Hamilton Beach Non-Stick Belgian Waffle Maker with Indicator...

Most Helpful Review

"My seven year old niece's passion for waffles started before kindergarten. She would eat waffles for every meal if allowed. A graduate now of second grade, she's spending the first month of summer vacation with us.It was with her in mind that I broke out the old waffle iron, to show her "real" waffles don't come from the freezer and they aren't cooked in a toaster. They come from homemade batter. Fresh off of the iron, they're hot enough to melt cold pats of butter. They don't need to swim in that "gee I wish I was maple" syrup; only a drizzle of the real deal makes them heaven. To say that her first homemade waffles were a hit would be a major misunderstatement. I slid the plate in front of her and she dove in; about two bites in, she stopped chewing. For a couple of seconds she sat with her mouth open and her eyes glazed; then, she smacked her lips and chewed through both waffles like a chainsaw through kindling.I had created a monster. The old waffle iron made one little round waffle at a time, way too cumbersome, plus it's one of those you have to turn over halfway through to cook both sides (I said it was old). It required a lot more attention than I'm capable of before a few cups of coffee and I couldn't see using it every morning for the next month.Online at Amazon.com, I found this Hamilton Beach 26020 Belgian Style Waffle Baker. Anticipating washing it first, I was disappointed to realize that the plates don't come out. I went over them with a dishcloth, moist with hot, soapy water and then a second wet cloth, a couple of times, to rinse. Any disappointment vanished the next morning. So simple! It heated up while I stirred oil and egg into my batter mix.The first waffle was a mess; totally my fault. The second time around, after cleaning it out, I followed directions. After spraying it evenly with Pam, top and bottom, I poured the batter into the middle of each waffle square and pulled down the top. The timer hadn't gone off when the smell led me to believe the waffle was done; when I went to slowly lift the lid, it resisted a little, so I let it go the full time before trying again. The iron opened and the waffle would have slid right out except one corner stuck until I pushed from the side with a spatula.It came out as one large waffle, undamaged, looking golden brown. I divided it into four and confirmed it was fully cooked. Placing two to a plate, I joined my niece at the table. After an almost ceremonial application of butter and syrup to every square, she bit in and declared them "even better" than what I'd cooked on the old iron (although I think that had more to do with getting two at once). I too enjoyed eating mine while I told her of a magical dinner that combines fried chicken and waffles and watched her eyes glaze over again.If I had a chance to recommend changes, I'd ask that the iron be made with removeable plates; other than that, for the price, I have no complaints and would buy this again for myself or as a gift."