterior.

Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

In our short time together, I’ve already made Belgian-Style Yeast Waffles, Liège-style Pumpkin Sugar Crunch Waffles, and tangy Classic Sourdough Waffles; my kids like to use this waffle mix, then dress them up with a swipe of chocolate-hazelnut spread. I have plans to make a hash brown waffle sometime soon; basically, now that I have this super fancy waffle maker, I just want to make waffles all the time. What will I waffle next?

Recently, kismet: A friend texted me: “My waffle maker died mid-brunch yesterday!! Do you have a model you like? I can’t go waffle-less for another weekend.” Did I!

For him, for you, for anyone who’s ready for a waffle renaissance: This is the waffle iron to buy.

More of a pancake person? We have a gear recommendation for you, too: This griddle changed how I make pancakes – and so much more.

Cover photo by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Liz Neily.