I have been searching for the perfect waffle maker for some time. My kids love waffles for breakfast and my old cheap waffle iron no longer was functional. I purchased the heart shape waffle maker with rave reviews from Amazon but I could never get the waffles as crisp as I would have liked. If you are looking for restaurant quality...large crisp waffle...you have found the right product. Do your self a favor and pair it with the Heartland Food Product Waffle Mix sold on amazon and you will not believe your results. My search is finally over...
I purchased this waffle maker based on the great reviews on Amazon. Believe them. It's easy to use, easy to clean and makes great waffles. It's a well-designed product. The flip mechanism seems to contribute to the quality of the waffles. Crispy on both sides and soft in the middle. The griddle plates can be stored in an upright position. The timer is very simple -- you add time incrementally by pushing the minute or 30-sec buttons. The timer starts to count down about 3 seconds after you last push a button. You can't turn the alarm off once it's set, so if you find the three tone alarm to be annoying (as some reviewers have), don't use the timer. Takes about 3 minutes to make a waffle.
I've tried about 5 different waffle makers through the years and was never happy with the results. Presto is a waffle maker that I am finally happy about! It makes waffles that are THICK, at least 1 inch, maybe 1-1/2 inches (I didn't measure and it doesn't state on the box or info), and 1 waffle is enough for me. I would eat at least 2 waffles with my other waffle makers since they were thinner, even though they were Belgian, so it is like making 2 waffles at once...I couldn't afford the double waffle makers, so I am pleased with this.
I made a homemade batter: 2 cups fresh ground wheat-berries, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, pinch of salt, 3 Tablespoons oil, 1 egg and enough milk to make a nice batter (I don't measure of follow recipes much). Oiled the hot waffle maker and put in about 3/4 cup batter, flipped it over and set the timer for 3 minutes. When it beeped, I had a perfect waffle!
There are no controls so just plug it in and it automatically heats up. Be sure to unplug it (or any appliance) when you are finished cooking. The only confusion I have is why a battery for the timer? Strange. The one thing you will have to remember is: SET THE TIMER. Yes, I kept forgetting after the first waffle and this is why it's 'almost' brainless. Otherwise, it makes great waffles. I bought a waffle mix that just arrived today and I will use it to make waffles tonight and see how it works with that. I use a pat of butter, jam or real maple syrup, and dig in for a delicious dinner some nights. Some friends like an egg on top. For the money, this is a great machine that I am happy I purchased.
This is really a lot of fun to use. It really isn't a bad little item at all - I'd actually give it 6 stars. It does take a few tries to figure out exactly how much batter to put in so it doesn't ooze out of the sides, and also the general correct amount of time needed for waffles that are crispy outside and soft inside, but those are little items. I actually just make large batches of batter and leave it in a pitcher in the fridge so the kids can make their own waffles as snacks, etc. My only complaint is that I'd prefer the plates be removable, but it really isn't hard to clean at all. Now I just need to find the perfect batter recipe! Sometimes I get obsessed that I have to have a particular thing and such it was with waffles -- specifically belgian waffles. I had a gift card and this was already pretty inexpensive so I figured I had nothing to lose.
