Cuisinart WMR-CA Round Classic Waffle Maker
|
List Price: Our Price: $28.95 You Save: $46.05 (61%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $22.59 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
|---|
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Cuisinart WMR-CA Round Classic Waffle Maker
Customer Review: Terrible Waffle Maker
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm not sure if I received a defective product, but this Cuisinart waffle maker resulted in two disastrous breakfasts. First, the top of the waffle maker that lifts up is loose, making the entire contraption seem rather cheap. The control setting knob is also made of a cheap plastic, and I was never sure that is was really "locked" into a setting. And there is no sound to indicate when your waffles are done, so you just have to keep an eye on the light, which is a hassle when you're doing other things.
That aside, it was the waffle preparation that was really a mess, literally. The first morning I poured in exactly the recommended amount of batter, closed the lid, and the batter gushed over the sides, spilling all over my counter and down the front of the cabinets. I left the remaining batter cooking, and when the waffle was done, lifted the lid, only to find that the waffle was hopelessy stuck to the waffle maker. No amount of prying would loosen it, so that morning my husband and I skipped the waffles. And the cleanup of the waffle maker took forever.
The next morning I was determined to try again. This time I sprayed the waffle maker first with Pam; then I poured far less batter into the waffle maker. As the lid went down, once again the batter gushed over the sides. At least, though, I was able to remove this one when it was done. I then went to prepare a second waffle, this time pouring in even less batter to avoid spill-over, not even filling up all of the grid holes. The batter still spilled over a little, but not nearly as before. The only problem was that when this waffle emerged, it just looked sad -- uneven and oddly flat, which is not surprising given the small amount of batter I used.
This waffle maker is the worst and will definitely be going back. I just can't deal with this kind of frustration in the morning. I'll be buying a VillaWare waffle maker instead, which will be well worth the extra cost.
Customer Review: Very good once you get past the learning curve
Summary: 4 Stars
I was all set to come here and trash this waffle maker after the first time I used it-- the waffles stuck to both sides and didn't stay together, the batter dripped over the edges and got EVERYWHERE, it took so long to cool down and I couldn't get it to stay together to stand up on its end to store...
Well, the first two problems were really my fault. I had read the recipe, but I put in less oil than it called for because I figured, "Who needs all that oil?" The second time, I put in the right amount of oil and the waffles came out perfectly, with no sticking. I also had to learn how much batter to use each time; it's less than it appears. And ignore the instructions that tell you to spread out the batter on the machine; that is unneccessary and can make the waffles not stick together.
So now that I've learned how to use it properly, the machine makes great waffles, consistently browned just right on both sides, quickly. There are three improvements I'd like to see made:
-An audible sound in addition to the green light. I'm usually running around doing other things while the waffles cook; it would be nice to have a "ding" go off instead of having to keep peeking over to see if the light turned green.
-A safety lock. I have a daughter, and it makes me nervous that she could get curious and open the lid while it's cooking or before the machine cools down. (Of course I watch her carefully, but kids move fast!) It should be easy-- even my curling iron has a simple little lock position.
-A better way of closing the machine to store it. The manual claims that it locks closed to store, but unless I'm a total idiot, it does not. It tenuously closes and can easily slide back open. So the safety lock I'm proposing could double as a "stay closed" lock!
But the main thing, of course, is that it does make great waffles with little effort.
