Published March 1, 2004. From Cook's Illustrated.
No matter how foolproof the recipe, all waffles will be rubbery and flaccid if cooked in the wrong waffle iron.
Waffle irons range in price from less than $20 to almost $100. Is there as wide a range in quality? To find out, we gathered several classic (not Belgian) models. There were two types of iron: The first group, large and square, yielded huge perforated waffles that can be torn into four smaller squares for individual servings; the second yielded a much smaller, round waffle that serves one.
All of the models tested featured a sensor that lit or dimmed to indicate whether the waffle was ready. All but two models had adjustable temperatures, letting you choose how dark you want your waffles. The two un-adjustable models produced insipid waffles. Neither model is recommended.
Our favorite irons were those that produced waffles with good height and dark, even browning and we liked models that featured not only a ready light but also a ready bell.
But a more meaningful feature on which to base your choice is size. Two of our irons were fine if you didn’t mind making one small waffle at a time. In the end, however, we preferred the convenience of the model that cooked four individual waffles at once.
