Waring Pro WMK300A Professional Stainless-Steel Belgian Waffle Maker

I had been looking to purchase the Waring Pro WMK300A Professional Stainless-Steel Belgian Waffle Maker for some time, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay nearly $200 for a waffle maker. I have no idea what brought about the drop in price from Waring, but I think this price point is much more reasonable for the functionality and quality of the device.

We were always big fans of waffles. The old chrome waffle iron we used for more than forty years made nice crispy (thin) waffles. When it finally died a few years ago, we just did without for some time. After deciding to get a new iron we started looking at the options. We decided to go with the thicker "Belgian" style waffle maker and after further study we decided on a "flip" type model. We looked hard at the Waring Pro but as I said it was too expensive. We ended up getting a Presto 03510 FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker. It worked great with just a few drawbacks. When we had a chance to pick up the Waring Pro, we went for it.

The Waring Pro has proven to be a great performer. The flip function allows the batter to coat both the upper and lower grids evenly and simultaneously. This creates a better crust and a lighter fluffier interior. Using the waffle maker couldn't be easier, just plug in, turn on, wait for the iron to preheat, spray a light coating of non-stick cooking spray on both plates (first waffle only), using the included measuring cup pour on the batter, close the maker and flip. The machine will tell you when the waffle is done, just flip again and remove.
The maker has several great features:

1. On/Off switch
2. Stainless steel drip tray
3. Batter measuring cup
4. Browning level selector
5. Finish alarm

We have used the waffle maker twice and are very pleased with the results. After reading some of the reviews, it appears the model has had some problems with longevity. If I find that to be the case for us I will return later and update this review.

I have seen several reviews about the durability of this machine and not having used it long enough I can't speak to that.
What I can speak to is the unit's operation.
After the initial warm-up, this machine turns out waffles that are consistently the same level of brown that you have chosen. Every single waffle was identical in color and completeness of baking.
The time to cook each waffle was about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes so cooking up a batch of a half dozen waffles takes about 35 minutes.

As to durability, my wife told me that she went to a breakfast buffet restaurant and the Belgian Waffle Maker THEY used was this identical machine. They make many dozens of waffles every DAY and this is the unit they have chosen to make those waffles. So based upon that, assuming the normal care one would take with any kitchen appliance, I don't see why this unit couldn't produce hundreds of waffles for you as well.

The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is that the top of the unit was dented when it arrived. That means the packaging for the unit is not stiff enough to protect it during shipping. This wasn't enough of a problem to return the unit since it is merely cosmetic and the dent can probably be popped out once I do a major cleaning of the unit. Other than that, it is easy to use with its three beeps to indicate the waffle has baked, which really helps my wife who is legally blind so it is hard for her to see. Besides which, the green light does come on and off while cooking so it isn't as reliable of a gauge as to when the waffle is actually completely cooked, while the beeps are.
So you can cook and not have to stand in front of it while it is cooking since you can hear the beeps from 10-15 feet away. So you can be doing other things in the kitchen or, in our case, sitting at the dining room table while it cooks.
The spill tray is convenient for when you accidentally overfill the griddle with batter. It is so much easier to wash off the small pan than to haul the whole unit to the sink to clean up any accidents.

I will say that the measuring cup is pretty useless if you use a batter that is the least bit thick. What we did was to use it once to gauge what the right amount of batter would be to fill the grille to the right level and then used a ladle to pour that amount for subsequent batches of waffles. You can get a Nylon ladle from Amazon for about $3.60 - Pedrini Black & Satin Nylon Ladle. The nylon will keep from scratching the non-stick finish on the grill and is safe from melting up to 410 degrees.
That was so much easier since the measuring cup is narrow and the bottom is on curved but has 90 degree angles so it is almost impossible to get all of the batter out of the cup.

A curved bottomed measuring cup like Pyrex makes would work much better since then you can get the batter out of the bottom of the cup with a spatula.

I LOVE this waffle iron. It makes it extremely easy to make perfect waffles every time. No more waffles stuck to the iron or burnt to a crisp. Just add the batter (it overflows if there is too much or you can make "spider" waffles by putting in just a little), close the lid, flip over, and wait for the beep. I did have to adjust the timer for my "secret" recipe (Golden Malted Pancake & Waffle Flour, Original, 33-Ounce Cans (Pack of 3)), but that was all I had to do to ensure perfect waffles EVERY time.

I was concerned about clean-up as you don't wash the waffle iron, but after many uses the grids still look new. No problems at all with sanitation. Highly recommended.

I purchased this production a month ago and found it to cook great waffles, but the timer does not always work. if the batter is cold the timer does not activate. so you have to time it the first time on the degree you want it cooked (we like 5) and then if you store the batter you will have to physically time it. the recipes that came in the book are excellent but time comsuming to make they all have yeast. I made a recipe from on line that did not require yeast and it was almost as good.

I bought this waffle iron because my family always enjoyed waffles when on vacation at a hotel who had them available for breakfast. This holiday season we had 22 family members descend on our home, and so I decided to purchase one of these for all to enjoy.

I was extremely happy with the performance, making 3 different recipes. All were great. For the price (about $69) it is very well worth it. I have absolutely no complaints.