Customer Review: Great For What It Is
Summary: 4 Stars
On the plus side this waffle maker makes great waffles -- the adjustment lever actually means something (although I find I need to set it on the higher side), it heats up quickly both initially and, especially, between waffles, and cooks quickly, too, not to mention evenly, and it stands on its side when not in use so is really easy to store without taking up a lot of room. The negatives are (1) no chime when it's ready, just a light that switches from red to green, so you have to be close by, although you don't have to be looking at it as it makes an audible click when it switches; (2) no on/off switch -- it goes on when you plug it in and only goes off when you unplug it; (3) the plates don't remove for cleaning so all you can do is wipe them down, which wouldn't be so bad if there were some kind of tool that fit in between the grooves -- all you can really do is wrap a paper towel around your finger and try to wipe in between, not easy to do unless your fingers are tiny; and (4) the setting lever is pretty flimsy and easily dislodged. Unless you make a lot of waffles, this unit is probably adequate for your needs and a nice price for an appliance that only does one thing. If you make more than a batch a week, I'd recommend spending more and getting a more sophisticated unit, but if you're new to waffles or only make them occasionally, this is a good start. As others have mentioned, spraying the unit with no-stick cooking spray or brushing with melted butter or oil is a necessity. And as an aside, if you want something other than your standard white flour, really sweet waffle, the waffle recipes in The Splendid Grain (especially Strawberry Blue Corn Waffles and Overnight Coconut, Millet and Buckwheat Waffles) are super tasty and good for you, too, as they use all whole grains and little or no sugar. Happy waffling!Customer Review: Delightful Product
Summary: 5 Stars
We have operated this product for 6 months and find it an excellent waffle maker. For the money, it is a definite BUY. Very easy to use. Yes, it's hot! Of course it's hot, it's a waffle iron! However, we find that it is safe to use if you only touch the handle when opening and closing the iron. Set on No. 3 as the instructions recommend, all the waffles are perfectly cooked and browned. We don't measure the batter. How much to use is self teaching. If too much is added, it will tend to try to overflow the excess outside the iron. But if you watch for a few seconds and see the top of the iron lifting, simply lift a little on the handle to stop the overflow. The excess batter will solidify without overflowing within seconds.
When cooking is done, be sure unplug the cord from the electrical socket and open up the iron to cool. It will cool to the touch in about 15-20 minutes. If the iron is left closed during cooling, it may take more than an hour to cool.
The iron is as easy to clean as any waffle iron. We certainly don't wash the iron. We use a piece of a wooden popsicle stick and a paper towel to remove the traces of oil following cooking. The stick is cut in half longways to create a sharp corner on the ends. Put the towel on the grid, press down gently with the sharp end of the modified stick and push or pull the stick along on top of the towel to remove the oil in a particular channel on the grid. Then transfer the towel to the next channel and press down with the stick on a clean part of the towel to clean the channel. Takes about 5 minutes to remove nearly all the oil. Store the iron in that condition. A nice feature is that no matter which side of the grid is facing up, the iron will stand open on its own to allow easy access for cleaning.
Customer Review: New to the Scary World of Waffles!
Summary: 4 Stars
My sister makes waffles. I do not. NOW however I do! Okay I'm a chef by training ~ never learned about waffles though. So I pick this up for a gift for someone ~ selfish elf that I am I ended up keeping it for myself to delve into the Scary World of Waffles. My friend got cookie sheets ~ but that's another review altogether. Sissy uses Bisquick ~ she has a trusty round Belgian Waffler. They are FANTASTIC. I used the same recipe on the box of Bisquick that I bought........in a word SCARY. Total blech. Soggy. Flimsy. Tasteless. No matter which "number for doneness" I chose --- these were not food. I can't even think of a thing to do with them --- I wiggled them about the room for my cat to be entertained and she yawned and fell back asleep. Okay now the performance of the machine was DELIGHTFUL. The red/green light system worked absolutely and perfectly. The number system really changed how brown the waffle got. So dang fast ~ I love how it "clicks" ~ then I knew when my waffle or whatever that was in there was done. It did not stick AT ALL. With all temps - it just popped out on it's own or with a light lift with a fork. The crisp dreamy waffle I was drooling for didn't happen ~ but the thing worked like a charm. I'm off to google recipes and try a few of them. I want to get into savory waffles with wild rice and such for a base for creamed chicken ~ etc. But first I better master the basics of a good mix. Thank you for the recipes those that submitted them. I'm not blaming the machine thus far ~ only the cook ~ and don't use Bisquick unless you want to live in the Scary World of Waffles. I will persevere ~ much less timid and afraid...this machine is my friend.