Top 5 compared
The best waffle makers
Golden waffles for a weekend breakfast, ready in a few minutes and out of the maker in one piece.
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The top 5 at a glance
A waffle maker bakes batter between two hot, grid-patterned plates, and a waffle comes out a few minutes later. Belgian makers turn out thick waffles with deep pockets; some flip over to spread the batter, and others stand upright and fill from the top. Square makers bake several at once, and minis make a small 4-inch round, handy for one person, or for chaffles and hash browns as well as waffles.
Nonstick plates stay that way with wooden or silicone tools rather than a fork, and a wipe with a damp cloth once they’ve cooled. Waffle irons go back a long way: Cornelius Swartwout of Troy, New York, patented a stove-top one in 1869.
What matters
- One at a time for a couple, four at once for a family.
- Shade settings, if you like them soft and pale or dark and crisp.
- A timer or a beep, so there’s no guessing when it’s done.
- A channel or moat that catches overflowing batter.
#1Ninja NeverStick PRO Belgian Waffle Maker (BW1001)
$50–$75
An upright waffle maker: pour the batter in at the top with the measuring cup and it bakes a 1-inch-thick Belgian waffle with even heat edge to edge, then beeps when it’s done. Five shade settings, plus a specialty setting for sugary batters like brownie or cake mix.
What owners say: Owners say waffles come out evenly cooked with a crisp crust and slide straight off, and it’s become a weekend breakfast regular.
A closer look: Start with the recipe guide in the box, then move a shade setting up or down to suit your batter. Standing upright, it needs a spot under 8 by 7 inches, so it can stay out on the counter or tuck into a cabinet, and the outside simply wipes clean.
- Pour batter in the top
- Precision-pour cup included
- Bakes brownie and cake mixes
- Recipe guide in the box
- PFAS-free
Best for: Thick, crisp Belgian waffles
- Makes
- 1 Belgian
- Style
- Upright, 1 in thick
- Power
- 1,000W
- Timer or done alert
- Beeps
- Control
- 5 shades + specialty
#2Presto FlipSide Ceramic Belgian Waffle Maker (03510)
$50–$75
Flip it over once the batter’s in and the iron spreads it evenly for a 7-inch Belgian waffle, extra thick and split into four easy-to-cut sections. The ceramic nonstick grid wipes clean, and the base locks it upright for storage.
What owners say: Owners get golden waffles batch after batch, find nothing sticks to the ceramic grid and like how fast it heats; one turned out 30 in a single session.
A closer look: Pour the batter, close the lid and flip the iron right away so the batter runs into both plates; that’s what gives the even thickness. The cool-touch handles make the turn safe while it’s hot, and once the timer’s up, the waffle cuts neatly along its four sections to share.
- Cuts into four sections
- Ceramic nonstick grid
- Cool-touch handles
- Locks upright for storage
Best for: One big round waffle to share
- Makes
- 1 round, 7 in
- Style
- Rotating Belgian
- Power
- 1,100W
- Timer or done alert
- Timer
- Control
- Fixed heat
#3Breville Smart Waffle 4-Slice Waffle Maker (BWM640XL)
$200–$300
Four deep square waffles at a time, with 12 shade settings and four batter settings, so the bake suits the mix. Closing the lid starts the timer on the LCD, and A Bit More adds time without starting over.
What owners say: Owners say it bakes evenly every time, crisp outside with no doughy middles, and like the settings; it’s a big machine, and the plates don’t come out.
A closer look: Pick the batter type first, then the shade, and keep the lid shut until the timer runs out, since it starts counting the moment the lid closes. The plates are fixed, so once it’s cool, brush the crumbs out of the grids and wipe out the moat.
- Lid starts the timer
- Adds time without restarting
- Moat catches overflow
- Die-cast aluminum plates
- Stainless steel housing
Best for: Different batters, four squares at once
- Makes
- 4 square
- Style
- Deep square
- Power
- 1,800W
- Timer or done alert
- LCD timer
- Control
- 12 shades, 4 batters
#4Dash Mini Waffle Maker (4 in, Red)
$10–$20
A tiny waffle maker that heats in minutes and makes one 4-inch waffle at a time: breakfast for one, a dorm-room treat, or a quick batch of keto chaffles and hash browns. It weighs about a pound and tucks into a drawer.
What owners say: Owners love how little room it takes and how simple it is to use and clean, and many make chaffles and breakfast sandwiches in it; a few wish it got hotter.
A closer look: There’s no dial or timer: plug it in, wait for the indicator light to show it’s ready, then add just enough batter to cover the bottom plate and close the lid. Beyond waffles it does hash browns and cornbread, and it’s small enough to pack for a camping trip or a vacation rental.
- Makes hash browns and chaffles
- Fits in a drawer
- Weighs 1.1 lb
- Nonstick top and bottom
- Packs for camping trips
Best for: Dorm rooms and keto chaffles
- Makes
- 1 mini, 4 in
- Style
- Mini round
- Power
- 350W
- Timer or done alert
- No
- Control
- None, ready light
#5Dash Multi Mini Waffle Maker, 4 at Once (Graphite)
$30–$50
Four 4-inch mini waffles at once, so a family breakfast or a batch for the freezer doesn’t mean standing over a one-waffle maker. Channels around the sides catch overflow and turn it into crispy waffle sticks.
What owners say: Four waffles in about four minutes is what owners like most, especially for chaffles; some find it quick to wipe clean, others finicky.
A closer look: Fill each well to just short of the edge; anything extra runs into the side channels rather than onto the counter. Make a double batch on Sunday, cool the waffles on a rack and freeze them flat, then reheat them in the toaster on busy mornings.
- Overflow channels make waffle sticks
- Nonstick top and bottom
- Makes chaffles and hash browns
- 31 in cord
Best for: Families and batch cooking
- Makes
- 4 mini, 4 in
- Style
- Mini round
- Power
- 1,200W
- Timer or done alert
- No
- Control
- None, ready light
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Ninja NeverStick PRO | #2Presto FlipSide | #3Breville Smart 4-Slice | #4Dash Mini | #5Dash Multi Mini |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best flip | Best premium | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Price | $50–$75 | $50–$75 | $200–$300 | $10–$20 | $30–$50 |
| Makes | 1 Belgian | 1 round, 7 in | 4 square | 1 mini, 4 in | 4 mini, 4 in |
| Style | Upright, 1 in thick | Rotating Belgian | Deep square | Mini round | Mini round |
| Power | 1,000W | 1,100W | 1,800W | 350W | 1,200W |
| Timer or done alert | Beeps | Timer | LCD timer | No | No |
| Control | 5 shades + specialty | Fixed heat | 12 shades, 4 batters | None, ready light | None, ready light |
| Best for | Thick, crisp Belgian waffles | One big round waffle to share | Different batters, four squares at once | Dorm rooms and keto chaffles | Families and batch cooking |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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