8 best waffle makers for upping your breakfast game

by Emily Goddard Feb 21, 2022 7 minutes

Whether you prefer them sweet or savoury, waffles are the ultimate weekend brunch staple. Crisp on the outside, cloud-like in the middle, they are the perfect vehicle for piled-up toppings and as good an option for dessert as they are mid-morning.

There are dozens of waffle recipes to try, from classic Belgian or buttermilk to red velvet and even low-carb, gluten-free iterations – all of which claim to be the best. But your honeycomb-shaped delights can only be as good as the kit with which they are cooked.

Waffle makers need to allow for a decent thickness to create deep cavities into which the fillings can flow and nestle for a serious flavour hit, and you want the cakes to peel away from the plates effortlessly, so non-stick is a must. Searing heat is also essential to create that crisp outer shell, so you’ll want a waffle iron that can reach temperatures over 150C.

Let’s not forget the versatile potato waffle, which is far superior when homemade from scratch than from the freezer. A good waffle maker should be able to handle those too, creating wholesome crunchy slabs that, when bitten into, reveal a creamy, fluffy centre.

Get yourself a decent waffle iron, perfect your favourite recipe, then stack them high and smother in delicious toppings. You’ll soon be as famous for your waffles as the waffle king himself: Gossip Girl’s Rufus Humphrey.

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How we tested

We sought out waffle irons of varying shapes, sizes and features to create a whole host of goodies, including round waffles, square waffles, bubble waffles and mini waffles. We tested each with a classic Belgian waffle recipe (using this one from Preppy Kitchen) and some with a savoury potato mixture to cater for vegans and people who eat a gluten-free diet (using this recipe from Oh My Veggies).

We’ve rated each waffle maker on how easy it is to use, how quickly it heated up, the features, how we found cleaning it, the non-stick powers and the all-important edible result.

The best waffle makers in 2022 are:

Best overall – Salter deep fill waffle maker: £26.99, Salterhousewares.co.uk
Best hi-tech waffle maker – Sage the smart waffle pro: £226.72, Amazon.co.uk
Best stovetop waffle maker – ProCook stovetop waffle maker: £22, Procook.co.uk
Best bubble waffle maker – CucinaPro bubble waffle maker: £34.95, Amazon.co.uk
Best multi-tasking waffle maker – American Originals 3 in 1 treat maker: £35, Argos.co.uk
Best mini waffle maker – VonShef mini waffle maker: £14.99, Vonhaus.com
Best for families – Lakeland no mess electric waffle maker: £49.99, Lakeland.co.uk
Best rotary waffle maker – Progress rotary waffle maker: £39.99, Amazon.co.uk

Salter deep fill waffle maker

Best: Overall

Rating: 9.5/10

Dimensions: H 10.5cm x W 29.5cm x D 26cm
Non-stick: Yes
Power: 900w
Other features: LED indicators

Making waffles should be fun, fuss-free and quick – who has the patience to wait? – and this machine makes all that possible. It is simple to set up, with a green light indicator that tells you when it has reached the perfect temperature for your batter. Depending on the recipe you use, your treats will be ready within 10 minutes.

Our classic Belgian recipe took about nine minutes to produce two perfectly golden, gloriously chunky waffles that were delicately crisp on the outside and fluffy in the middle. The non-stick plates meant they were effortless to remove, and that made cleaning a doddle too. This was also the best machine for making savoury waffles because it allowed for a decent thickness. Just bear in mind that potato waffles usually need more time to cook than those made with batter.

The compact size of this waffle maker is another plus, especially if you are low on kitchen storage or countertop space. And we love that the reasonable price means Salter’s maker will be suitable for most budgets. The instruction manual is also helpful and includes several delicious recipes, including for bangers and mash waffles, to show there is much more to waffles than simply being a humble breakfast food.

Buy now £26.99, Salterhousewares.co.uk

Sage the smart waffle pro

Best: Hi-tech waffle maker

Rating: 9/10

Dimensions: H 12.4cm x W 30.7cm x D 28.4cm
Non-stick: Yes
Power: 1,000w
Other features: Presets, countdown timer

On opening the box, we could see that this smart waffle machine means business. It’s a slick piece of kit for the aficionado looking to take their craft to the next level, but equally suitable for the novice because it takes any guesswork out of the cooking.

Simply switch on, wait for it to let you know the plates have reached the perfect temperature, choose what type of waffles you’re making – Belgian, classic, chocolate, buttermilk or custom – and how light or dark you’d like them by using the dial, and then add your batter. Close the lid, and the waffles will steam away while a countdown timer on the LCD screen lets you know exactly how long you’re going to have to wait until you can enjoy your fare. A generous moat around the plates catches any spillages or overflow for tidy waffle making, and it’s an easy to clean machine with excellent non-stick performance that leaves not a trace of batter behind.

It’s one of the larger machines we tested, and we think it would suit bigger kitchens or those with plenty of storage space. This machine would have been our best overall buy if it weren’t for the price, which won’t suit everyone, but it’s a tech food-lover’s dream, with outstanding features that help create exceptionally good waffles. It also comes with a two-year guarantee.

Buy now £226.72, Amazon.co.uk

ProCook stovetop waffle maker

Best: Stovetop waffle maker

Rating: 8/10

Dimensions: H 4cm x W 23cm x D 34cm
Non-stick: Yes
Power: N/A
Other features: N/A

If the idea of having to wipe down waffle iron plates or having to coax dried-on fragments of batter from between parts and in crevices puts you off a waffle machine, this traditional stovetop alternative will have you sold. It’s the easiest to clean of all the devices we tested because, first, the excellent non-stick coating means no batter is left on the plates after cooking. And second, it can be washed by hand with dish soap in the sink, getting it squeaky clean in a flash.

