Hamilton Beach Belgian Waffle Maker with PFAS-Free Non-Stick Ceramic-Coated Plates, Browning Control, Indicator Lights, Stainless Steel (26081)

There’s nothing Belgium about this waffle maker, while it does make them slightly thicker than standard size these are still on the thinner side.WHAT YOU GETThis is pretty basic, you get the appliance and a small fold-out instruction sheet that doesn’t really tell you much, but if you read below you should get all of the information you need.HOW WELL IS IT MADEFor the price this is typical of this brand’s quality, a cut above the no-name brands. The control dial is large and turns with a smooth precision with tiny click stops to keep it at the temperature you choose. The dial does not have temperature markings but on devices like this they are usually not at all accurate anyway. I does have a smaller to larger illustration to show that the temperature increases as you turn it clockwise and it’s easy to remember where your favorite setting is.IS IT REALLY NON-STICKThe ceramic surface is truly non-stick, the finished waffle needed no coaxing to be easily lifted out with a fork. Please read this part carefully, non-stick coatings are intended to have that characteristic all by themselves without the need of canned sprays. The most credible sources on the subject agree that using sprays does more harm than good and can actually destroy the cooking surfaces. And why add any more chemicals than necessary to our foods and our lives, I’ve stopped using them and I have yet to have any food stick, as long as I clean the surfaces thoroughly between uses.HOW BIG IS ITDespite any degree of buyer regret concerning the size of anything bought online, I have to accept that it is 100% my responsibility to read the measurements carefully before ordering. This device clearly states it makes 7” waffles, there can be no disputing that. I’ve actually never seen one that size, I’m used to waffle makers that create dinner plate size results, so I was slightly surprised when I opened this that it looked slightly mini compared to my expectations. No I am not disappointed, just a little surprised. But it turns out if I am have sides with it, like an egg on top and some bacon a 7” waffle is just about right. And as I mentioned, these are slightly thicker than regular waffles.HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT WAFFLEThis is where I mention my other surprise that, yes, it is mentioned in the specs, but reality is a different thing. This thing is only 560 watts, that’s a lot less than most other models that can be up to 1100 watts. Do you need a thousand watts? I think not, that might cook faster but it is certainly going to be more prone to cranking out burnt waffles. This does take a little longer to heat up and a little longer to cook but I actually tried to burn a waffle and I couldn’t. I saw a suggestion in another comment about the proper setting and I’m guessing that Hamilton Beach changed their design since that was written because my unit does not have markings on the temperature control dial. So think of it this way, if you rotate the dial from the lowest to the highest position, picture where half way would be, now set the dial about a half inch further. If the dial were a clock, noon would be half way and your ideal setting would be somewhere between one and two PM. As far as timing, of course that depends on your batter but I found that I should check at about five minutes and go from there. One thing I love about this is it is so easy to open it and check and the non-stick surface makes that super easy. Now as far as how much batter to use, that also depends on what kind of waffles you’re making. Here’s a hint: I started with a half cup of dry powder and about two-thirds of a cup of water and it was almost but not quite enough. I use mix that doesn’t require eggs (when I’m writing this eggs are about seven bucks a dozen) and you might think my batter was kind of thin, yes it was, and the result was a perfect fluffy waffle. Try it yourself, you might find that you are using batter that’s too thick.YES NO MAYBEThis brand has always been one of the better low cost ones and this is no exception, it has some weight to it and the materials look durable. The ceramic coating isn’t just a gimmick, it really works and is so much safer than most of the other coatings. The temperature control dial has a good feel to it and the hinge is better than average. Despite the low wattage it does an excellent job, in fact the wattage has benefits like lower power bills and being able to plug it into the same outlet as another small appliance without blowing a fuse. The ability to stand it up vertical in an ordinary cupboard is a huge plus, but be aware that there is no lock to snap it together, not that its needed, but if you try to lift it the wrong way the top may flop open and could break the hinge, so use two hands when removing it from the cabinet. I think this is about as good as such an appliance like this is going to get and it has earned a full five stars.

I had to re-buy this because my mom took my first one. Was out of stock when I tried to purchase a 2nd time so I waited for almost a month for it to come back in stock. (I wasn't taking my chances with another product)Makes great waffles (not some paper-thin waffle), it never sticks (so your not trying to tear it off with a fork), the only way this product could be better is if it had a beep feature when its ready. However the light does turn more green and you can hear a little click, which is perfectly fine.Definitely one of the better waffle makers out there.

This waffle maker is fantastic! I love that I don’t need to use any oil or butter—waffles come out perfectly every time and never stick once the indicator light turns green. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and makes a great addition to any kitchen. Highly recommend.

works great. i love that it uses ceramic for nonstick. i don't even need to use oil or anything, nothing ever sticks. although i would've loved to see it utilize a timer. the way this works is you plug it into the wall, wait for the pre-heat light to turn green, add your batter, close the lid and set a timer on your phone or whatever. i use about 70% on the heat knob and cook for about 4 minutes and they come out perfect. if you're the type to forget things in the oven because you rely on them to shutoff after a timed period, you're gonna burn stuff. i couldn't find a ceramic waffle maker with a timer, so i settled on this, but i would've gladly paid more for that feature.

Why did you pick this product vs others?:I wanted a simple waffle iron after having one that was too fancy that had to be flipped and took up way too much room. This one is perfect.

Does what it's meant to do. Every waffle is consistent given you're pretty quick with covering the entire bottom plate before shutting the top plate. The longer you take to finish pouring, the more likely certain parts of the waffle will need to be cooked more. Uneve cooking isn't a big deal...just shut the lid for another minute clears that up no problem. EASY CLEANUP!

Love it! I wanted a waffle iron that was non-stick but didn't have a highly chemical coating. Ceramic grates to the rescue! I've made a few batches and the waffles slide right out. I found I can make half the number of waffles as my previous iron, which makes sense since this one produces thicker Belgian waffles. That also means that it takes longer to cook a single waffle. That's fine, I can cook other foods while waiting on this one. I set it to the lowest doneness setting and, if it it's still too pale, let it cook for another minute for a perfectly brown waffle. I'm trying not to use any oils or cleaning products on it to preserve the non-stick coating. I'm just letting it cool and then taking a wet sponge to it followed by a paper towel.

Waffle maker has been working well for a few years now. I like that it is nonstick and don't need to use spray or butter on it. I do wish it would have a tray or plate to hold dripping batter as it can get messy sometimes. I like that I can store it upright and use less space.