Sunday Stove

The Best Waffle Makers

Five waffle makers from about $11 to $250, for thick Belgian waffles or thin classic ones, for one person or a family of four.

By Nell Harlan · Updated Oct 23, 202622 waffle makers compared

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The Presto FlipSide is the waffle maker to get. You pour in the batter, give the handle a half turn, and about four minutes later you get a round Belgian waffle almost an inch and a half tall. It costs about $60. Bon Appétit named it the best waffle maker overall, America's Test Kitchen called it the best buy, and when breakfast is done it locks upright for storage.

If you're making waffles for four every Saturday, one at a time gets old fast, so look at the Breville Smart Waffle, which makes four at once for about $250. Short on counter space? The Ninja stands upright like a toaster and fits in a corner.

Our picks

Best overallPresto FlipSide Belgian Waffle MakerCheck price on Amazon
Best for familiesBreville Smart Waffle 4 SliceCheck price on Amazon
Best for small kitchensNinja NeverStick Pro Belgian Waffle MakerCheck price on Amazon
Best classicBreville No-Mess Waffle MakerCheck price on Amazon
Best under $15Dash Mini Waffle MakerCheck price on Amazon

At a glance

  1. 1.Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Makerabout $60
    Best for
    Most kitchens
    Style
    Belgian, flip
    Per batch
    One 7-inch round
    Weight
    5 lb
  2. 2.Breville Smart Waffle 4 Sliceabout $250
    Best for
    Feeding four at once
    Style
    Belgian
    Per batch
    Four 5-inch squares
    Weight
    13.75 lb
  3. 3.Ninja NeverStick Pro Belgian Waffle Makerabout $100
    Best for
    Small counters
    Style
    Belgian, vertical
    Per batch
    One 6-inch square
    Weight
    5.7 lb
  4. 4.Breville No-Mess Waffle Makerabout $170
    Best for
    Thin, crisp classic waffles
    Style
    Classic
    Per batch
    One round
    Weight
    6.7 lb
  5. 5.Dash Mini Waffle Makerabout $11
    Best for
    One person, a dorm or an RV
    Style
    Classic, mini
    Per batch
    One 4-inch round
    Weight
    1.6 lb

The 5 waffle makers, ranked

1 · Best overall
Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker

Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker

Thick, well-browned Belgian waffles for about $60, and it stores upright.

$59.99as of 11:15 AM ET
Check price on Amazon
Buy it if

You want tall, well-browned Belgian waffles with deep pockets for butter and syrup, and you'd rather not spend more than about $60.

Skip it if

You like to pick a darkness level on a dial. There isn't one: you set the time and that's it.

The waffle is 7 inches across and cut into four wedges, which is one generous serving or two small ones. There's a single button that sets the timer, and it beeps a minute before the end and again when the waffle's done, so you can get the plates and the syrup ready instead of hovering. America's Test Kitchen got its best waffles at four minutes. Thicker batter may want a bit longer.

The flip isn't just for show, either. Turning it over spreads the batter into every corner, and the grids are ceramic nonstick, so waffles usually lift right out. When you're done, the base locks the whole thing upright and it lives happily in a cabinet.

Steam collects inside the handle, and when you flip the iron, hot water can drip out of it. Turn it with an oven mitt on and keep your other hand clear.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • The timer runs on a battery and doesn't switch the heat off, so unplug it when you're finished.
  • Batter that dries inside the plastic handle is hard to scrub out. Wipe it while it's warm.
  • Now and then a waffle sticks and has to be pried out.
Storage

Flat it's about 12 by 11 inches; upright it needs about 11.5 inches of height and roughly a 4.5-inch-wide slot.

About 1.4 in thickCeramic nonstickBuilt-in timerStores upright
2
Breville Smart Waffle 4 Slice
Best for families

Breville Smart Waffle 4 Slice

Four thick square waffles per batch, evenly browned, with a moat that catches overflow.