It’s suitable for ceramic, gas and electric stoves – we tested it on gas, getting it searing hot before adding spray oil and the batter, and turning down the flame ever so slightly. The waffles cooked quickly, but cooking two simultaneously was a little challenging given the small size of our tester’s hob rings. Thanks to the direct flame during cooking, it resulted in the crispiest waffles with soft centres. Generally, it is a tidy thing to work with, but overfill it and you will be left scraping waffle batter off your stove.

Because it’s made from cast aluminium, it’s durable yet lightweight, and although the long handle makes the dimensions seem large on paper, it is compact and takes up little storage space.

Buy now £22.00, Procook.co.uk

CucinaPro bubble waffle maker

Best: Bubble waffle maker

Rating: 7/10

Dimensions: H 9cm x W 24.5cm x D 30cm
Non-stick: Yes
Power: 700w
Other features: LED indicators

Bring the fun of the fair to your home with a bubble waffle maker that will allow you to create waffle and ice cream cones in minutes. The machine functions in the same way as most waffle irons, but instead of having square or round honeycomb cavities, it has concave spheres which the batter can seep into, creating a hexagonal bubble cake.

It heats up quickly and is easy to use with a lockable lid, and can be flipped over midway through cooking for an even finish. The non-stick coating is good but not as easy to release as some of the others we tried, which made it slightly trickier to clean.

Strangely it comes with a European plug installed and a UK adapter included, which is fine if not somewhat odd for the British market. But since Instagrammable Hong Kong egg waffles are not something we thought we’d be able to create at home, we were happy with the machine and the delicious treats it makes.

Buy now £34.95, Amazon.co.uk

American Originals 3 in 1 treat maker

Best: Multi-tasking waffle maker

Rating: 9/10

Dimensions: H 10cm x W 16cm x D 23cm
Non-stick: Yes
Power: 600w
Other features: Cake pop and doughnuts plates, LED indicators

Those who eat waffles only occasionally might struggle to see the point in investing in a waffle machine, but something like this multi-use machine might justify the purchase, especially if you have children. As well as making one decent-sized waffle at a time, it can be used to cook up cake pops and doughnuts. The machine is simple to use, and the removable plates are easily changed by pressing the latch to release them before slotting in another. The non-stick performance is also brilliant. We especially like the compact size for easy storage and how easy it is to wash up the plates in the sink.

Buy now £35.00, Argos.co.uk

VonShef mini waffle maker

Best: Mini waffle maker

Rating: 7.5/10

Dimensions: H 8cm x W 13cm x D 13cm
Non-stick: Yes
Power: 700w
Other features: LED indicators

Do you worry your tiny kitchen means you can’t have a waffle maker? If so, this miniature machine will change your mind. No bigger than a hand, it takes up zero space either on the worktop or in a cupboard. The non-stick is excellent, and just one spray of oil was needed to ensure the cooked waffles peeled from the plates with brilliant ease.

It also makes the cutest circular waffles, perfectly sized for a one-person portion, or you could make several if you’re feeling particularly hungry. We found we needed to press down on the top of the unit to keep it tightly closed during cooking, but the lid became hot, so we’d recommend pressing it down with an oven glove or tea towel to protect your hands from the heat.

Buy now £14.99, Vonhaus.com

Lakeland no mess electric waffle maker

Best: For families

Rating: 8.5/10

Dimensions: H 11.5cm x W 28.5cm x D 31.5cm
Non-stick: Yes
Power: 1,200w
Other features: LED indicators

Announce to your children that you’re making waffles, and they’ll want them on their plates yesterday, so you’ll need a machine that can make several at a time. This one is perfect for that, making four good-sized treats in one go. It heats up in moments and cooks the batter quickly and evenly for yummy, fluffy waffles.

The no-mess design of this device is ingenious. Huge reservoirs catch any overspill that becomes easy to lift away once cooked. It also made us feel less anxious about adding too much batter, something we felt with most other machines for fear of an oozy mess on the countertop. Plus, this crowd pleaser comes with a three-year guarantee.

Buy now £49.99, Lakeland.co.uk

Progress rotary waffle maker

Best: Rotary waffle maker

Rating: 8/10

Dimensions: H 27.5cm x W 13.5cm x D 38cm
Non-stick: Yes
Power: 1,000w
Other features: Drip tray, LED indicators

You can feel every bit the pro waffle maker with this machine, which lets you flip the main unit with a cool-touch handle for perfect, evenly cooked waffles. Once it’s plugged in, it heats up quickly, with a green LED light letting you know when it’s ready to add the batter. It creates deep, satisfyingly round waffles that easily break into quarters.

The non-stick performance is excellent, meaning the cooked waffles were easy to remove from the plates, which can be wiped clean, ready for the next use. The plastic drip tray is also a helpful addition to the maker, catching any splashes of batter, and it can be washed up too. It’s a rather chunky unit, but the handle does fold in to make storage a little easier. We think this is the waffle maker Rufus Humphrey would buy if his trusty gadget needed replacing.

Buy now £39.99, Amazon.co.uk

The verdict: Waffles makers

For generously sized, flawlessly cooked waffles with zero fuss, and without breaking the bank, there can be no better machine than the Salter deep fill waffle maker. It is easy to use and clean, and does the job for under £30.

If money and space is no object and waffles are a big deal in your house, Sage’s smart waffle pro is the ultimate gadget. And to those looking for a non-electrical traditional device, we’d recommend the ProCook stovetop waffle maker.

Voucher codes

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After something more savoury? Look to our review of the best toastie makers