Waring WMK300A Pro Professional Stainless-Steel Belgian Waffle Maker
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Waring WMK300A Pro Professional Stainless-Steel Belgian Waffle Maker
Customer Review: Great Waffle Maker, We'll see how it lasts.
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
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.
Customer Review: Best Belgian Waffle Maker I've Ever Owned
Summary: 5 Stars
My first waffle maker was the VillaWare V2002 UNO Belgian Waffler - Round, which was great for waffles, but I hated the cleanup. The VillaWare V2002 UNO Belgian Waffler - Round lasted me about 3 years or so and when the timer stopped working, so I decided it was time to look for a replacement.
When I started my research for a new waffle maker I wanted something that would have an audible timer, configurable cooking temperatures and easy cleanup. The Waring Pro WMK300A fit the bill perfectly. It's been over two years and I haven't looked back. I love the drip tray, which makes cleanup a cinch.
Here's some tips and recommendations on using the waffle maker:
* If you are using cooking spray make sure that you use the kind without flour, which means you'll almost never have to clean the inside griddle.
* I tend to like the outside of my waffle somewhat crispy and the inside soft, so I rotate the browning knob to just slightly past 5.
* Coat the griddles with cooking spray/oil before each waffle.
* When you pour the batter into the waffle maker you don't have to fill it all the way to the edges. I would recommend you pour the batter into the middle of the griddle and stop before the batter reaches the edge, which will help prevent an overflow when you close the top of the waffle maker.
Here's an easy waffle recipe that I use all the time at home to make waffles for the family. This recipe will yield 3 waffles, is pretty healthy and takes just a few minutes to put together.
* 1 1/2 Cups - Bisquick Heart Smart
* 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
* 2 Tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract
* 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
* 2 Egg Whites
* 3/4 Cup of Skim Milk
* Tollhouse (or any other brand) Chocolate Chunks - sprinkle these on top of the waffles to your liking after pouring the batter into the waffle maker
If you are looking for the best waffle maker out there for the price then look no further!
Customer Review: Makes cooking waffles contagious!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was hosting a 10 person get-together a few months ago and wanted an easy way for everybody to have a hot breakfast when they woke up -- which could have been anywhere from 7 a.m. to well past noon, considering that everybody attending was either a college student or a fresh graduate. I manned the iron the first day and, sure enough, it was a smash hit. By the end of the trip, everybody was struggling to wake up the earliest so they could man the waffle iron!
The iron itself is amazingly easy to use (even for guys who have absolutely no kitchen experience), you just pour the batter, shut the lid, flip it and wait. There's a fantastic on/off switch so you don't have to worry about unplugging the iron every time you want to turn it off. The iron also beeps to let you know when the iron is ready to receive batter and when the waffle is cooked to your specifications -- both great features for people who don't feel like standing over an iron and hoping they don't flip it to find batter or a burnt semblance of a waffle. It also comes with a batter-cup so you don't have to worry about excess spilling over the sides, which makes clean-up a dream! The drip pan also helps control the mistakes of any over-enthusiastic pourers.
I've yet to have any problem with the non-stick coating flaking or waffles sticking -- I spray mine with regular cooking spray and the waffles come off the iron without any problems. The waffles are always come out beautifully cooked with nice, deep pockets (I have mine set to 3.5-4) and taste endlessly better than either frozen waffles or ones from the non-flipping irons.
The folding handle is a great feature! I've found it stores and transports more easily this way, and if left on a counter, helps prevent people from accidentally bumping into it and knocking it off the counter. My only concern was the potential heating issue, but thanks to another reviewers fix on the issues, that concern has evaporated.
Needless to say, I am very pleased with my waffle iron and would definitely have purchased it again in retrospect...and now, several of my friends have been asking where I purchased it so they can get one too!
Customer Review: Makes Great Waffles
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this Waring Pro Waffle Maker about a year and a half ago. I have used it every day, even taking it on vacations to use in the hotel rooms. I bought it from QVC for about $79.00. I had used one similar at the breakfast bars of hotels and loved it. The demonstrations on TV made it seem so perfect and easy to use. After I bought it, I went on line and read the reviews. It seems that it worked great for everyone for a while, then died. When it arrived, I kept the box, just in case it died quickly and I could get it replaced. It worked fine for a while, just as I expected, then it died. I did discover that if I pushed in the toggle switch as I was turning it on, it would work. Sometimes it took some doing, but it always came back to life and worked for a while longer. Over the past 18 months it has quit at least 5 or 6 times, but I always got it going again. It quit again this morning and would not come on no matter how I tried. It may be a real gone-er this time.
It is great when it works, it is easy to use and there is almost no cleanup. You would think that with a company like Waring, they could do something about the reliability of this waffle maker. There is another review where someone learned to replace the fuse. He gives full instructions and says that the replacement fuse is only about $1.50. That was the problem of a lot of the reviews that I read. If you have one of these with problems, jiggle the switch or replace the fuse. Good luck!
January 12, 2010
Well, it was not a gone-er after all. We took it apart expecting to replace the fuse as the other reviewer described. It was not the fuse, a wire to the toggle switch had come loose. My husband reconnected it and wrapped it in electrical tape. All was well for awhile, but, now it has died again. Maybe this time it is the fuse. The light comes on but it will not heat. In the about 2 years that I have had it, it continues to die and must be nursed back to health. I still think that a large company like Waring could make a dependable waffle maker. It does make great waffles when it is working.
Customer Review: Perfect waffles every time!
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
My first impression when opening the box was less than delightful. Something flew out, and made a loud "crack". A few minutes later, I learned that it was the chintzy (and now broken) measuring cup that they include. So, if you decide to add this to your kitchen, be careful when you open the box.
I also was a bit surprised to find that the base is plastic. Maybe it's just me, but I expected it to be metal, or at least plated. I wouldn't say it looks cheap, but I'd expect it to be a little nicer for what this costs.
That all said, this waffle maker works really well. After spending a minute or two going through the manual and making some batter, I had really great waffles in under three minutes. There are alerts to let you know when the griddles are ready, when to flip, and when your waffle is done. Just going through the suggestions in the manual produced excellent results.
I was especially surprised by how easy it is to clean. If you properly season the griddles (using non-stick spray, or oil), there's hardly any residue left over, so cleaning the unit involves just a few quick wipes with a paper towel.
The base also serves as cord storage, which I thought was a nice feature, if you're like me and don't need to have your waffle maker constantly plugged in and ready for those unexpected guests who demand professional restaurant-quality waffles when they come by.
One thing that did leave me a bit disappointed though, was that this only makes waffles. I've seen similar units that have inserts that allow you to make crepes, too. Judging from the simple design, it doesn't seem like adding that versatility would have been a big deal. It's just another area where Waring decided to cut corners.