Meet the Waffle Maker That’s Actually Easy to Clean and Makes Fluffy, Crispy Belgian Waffles
Amid the classic breakfast debate of pancakes versus waffles, I’ve always been Team Waffles. I love their crispy-yet-soft texture and the puddles of syrup that pool in every pocket of their grid-like surface. But, until recently, I always settled for pancakes.
The Belgian-style waffle maker I would occasionally use built up so much grime from layers of nonstick sprays and gloppy batter that I hated the thought of pulling it out. Cleanup felt impossible — or, at least, very laborious.
But then I found this Cuisinart waffle maker. It has a square shape with perfectly deep pockets, six shade settings, and one seriously major bonus: removable, dishwasher-safe plates.
Removable plates for a waffle maker seem like a no-brainer. You can’t even begin to clean one until it’s cool. And, by then, the oil or burnt batter has already solidified and, no matter how hard you scrub, it feels like a lost cause. I’ve found even nonstick irons eventually fall short of their promise, and are way harder to clean than their “nonstick” name implies.
But this Cuisinart waffle maker satisfies my weekend craving for waffles, with no painstaking scrubbing. When I’m done, I simply put the machine’s plates in the dishwasher. (They’re both top and bottom rack dishwasher-safe, which can’t be said for all removable plates.)
I don’t have to sacrifice breakfast quality for easy cleanup, either: The waffle maker’s deep grid makes dreamy, crisp-yet-fluffy Belgian waffles. It has a light on the front that keeps track of preheating so my waffles never suffer from low heat-induced sogginess. And it audibly beeps when the waffles are finished, ensuring they won’t overcook.
With four square quadrants, this iron makes one extra-large waffle or four small waffles squares (depending on how you look at it). If you’re going for the latter, the individual squares slide easily into the toaster for reheating the next morning.
And, hey, if I ever decide to go back to pancakes, this waffle maker also includes a 4-slot pancake plate that not only cooks pancakes, but round sausage patties, too. Who says you can’t have it all?
Do you have a favorite waffle maker? Tell us about it in the comments!