$249.95as of 11:15 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

You cook for a family and want everyone eating at the same time, not in shifts.

Skip it if

You make waffles twice a year. At about $250 and nearly 14 pounds, it's a lot of machine to pull out of the cupboard.

Read the full write-up

Four squares about 5 inches across come out of every batch, so a family of four sits down together. They're the reason America's Test Kitchen made this its favorite Belgian waffle maker: thick and evenly browned, batch after batch. You pick one of five darkness settings (plus a manual mode) and one of five batter types, and Breville adjusts the time for you. A light tells you when to pour, and it beeps when they're ready.

Overfill it and the extra batter runs into a moat around the plates instead of onto the counter. It cooks there too, but comes out pale.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • The plates don't come out, so you clean it in place with a damp cloth.
  • About 15.5 by 11.5 inches on the counter, which is the size of a big cutting board.
5 darkness settings5 batter settingsOverflow moat1-year warranty
3
Ninja NeverStick Pro Belgian Waffle Maker
Best for small kitchens

Ninja NeverStick Pro Belgian Waffle Maker

Stands upright, takes up less than 8 by 7 inches of counter and browns very evenly.

$99.95as of 11:15 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

Your counter is crowded and you want thick Belgian waffles from something that tucks into a corner.

Skip it if

Kids will be making their own. The pour spout on top gets very hot.

Read the full write-up

It stands up like a toaster: you pour the batter into an opening on top and it runs down between the plates. That shape takes about 7.7 by 6.6 inches of counter, less than half the Presto laid flat. The waffle is one 6-inch square about an inch thick, and in one published review it took 4½ to 5 minutes on setting 4, browned evenly on both sides with nothing stuck to the plates.

The thing I'd warn a friend about is that funnel on top. One review measured it at about 302°F, and two of its reviewers burned their hands grabbing it by instinct. Hold it by the base. There's also a setting for brownie batter and cake mix, which I'd use more than I'd admit.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • The plates are fixed and can't go in the dishwasher.
  • The measuring cup has no spout, so pouring takes a steady hand.
  • At almost 12 inches tall it feels a little less steady than a flat machine.
Pour-in top5 shade settingsSetting for brownie batter
4
Breville No-Mess Waffle Maker
Best classic

Breville No-Mess Waffle Maker

Round American-style waffles about ¾ inch thick, with 7 browning settings and a moat.

$169.95as of 11:15 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

You grew up on thin, crisp diner-style waffles and Belgian ones feel like too much bread.

Skip it if

You want deep pockets that hold a puddle of syrup. These are about ¾ inch thick.

Read the full write-up

America's Test Kitchen picked it as the best classic waffle maker. It's round, a little thicker than other classic irons, and noticeably thinner than a Belgian waffle. Turning the dial both switches it on and sets one of seven shades, a light says when it's hot, and it beeps at the end. The edges come out a bit paler than the center. Like the bigger Breville, it has a moat for spills and a latch to keep the lid shut.

What owners report

Reports are few, and they're on the Australian version, so these are counts and not proportions. One owner's nonstick coating stopped releasing after about five batches, and the waffles broke coming out. Another says a quick wipe is all it ever needs.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • About $170 for one thin waffle at a time.
7 browning settingsOverflow moatLocking latch
5
Dash Mini Waffle Maker
Best under $15

Dash Mini Waffle Maker

A 4-inch waffle for about $11, from a machine that weighs 1.6 pounds.

$10.99as of 11:15 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

You're cooking for one, in a dorm, an RV or a tiny apartment, or you want chaffles and hash browns as much as waffles.

Skip it if

You feed more than two people. At one 4-inch waffle at a time, breakfast for four takes a while.

Read the full write-up

For about $11 it's hard to argue with. It's 6.4 by 5 inches and weighs 1.6 pounds, so it fits anywhere. There's a light but no timer, so you lift the lid and look. Boxed mix works best in it and scratch batter doesn't do as well, so if you love your grandmother's buttermilk recipe, this isn't the machine for it.

