Types of Waffle Makers
There are many different types of waffle makers to choose from. There are Belgian waffle makers that make 0.75 to 1-inch thick Belgian-style waffles that have a light fluffy interior and deep pockets that are great for toppings. There are thin waffle makers that make 0.5-inch thick Classic-style waffles that have a crispy exterior and dense interior and shallow pockets.
The easiest to clean waffle makers are waffle makers with removable plates. They are about twice as expensive as a waffle maker with non-removable plates but you can detach the plates and clean them in a dishwasher which will make your life much easier.
If you want to make a perfectly formed Belgian waffle that is fluffy and evenly cooked, then I would recommend purchasing a flip waffle maker because it uses a rotating feature to spread the batter between the plates so that the batter fills all of the cavities of the plates and every inch of the batter is evenly cooked.
Waffle Makers with Removable Plates
Waffle makers with removable plates are really popular because you can remove the plates and clean them in a dishwasher, which will save you the time and trouble of cleaning them manually.
The best waffle makers with removable plates come from All Clad because they heat more evenly and reheat quicker than their competitors. These cost more than $200 each but they are worth the extra expense.
Cuisinart, Krups, and Hamilton Beach sell waffle makers with removable plates but they each cost less than $100 each because they don't have the build quality of the All Clad waffle makers.
There are many 3-in-1 waffle makers that come with three sets of cooking plates for making waffles, sandwiches, and hamburgers or steaks. They are generally cheaper than the dedicated removable plates waffle makers because they are generally half the size and don't have the same great build quality.
Classic Waffle Makers
There are very few classic waffle makers for sale because thin, classic-style waffles are not as popular as Belgian-style waffles. Each of the most well-known kitchen appliance brands only has one classic-style waffle maker for sale.
These thin waffles look like the circular-shaped waffles from Waffle House and the Eggo waffles you can find in the frozen food aisle.
The best thin waffle makers come from All Clad and Breville and they cost about $150. Cuisinart has a nice affordable classic-style waffle maker that only costs about $30.
For more information about the best thin waffle makers, please click on this link: https://sites.google.com/view/wafflemakerauthority/best-thin-waffle-makers
Belgian Waffle Makers
The best-selling waffle makers in the United States are typically Belgian waffle makers. This is understandable since Belgian waffles have deeper pockets than classic waffles which means they can take on more toppings and their interiors are lighter and fluffier.
All of the biggest kitchen appliance brands, including Breville, All Clad, Hamilton Beach, Cuisinart, and Black and Decker, have multiple types of Belgian waffle makers for sale.
The typical Belgian waffle makers cost about $30 and they come with a power indicator light, ready to bake/ready to serve indicator light, aWnd an adjustable temperature control. None of them come with an audible beeping notification at this price point.
Belgian waffle makers that cost $50 or more come with the features of the lower-priced ones and they also come with audible beeping notifications and removable plates that you can clean in a dishwasher.
Ceramic Waffle Makers
If you want to avoid Teflon, then you should definitely consider purchasing a ceramic waffle maker because they do not contain PFOA or PTFE, which is used to manufacture Teflon.
Like thin waffle makers, there are not very many ceramic waffle makers to choose from. All Clad, Breville, Krups, and Black and Decker do not have any ceramic waffle makers for sale. Both Cuisinart and Hamilton Beach only have one ceramic waffle maker for sale each.
Cast Iron Waffle Makers
Cast iron waffle makers are another great alternative for people who want to avoid Teflon coating. Cast iron is made by melting iron and steel so it contains no lead or any other toxic materials that can harm your health. Cast iron is really heavy so it can retain heat very well and it has a high melting point so it can withstand high temperatures.
There are no cast iron waffle makers that utilize electricity and heating element to cook the batter so you will have to use the fire from your stove or campfire as a heat source to make your waffles. You can buy a cast iron waffle maker for between $30 and $40.