The 8 Best Waffle Makers of 2023

Best Overall

Breville Smart 4-Slice Waffle Maker

4.8

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The Breville Smart 4-Slice Waffle Maker has all the bells and whistles. Yes, the price is steep, but the consistency, capacity, and speed make it worth it, especially if you're feeding a hungry family in the morning. With five different cooking presets (Belgian, classic, chocolate, buttermilk, or custom), 12 browning settings, and “Waffle IQ” technology that calculates cooking time based on your desired waffle style and level of crispiness, it would be hard to not make perfect waffles. And, if they are not quite right, the ingenious “A Bit More” button allows you to keep cooking your waffles without restarting the process.

This model is a sturdy beast, as our Editor-in-Chief Emma Christensen can attest; at almost 17 pounds, it takes up 15.8 x 8.8 x 18.5 inches of the kitchen counter. But, if you are looking for a machine to make multiple waffles at once with ease, this is it. There are built-in readiness indicators to walk you through the process. The display flashes “heating” as it warms up, a gentle alarm signals when it is ready, and the display lights up orange. Pour your batter in, and watch as a timer counts down to let you know when your four square waffles are done. And, don’t worry if you walk away; a loud beep will go off every 30 seconds until you remove your waffles.

Of course, we had to see for ourselves if this lived up to Emma's hype. Even though this is larger than most machines, it took less than 5 minutes to heat up. Waffles turned out perfectly golden when set to medium, and the design was easy to understand. During testing, there was a bit of a learning curve for the right amount of batter to put in, but that's an issue with all waffle makers (the first one's always the test). Even if you end up with some spillage, all our tester had to do was wipe it down once fully cooled.

The Breville Smart 4-Slice makes perfect golden waffles, but it is also intuitively designed with a built-in overflow moat to keep counters clear of excess batter, a locking lid to aid in storage, and a gorgeous low profile stainless steel exterior.

"To me, the perfect waffle is golden in color, slightly crispy on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside. This waffle maker exceeded my expectations, allowing me to quickly turn out a big batch of beautiful waffles that are extra thick thanks to the deep cooking plates." — Taysha Murtaugh, Editorial Director

Price at time of publish: $220

Best Budget

Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker

4.5

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This Cuisinart waffle maker is the classic workhorse of 0.5-inch thick, American-style waffles. It is compact, easy to clean, and produces consistent waffles quickly. The five browning settings give some control over doneness, and the weighted lid provides enough pressure to ensure even cooking on both sides, without the added step of flipping them.  

We sent this home for testing with one of our small apartment dwellers. While this machine is small, it proved to be mighty when it comes to making waffles on the fly. The nonstick plates heat up quickly, clocking in at 1.5 minutes tops. When set to medium, pancakes came out fully cooked with light browning after only a minute or two.

Since this is on the small side, you can tell where the heating coil is with heat radiating from the center and some uneven browning. Another downside is that waffles are not crispy, even when placed on a rack to avoid steaming each other. They do come out fairly cleanly though, with no bits left behind during any of our tests. Once cooled, any spillage is easy enough to wipe down with a damp cloth.

Stability is not an issue with this model—the rubber feet keep it from slipping around while baking. Dual indicator lights will let you know when it’s time for the batter and when waffles are done. Another great feature of the Cuisinart Classic, though, is how the cord wraps around the bottom of the unit for neat storage.

"I really like it. Even though I have to make waffles one by one, a batch is done in about 15 minutes, and clean-up is minimal. I still need to perfect my batter twirl, but the waffles that come out are a decent size and satisfying. And it's perfect for my small apartment with limited storage space." — Siobhan Wallace, Commerce Editor

Price at time of publish: $30

Best for Belgian Waffles

Cuisinart WAF-200 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker

4.9

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It cannot be denied that flip models provide even distribution of batter ensuring uniformity in waffle size. The Cuisinart Double Belgian goes one step further with its two-waffles-at-a-time capacity. No waiting for the first one to finish to start the next one. And the deep-pocketed grids produce fluffy, golden, 1-inch waffles.

The 6-setting browning knob allows some personalization with your waffle-making, and the oversized handle makes for easy flipping. Indicator lights and audible beeps alert you to machine readiness and waffle doneness. It also comes with a measuring cup to ensure the correct amount of batter every time. 

At 9 x 9.75 x 15 inches, it is bulky, but the wide base provides extra stability, and nonstick plates make for easy food release and cleanup.

Price at time of publish: $110

Related: The Best Toasters

Best Mini

Dash Mini Waffle Maker

4.2

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Getting your kids involved in the kitchen has never been easier or more fun than with the Dash Mini. This waffle maker is also a great option if you are tight on space, living the van-life, or equipping a dorm room. At a compact 1 pound with a 4-inch cooking surface, it makes waffles that even fit in a toaster for reheating—hello, breakfast prep. And, it comes in a variety of fun shapes and colors. 

"The Dash Mini Waffle Maker is budget-friendly and doesn't take up a lot of space in your kitchen, which is important for those with limited kitchen space seeking to make healthy meals from scratch on a budget," says Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Seattle.

The design is straightforward with an indicator light when it is ready for the batter and nonstick plates that wipe clean. It also has non-slip feet to keep it secure on the counter. The Dash Mini comes with an illustrated owner’s manual and access to a recipe database to show you all the magical ways you can use your waffle maker even beyond waffles—think paninis, chaffles, and potato latkes.

Price at time of publish: $13

Best Rotating

Presto 03510 Ceramic FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker

4.2

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This model is unique in design—it flips side-to-side instead of rotating. The flip design allows the batter to distribute evenly, making uniform 1-inch thick, 7-inch round waffles. It does take a little more real estate on the counter when unhinged, but it can be locked, and stored vertically when cooled.

Another feature of the Presto Flipside is the digital countdown timer. The manufacturer recommends four minutes of cook time, but this can be adjusted based on personal preference. Cleanup is a breeze as well. The grill plates are coated with nonstick ceramic, so a quick wipe-down post-cool yields pristine results. It's a great tool for making chicken and waffles at home—the waffles are evenly cooked, and it is super easy to clean. It also makes an attractive addition to your counter with its stainless steel exterior.

Price at time of publish: $67

Related: The Best Toaster Ovens

Best for Crispy Waffles

All-Clad Stainless Steel Classic Round Waffle Maker

4.2

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If 6.5-inch round, 0.5-inch thick, American-style waffles are what you are looking for, the All-Clad Waffle Maker yields evenly-cooked, crispy, four-sectioned breakfast staples. This option has seven browning levels to control crispiness, and the steam-release system keeps moisture at bay, so your waffles are crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside.

This model walks you through the waffle-making experience. There is an audible beep when the waffle maker is ready for the batter and another when it is finished cooking, and just to be sure, there are red and green indicator lights that come on with each alarm. The nonstick plates make simple clean-up, and the stainless steel body offers an elegant look for your kitchen counter.

Price at time of publish: $130