It comes in lots of colors, all at about the same price.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • The painted outside scratches easily.
  • No timer: lift the lid and check.
Makes chaffles tooNonstickStores anywhere

Who this is for

Anyone who makes waffles more than once in a while and doesn't want to babysit a stovetop iron. Most people should buy a Belgian waffle maker, because the deep pockets hold butter and syrup. If you're a classic-waffle person, there's one here for you too. And if pancakes are really what your family eats on weekends, a good nonstick pan will get more use than any waffle maker.

How to choose

Belgian or classic

Belgian waffles are at least an inch thick with deep pockets. Classic waffles are under an inch, with shallow squares and a crisper, thinner bite. Most machines sold today are Belgian.

Count the people at the table

One waffle at a time is fine for one or two. For four, a 4-slice machine like the Breville means everyone eats together instead of in rounds.

Look for an alert

A beep or a light when it's done matters more than a dozen settings. The best machines cook in 3 to 4½ minutes and tell you when.

Think about where it lives

A waffle maker spends most of its life in a cabinet. Flip models that lock upright, and the vertical Ninja, store in less space than flat ones.

What I'd skip

Cuisinart Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker

It makes two waffles at once, but the measuring cup it comes with overfilled it so the lid wouldn't close, and with less batter the waffles came out pale and soggy at America's Test Kitchen. About $150.

All-Clad Stainless Steel 4-Square Waffle Maker

Gorgeous, and Bon Appétit loves that the plates come out and go in the dishwasher. It's also about $270 and heavy. The Breville makes four squares too, for about $20 less.

GreenPan Elite 4-Square Waffle Maker

About $300, and its Belgian waffles were only about ¾ inch tall. It also goes to sleep between batches and has to heat up again.

Dash Flip Belgian Waffle Maker

Quick, cheerful and cheap, but its waffles came out undercooked and soggy no matter how long they stayed in.

Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker

Simple to use, but it browned unevenly, felt unsteady on the counter and has no latch. The No-Mess costs more and does the classic waffle properly.

How I picked

Even browningDone in 3 to 5 minutesA beep or light when it's readyUnder 14 poundsIn stock on Amazon US

These five came out of 22 waffle makers, from an $11 mini to $300 four-square machines, chosen on how well they brown, how fast they cook and how easy they are to live with. Measurements come from America's Test Kitchen, Bon Appétit and shouldit.com, owner reports from Appliances Online. Prices are Amazon's on October 23, 2026.

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Common questions

What is the best waffle maker for home use?

For most homes, the Presto FlipSide. It makes thick, evenly browned Belgian waffles for about $60 and stores upright. If you cook for four at once, the Breville Smart Waffle 4 Slice is worth the extra money.

Is there a difference between a waffle maker and a Belgian waffle maker?

Yes. A Belgian waffle maker has deeper grids and makes waffles at least an inch thick, with big pockets. A classic (or American) waffle maker makes thinner waffles, under an inch, with shallow squares.

Why throw away the first waffle?

You don't have to. Wait for the ready light before you pour, and if the first waffle comes out pale, give the next one a little longer.

Should I get a stovetop waffle maker?

Only if you want one for camping or have no room at all. You have to heat it on a burner and turn it by hand every minute or so to cook both sides evenly. An electric one is easier and gives you a more even waffle.

How do you clean a waffle maker?

Let it cool, then wipe the plates with a damp cloth. For batter stuck in the grids, a soft toothbrush works. Removable plates can usually go in the dishwasher, but check the manual first.

The verdict

The Presto FlipSide, unless you're feeding four

At about $60, the Presto FlipSide makes thick, well-browned Belgian waffles and puts itself away upright. Pay up for the Breville Smart Waffle only if you want four waffles at a time.

Check price on Amazon$59.99 as of 11:15 AM ET

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